For Pipps... Because She's a Foodie Just Like Me...

So today my daughter told me that she wants me to start writing down the things that I make...which is somewhat daunting because I don't have a regular repertoire and don't really use recipes. I love to go on different cooking sites - like this one & this one & my favorite...
(OK, so these are just the top 3 - I would have to post endless links here if I actually shared my "cooking" favorites folder.)

SO - I told her I would start blogging about what I make each night and tag it so that she can have access to what we eat around here in the off chance that I someday actually let her use my kitchen.

I know, I know, I should be letting her cook, having her help more, etc. but my kitchen is the one place in my house that I enjoy being domestic. I hate cleaning, I hate laundry, I'm not very good at decorating because I hate spending money...I don't know...I guess cooking is kind of my therapy - especially now that I rarely paint and don't have a piano since DB won't give it back to me. (which is, incidentally, only 1 of the MANY reasons we refer to him as such...)

I'll try and tag these and go back and tag other recipes I've posted here so they can all be accessed in one folder :) Enjoy!

Tonight:

I LOVE the turkey burger at the Uptown Diner in St Paul. It's wonderful.

Fresh ground turkey, peanuts, jalapenos, onion, garlic and curry seasonings blended together and topped with pepper jack cheese, poblano peanut pesto aioli and iceberg lettuce. Voted 'Best Turkey Burger in the Twin Cities.'

Tonight I wanted to recreate that, but didn't have all the ingredients on hand, so I improvised.
Here is roughly what I did:

1 lb ground turkey
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp chopped fresh ginger
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 Tbsp curry powder
1 tsp fish sauce
1/3 cup peanuts

In a food processor - while running - drop in all ingredients EXCEPT the turkey - it should make a paste not unlike a pesto.

Mix together with turkey in a bowl, form into patties (I made 3 small ones for the kids and 2 larger ones for the hubs and I) and either pan fry in a little olive oil, or grill, on medium, about 5 to 6 mn per side.

Normally I would've made these on buns with cheese and tried the poblano sauce, but I didn't have any of those things, SO - we had them in pita bread! And I made a Thai cucumber salad to go on top:

1/2 English cucumber, sliced thin
1/4 cup chopped green onion
1/2 cup mixed green salad mix

1/4 c distilled white vinegar
1 tsp sugar in the raw
1 tsp kosher salt
couple shakes of hot red pepper flakes

Mix last 4 ingredients together until sugar dissolves and pour over salad mixture

We had them with roasted sweet potatoes and the entire meal was a hit!

So there you go Pipps! My first recipe post!

(FYI - I've been told that I do NOT need to post the "yucky" stuff that I make here :) Hahahaha)