Basil Burgers with Sun-Dried Tomato Mayonnaise

     It's burger week here at Penny Pinching Provisions...well, at least it might seem that way. I have a backup of recipes to post, so I thought since I have a couple of burgers I would post them all this week. Everyone loves burgers for their summer cookouts, right?
     This summer, I have really gotten into using lean meats. Not just ground turkey, but lean ground turkey...and lean ground beef too. Not only is it healthier, but it tastes better too! You wouldn't believe the difference in taste and the amount of fat the drips off these things.
     This basil burger was surprisingly good. I wasn't sure how I would feel about basil and beef together. I think one time I tried a meatloaf with Italian seasoning and it was so gross. It could have been a bad recipe...or it could be something I just don't like.  This changed my mind though. We had fresh basil from our garden which made it even better! Next time, I might actually follow the directions and put the cheese in the patties before grilling them! They were good when added after, but I didn't read closely enough to see that it should have already been done. OOPs! Either way, you should definitely include these on your next cookout menu.
     I've always wanted to try homemade hamburger buns, but I haven't got around to it yet. These are store bought, but you can obviously use whatever you like. Sometimes, we just use toast....We are penny-pinchers after all.


From Healthy Cooking Magazine- July 2011
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes
1 cup boiling water
1 cup mayo (I like the Olive oil mayo)
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, coarsely chopped
2 tsp Italian seasonings
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1-1/2 lbs lean ground beef (90% lean)
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella
6 whole wheat hamburger buns
Additional fresh basil, opt.

• Combine tomatoes and water in a small bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes and drain. In a food processor, combine mayo and tomatoes. Chill until serving.
• Combine worcestershire, basil, Italian seasoning, garlic, pepper, and salt. Crumble beef over mixture and mix well. Shape into 12 thin patties. Place 2 Tbl cheese on six patties, and top with remaining patties. Press edges firmly to seal.
• Moisten a paper towel with cooking oil and coat grill rack. Grill burgers, covered over medium heat for 5-7 minutes on each side or until the juices run clear. 
• Serve on buns with mayonnaise mixture and additional basil leaves if desired.