Cheesy Turkey Burger Bake

 

This recipe I am sharing today is not only very tasty, but also quite family friendly, simple to make and fairly healthy, especially if you use the leanest ground turkey you can buy and a low fat cheddar.  It is also very economical!  So its a winner all round! 

 

I confess that I am not overly fond of ground beef. It goes back to my childhood I guess.  Mom always bought really cheap ground beef. It was fatty and full of gristle and sometimes bits of bone.  If there was any gristle or bone in it, it always seemed to end up on my plate and as soon as it hit my teeth I would be gagging! Very unpleasant. 

 

I do eat ground beef now, but not very often and I always grind my own when I do. Did you know that when you are buying ground beef at the shops, the meat in your pack can come from several animals, but if you buy a piece of beef and trim it, then grind it yourself, you know for sure it came from just one. 

 

We I actually prefer ground turkey to ground beef. Its lower in fat and much better for you.  Its actually on the list of what are considered to be Super Foods.

 

The protein in Turkey alone could make it a Super Food,  but actually this lean meat has much more to offer. It is also chock full of nutrients, particularly niacin, selenium, vitamins B6 and B12, and zinc. These nutrients are heart-healthy and also valuable in helping to lower the risk for cancer.

 

Turkey is also one of the leanest protein foods and is low in calories, making it an excellent healthy food choice. The selenium in it  has been shown to inhibit cancer development, improve the immune system, and aid in the metabolism of our thyroid hormone. 

We love turkey and turkey, it seems  . . .  loves us!

 

This is really a very easy bake to make.  Turkey is browned in a pan along with some finely chopped onion. (Just spray the pan with some low fat cooking spray.) I like to add a few herbs and some salt and black pepper for more flavor.  You could also add chopped celery if you wanted to.

 

This gets spread in a baking dish and topped with a layer of grated cheddar cheese.  I use cheddar because it is a favourite of ours and packs a lot of flavour in, so you don't need as much cheese as you would another type. I use a lower fat cheddar. It works beautifully.

  

You sprinkle the cheese over the cooked turkey in a baking dish and then beat together some baking mix, milk and eggs and pour that over top.  Then it is as simple as popping it into a hot oven and baking it until it is done.  Presto, you have a delicious entree that the family will love.  I often add a layer of chopped cooked vegetables between the layer of turkey and the cheese.  Also, very good and healthy too! (I make my own homemade baking mix.  The recipe is below.)

Yield: 4Author: Marie Rayner

Cheesy Turkey Burger Bake

prep time: 15 minscook time: 30 minstotal time: 45 mins

A simple bake which is not only delicious but very easy to make and family friendly. Serve with your favourite vegetables and salad if you wish!

ingredients:

1 pound lean ground turkey

1 medium onion, finely minced

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/2 tsp each dried parsley, sage and thyme

salt and black pepper to taste

120g grated strong cheddar cheese (1 cup)

60g baking mix (1/2 cup, something like Bisquick or Tea Bisk)

(Or you can use a homemade version, see link)

240ml whole milk (1 cup)

2 large free range eggs

instructions:

Preheat the oven to 200*C/400*F/ gas mark 6.  Butter an 8 inch square baking dish.  Set aside.

Spritz
 a skillet with some low fat cooking spray.  Add the ground turkey and
chopped onion, and brown until evenly cooked and no longer pink.  (I
mash mine with a potato masher as I am cooking it. to help break it
up.)  Stir in the garlic powder and herbs.  Season to taste with salt
and pepper.  Scrape into the baking dish. Spread out into an even
layer.  Sprinkle the grated cheese evenly over top.  Whisk together the
baking mix, milk and eggs.  (Or blitz in a blender to combine.)  Pour
over the turkey and cheese.

Bake in the
preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes until cooked through and the cheese
has started to turn golden brown.  Remove from the oven and let stand
for several minutes before cutting into squares to serve.

Note
 - If desired you can add a thin layer of cooked vegetables over the
turkey before sprinkling the cheese over top. Chopped broccoli is nice as are
peas/corn/carrots,  or chopped cooked spinach,etc.

Created using The Recipes Generator

 

Yield: 24Author: Marie Rayner

Homemade Baking Mix

prep time: cook time: total time:

This is  mix which comes in really handy to have in the cupboard, ready to use for making muffins, pancakes and all sorts.

ingredients:

1260g of plain flour (9  cups)

245g milk powder (1 cup)

5 TBS baking powder

50g white sugar (1/4 cup)

1 TBS salt

220g white vegetable shortening (1 cup)

instructions:

Whisk flour, dry milk
powder, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl until thoroughly
combined. Cut shortening into dry ingredients with a pastry cutter,
about 1/2 cup at a time, until mixture resembles cornmeal. Store in an
air-tight container for up to 3 months.

To make biscuits/scones:
 Measure 260g (2 cups) of the mix into a bowl.  Stir in 180ml buttermilk
 (3/4 cup) with a fork, Pat out, cut into circles and bake in a
220*C/425*F/ gas mark 7 oven for about 10 minutes.  Makes six large
biscuits (scones).

To make Pancakes:
 Measure 260g (2 cups) of the mix into a bowl. Whisk in 3 TBS sugar, 2
tsp baking powder, 2 TBS vegetable oil and 2 eggs.  Whisk together until
 smooth.  Cook as per regular pancakes on a greased griddle.  Drop 1/4
cupful at a time onto hot greased griddle.  Cook until the edges are
dry, flip and cook until golden.  Makes about 14.

To make Waffles:
 Measure 260g (2 cups) of the mix into a bowl.  Beat together with 310ml
 milk (1 1/3 cups), 2 TBS vegetable oil and 1 egg.  Pour into centre of
hot greased waffle maker.  Close lid.  Bake about 5  minutes or until
steaming stops.  Remove with a fork and keep warm.  Makes about 12.

Created using The Recipes Generator

 

We had friends pop in the other day when I was making this so I simply popped some vegetable chips into the oven and we had it with them and some steamed baby peas.  Everyone loved it.  In fact my friend's husband had seconds!  Bon Appetit!

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