Goat Cheese and Strawberry Grilled Cheese

I'll admit, I wouldn't have thought to pair strawberries and goat cheese. I think of strawberries as a sweet ingredient and goat cheese as a savory. I'd seen this recipe for Goat Cheese and Strawberry Grilled Cheese floating around some of my favorite blogs about a year ago, but couldn't imagine how it would come together. Then Branny posted this recipe for Strawberry Bacon Pizza with Goat Cheese, which came through my Google Reader and Facebook page bright and early Monday morning, and it got me thinking about the grilled cheese again. See, Baby Girl loves strawberries and once they're in season I buy them weekly to send with her to daycare. SP had bought a log of goat cheese to make a beet salad for Mother's Day and picked me up a basil plant for my herb garden as well, so I had everything I needed to make this sandwich for lunch.


Ah, the benefit of working from home. I made this for lunch on Monday and holy cannoli was this an excellent sandwich. SP happened to be working from home as well and as soon as I told him what I was making he grabbed the leftover steak from Mother's Day. He did admit the sandwich smelled great while it was cooking, but this is definitely going to be a sandwich I make for weekday lunches throughout the summer instead of for dinner.

I modified Josie's recipe to leave out the pepper jelly since I didn't have any on hand (plus it's spicy and we all know how I feel about spice these days). I loved the combination of the tangy goat cheese, the sweet strawberries and the freshness of the basil. I hope Baby Girl doesn't mind me stealing a few of her strawberries to make this sandwich again (and again, and again and again).

Goat Cheese and Strawberry Grilled Cheese
Modified from Pink Parsley
Makes 2 sandwiches

2 oz. goat cheese, softened
Butter
4 slices bread
1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries
4 large basil leaves, sliced thin
Salt and pepper to taste

Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium heat.

Spread one side of each slice of bread lightly with butter. Flip the bread over and top with half the goat cheese. Lay the strawberry slices in a single layer, sprinke with basil, salt, and pepper, then spread goat cheese on the remaining slices of bread. Top the strawberry side with the reamining bread.

Cook sandwiches 2-3 minutes per side, or until golden-brown. Cut in half and serve warm.

Restaurant Knockoff - Cheese and Garlic Biscuits

I have fond memories of Red Lobster. There, I said it.

When I was growing up my grandmother loved Red Lobster. It was one of the special meals we'd have when I'd visit her after she moved down South. At that time we had to drive about an hour to the closest store whereas now there's a Red Lobster less than 5 minutes from her apartment. I would always get a Caesar salad with my lunch so I could dip the Cheddar Bay Biscuits, hot from the oven, into the leftover dressing. Delicious.

I've see a lot of knockoff recipes floating around but this one for Cheese and Garlic Biscuits claims to be straight from the Red Lobster kitchens so I thought I'd give it a try.


Every time I've made a version of these I kick myself for not getting the yellow cheddar because the color is always wrong with the white cheddar. I must make a mental note to buy yellow cheddar soon. Unfortunately my biscuits weren't as crispy as Red Lobsters. I'm not sure why. Maybe they needed to bake longer? SP got me a huge box of buttermilk baking mix so I'll definitely try these again, upping the cooking time to 12 minutes. I only made half a batch since we were going out of town (to visit my grandmother, actually) and we ate all 6 in one sitting. Oops!

Cheese Garlic Biscuits
Red Lobster, Myrtle Beach via The Way to His Heart

2 cups buttermilk baking mix
2/3 cup milk
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup butter or margarine melted
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Preheat oven to 450 F.

Combine buttermilk baking mix, milk and cheese with a wooden spoon until soft dough forms. Beat vigorously for 30 seconds.

Drop dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet, approximately two tablespoons per biscuit.

Bake 10-12 minutes, until golden brown and crispy.

Combine melted butter and garlic powder: brush over warm biscuits before removing from cookie sheet.

Serve warm.

Makes 10 to 12 biscuits.

