Dream Dinners Test Recipe--Sicilian Cheese Stuffed Turkey Burgers

My test recipe was the Sicilian Cheese Stuffed Turkey Burgers, served on pretzel rolls. I prepared this for dinner last night, and took the requested survey after we cleaned up from dinner, so that everything was fresh in my mind. Mac and I were underwhelmed, and without changes, wouldn't order this as it currently is prepared.

Preparation: The ground turkey was actually individual patties, but when it thawed, they congealed together. This worked just fine, I guess, except that it was rather messy, because I needed to place the meat and spice mixture into a bowl, mix it, then form patties, add the cheese, reform patties, and then cook the burgers. While I realize it would take a bit of time at the store, I'd rather bag each patty individually, add the spices and cheese, and then be able to mix that patty in the bag, so I'd not need a mixing bowl. I'd also not get cheese all over, trying to stuff it into patties. When mixing and forming the patties, my hands became covered with cold mush, and were disgusting enough that I needed to ask Mac to turn on the faucet so I could wash my hands! I cooked the burgers on our Foreman grill, which was nice because it cooked both sides at once. I wrapped the buns in foil and used the oven to heat those, so they were warm and soft.

Taste & Consistency: The burgers were rather bland, and the cheese had a musty taste. The cheese didn't add anything really. In considering cheeses, I think provolone would have really paired well with this. I expected a bit of spice, but was very disappointed. The consistency was a bit mushier than your standard beef burger. I'd have enjoyed a few slices of pepperoni on top of or in each burger, along with a hint of crushed red pepper or such. One solution to the spice issue would be to pair the burgers with a spicy marinara sauce, as ketchup and mustard don't really go well with it, but it needed something.

Summary: If a few tweaks were implemented, I'd consider ordering this on the menu, but as it stands now, I wouldn't bother. It was too messy to prepare and was not an incredibly enjoyable meal. The Cattleman's Pie is a bit time consuming, and you use a lot of dishes to prepare it, but I really enjoy it, so I'm fine with the preparation of it. In this case, the enjoyment did not outweigh the preparation issues!

Dinner tonight: Fully Loaded Chicken and Potato Soup with Breadsticks