Feta-Stuffed Greek (Bison) Burgers

Tonight's dinner was about two weeks in the making. Terry and I thought up the idea on the way to the farmers' market awhile back, and finally I made it tonight. We originally wanted to use ground lamb, but I found ground bison at Costco today and was far too lazy to go to another store to find lamb. So Greek Bison Burgers? No problem!

Feta-Stuffed Greek (Bison) Burgers
Serves 4

• 1 pound ground meat (bison, perhaps?)
• 1 ounce feta, diced, plus 2 slices for topping
• 1/4 red onion, diced, plus a few slices for topping
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 8 slices sourdough bread, toasted
• Lettuce, for topping
• Cucumber slices, for topping
• 1 lemon
• Salt and pepper, to taste

In a small bowl, combine the diced feta, diced onion, oregano, salt, and pepper. 

To stuff the burgers, divide the meat into four sections. For each burger, split the meat in half and mold each half into a patty; create a small well in one of the halves. Add about two tablespoons (or as much as you can fit!) of the feta-onion mixture. Then put the second half on top and seal the edges of the burger. Repeat with the rest of the burgers.

Heat a grill pan or barbecue to medium-high heat. Add the burgers and cook about 5 minutes on each side (for medium). At the end, turn off the heat, place the feta slices on top, and place a tin foil "tent" on top to melt the cheese. 

To assemble the burgers, layer the toasted bred, stuffed patty/melted cheese, tomato, lettuce, red onion slices, and cucumber. Squeeze a little lemon juice over the whole thing, and top with the second piece of toasted bread. Good luck fitting all that in your mouth!

Our burger condiments

Tuesday nights don't get much better than this

This burger hit every savory taste bud imaginable. The bison holds tons of delicious flavor on its own, and it complemented the rest of the Greek flavors perfectly. The crisp lettuce, crunchy cucumber, and tangy red onion contrasted with the savory bison and feta. The stuffing added a punch of flavor in the middle, and I was so sad when I finished the stuffing part of the patty and reached the edges again. What an incredible burger! I'm so excited to eat the leftovers tomorrow!

Along with the burgers, we enjoyed more vegetables than usual (thanks to Jenn's inspiring side dishes yesterday!). We ate a yummy Greek salad and some delicious sweet potatoes.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Serves 4

• 3 large or 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into one-inch cubes
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger

Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Combine the butter, olive oil, maple syrup, and spices in a small bowl. Pile the sweet potato cubes on a large baking sheet, pour the mixture over the potatoes, and toss together until evenly coated. Spread the potatoes into an even layer and bake for about 40 minutes, turning every 15 minutes or so. The potatoes should be tender and golden brown when done.

Amazing! I thank Jenn for inspiring me to create such a delicious, easy side dish. The flavors blended perfectly (my apartment smelled like Thanksgiving), and it was just the right amount of sweet next to all the savory deliciousness of the burger. We both loved it! Some of the pieces even got a nice little crust on them, which was a fun surprise!

Greek Salad

Did you watch "New Girl" tonight? What a hilarious show! My favorite quote: "Maybe it's my posture. I have really sexy posture."