I grew up on Jimmy Buffett songs. Mom popped in one of his CDs whenever she drove us to soccer practice or piano lessons, and I quickly learned all of the lyrics to “Fins” and “Fruitcakes” before the childhood classic, “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”
With Jimmy singing in the background, our family barbequed for dinner nearly every summer weekend. As Mom shaped the patties, we put on “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” and we always belted out the bridge…
I like mine with lettuce and tomatoes
Heinz 57 and french fried potatoes…
When Jimmy Buffett wrote his burger love song, I bet he pictured a big beef patty—probably ¼ pound of meat—topped with at least two thick slices of Muenster cheese. The ultimate gooey, greasy, “Heaven on Earth” kind of meal.
Not quite what I had in mind.
I imagined something slightly healthier: an extra lean turkey burger instead of 80% lean ground beef. But I made mine just as juicy with a single secret ingredient.
Sun dried tomatoes!
When you mix those into the ground turkey, they absorb the meat juices that typically come out of the burger, leaving it nice and moist (instead of dry as a desert). Combine that trick with a thin slice of sharp cheddar, and you’ll cut out 280 calories and 22 grams of fat from a Big Mac. Crazy!
These burgers are perfect for bikini season—and the 4th of July next week! (Stay tuned, I have 3 more patriotic foods coming your way too!)
These burgers are extra juicy and flavorful! Be sure to use Dijon mustard; it really ties everything together.
- To prepare the patties, combine the turkey, sun dried tomatoes, basil, pepper, and ¼ teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Divide the mixture into 4 balls, and flatten to about the diameter of the burger buns. Gently press your thumb into the center of one side. Sprinkle each side of the patties with the remaining salt.
- Lightly coat a large pan with nonstick cooking spray. Cook the patties over medium low heat for 2-3 minutes on each side or until no longer pink in the center. Add 1 slice of cheddar to each patty, and let it cook for another 30 seconds or until melted.
- To assemble, spread 1 teaspoon of Dijon on the top half of each bun. Place the patty on the bottom half, cheese-side up, and top with 2 tablespoons of lettuce. Place the other bun half on top. Serve immediately.
This sounds awesome but I wish there was a crosscut photo of the inside of the burger!