Homemade Refried Beans

One of my favorite sides at a Mexican restaurant is the refried beans. When made well, they are so good. Creamy and velvety, with a hint of smokiness and great bean flavor. Whenever I would make Mexican food I'd pine away for refried beans, convinced that they took hours to make properly and therefore wouldn't be something I could easily replicate at home. And don't even talk to me about the canned variety. We tried them once and that was enough.


Then Annie's post on Refried Beans popped up on my Google Reader shortly before Cinco de Mayo. Homemade refried beans that take less than 20 minutes to make and taste great? Sold!

I prepared these ahead of time and reheated them for dinner. All I can say is wow. They tasted just like my favorite restaurant version only I knew exactly what was in them and how much fat I'd used. I opted not to add the salsa or scallions because my favorite refried beans are just beans and seasoning, but I did melt some cheese on top. While I added in the cooked bacon to this batch, next time I'll leave it out. I prefer smooth refried beans and the little pieces of bacon were a distraction. SP said I should just save it for BLTs. Smart man!

This is an easy recipe to double or triple for a party. One 15-oz can made enough for four servings, along with Mexican Sour Cream Rice and chicken tacos.

Photo update April 2014: My friend T took a great pic of these beans so I wanted to update the post.

Photo credit: T Casey

Refried Beans
Slightly Modified from Elly Says Opa, as seen on Annie’s Eats

2 strips bacon (or 2 tablespoons bacon grease)
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch cayenne pepper
1 (15 oz.) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed (or 1½ cups cooked pinto beans)
Salt and pepper
1 cup chicken or veggie broth, divided

If you don't have any bacon grease handy - heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the bacon until crisp, being careful not to burn it. Remove the bacon pieces to a paper towel-lined plate with a slotted spoon, leaving the grease in the pan. (Save the bacon for another use, like BLTs)

If you have bacon grease handy, add it to a medium skillet. Melt it over medium-high heat, then add the onion to the pan. Cook until just tender, about 4-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cumin and cayenne, and cook until fragrant, about 30-60 seconds. Add the beans to the pan. Season with a bit of salt and pepper (you can add more later, don't oversalt). Pour in 2/3 cup of the broth, bring to a boil, and reduce to a light simmer. Let simmer for about 10 minutes or until most of the liquid has been absorbed.

Remove the pan from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Mash the bean mixture as desired. For a chunkier texture, use a fork or potato masher. For a smoother texture, pulse the mixture in a food processor (this is what I do). Add up to 1/3 cup more broth for a lighter texture and adjust seasonings to taste.

Reheating - These reheated wonderfully in the microwave. No need to take up space on the stove or dirty another pan.

Recipe Swap Roundup - Blogger's Choice Part 3

By far the most popular theme for the recipe swaps isn't really a theme at all. It's the Blogger's Choice, where folks are assigned an entire blog to peruse and then pick one recipe to make and blog about. There's more freedom to these swaps, a chance to make what fits your personal tastes and preferences.

Cathy isn't normally a fan of shortbread cookies but she thought she'd give these Chocolate Cranberry Shortbread Cookies a try since they have fruit and chocolate mixed in:


Melissa's Baked Chipotle Chicken Chimichangas were perfect for Cinco de Mayo:


Nichole's husband loves the flavors of Chicken Cordon Bleu so when she saw it as Chicken Cordon Bleu Pizza, she couldn't wait to make it, despite some minor kitchen mishaps:


Eva had pinned this recipe for Cannoli Cheesecake, so she was thrilled to get a chance to make it:


Jenna had been craving French Dip sandwiches, so she was thrilled to find this recipe for French Onion Roast Beef with Au Jus on her assigned blog:


Dawn was in the mood to bake and this Banana Bread with Streusel Topping did not disappoint:


Jaida loved these Bean and Cheese Taquitos so much she ate the entire batch herself:


Melissa loves English muffins and she really enjoyed the ease and simplicity, not to mention the addictive quality, of this English Muffin Bread with Strawberry Butter:


Katie's daughter love pancakes and these Maple Oatmeal Pancakes were no exception:


Carrie's family gobbled up these Strawberry Cream Cheese Muffins before their second daughter was born:


Melissa has been wanting to make macarons at home and this version for French Macarons with Nutella Buttercream didn't disappoint:


