Oklahoma Fried Onion Burgers

A few weekends ago we were all watching Cook's Country together (yes, my 5-year-old loves to watch cooking shows. It warms my heart). They were making something called Oklahoma Fried Onion Burgers and they looked mouthwateringly good.

For some reason that episode was on at least 3 or 4 more times within a two-week span and I finally told SP I had to make them. So, he picked up some ground beef at the store and I planned to make them one Saturday for dinner. Then we had a ridiculously huge lunch and couldn't stand the thought of eating again. The ground beef went into the freezer, where it was promptly forgotten. I finally remembered that I wanted to make the recipe and put the burgers on the menu two nights ago. They were so good I had to blog them immediately.

I thought these would be more complicated but it's actually a very easy recipe. All you need to do is plan ahead enough to let the onions sit in the colander. SP said they tasted like a McDonald's hamburger only a million times better. Baby Girl had the mini burger in the center of the picture above, sans onions because she isn't a fan. They even reheated well the next day.

Oklahoma Fried Onion Burgers
As seen on Cook's Country

1 large onion, peeled, halved and thinly sliced
salt and pepper
1 lb ground beef
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
4-8 slices American cheese
Mayo, mustard and pickles, for serving
4 hamburger buns, toasted

Combine the onion slices and 1 teaspoon of salt in a bowl and toss to combine. Transfer the onions to a colander and let sit for 30 minutes, tossing occasionally. Transfer the onions to a clean dish towel, gather the edges together and squeeze out as much liquid as you can from the onions. Do this over the sink or a large bowl since the onions will have quite a bit of liquid in them.

Divide the onions into 4 separate mounds on a rimmed baking sheet. Form the beef into 4 lightly packed balls. Place the beef balls on top of the onion mounds and flatten the beef firmly (use your palm) so the onion adheres to the beef. The patties should measure 4 inches in diameter. Season the beef generously with salt and pepper.

Melt the butter with the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium heat. Using a large spatula, transfer the patties to the skillet, onion side down. Cook for 6-8 minutes, until the onions turn a deep golden brown and begin to crisp around the edges. Flip the burgers, then increase the heat to high and cook until well browned on the second side, about 2 minutes.

Add 1 or 2 slices of cheese to each burger and allow to melt. Add mayo, mustard and pickles to the top buns, then place each burger on a bottom buns. Serve immediately.

Recipe Remake: Farmstand Corn Fritters

I can't believe I've been making these corn fritters for 7 years already. They're so easy and the flavor is incredible. The last few times I've made them Baby Girl helped by stirring all the ingredients together in the bowl.

My original post didn't even include a photo (what was I thinking?) and since that post was back in 2007 I figured it was time to bring it back from the archives while corn was still in season (although I'm cutting it a bit close). We usually eat them plain, but you could serve them with a dipping sauce or top them with mozzarella, tomato and basil. We rarely have leftovers but if you did, you could serve them with a fried egg the next morning.

If you can still get farm-fresh corn you need to make these ASAP. I'm kicking myself for not putting corn on the shopping list this week.

Farmstand Corn Fritters
As seen in Cook's Country magazine Aug/Sept 2005

3-4 ears of corn, husks and silk removed
1 large egg, beaten lightly
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons cornmeal
2 tablespoons half-and-half (can also use heavy cream)
1/2 small shallot, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup corn or vegetable oil, as needed

Using a chef's knife, cut the kernels from 1 to 2 ears of corn (depending on size) and place in a large bowl. You should have about 1 cup of whole kernels. Grate the kernels from the remaining ears of corn on the large holes of a box grater. You should have a generous 1/2 cup of grated kernels. Add to the bowl with the whole kernels. Using the back of a butter knife, scrape any remaining pulp from all the cobs and put in the bowl. Stir in the egg, flour, cornmeal, cream, shallot, and salt.

Heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Drop 6 heaping tablespoons of batter into the pan. Fry until golden brown, about 5 minutes per side. Leave them alone until you see them starting to brown around the edges, then carefully flip them over to cook on the second side.

Transfer fritters to a plate lined with paper towels. Sprinkle with some salt. Fry the remaining batter. Serve immediately.

Chicken Parmesan Salad

A few weeks ago I received an issue of Cook's Country magazine. I used to be a subscriber, but in an effort to save money I cancelled my subscription awhile back. I'm not sure if this was a teaser issue to try to entice me back, but it doesn't have a date on it so I'm assuming that's what it is. SP went through it and picked out a few recipes for me to make, including this one for Chicken Parmesan Salad.

