Miami Burger

From Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries, and Shakes, page 51.

Serves 4.

1 lb. ground chuck (80/20) or ground turkey (90/10)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 1/2 Tbs. canola oil
1/2 cup mayonnaise
4 cloves roasted garlic, mashed (see notes)
4 hamburger buns, split
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
8 thin slices Swiss cheese
4 thin slices smoked ham
2 dill pickles, sliced into 1/4" thick slices

Divide the meat into 4 equal portions.  Form each loosely into a 3/4" thick burger and make a deep depression in the center with your thumb.  Season both sides of each burger with salt and pepper.  Cook the burgers (click HERE for Bobby's burger cooking times), using the oil.  Remove the burgers to a plate.

Combine the mayonnaise and roasted garlic in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Spread both sides of each bun with the mayonnaise and the mustard.  Place a slice of cheese on each bun bottom, place a burger on top, and then top the burger with a slice of ham, another slice of cheese, and some pickle slices.  Cover with bun tops.

Cook the burgers on a sandwich press or wrap burgers in aluminum foil and cook in a hot skillet over high heat (put a heavy skillet on top of the burgers to press them) until golden brown and the cheese has  melted, about 1 1/2 minutes per side.  Serve immediately.

Notes:
- I used 1 lb. (90/10) ground beef, so my burgers weren't as thick.
- It takes more like 2-3 minutes per side to cook the burgers if you go the foil and skillet route.
- Roasting garlic: Toss garlic with oil and season with salt and pepper.  Roast in oven on a rimmed baking sheet until light golden brown, about 15 minutes at 375 F.

Bolo Burger

From Bobby Flay's Burgers, Fries, and Shakes, page 28

Serves 4.

Piquillo Pepper-Smoked Paprika Aioli
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 jarred piquillo peppers, drained
2 tsp. smoked sweet Spanish paprika
1/2 tsp. kosher salt

Burgers
1 1/2 lbs. ground chuck (80/10) or ground turkey (90/10)
Kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper
3 Tbs. canola oil
4 sesame seed hamburger buns, split; toasted, if desired
8 slices Manchego cheese
8 paper-thin slices Serrano ham

To make the aioli, combine the mayonnaise, garlic, peppers, paprika, and salt in a food processor and process until smooth.  Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes before serving.  The aioli can be prepared 1 day in advance, tightly covered, and refrigerated.

Divide the meat into 4 equal portions (about 6 ounces each).  Form each portion loosely into a 3/4-inch-thick burger and make a deep depression in the center with your thumb.  Season both sides of each burger with salt and pepper.  Cook the burgers, using 1 1/2 Tbs. of the oil (click HERE for Bobby's burger cooking times).

Place the bun bottoms on a flat surface and spread half of the aioli over them.  Top each one with a slice of cheese, then a slice of the ham, then a burger, another slice of ham, and finally another slice of cheese, in that order.  Spread the rest of the aioli on the bun tops and cover each burger with a top.

Brush the tops of the buns with the remaining 1 1/2 Tbs. oil and place on the grill, griddle, or saute pan, top side down.  Using a heavy-duty metal spatula, press down on the bottom of the buns and grill until the tops are a light golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.  Turn the burgers over and continue cooking, pressing down on the tops, until the bottoms are light golden brown and the cheese has melted, about 1 minute longer.  Serve immediately.

Notes
- We couldn't find piquillo peppers, so we used jarred, fire-roasted red peppers.
- We also couldn't find Manchego cheese (I was in a hurry and only checked one store for these things--later I found the cheese), so we used Monterey Jack.
- We don't have smoked sweet Spanish paprika, so I used plain old smoked paprika (still not the same as regular paprika).
- Like I've mentioned with all his other burgers so far, we make our patties thinner than he does because we buy big buns and want the burger to be in every bite.
- As with all the other burgers, I follow the beef requirement somewhat loosely.  Sometimes I get 80/20, other times I get 85/15 or even 90/10.  I don't always buy 1 1/2 lbs, either.  It just depends on how fattening I feel like we can make our burgers that particular day.
- The aioli reminded me a lot of the red pepper sauce a Quiznos.  So if you ever want their red pepper sauce on your homemade sandwich, make Bobby's aioli here!

Malibu Chicken Bundles

From Healthy Cooking (Dec./Jan. 2009), page 55.

We tried these for dinner last night, and they were delicious! The crushed pineapple and honey Dijon mustard add a nice touch to the classic flavors of chicken cordon bleu. The recipe came from my Healthy Cooking magazine, and so it came with nutrition information.

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)

1/2 cup honey Dijon mustard, divided

4 thin slices deli ham

4 slices reduced-fat Swiss cheese

1 can (8 ounces) unsweetened crushed pineapple, well drained

1-1/2 cups panko (Japanese bread crumbs)

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Sauce:

1 can (10-3/4 ounces) reduced-fat reduced-sodium condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1/8 tsp. tarragon

Flatten chicken breasts to 1/4-inch thickness. Spread 1 Tbs. mustard over each; layer with ham, cheese, and pineapple. Fold chicken over pineapple; secure with toothpicks. Brush bundles with remaining mustard.

In a shallow bowl, combine the bread crumbs, salt, and pepper. Roll bundles in bread crumb mixture; place in a 11x7x2" baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 350F for 45-50 minutes or until a meat thermometer reads 170F.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, combine the sauce ingredients. Cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Serve with chicken.

Notes:

- I think the only reduced-fat items I had were the soup and sour cream. Obviously you can use full fat items if that's what you have (or what's on sale!), but it's going to make the dish, well, fattier.

- I bought pineapple tidbits and chopped them up instead of using crushed pineapple.

Nutrition Facts (as recipe is written): 1 chicken bundle with 1/3 cup sauce = 400 calories, 12 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 86 mg cholesterol, 784 mg sodium, 41 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, and 36 g protein.

Diabetic Exchanges (as recipe is written): 3 very lean meat, 2 starch, 1-1/2 fat, 1/2 fruit