Elisha loves Chicken Vesuvio but thought this Quick Chicken Vesuvio was a great weeknight alternative:


I've had my eye on this Chicken in a Tomato Basil Broth over Couscous for a long time and was thrilled to finally be able to make it:


Christina has a tough time cooking for her picky eater husband, but since he loves chicken parm she enticed him with these Chicken Parm Burgers:


Kate is a sucker for chocolate and peanut butter so these Chewy Reese's Cookies won out over the veggie dishes she also had her eye on:


Chrystal loved these Brownie-Ish Cookies, which were gone in an hour when she brought them to work:


Mary Ellen and her husband love spicy food and stuffed chicken so this Jalapeno Popper Chicken was perfect:


Jey paired these Crispy Smashed Potatoes with corned beef for a belated St. Patrick's Day celebration:


Jillian's Arugula, Olive and Tomato Tapenade was a great snack after moving:


Amy made Brie and Scallion Burgers from my blog and already has plans for other uses for the scallion paste:


Nicole's recipe for Baked Apple Cinnamon Doughnuts was what had initially inspired her to buy a donut pan:


Nicole loves s'mores and was excited to find a recipe on her assigned blog for S'mores Brownies:


Brianna loves breakfast for dinner and these Baked Eggs in Puff Pastry with Goat Cheese & Bacon were a winner:


Angie rarely make pork tenderloin but this recipe Cumin and Lime Roasted Pork Tenderloin was great:


Coleen's Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes combined two of her favorite things - chocolate and peanut butter:


Lindsay was happy to have an easy weekend breakfast with her Apple Cinnamon Coffee Cake:


Ashley picked Tres Leches Cake for the swap in honor of Cinco de Mayo:


Heather has been wanting to make these Momofuku Milk Bar's Compost Cookies for awhile:


Lauren loves French onion dip so even though she had planned to make a different recipe this Caramelized Onion Dip won out:


Kim couldn't pick a recipe so she finally settled on Parmesan Quinoa since she had all the ingredients on hand:

Corn and Mushrooms with Cilantro

Corn. Mushrooms. Cilantro. Three very simple ingredients that come together to make a side dish that we couldn't stop eating.


When my friend Melissa recommended the Chipotle Honey Lime Pork Tenderloin she insisted I serve it with White Corn and Mushrooms with Cilantro. I trust her advice completely so I went with it. After all, it contains two of SP's favorite things - corn and mushrooms. How could it be bad?


Since corn isn't in season yet I used frozen yellow corn. SP came home with regular white mushrooms instead of crimini, but they worked out just fine. I think the crimini would only make this better but aren't necessary. If you're using frozen corn this dish takes almost no time to prepare, which makes it a perfect weeknight side dish. Since I'm a spice wimp I used maybe 1/8 teaspoon of cayenne, but adjust to your spice preference.

SP was in love with this entire meal and told me I could make it again and again, whenever I wanted.

Corn and Mushrooms with Cilantro
Alosha's Kitchen

4 tablespoons butter, divided
8-12oz crimini mushrooms, stems removed and cut into a small dice
5 ears fresh white corn, husks removed and kernels cut from cobs (or 3 cups frozen)
1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
Kosher salt
Cracked black pepper
1/2 cup chopped cilantro

In a medium, heavy-bottomed skillet, heat 2 tablespoons butter over high heat. When butter has melted and is just beginning to brown, add the mushrooms and saute until softened and browned.

Reduce heat to medium high. Add corn, the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, cayenne pepper and smoked paprika. Stir to combine. Continue to saute until corn kernels are softened, about 5 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Remove from heat. Stir in cilantro.

Chipotle Honey Lime Pork Tenderloin

I've been very into pork tenderloin lately. Not only is it delicious, you can marinate it in so many different flavor combinations. I like that it cooks quickly in the oven after a quick sear on the stovetop and has very little fat, which means every ounce you pay for is edible. And speaking of price, my supermarket has club packs with four tenderloins for $2.99 per pound. Awesome.


