January 10: The T2: Turkey Chili-Topped Turkey Chili Burgers with Red Pepper Slaw and Funky Fries

1/4 cup chili powder
2 tablespoons ground cumin
2 tablespoons grill seasoning, such as McCormick's Montreal Steak Seasoning
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 packages (2 to 2 2/3 pounds total) ground turkey breast
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 8-ounce can tomato sauce
3 red bell peppers, 1/4 of 1 pepper finely chopped, remaining peppers thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tablespoons hot sauce, such as Tabasco
6 ounces Cheddar or smoked Cheddar, cut into 1/4-inch dice
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 sack (16 ounces) shredded red cabbage
1 small red onion, thinly sliced
Coarse black pepper, to taste
4 soft burger rolls

Preheat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Combine the chili powder, cumin, and grill seasoning in a small bowl.

To the skillet add a tablespoon of the vegetable oil and half of the turkey. Break up the turkey with the back of a wooden spoon, then season with half of the spice mixture.

Combine to break up and brown the turkey for a couple of minutes, then add half of the chopped onions and cook for another couple of minutes. When the onions are translucent, add the Worcestershire sauce and tomato sauce; adjust the seasonings and simmer the chili sauce over low heat until ready to serve.

While the chili sauce is working, make the burgers. Place the remaining turkey in a bowl and add the remaining spice mixture, half of the remaining chopped onions, the finely chopped bell peppers, the chopped garlic, and about a tablespoon of hot sauce. Mix well with your hands, then incorporate the diced cheese. Form the mixture into 4 one-inch-thick patties. Heat a second nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add a tablespoon of vegetable oil and when hot, add the burgers. Cook the burgers for 6 minutes on each side.

While everything is moving forward, throw together the slaw salad. In the bottom of a medium bowl, combine 1 tablespoon hot sauce with the vinegar, sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt. Add the red cabbage, red pepper strips, and red onions to the bowl and toss to combine. Season with black pepper.

To serve, pile the chili-cheese burgers onto the buns, top with scoops of chili sauce and a spoonful of the remaining chopped onions. Serve the burgers with piles of red pepper slaw.

4 SERVINGS

Ok, so, I guess you're wondering what happened to the funky fries. I have made a resolution to eat more vegetables and less carbs this year, so I think hamburger buns AND fries is just a little too much with all that meat too. I have never tried the slaw with this recipe before, so I thought I would give it a try. I really did not like it. I like bell peppers. I like cabbage. I could not find shredded red cabbage already packaged, and the whole head was just way to big. So I just got some regular coleslaw mix. I think, for one thing, 1 tablespoon Tabasco is just way too much, especially since I am the only one eating this side dish (my husband hates all those ingredients).  For another thing, there is no fat source in this coleslaw. Usually there's some mayo, olive oil, salad dressing, sour cream or SOMETHING. But there's just nothing. I don't know if it's a mistake, or if it's just supposed to be a spicy, fat free slaw. Whatever it is, I don't like it and I have a TON of it leftover. The girls won't eat it because it's too spicy for them. And I had to get a pack of colored peppers because they didn't sell them individually and I didn't want to buy 3 3-packs of peppers. They all taste the same to me anyway. I guess I'll have to doctor it a little when I eat it tomorrow for lunch.

I don't think this slaw would have been any better had I used red cabbage. In fact, it probably would have been worse. I would not suggest making this slaw, but rather some good old fashioned coleslaw, or maybe use this recipe and add coleslaw dressing instead of the dressing called for.That's my opinion. Also, the red pepper slaw recipe makes way more than 4 servings.

About the burgers, they are good. I still put in too much Tabasco for the girls. Susanna was funny eating her burger - hyperventilating after each bite!

You can see the look of pain on her face:

Make sure to use a real non-stick skillet because mine used to be non-stick, but is not anymore. The burgers just fell apart because the cheese melted and stuck to the skillet. They still tasted good though.

Here is the recipe for the funky fries if you feel like high-fat carbs:
1 sack (16-20 ounces) extra crispy style frozen French fries
2 chopped garlic cloves
1 teaspoon coarse salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1/4 cup finely chopped curly parsley

Preheat the oven to the temperature listed on the sack of fries. When you place the burgers in the pan, the timing is right to add the fries to the preheated oven. On your cutting board add about a teaspoon of salt to the chopped garlic and, using the flat of your knife blade, mash the garlic and salt into a paste. Scrape the paste into a small bowl with the butter and microwave on High for 20 seconds or so. Remove the fries from the oven and toss with the melted butter and the chopped parsley. Adjust seasoning to taste.