I made a few modifications - I switched up the breading method since I've found that panko adheres better when you coat the chicken in flour first, and I swapped out arugula for Romaine hearts since I always have a package on hand. If only I could buy arugula that didn't spoil immediately...

This was a great salad. We were all big fans. I mean, what's not to like about crispy chicken and the summer trinity of tomatoes, mozzarella and basil? Because of Baby Girl's nut allergy I didn't make traditional pesto, simply processed basil leaves with a little oil, salt and pepper and then grated in some Pecorino cheese. I have to be honest - I haven't made pesto with nuts in years and I don't notice a difference.

Chicken Parmesan Salad
As seen in Cook's Country magazine

1 large egg
1 cup flour
1 cup panko
salt and pepper
4 chicken cutlets
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup pesto
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest plus 1 tablespoon juice
12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved
5 ounces baby arugula, mixed greens or finely shredded Romaine hearts
4 ounces bocconcini, halved

Beat the egg in a shallow dish with a splash of water. Add the flour to a second shallow dish. Combine panko, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper in a third shallow dish. Season each chicken cutlet with salt and pepper. Working with one cutlet at a time, coat the cutlet in flour, then dip into the egg, and finally coat in the panko, pressing to adhere.

Heat 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Cook 2 cutlets at a time until golden brown and crispy, about two minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Repeat with the remaining oil and chicken. Tent the chicken loosely with foil and let rest for 5 minutes.

Whisk the pesto and lemon zest and juice together in a large bowl. Add the tomatoes, arugula and bocconcini and toss to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Arrange the salad on a serving platter. Slice the chicken into strips and arrange on the salad. Serve.

Pasta with Lemony Chicken and Asparagus

When you have a food blog you tend to be the one who does most of the cooking in your house. This works well for us - I work from home now but even when I was commuting to an office I was always home before SP. He is a fantastic cook, his first job was working in a restaurant, but his schedule has made it difficult for him to get in the kitchen these last few years. Recently he asked me to make it possible for him to cook one meal on a weekend (usually Sunday). He spent a lot of time looking through my back issues of Cook's Country before choosing this recipe for Pasta with Lemony Chicken and Asparagus.

As agreed, I stayed out of the kitchen and let him do his thing. Baby Girl helped trim the asparagus (she loves snapping off the woody ends) and I consulted when he had any questions but this meal was entirely his. And it was fantastic, light and flavorful with the brightness of the lemon and the kick from the garlic. The asparagus were perfect - not to thin and not to thick, cooked until tender but not mushy. The chicken was nicely browned and we both loved the campanelle pasta even if it was almost twice the price of our usual store brand. I can't say enough good things about this meal. Even the leftovers were awesome.

The original recipe calls for 4 chicken breasts (1 1/2 lbs) and only half a pound of pasta. I convinced SP to cut it down to 3 chicken breasts and it was still a lot of chicken. I'm modifying the recipe to only 2 chicken breasts. I also think a bunch of asparagus is less than a pound (we didn't weigh it) so you might want to buy two bunches - you can never have too much asparagus.

I can't wait to see what he'll make next!

Pasta with Lemony Chicken and Asparagus
Cook's Country Magazine April/May 2008

8 ounces campanelle pasta
Salt and pepper
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4"-thick slices
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1" pieces
8 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 fresh squeezed lemon juice
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Bring water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta to boiling water and cook according to package directions. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Return pasta to the pot and set aside.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook half the chicken until golden brown, about 1-2 minutes per side. Remove to a plate and repeat with another tablespoon of butter and the remaining chicken.

Add 1 tablespoon of butter to the now-empty pan and add the asparagus. Cook until tender, about 5 minutes, then add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

Add the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter, chicken, asparagus, lemon juice, cheese and parsley to the pot with the pasta and toss to combine, adding the 1/2 cup of pasta cooking water as needed to make a sauce. Taste and season with salt and pepper, if needed, then serve.

Skillet Penne with Chicken and Broccoli

I've mentioned before how much I love one-pot dishes, especially when they involve cooking pasta in broth and water. There's something special about pasta cooked in a skillet with so many other delicious ingredients. The pasta soaks up not just the water and broth but the flavors as well.

This Skillet Penne with Chicken and Broccoli is from Cook's Country, which is one of the only magazines I continue to pay for. The recipes are tested so many times that I've rarely comes across one that isn't a winner. This was no exception. The sauce was a little thin, but I only had 7 ounces of ziti so that may have had something to do with it. I'm sure the leftovers the next day were better, but since there was only enough for SP I couldn't tell you. :) He's a lucky man - the flavors in this were outstanding. You can't go wrong with chicken, pasta and broccoli in my book.