After I posted the Greek Pork Tenderloin my friend Melissa insisted I try this Chipotle Honey Lime Pork Tenderloin. The chipotle in the title initially turned me off because I haven't been a fan of dishes where that's the dominant flavor, but when I realized it was just in the marinade I decided to go for it.


I marinated the pork overnight, a step I highly recommend. I don't think the flavor really penetrates the meat otherwise. Be careful reducing the sauce because it can go from saucy to sticky in a matter of seconds thanks to the honey in the marinade. I ended up dipping my pieces of pork in the sauce because I couldn't drizzle it. The flavor was intoxicating and SP deemed this his new favorite way to eat pork and one of the best meals I've made in a long time. Stay tuned for the recipe for the amazingly delicious corn and mushroom side dish I served with it.

Chipotle Honey Lime Pork Tenderloin
Alosha's Kitchen

1 pound pork tenderloin
1/2 cup lime juice
Zest from 1 lime
1/4 cup honey
1/2 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 chipotle chile in adobo sauce, chopped
1/2 tablespoon adobo sauce
Canola oil
Chopped cilantro

Place tenderloin in a large plastic food storage bag or other container to marinate. In a bowl, combine lime juice, zest, honey, salt, and garlic powder. Stir to combine, then pour half over tenderloin, reserving half for sauce. Add chipotle and adobo sauce to tenderloin. Seal and marinate in the refrigerator overnight.

About 30 minutes before you are ready to cook, remove pork from refrigerator and allow to come to room temperature. Preheat oven to 425°F. In a heavy, oven-proof skillet, heat enough oil to coat over medium high. Remove tenderloin from marinade and sear in hot skillet on all sides, 3 minutes per side. Place the skillet in the oven and roast tenderloin for 15 minutes, turning once halfway through the cooking time.

Check temperature with an instant read thermometer. Remove pork from the oven at approximately 140 to 145 degrees, then cover pork in skillet with foil. Let rest for 5 to 10 minutes or until temperature rises to 150 degrees. Remove pork to a cutting board and slice into 1-inch medallions.

Pour reserved lime juice mixture and leftover marinade into skillet with meat juices and heat on medium-high. Allow sauce to reduce and thicken slightly, then pour over sliced pork. Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro.

Corn Chowder with Cilantro, Avocado and Lime

I might have to stop saying I dislike soup.

After loving the Chicken Gnocchi (Pasta) Soup so much, as well as a few others since then, I don't shy away from soup recipes when I see them on my favorite blogs. This recipe for Corn Chowder with Avocado and Lime caught my eye when Katie posted it back in January, but once it showed up on one of her weekly menus recently I finally put it on my own menu. And am I glad I did!


SP was initially skeptical, particularly when he came home and found sliced avocado, minced cilantro and lime wedges on the cutting board. "I thought we were having corn and potato soup," he said. "We are," I replied, rummaging through the pantry for hot sauce. He swirled his soup around the bowl for awhile, waiting for me to photograph my bowl and get Baby Girl settled before he finally took a bite. "Hey, this is good," he said. I admit, I was skeptical as well. Lime with corn and potato soup? But it really, really works. The brightness of the cilantro is the perfect touch and you can never go wrong with buttery slices of avocado, at least not in my world.

I ended up going back to the original recipe for Corn Chowder with Cilantro, Lime and Avocado that Katie had modified to see what she had changed. We both love cilantro so I added it back in, thankful that I had some on hand for other recipes later in the week. I left out the masa because I didn't have any and wasn't going to buy it for a mere tablespoon. I also went back to the 6 cups of chicken broth because the soup was getting thick between the potatoes and the corn. And to save on calories I opted for half and half instead of heavy cream, but increased it back to 1 cup. Despite my spice aversion I did shake a few splashes of hot sauce into my bowl, mostly for color.


I served the soup with toasted ciabatta slathered with garlic and herb butter. It was perfect for dipping into the soup. Can't have soup with a dipper, right? Baby Girl had her own bowl of soup and loved it. She even managed to get most of it in her mouth instead of on the table and her shirt. I know the weather is getting warmer but this is too good to hold off making until fall. Treat yourself to a bowl of this soup using some fresh, sweet summer corn and you won't be sorry!

