Let me tell you the secret to a turkey burger that your husband (or boyfriend, son, etc.) will actually want to eat... it's in the thigh. Forget ground turkey breast that can turn tough and rubbery. Turkey thigh is still lean and packed with good-for-you things. And it stays wonderfully juicy and flavorful on the grill. (A quick note: "ground turkey thigh" is 100% ground thigh meat as opposed to something labeled "ground turkey" which can contain ground up tidbits of all parts of the turkey- so read your labels.) Ever since we made the switch-over my husband gets just as excited about turkey burgers as he does about beef. (And we both love a good hunk of beef.) So before you write-off the notion of a tasty turkey burger, I suggest you give thigh a try.

I've posted several previous turkey burger recipes. No way could I pick a favorite. This one is on the lighter side and yet still fantastic. The patties are simply seasoned with mustard, onions, and thyme. And the heavy toppings have been replaced with a creamy romaine slaw. Juicy grilled burger + soft warm bun + tangy pile of slaw. That's it. And it was awesome.

Turkey Burgers with Romaine Slaw

INGREDIENTS
1 lb. ground turkey thigh
1 Tbsp. dijon mustard
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme or 1/2. tsp dried thyme
2 green onions, sliced
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Romaine Slaw:
2 Tbsp. mayonnaise (I used 1 Tbsp. mayo and 1 Tbsp. plain Greek yogurt)
1 Tbsp. white wine vinegar
3 packed cups shredded romaine lettuce
2 medium carrots, peeled and grated
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

4 light brioche hamburger buns

DIRECTIONS
1. In a medium bowl, gently combine the turkey, dijon, thyme, and green onions. Form into four patties and season with salt and pepper.

2. To make the slaw, whisk together the mayonnaise (and Greek yogurt, if using) and vinegar. Toss with the lettuce and carrot to coat. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

3. Preheat outdoor grill or indoor grill pan to medium-high heat. Grill burgers until the juices run clear. Serve on a warm bun topped with romaine slaw.

Makes 4 burgers.

(Adapted from Real Simple)

I fell in love with this recipe long before I tasted it. Just a glance at its list of ingredients and I was infatuated. I had to have it. And as soon as the opportune day (of the dreary cold variety that are meant for soup encounters) presented itself, it was a date. As predicted, this chowder and I got along swell. Who wouldn't hit it off with a bowl of steaming bits of crispy bacon, chunks of hearty mushroom and sweet potato, and smooth smoky gouda? Creamy and hearty and wholesome. I suppose you could leave out the bacon and make it even healthier (and vegetarian) or use plain 'ol white potatoes instead of yams. But I wouldn't bother. This dish is perfect just the way it is.

Mushroom, Sweet Potato, and Smoked Gouda Chowder

INGREDIENTS
6 slices bacon, diced
1 onion, diced
1 lb. cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 large sweet potatoes (about 2 lbs.), peeled and cubed
2 cloves garlic, minced
pinch dried thyme
1 bay leaf
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth (or chicken broth)
1 cup half and half
4 oz. smoked gouda
salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

DIRECTIONS
1. In a large pot or dutch oven, cook the bacon until crisp. Remove the bacon and set aside.

2. Add the diced onions and the mushrooms to the bacon fat in the pot. Season with a little salt and pepper, and cook until the moisture released from the mushrooms evaporates and the vegetables start to brown, about 10-15 minutes.

3. Add the sweet potatoes and garlic, stirring to combine. Add the thyme, bay leaf, and stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer. Cook until the sweet potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes. Return most of the bacon to the pot, leaving a little extra to garnish the soup.

4. Remove the bay leaf. Puree as much or as little of the mixture as you want in a food processor, and return the pureed soup to the pot (alternatively, use an immersion blender). Add the half and half and the gouda. Simmer until the soup has heated through and the cheese has melted. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Serve, garnished with the extra bacon.

Serves 4-6.

(Adapted from Our Life in Food)

I'm sorry about all the sweets. I have the best of intentions to make some healthy savory dishes to share with you this week. (My last before baby girl is scheduled to arrive May 1st!) I've made plans to spend my dwindling moments of pregnancy shopping, napping, reading, movie-watching, cooking, and sneaking in a few more dates with just the two of us. All the things I'll miss once parenthood sets in. Although I won't complain if having a baby means more evenings in like last night- curled up on the futon with Netflix reruns and bowls of warm blondies and ice cream.

