Grilled Chicken Burgers

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground chicken
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 white onion, diced
• 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup prepared creamy Italian salad dressing

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl combine ground chicken, egg, onion, bread crumbs, drained and rinsed black beans, and creamy Italian dressing.
2. Prepare grill pan over medium-high heat (or prepare grill).
3. Shape mixture by hand into 6 patties, 3/4 inch thick.
4. Grill each patty on both sides until fully cooked.  (Approximately 4-5 minutes each side on our grill pan.)
5. Check for safe meat temperature with a meat thermometer (170 degrees F)
6. Serve with favorite burger toppings, if desired.

Hints:  Mixing with your hands insures the best texture!  The chicken and vegetable mixture makes a hearty patty that has good form and can be adapted easily by swapping in your favorite veggies.  Try spinach and feta instead of onion and black beans, for example.  These patties could also be prepared in advance and frozen for later use. Enjoy!!

**This recipe is being shared at Mom Trends Friday Food post - go check out the other great recipes being shared!**

Summer Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

1 package prepared tortelli (I use Bertolli)
1 package frozen broccoli, cauliflower, carrot vegetable blend
1 cup prepared Italian Salad dressing
3 TBS Parmesan cheese

Directions:

1. Prepare tortelli as directed. Drain completely.
2. Steam vegetables (in microwave).
3. Combine tortelli and vegetables in a serving dish.
4. Cover with Italian dressing.
5. Chill, topping with Parmesan cheese just before serving.

Hint: We made this as a side dish for dinner one night. So quick and easy, but this dish could have been a meal alone. No complaints, no leftovers! Enjoy!!

Italian Stew Beef

Back in the day, before my husband retired, I had a daycare in my home. I found that using the crock-pot to cook dinner was perhaps the best thing I could do to preserve my sanity, save my family money, and de-stress our home after a long day of work and school.

That line of thinking has definitely carried over into our retired life!

This morning when it was time to start our day, I was very happy to see on our menu plan that this dish was for dinner. Easy. Easy. Easy.

My husband likes it because it is BEEF. My kids like it because it is tender. I like it because of the flavor added by the Italian dressing. Win. Win. Win.


Ingredients:

1/2 bottle of Italian dressing, (the oil & vinegar type...not the creamy)
1 package of stew beef

Put in crock-pot on low in the morning to have ready at dinnertime after the kids get home from school or start on high at lunchtime.

Excellent with hot buttered noodles or rice or mashed potatoes. *We will be have roasted brussel sprouts and rice at our house*