Homemade Gourmet Sliders

Yall know I love me some Oprah. I guess that's an Educated Black People Thing (lmao). So when she did her Favorite Things Show and revealed a new twist on a Turkey Burger. Oprah said it was the best turkey burger she ever tasted.


I thought to myself, Oprah eats at the best restaurants in the world, so I KNOW this turkey burger must be good. I went to the store immediately to test out the recipe courtesy of Donald Trump's Mara-a-Lago Exclusive Resort. It includes lots of yummy ingredients such as scallions, Mango Chutney, and apples. Of course, I had to add my own twist, so I decided to make sliders.


Sliders are no different from regular hamburgers, but they seem to have a new reputation. Instead of the tasty oily treats from White Castle, they've become chic. I've seen everything from veggie to buffalo meat sliders on menus these days. There is something about finger food that makes Americans swoon. I made my own version of sliders with the Mar-A-Lago recipe. Beware: the recipe calls for three pounds of ground turkey, so make sure you adjust the measurements if you are only using one pound of ground meat. I only had ground chicken in my fridge, and I don't plan on feeding an army.


I made the burgers as directed, added a little extra Chutney because i like the sweet taste, and I used Weber Grind N' Grill Gourmet Burger Seasoning. Any pre-mixed burger seasoning (another food trend) will do. I plan on treating myself to William & Sonoma's Hamburger Seasoning sometime soon. I made my patties about 3 inches in diameter, and this yielded about eight patties. After cooking, each patty should be about 2 oz. in weight. Eat two of these sliders for only 200 calories and a perfect portion size of 4oz.


How do you find those tiny rolls?

Martin's Famous Whole Wheat Potato Rolls are perfect for homemade sliders. These buns are miniature in size, and each roll is only 80 calories, 4 grams of fiber, and 6 grams in protein. Can we say guilt free and tasty? I topped mine with avocado and chutney, but be careful with the chutney because it's about 50 - 60 calories per tablespoon.


TIPS:

• Need to calculate calories in a recipe? Calorie King is your friend. It is the most comprehensive and user friendly database of calories.
• Use 2 pounds and freeze the remaining patties like Momma used to do. You'll appreciate the extra effort when you don't feel like cooking and want a great meal.

Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burgers

Oprah found a new favorite food when she tried this turkey burger at Mar-a-Lago, Donald Trump's private club in Palm Beach. "I believe [it] may be the best turkey burger in the entire world," she says. The Mar-a-Lago Turkey Burger will be permanently available at the Trump Bar and Grille in Trump Tower in New York City, open to the public for lunch and dinner. It will also be served during lunch in Chicago at Sixteen, the Trump International Hotel restaurant.

Ingredients:Serves 6

1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
3 Granny Smith apples , peeled and diced
1/8 cup canola oil
4 pounds ground turkey breast
2 Tbsp. salt
2 Tbsp. black pepper
2 tsp. chipotle Tabasco™
1 lemon , juiced and grated zest
1/2 bunch parsley , finely chopped

Sauté the scallions, celery and apples in the canola oil until tender. Let cool.Place the ground turkey in a large mixing bowl. Add sautéed items and the remaining ingredients. Shape into eight 8-ounce burgers. Refrigerate for 2 hours.Season the turkey burgers with salt and pepper. Place on a preheated, lightly oiled grill. Grill each side for 7 minutes until meat is thoroughly cooked. Let sit for 5 minutes.Serve with a side of Mar-a-Lago Pear Chutney and your favorite toasted bread, pita or hamburger roll.