These were made on a last-minute whim and they exceeded expectations. Browning butter adds something marvelous to an otherwise ordinary recipe. I wanted to add some walnuts as well. Dustin wouldn't let me. (But you should. I think it would be awesome.) The key to perfect blondies is leaving them every-so-slightly gooey in the center. And serving them right out of the oven, topped with melting ice cream.

Browned Butter Blondies

INGREDIENTS
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/8 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips (I used mini semi-sweets)

DIRECTIONS
1. To brown butter, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until foam subsides and small brown flecks start to appear in the bottom of the pan. Once it has reached a nice brown color and nutty aroma, remove from the heat.

2. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease an 8x8 pan.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk to combine browned butter, sugar, and eggs until well mixed. Stir in the dry ingredients. Pour into the prepared baking dish and sprinkle with chocolate chips.

4. Bake in preheated oven for about 20 minutes, until the edges and top are just set and turning golden brown (don't over bake- you want them slightly gooey in the center). Serve warm with a scoop of ice cream.

Makes an 8x8 pan.

(Adapted from The Little Red House)

In the midst of baby's impending arrival and the drama of trying-to-find-an-apartment-in-Chicago-from-far-away, I'm having a hard time focusing on writing about this recipe. But I wanted to share it with you anyway. Just a few words should suffice. I'll let the picture do the speaking. But I will issue a warning: This wasn't quick or easy to make. It took what seemed like forever whipping custard over a double broiler. Then baking a pound cake. And whipping two separate batches of cream. And after hours of separate stages of chilling, finally assembling everything. I'm not trying to dissuade you from making this trifle. Quite the opposite- it was incredible. And worth every second spent! But just be prepared to dedicate the better part of a morning to its achievement. By the end I had created a masterpiece. A dessert that somehow managed to be sweet and tart and dense yet light and absolutely stunning all in one bite.

Lemon Curd Trifle with Fresh Strawberries

INGREDIENTS
Lemon Curd:
6 large egg yolks
1 cup sugar
4 lemons, zested and juiced (to equal ~1/2 cup lemon juice)
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into chunks
2 cups whipping cream
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar

Sour Cream Lemon Pound Cake:
3 cups cake flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 1/2 cups sugar
6 eggs, room temperature
2 lemons, zested and juiced (~1/4 cup lemon juice)
1 cup sour cream

Strawberry Filling:
3 pints fresh strawberries, sliced
1-2 Tbsp. sugar (depending on how sweet your berries are)
1/2 lemon, freshly squeezed

Topping:
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. powdered sugar
extra fresh strawberries, for topping

DIRECTIONS
1. To prepare the custard, bring a pot of water to a simmer over medium-low heat. Combine the egg yolks, sugar, lemon zest and lemon juice in a metal or glass heat-resistant bowl and whisk until smooth. Set the bowl over the simmering water, without letting the bottom touch, and continue to whisk. Keep whisking (often vigorously) until the custard has doubled in volume and is very thick and yellow. (It took me about 25 minutes to reach this state.) Do not let boil. Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk in the butter, a couple chunks at a time, until melted. Refrigerate until cold and firm (at least several hours or overnight).

2. To prepare the pound cake, preheat the oven to 325 F. Grease and flour a 16-cup tube or bundt pan. Sift flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat butter in a large bowl at medium speed until fluffy. Gradually add sugar and beat 5 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, beating until just combined after each addition. Beat in the lemon juice and zest. Using a rubber spatula, mix in the dry ingredients. Mix in the sour cream. Transfer to the prepared pan. Bake in preheated oven for about 1 hour, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cake cool in pan 15 minutes until turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

3. To finish the lemon curd, with an electric mixer whip 2 cups cold heavy cream to soft peaks. Add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar and continue whipping to stiff peaks. Fold into the lemon curd to lighten it into a mousse.

4. To prepare the strawberry filling, toss strawberries in 1-2 Tbsp. sugar and lemon juice and set aside.

5. To assemble the trifle, line the bottom of a trifle dish with slices of the lemon pound cake. Spoon a layer of lemon curd over the cake, and then a layer of strawberries. Repeat layers until the ingredients are used up. Refrigerate until cold.

6. Just before serving, whip 1/2 cup heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add the vanilla extract and powdered sugar and continue whipping to stiff peaks. Spread over the top of the trifle and top with extra fresh strawberries.

Makes 1 large trifle with a little pound cake left over for snacking.

(Trifle adapted from Food Network, Pound Cake adapted from Epicurious)