I have a strange obsession with Bethenny Frankel. I watched Real Housewives of New York (as I do with all Real Housewives seasons, of course), and I don't remember being fully in love with her then, but then when I watched her own show, Bethenny Getting Married, it was all downhill from there. And now I look forward to Mondays more than I ever have so that I can watch Bethenny Ever After. It's sad, really.
I can't, for the life of me, figure out how someone could manage a career like that, being a newlywed, and a new mom. My friend Jessica put it perfectly to me recently when she explained how hard being a new mom is and that never again should anyone judge someone for needing a little extra help (aka a nanny, a maid, a cook, whatever helps!).
It got me thinking: what do you think Bethenny, a celebrity chef also, makes for dinner? I wonder if she even cooks anymore? Ha! Yes, it's sad this is what I am thinking about right now, but curiosity doesn't always kill the cat.
So, I am going to try and blog some more "complete meal" ideas here and there, for you working moms out there, as opposed to just single dishes all the time, in hopes that the less time you have to come up with sides or main dishes to complete your dinners, the more time you have with your lovies.
Cheesy Factor (1 no cheese, 10 all cheese): 2
Time Factor (1 shortest, 10 longest): 3
Dummy Factor (1 easiest, 10 hardest): 3
Turkey Burgers Two Ways
1/2 lb ground turkey meat
1-2 Tbl Worcestershire sauce
2 Tbl minced shallots
1-2 brown or white mushrooms, minced
salt/pepper
2 wheat English muffins
2 slices cheese (American or provolone)
4-6 brown or white mushrooms, sliced
1/2 Tbl butter
BBQ sauce
A-1 sauce
In small bowl, mix turkey, Worcestershire, shallots, and minced mushrooms. Season with heavy salt and pepper, and mix, then form into 2-3 patties. In small fry pan, heat butter over medium heat. Add sliced mushrooms, season with salt and pepper, and saute until soft. Heat large fry pan over medium heat. Cook turkey burgers in pan, flipping 1-2 times, until cooked through and juices clear. Add slice of cheese (one with American cheese, one with provolone) to each patty, turn off heat, remove pan with patties in it from heat, and cover pan to melt cheese. Slice English muffins in half, and lightly toast in toaster. Arrange turkey burgers as follows on English muffins: one with American cheese, BBQ sauce, and sauteed mushrooms, the other with provolone cheese, A-1 sauce, and sauteed mushrooms.
The only note I have here is that you don't have to make 2 different turkey burgers, I just wanted to show you two different combos, both equally delicious. And if you have avocado on hand, as most of us Californians do, add some sliced avocado to the American cheese and BBQ burger.
Red-Skin Potato Wedges
2-3 large red-skin potatoes, cut into wedges
2 Tbl olive oil
Seasoned Salt
Pepper
Parsley (dried)
Garlic Salt
Heat oven to 425 deg. In mixing bowl, add potatoes and olive oil, season with seasoned salt, garlic salt, pepper, and parsley. Toss to coat. Arrange potatoes on baking sheet, and roast in oven for 30-35 min ( or until slightly browned and crispy on outside, but soft center).
Obviously, you should make the potatoes before you make the burgers. The potatoes take about 40 min all together, and the burgers 10 min, so plan accordingly. Both recipes make enough for 2 hungry people.