Skillet Penne with Chicken and Broccoli
As seen in Cook's Country August/September 2012

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, sliced thin
Salt and pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 1/2 cups water
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
8 ounces penne
8 ounces broccoli florets, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated, plus extra for serving

Pat chicken dry and season with salt and pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a 12-inch non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until just smoking. Add chicken in a single later and cook, without stirring, until beginning to brown, about 1 minute. Stir chicken and continue to cook until nearly cooked through, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and keep warm.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to now-empty skillet and heat over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook until softened, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in garlic, pepper flakes and oregano and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Stir in wine and simmer until nearly evaporated, 1-2 minutes. Stir in water, broth and penne. Increase heat to medium-high and cook at a simmer, stirring often, until penne is nearly tender, about 12 minutes.

Stir in broccoli and cook until penne and broccoli are tender and sauce has thickened, 3-5 minutes. Stir in chicken, along with any accumulated juices and cook until warmed through, about 1 minute. Off heat, stir in Parmesan cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

BLT Wraps

One of SP's favorite sandwiches in a BLT. As much as I love a traditional BLT on white bread, it can be a messy sandwich to eat. Enter the BLT Wrap. All the flavors of a BLT but wrapped snugly in a tortilla.


I ended up making these for dinner on Friday so I cut the recipe in half since we wouldn't need leftovers. These were incredibly easy to make, although I did have a minor mishap with the bacon. The original recipe calls for cooking the bacon in the microwave but my bacon wasn't cooking properly so I finished it in the toaster oven. I recommend cooking the bacon in either the toaster oven or regular oven for more even cooking.

BLT Wraps
Slightly Modified from Cook's Country, August/September 2012

12 ounces thick-cut bacon
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 romaine lettuce hearts (12 ounces), leaves trimmed to 8 inches long
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
4 (10-inch) flour tortillas

Cook bacon until crispy.* Allow to cook slightly then chop into bite-size pieces.

Whisk mayonnaise and mustard together in large bowl until combined. Add lettuce and tomatoes and toss to coat evenly with dressing. Lay ­tortillas on counter and divide lettuce, tomatoes, and bacon among tortillas. Roll tightly and serve.

*I like to use the toaster oven but for this amount of bacon I recommend using the oven. Preheat to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with tin foil for easy clean-up. Place a cooling rack on the baking sheet and lay the bacon on the rack. Cook until desired crispiness, checking often to make sure the bacon isn't burning.

Weeknight Spaghetti and Meatballs

One of the only magazines I continue to subscribe to is Cook's Country. I love their recipes but the real reason is they don't make their content available on their website. That irks me quite a bit, but it's a good move on their part since it forces folks to buy their magazine. SP was looking through the most recent issue and came across this one for Weeknight Spaghetti and Meatballs. He's a big spaghetti and meatballs fan but he also thought it would be great because it's a one-pot meal. Score!


This couldn't have been easier to make. SP wished there had been more spaghetti and less meatballs, so I need to figure out how to make that work next time. I felt like the meatballs needed more seasoning than just the garlic, so I added salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. I had the meatballs rolled in about 10 minutes and put them in the fridge to stay cold until I was ready to cook. I think that was a good step because the meatballs held together perfectly while cooking, so I modified the recipe below.


Baby Girl absolutely loved this dish. She had thirds of the spaghetti (don't you love that toddlers call spaghetti "pasketti?") and we already know how much she loves meatballs and these were no exception. She was covered from head to toe in red sauce, which made for some adorable pictures.

I'll be making this often, especially in the fall and winter.

UPDATE April 2014 - I remade this using penne and it was even better than the spaghetti. Same process, just a different pasta shape.

Weeknight Spaghetti and Meatballs
Slightly Modified from Cook's Country

1 pound meatloaf mix (ground beef, pork and veal)
1/3 cup panko
1 large egg, lightly beaten
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes
2 cups water
8 ounces spaghetti, broken in half
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
Grated cheese for serving

Combine meat, panko, egg, half the garlic, Italian seasoning and some salt and pepper in a bowl and knead gently until combined. Form meat into 48 meatballs, about 1-inch around. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to firm up the meat.

Heat oil in a large, 12-inch non-stick skillet with high sides over medium heat until just smoking. Cook meatballs until well browned all over, about 5 minutes. Transfer meatballs to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain fat from the skillet.

Add 1 tablespoon oil to the now-empty skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, water, pasta, salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring often, until pasta begins to soften, about 7 minutes.

Return meatballs to the skillet and simmer, covered, until meatballs are cooked through and pasta is al dente, about 5 minutes. Off heat, stir in basil. Serve with grated cheese.