So finally, here it is.  I started a blog to share my cooking adventures, and I have yet to do that.  Not anymore! Last night, The Russian and I had my best friend over for dinner, and I made lamb burgers.

Lamb burgers may sound exotic, but this meal was still on the cheap! I have a problem with food shopping the way most people believe women have a problem with clothing shopping.  I saw some ground, quality, lamb on sale at the supermarket last week and had to snatch it up.  I was inspired by Claire Robinson’s (from Food Network) lamb burger recipe, and used the same ingredients for the Tzatziki sauce.  Here’s my version:

Lamb Burger:

Ground Lamb (1 lb) [$7]

1 small container Feta [$3]

Rolls [50 cents each]

small store package of mint [$2]

Lettuce and Tomato, if you have it (aka optional)

Tzatziki sauce:

1 small container greek yogurt [ $1.50]

1 lemon [.69 cents]

1 cucumber [$1]

package of dill [$2]

Directions:

• For the burger, mix up the Feta, ground lamb, cumin, and chopped up the mint and mix it all up with a little salt and pepper. Form three (or however many you can make) patties and place on a hot grill pan for about 5 min per side for medium rare.
• Let burgers rest for about 5 min, it keeps the burgers juicy.
• Toast the rolls (if preferred; I personally love my burgers with a slightly crispy bun) and place on plates; top with lettuce and tomato and burger.

Tzatziki sauce:

• Peel, seed and grate the cucumbers using a box grater or a food processor (like the fancy one my mom got me for Christmas- thanks mom!).  Place gratings in a paper towel and squeeze to drain.
• Add cucumbers to yogurt, lemon juice, lemon zest, chopped dill, salt and pepper.  Mix well.
• Top burgers with sauce and enjoy!

I served with some frozen french fries that I deep fried.  A baked french fry has no place in my house.

Best part: Leftovers. I was hungry this morning so I made myself a breakfast sandwich with the leftover Tzatziki sauce, a scrambled egg with the leftover feta, and some tomato. I bought a toasted bagel at my local Au Bon Pain for a dollar and put all the ingredients on that. I used leftover lettuce to make a little side salad. YUM.

I am obsessed with re-purposing my leftover food into creative breakfasts, so there will be a lot of “crossover” recipes.  Nothing bothers me more than food going bad before I have a chance to use it!

Try the burgers this weekend!

-L