Recipes that appear in Idea Alley have not been tested by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
This unusual (but delicious-sounding) burger recipe is from Bob Longo.
"The bacon and mushrooms make it nice and juicy," Longo writes.
Chicken Curry Cheese Burgers
1 package of lean ground chicken or turkey
3 strips of bacon thinly sliced, chopped (it helps if you slightly freeze them before chopping)
½ package fresh mushrooms, roughly chopped
About 5 sun-dried tomatoes in oil, roughly chopped
2 to 4 tablespoons spicy curry, or to taste
Pinch of salt and pepper
4 slices cheese
In a bowl, combine the chicken, bacon, mushrooms, sun-dried tomatoes, curry, salt and pepper. Mix well. Shape into 4 patties. Cook, flipping once, until burgers reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Once flipped top each with sliced cheese.
Makes 4 burgers.
A Springdale reader wishing to remain anonymous shares the following soup recipes.
"Let's keep the soup recipes coming in," she writes.
"This is one of my favorites. Served with bread or crackers, it makes a light meal."
Turkey Pasta Soup
½ cup uncooked small pasta shells
½ pound lean ground turkey
½ cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can Italian stewed tomatoes, diced
1 bay leaf
Salt and ground black pepper, to taste
Italian seasoning, to taste
Cook pasta according to package directions and set aside.
In soup kettle cook turkey, onions and garlic until meat is no longer pink. Stir in broth, beans, tomatoes and seasonings. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Drain the pasta and add to soup. Cook 5 minutes or until heated through.
Makes about 5 servings.
The same reader sent this celery soup, which is thickened with rice.
She suggests serving it with a sandwich.
Celery Soup
4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
Pinch ground black pepper
1 cup chopped celery ribs and some of the leafy tops
1 medium onion, chopped or thinly sliced
1 bay leaf
1 tablespoon uncooked rice
Place first 5 ingredients in pan and bring to a boil. Add rice, cover partially, lower heat and simmer until rice and celery are tender about 20 minutes.
Next week: Broccoli soup three ways.
REQUEST
• Cheese dip like that served at Wes Hall's Minute Man for Linda Keever. "I thought it was the standard Velveeta Ro-Tel cheese dip but per several comments made on the Minute Man Memories Facebook page, these two ingredients are not used," Keever writes.
Send recipe contributions, requests and culinary questions to Kelly Brant, Idea Alley, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, P.O. Box 2221, Little Rock, AR 72203; email:
kbrant@arkansasonline.com
Please include a daytime phone number.
Food on 01/22/2020