Cheddar Burgers with Red Onion Jam

Who doesn't love a good burger?  I have to admit, I don't make burgers very often.  I probably should though.  There are an infinite amount of possibilities when it comes to burgers.  I have yet to try out my own because there are already so many burger recipes out there just waiting to be tried! 

I've had this recipe in my folder for awhile.  I finally got around to making this and am so glad that I did.  The original recipe called for ground round, but I used ground turkey instead and thought it came out great.  Since it's not quite grilling season yet (and we have a charcoal grill that I admit that I don't know how to use!) when I make burgers I usually cook them a little in the microwave and then finish them off in the cast iron pan.  The burger itself was tasty but the red onion jam was the real star.  Even my son was eating the onions!  Cooking Light recommends serving the burgers with baked chips and blue cheese dip (recipe below). I ended up serving with french fries and used the dip as a sauce for the french fries and the burger.

The Red Onion Jam

Cheddar Burgers with Red Onion Jam
Recipe adapted from Cooking Light, July 2009

A quick five-ingredient sauce tops cheesy homemade burgers to make an easy, delicious dinner in no time. Serve with baked chips and blue cheese dip.

Makes 4 burgers

Ingredients:

Jam:
1 teaspoon olive oil
4 cups vertically sliced red onion
4 teaspoons sugar
4 teaspoons red wine vinegar
3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

Burgers:
3/4 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound ground turkey
Cooking spray
4 (1/2-ounce) slices cheddar cheese
4 (1 1/2-ounce) hamburger buns, toasted

Preparation:
1. Preheat cast iron pan to medium heat.

2. To prepare jam, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low; stir in sugar, vinegar, and thyme. Cover and cook 10 minutes or until onion is very tender. Remove from heat.

3. To prepare burgers, combine oregano, salt, garlic powder, and ground turkey. Divide mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1/2-inch-thick patty. Heat in microwave for 2 minutes. Put patties in cast iron pan. Cook patties approximately 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through.  Place 1 cheese slice on each patty.

4. Place 1 patty on bottom half of each bun; top each with 1/4 cup onion jam and bun top.

Baked chips and blue cheese dip: Combine 1/2 cup (2 ounces) low-fat crumbled blue cheese, 1/3 cup reduced-fat sour cream, 2 tablespoons canola mayonnaise, and 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar in a bowl. Mash with a fork.

Family Rating: 2 thumbs up.