Corn Chowder with Cilantro, Avocado and Lime
Modified from both The Scattered Cook and So Tasty, So Yummy

1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, diced
1 tablespoon dry masa (optional)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons water
2 russet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite size chunks
6 cups chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup half and half
1 pound frozen corn or the kernels from 5 ears of fresh corn
Minced cilantro, lime wedges, avocado slices and hot sauce for garnish

In a Dutch oven, heat butter over medium heat. Add onion and sauté until tender, about 3 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine the masa (if using), flour and water. Add the flour mixture, potatoes, chicken broth, cumin, salt and pepper to the pot. Bring heat to medium high, bringing the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the corn and bring back to the boil, then simmer for 10 minutes more. Stir in the half and half and simmer for 2 minutes more.

Serve topped with minced cilantro, avocado, hot sauce and a squeeze of lime.

Recipe Swap - Chicken in a Tomato-Basil Broth over Couscous

Want to see what other Blogger's Choice recipes were made during the swap? Here is the link to the Blogger's Choice Recipe Swap Roundup


It's recipe swap time again and this installment is one of everyone's favorites - Blogger's Choice (formerly known as SRC-style). This is where swappers are assigned an entire blog instead of a specific recipe and are tasked with picking any recipe from their assigned blog to make and write about.

My assignment turned out to be my good friend Mary Ellen's blog, Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations. As I've mentioned before, Mary Ellen and I met through our food blogs and found out that we lived about 20 minutes from each other. We've gotten together several times and our daughters are 9 months apart in age. As soon as I realized I'd be cooking from Mary Ellen's blog I knew which recipe I was going to make - Chicken in a Tomato-Basil Broth over Couscous. I'd had my eye on it ever since Mary Ellen posted it a few months ago for an earlier Blogger's Choice swap. The ingredients are reminiscent of caprese, one of my favorite flavor combinations, and the dish includes pearl couscous, my latest obsession.


I doubled the recipe so we would have leftovers and I had to use regular balsamic instead of white because the white balsamic in my pantry expired more than two years ago (!!), but otherwise I stayed true to the recipe. And was it fantastic. Holy yum! I knew it would be great because of the ingredients but the tangy kick from the balsamic was the perfect counterpoint to the creamy mozzarella and tomatoes.

This is a great summer meal I'll definitely be making again, if I can find pearl couscous. SP went to 4 stores before settling for boxes of flavored couscous (where the spice packet was separate, thankfully). I had purchased a huge container of couscous from our local wholesale club, but they didn't have it in stock. I went online to Rice Selects and even their online store is sold out at the moment. I wonder what's going on.

Chicken in a Tomato-Basil Broth over Couscous
Mary Ellen's Cooking Creations

1 box of pearled couscous
3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded to 1/2 inch thickness
Salt, pepper, dry Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon olive oil
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 onion, chopped
4 tomatoes, chopped
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar (regular would work fine)
1 1/2 cups low sodium chicken broth
Handful of fresh basil, cut into a chiffonade
1/2 lb fresh mozzarella, diced

Cook cous cous according to package directions.

Season chicken with salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning. Heat olive oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken; saute 4 minutes per side. Transfer to a dish and keep warm.

Add a touch of olive oil to your pan if it is dry. Add garlic and onions; saute 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, saute 2 minutes.
Add balsamic vinegar and stir into ingredients for about 30 seconds. Add chicken broth and half of your basil. Bring to a steady simmer. Return chicken to the pan and let simmer 5 minutes.

Serve over cous cous, top with the tomato broth, basil, and and the fresh mozzarella

FoodBuzz: Chocolate Chip Cookie Delight

You all know I'm not a baker, but sometimes I like to make something sweet, especially when it's our turn to bring food for fellowship at church. FoodBuzz was having a promotion sponsored by COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, so I signed up knowing the due date corresponded with our next turn for fellowship. I'd had my eye on this Chocolate Chip Cookie Delight for awhile now, so this was the perfect chance to make it.


