Rachael/Rita's Open-Faced Grilled Greek Burgers Recipe (Rachael Ray & I did Good!!)

Rachael Ray's Greek Burgers with Rita's Oven-Fried Potatoes & Jerry's Spinach Salad

...that's what's for supper...

& no, it wasn't at all greasy!!! 

Open-Faced Grilled Burgers Recipe
(from Rachael Ray's August 2008 Magazine Menu Insert)
Ingredients:
1 1/2 pounds ground lamb (I used 2 lbs lean ground beef = 1/2 burgers!!!!!)
1 cup (or 5 ounces) crumbled feta cheese
1 teaspoon dried oregano (I used 1/2 teaspoon more to cover the extra lb of meat)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil, for brushing
One 6-ounce package portobello mushroom caps (I totally missed this on my grocery list, bummer)
1 red onion, cut crosswise into 3/4" thick slices (I used sweet white onion, it was what I had)
Four 1" thick Italian bread slices (I used hamburger buns, I knew my guys would want a BUN lol)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar (I omitted, but Jerry used for the Spinach salad dressing)
2 tablespoons Italian bread crumbs (umy addition)

Instructions for the burgers:
1. Preheat a grill to medium. In a large bowl, mix together the meat, feta, oregano, salt, pepper, (bread crumbs). Shape meat into four 3/4" thick patties.
2. Brush olive oil all over mushrooms (remember to buy them!!! lol), onion and bread slices (or buns). Season the patties and vegetables with salt and pepper and grill, covered, until the patties are just firm to the touch, about 3-4 minutes on each side. Brill the bread until toasted, 1-2 minutes on each side.
3. Divide the bread among 4 plates and top each with a mushroom cap, a meat patty and some onion slices;p drizzle with the vinegar.

Now, I added oven fried potatoes to this meal...simply cut 3 lbs of russet potatoes, skin and all into cubes and put them into a large zip lock bag. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 chopped sweet onion, 1/4 teaspoon cilantro, salt and pepper and shake the bag. Then poor them onto a cookie sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees until brown. Serve hot. Sprinkle your favorite cheese on top or serve with sour cream.

There is a lot of olive oil requested in these recipes, but I always use oil, butter, and cheeses in moderation. I get the leanest meats possible and get fat free products when possible. I took a year and cooked Rachael Ray recipes...that was before Julia/Julie movie ever came out and before I ever thought of blogging, wow, that could have been Rachael/Rita LOL...We loved every recipe and they really do only take 30 minutes, but we also gained a few pounds too! So, I have learned to make the meals a little differently now and substitute some of the ingredients but the best thing that year taught me, and, well, my family was to eat things we never had and to cook with ingredients we had never tried, like leaks and butternut squash soup - two of my son's favorite foods now! Imagine that...

So, I decided to cook my way down memory lane of 2008...this week we are cooking Rachael Ray recipes from two of her magazines that summer, June/July and August...how fun will those pinup pages be!! LOL...loving it...

Love, Blessings, & {{{Hugs}}},

Rita

www.RitaHutchesonCobbs.com