Five Ingredient Friday

So, I spent the last day or so very excited about my new idea for the blog, " five ingredient Friday".  How hard could it be to make a decent recipe out of five ingredients after all... isnt there a show on Food Network that does it afterall?

Well, I looked at those recipes and none of them peaked my interest. In fact, they were rather boring for my taste. Cocktails?  Flavored chicken?  Really???

Well, Ralphs is having a sale on their Jennie-O ground turkey this week... for $1.99.

I like deals, so I let this be my inspriation.  The result?  Turkey burgers, sweetpotato/potato fries, and coleslaw.

Now I know what you are thinking... that is way more than five ingredients. But my goal is to give you several recipes each made of five ingredients each. You can choose to put them together to make a meal, or just make one on its own.

** Note, I also decided ( convenient im making up my own rules eh? ) that condiments and spices will not count as ingredients. I discovered I'm just not that kind of cook. Rather, when I'm making up a recipe, I fly by the seat of my pants so to speak -- a little of this, a dash of that.... a pinch of paprika ( it always finds its way in)... until I am completely satisfied. **

First up, the coleslaw. Neither I, nor my fiancee like mayonnaise so I knew the dressing would have to be different - hence the sour cream.

Most coleslaw recipes call for vinegar of some sort and celery salt. I substituted both those items with fresh squeezed lemon juice and fresh celery ( save the lemon skin etc after you have squeezed the juice out... we'll use it later).

I place the prepackaged coleslaw mix into a big tupperware and topped it with sliced celery ( thats two ingredients...) Then, in a separate bowl I made the dressing:
8 tbsp sour cream
2 tbsp lemon juice 
1 tbsp horseradish mustard (condiment)
1-2 tbsp light brown sugar
1/2 tsp garlic salt ( spice)
a few turns of freshly cracked pepper (spice)


That brings the grand total to 5 ingredients... yay!

I made the coleslaw about an hour prior to dinner so the veggies would have time to marinate and absorb the sauce. I served it along side the other items.

I promise you there is a turkey burger patty underneath all the romaine lettuce and veggies.

Next, I prepared the sweetpotato/potato fries. Preheat the oven to 430F and line a pan with foil.
Slice three small sweet potatoes into "french fry" like pieces, along with one small potato. Place these into a bowl and top with just enough olive oil to coat the root vegetables when stirred. Then add garlic salt and paprika.  Ok... if my spice/condiment rule applies, this one isnt technically 5 ingredients. But including the spices it is. This is going to be a work in progress, I will master this soon -- I promise. Spread the potatoes evenly on the pan and bake for 20 minutes. Then broil on high for about 5 minutes until golden and crispy.

Finally, came the turkey burgers themselves. I chose to use pre-made turkey patties by Jennie-O. Specifically, the garlic and onion seasoned one.  As many of you know, Southern California has been blessed with a deluge of rain this week. As a result, barbequing outside was definitely out of the question. So, I came up with something innovative  (sort of). (Disclaimer: only attempt this if you have a high powered ventilator about your stove because there will be smoke) I simply place a "cooling rack" on top of the gas stove. This placed the turkey a decent distance from the flame, while allowing them to get enough heat to cook.

Remember I told you to keep the lemon peel from earlier? Thats because the lemon halves work as miracle cleaners. While the burgers cook, they will inevitabely drip onto the stove and make a "mess". But, after the stove has cooled, simply take the lemon halves, rubbing them on the tough spots -- they literally make the stove back to brand new. I love it!  Even better, its completely environmental and chemical free.

I assembled the burgers by topping the patty with romaine lettuce, fresh tomatos, white onion and freshly sliced avocado ( ketchup and mustard). It was heavenly.
Yes, technically that is six ingredients, but it was well worth it. The burger is versatile, what can I say you could make it a 10 ingredient recipe or a two ingredient recipe. Make it unique, make it delicious and enjoy.

Close up of the fries and coleslaw, while the burger waits patiently in the background...

 A slightly different view, but just as delicious.

 What do you think... is "Five Ingredient Friday" a keeper?