I baked the cookie crust and assembled the rest of the dessert Saturday morning so it would be ready for Sunday morning. I did sneak a taste Saturday night so I could take photos and make sure it tasted OK before bringing it to church. It was delicious. The crunchy cookie on the bottom and the creamy pudding was a great texture contrast, but my favorite layer was the cream cheese, sugar and COOL WHIP. We didn't eat COOL WHIP growing up, so this was my first experience baking with it.

This was a big hit at church and the leftovers went with SP to work, where I hear it was devoured within minutes. This would be a great dessert for a potluck event. Thanks to FoodBuzz and KRAFT for this opportunity.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Delight
Taste of Home

1 tube (16-1/2 ounces) refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 carton (12 ounces) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
3 cups cold milk
1 package (3.9 ounces) instant chocolate pudding mix
1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix
Chopped nuts and chocolate curls, optional

Let cookie dough stand at room temperature for 10 minutes to soften. Press into an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking pan. You will need to press into a thin layer to make the dough stretch to all four corners. Bake at 350° for 14-16 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Fold in 1-3/4 cups COOL WHIP Whipped Topping. Spread over crust.

In a large bowl, whisk milk and pudding mixes for 2 minutes. Spread over cream cheese layer. Top with remaining whipped topping. Sprinkle with nuts and chocolate curls, if desired.

Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight until firm. Yield: 15 servings.


As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received coupons for free COOL WHIP Whipped Topping and a stipend. Sponsored posts are purely editorial content that we are pleased to have presented by a participating sponsor. Advertisers do not produce the content. What you add makes it. #coolwhipmoms

Greek Chicken Burgers with Tzatziki

A friend of mine recently recommended this Weight Watchers recipe for Greek Chicken Burgers with Tzatziki. I've renamed it because I left out the jalapeno (which makes it spicy) and used chicken instead of turkey.


I also subbed parsley for the cilantro because I've found that when I buy cilantro most of it goes to waste because I can't use it in other recipes the way I can with parsley. Use whichever herb you prefer. I ground my own chicken (directions below) since I usually have frozen chicken in the freezer and it takes almost no effort to make my own ground chicken at home. I also swapped the tzatziki recipe for the one I use for the Chicken Gyros.


Since the burgers are rather wet and sticky once they're formed, I wrapped each individually in wax paper and froze them for a few hours so they'd be easier to handle. You don't want them frozen solid, so make sure to only freeze them for 3 hours max and take them out at least an hour before you're going to cook them so they have a chance to thaw slightly.

I served the burgers in pocketless pita with sliced cucumber, tomato and red onion. Delicious!

Greek Chicken Burgers with Tzatziki
Modified from Weight Watchers

1 pound ground turkey breast or ground chicken*
1 zucchini, coarsely shredded on the large holes of a box grater
2 tablespoons onion, finely grated
2 tablespoons cilantro or parsley, finely chopped
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cucumber
12 ounces plain Greek yogurt
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar
Splash of olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
Squirt of fresh lemon juice
Pita, for serving
Sliced tomato, for serving
Sliced cucumber, for serving
Sliced red onion, for serving

Combine the turkey, zucchini, onion, cilantro/parsley, oregano, salt and pepper in a bowl until well mixed. Shape into 4 patties. Wrap each patty individually in waxed paper and put in the freezer for up to 3 hours. Allow to thaw slightly before cooking.

Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a large nonstick skillet (or cast iron) over medium-high heat. Add the burgers and cook until golden and cooked through, about 12 minutes, turning the burgers halfway through and adding the remaining 1 teaspoon oil to the pan after turning them.

To make the tzatziki sauce, peel and seed the cucumber. Shred the cucumber and then squeeze in a towel to get rid of as much excess moisture as possible. Mix together the yogurt, shredded cucumber, garlic, vinegar and lemon juice. Salt to taste. Refrigerate overnight, if possible, or at least 30 minutes for the flavors to meld.

Serve the chicken burgers in pita with sliced tomato, cucumber and red onion, with a dollop of tzatziki.

* To make your own ground chicken, chop partially frozen chicken breasts into small pieces and put in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse until coarsely chopped.