I love a good turkey burger but I admit that I like restaurant turkey burgers much better than I like homemade ones.  Probably because when I make turkey burgers, I use the leanest turkey meat I can find while restaurant turkey burgers probably have as much fat and calories (i.e. flavor) than any beef burger.  They just always taste better.  But I do like to experiment with homemade turkey burgers from time to time and if you know me, I’m no stranger to using ground turkey in place of ground beef in any recipe.  This recipe for Club Burgers with Avocado-Ranch Dressing already used ground turkey so I didn’t worry about my burgers being dry.  At least I didn’t hope so.

Ground turkey (I used 93% fat free as opposed to 99% fat free which can be so dry as burgers) is simply mixed with grated onion, poultry seasoning and hot sauce to create a spicy, flavorful burger which is topped with a creamy, avocado sauce.  Fresh dill, parsley and chives give the sauce a real bright punch of flavor which quietly balances out the heat from the hot sauce in the burger.  I think I was supposed to add bacon to the turkey burgers before cooking them but I didn’t and used it as a topping.  Oops.  Maybe that’s why these aren’t the best turkey burgers I’ve ever had but topped with a tomato slice, baby spinach and turkey bacon, they satisfied my burger craving and got me in the mood for the 4th.  I hope everyone is out enjoying their holiday, hopefully with a burger in one hand and beer in the other, watching or anticipating the fireworks.  Happy Independence Day!

Tired of the heat?  Tomorrow, I’ll have a yummy, cold milkshake for you!

The ingredients:

Prepare bacon.  Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the ground turkey, grated onion, hot sauce, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper.  Add the cooked bacon, and mix to form 4 burgers or 8 sliders. 

Cook on the grill or griddle, turning once, until cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.

While the burgers cook, combine avocado, sour cream, lemon juice, garlic, chives, dill and parsley with a fork or process in a food processor.  Season with salt and pepper. 

Toast your preferred bread or bun in a toaster or broiler and top with burgers, lettuce, tomatoes and avocado-ranch dressing.

Additions:  None

Omissions:  None

Substitutions:

• Turkey bacon
• Baby spinach
• Fat-free sour cream
• Whole-wheat buns

Overall Rating:  Like It

Source:  Everyday with Rachael Ray Magazine