Barbecue Chicken Burgers

Don't want beef? Fair enough, here's a chicken burger!

Ingredients:

1 pound ground chicken breast

1/4 cup finely grated sharp cheddar cheese

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup BBQ sauce – use homemade or your favorite!

4 whole wheat buns

1 onion, sliced

1 tablespoon olive oil

BBQ sauce for topping

gouda cheese for topping

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine chicken, BBQ sauce, paprika, onion and garlic powder, salt, pepper and cheddar cheese. Mix until just combined, then form 4 patties. Preheat the grill or a skillet and cook the burgers until fully cooked through. 

While burgers are cooking, heat a skillet on medium heat and add olive oil. Add sliced onions with a pinch of salt and saute until caramelized, about 10 minutes.

When burgers are ready, place on a toasted bun & top with gouda (or more cheddar), onions, BBQ sauce and fresh romaine.

Burgers with Blue Cheese Mayo & Sherry Vidalia Onions

A little bird told me they wanted more burger recipes for 4th of July.  Well, here's another, (and there's more to come!)

Every bite of these burgers has the perfect mix of flavors: the peppery arugula, the sweet onions punched up by the pungent thyme and vinegar, and the salty patties. Not to mention that ooey-gooey, savory blue cheese mayo, spiced up with hot pepper sauce.

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup (2 ounces) crumbled blue cheese

1/4 cup canola mayonnaise

2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, divided

1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)

1 pound lean ground sirloin

1 teaspoon black pepper, divided

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil

4 (1/4-inch-thick) slices Vidalia or other sweet onion

Cooking spray

2 teaspoons sherry vinegar

4 (1 1/2-ounce) whole-wheat hamburger buns, toasted

2 cups loosely packed arugula

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

Combine 1/2 cup blue cheese, mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon thyme, and hot pepper sauce in a small bowl; stir well.

Divide beef into 4 equal portions, shaping each portion into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Sprinkle beef evenly with 1/2 teaspoon black pepper and salt.

Brush oil evenly over both sides of onion slices; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Place the patties and onions on grill rack coated with cooking spray; cover and grill for 3 minutes on each side. Set patties aside; keep warm. Place onion slices in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Let stand 5 minutes; toss with remaining 1 teaspoon thyme and vinegar.

Spread cut sides of buns evenly with mayonnaise mixture. Arrange 1/2 cup arugula on bottom half of each bun; top with 1 patty, 1 onion slice, and bun top.

Grilled Chicken Wings with Maple Barbecue Sauce

I'm a Vermont girl, and where I'm from, it's tradition to serve up maple inspired dishes.  That's no different on Independence Day.  In continuance of our 4th of July special, we bring you these Grilled Chicken Wings with Maple Barbecue Sauce from Jan's Sushi Bar.  A must try for all the wing lovers out there!

Ingredients:

2 pounds chicken wings, not jointed

2 tablespoons Mrs. Dash for chicken or barbecue dry rub

2 tablespoons lard or other cooking fat

1 large yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 cups tomato sauce

3/4 cup Vermont maple syrup

1/4 cup tamari or gluten-free soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes, or to taste

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

Directions:

Melt the lard in heavy medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until tender, about 10 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 1 minute. Add tomato sauce, maple syrup, soy sauce and red pepper flakes; bring just to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer until sauce thickens slightly, about 20 minutes.  Stir in the vinegar; season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. Reserve about 3/4 of a cup for the chicken wings, and store the rest in an airtight container in the refrigerator for a later use.

While the sauce is simmering, prepare and heat your grill, depending on type – if using charcoal, make sure you have a bed of hot coals, covered in ash, spread evenly beneath the grate. Raise the grate to between 4 and 6 inches above the coals/heat.

Rinse the chicken wings and dry then with a paper towel. Place them in a large bowl and sprinkle them with the seasoning mixture/dry rub, tossing them frequently to coat them evenly. Place then over the coals/heat and cover. Cook, turning occasionally, for about 20 minutes or until the chicken is no longer pink near the bone. Baste with the barbecue sauce for the last 5 minutes.

Remove to a platter and allow the chicken to rest for 3 to 5 minutes before serving.