Baked Thanksgiving Turkey Burgers

I have an obsession with turkey burgers. I never order them at restaurants since they always seem to mess them up, but if you like to cook, and are looking for a way to make a burger that wont leave you feeling 10 pounds heavier, turkey burgers are the way to go. My mom started making turkey burgers about 2 years ago and decided to make them taste like thanksgiving. This recipe is stolen from her, with her permission, and tweaked a bit (since she pan sears them). Delicious and nutritious! Also, I'm going to let you know my secret to making the leftover burgers taste amazing, Rachel style :)

Baked Turkey Burgers

Photo Credit

Recipe (makes 6 turkey burgers):

1-1.25lbs of lean ground turkey

1 medium white or yellow onion, finely diced

2 ribs of celery, finely diced (the smaller the better)

1-2 tablespoons Bell's seasoning (depending on how much you want it to taste like Thanksgiving)

1 egg

1/4 cup breadcrumbs (plain, panko, or Italian, they all work)

2 Tbl fat free milk

1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese

1 tsp paprika

1 tsp salt and pepper

1 tsp cayenne (optional)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350º. Add all your ingredients for the turkey burgers in a large bowl. Get down and dirty with your hands and mix all of the ingredients together (I usually crack the egg in a separate bowl to make sure there are no shells). Spray a large shallow pan with cooking spray. Form 6 evenly sized patties and place them on the tray. Spray each burger with just a spritz of cooking spray and if you want, top with a sprinkle of salt, pepper, and Bell's seasoning. Bake for 30 minutes. I usually eat mine with a fork but feel free to make it like a real burger with a bun, lettuce, tomato, and the condiments of your choice! Gravy or cranberry sauce would work great!

Nutrition Facts:
Calories: 249 per burger
Total Fat: 7g
Cholesterol: 132.9mg
Sodium: 423mg
Carbohydrates: 13.9g
Fiber: 1.5g
Sugars: 2.9g
Protein: 35.9g

Enjoy :)

Spicing it up for leftovers:

Since I love spicy food, I formed a habit for what to do with the leftovers every time my mom made turkey burgers. I like to mash up the burger in a bowl so it becomes loose ground turkey. I then a little over a tablespoon of Frank's Red Hot Wing sauce. I dice up about 10 pickled jalapenos and throw those in too. Finally, I melt a few slices of Cabot Seriously Sharp cheddar cheese on top. I like to either eat it directly out of the bowl or add to nachos or tacos! YUM.