Greek-Style Turkey Burgers

Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground turkey breast
• 1/3 cup breadcrumbs (I used Italian.)
• 3 cloves garlic, finely minced (or frozen garlic cubes)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/3 cup shredded zucchini (well-squeezed of excess liquid)
• 1/2 cup feta cheese crumbles
• 2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes (optional)
• 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
• burger buns, feta cheese, red onions, lettuce or spinach, tomatoes, and/or tzatziki sauce for serving

Directions:

• Add the ground turkey to a large bowl along with the breadcrumbs, garlic, egg, paprika, basil, oregano, salt, pepper, olive oil, zucchini, feta, sun-dried tomatoes (optional), and red onion. 
• Mix well with your hands until everything is evenly distributed throughout the mixture.
• Divide the mixture into 4 patties.  
• Grill over medium-high heat, around 400 degrees, (or fry in a frying pan over medium-high heat) for about 7-8 minutes per side, or until the internal temperature of the burgers reach 165 degrees Fahrenheit (74 Celsius) measured with an instant read thermometer. (I air fried mine on the grill setting (500 degrees) for about 5 minutes per side.)
• Remove the burgers from the heat and let them sit for about 5 minutes before serving. This helps them stay juicy and prevents them from falling apart. 
• Serve on toasted buns with spinach or lettuce, tomato slices, additional red onions and feta cheese, and a generous amount of tzatziki sauce.

Notes:

To make these burgers ahead of time, simply form the burgers and place them on a plate in the fridge (place parchment paper between the burgers to prevent them from sticking to one another) for up to 24 hours until you're ready to cook them. 
*www.thebusybaker.com

Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars

Ingredients:

For the cookie bars:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon milk

For the cream cheese filling:

• 2 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon milk

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 8 x 8 baking pan with parchment paper and set aside. (In my opinion, it's helpful to lightly spritz the 8 x 8 pan before laying the parchment paper on top, simply to keep it in place for spreading the batter later.)
2. Using a stand mixer fixed with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together until just combined. Add in the egg, milk, vanilla, and almond extract and beat well.
3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the salt and flour, beating for about 1 minute.
4. Transfer the cookie dough to your prepared pan, spreading all the way to the edges and smoothing out the top. Don’t worry too much about it being perfectly smooth, because it will soon be covered in frosting!
5. Bake the bars for 20 to 30 minutes.  (I checked at 20, but needed all 30.) You’ll want to take them out when the edges are golden brown, but the center of the bar is still gooey.

Frosting directions:

1. Place the room temperature butter and cream cheese in a stand mixer (or hand mixer is fine!) and beat well. Add the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and salt and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. 
2. Once the cookie bars are cooled, spread the frosting in an even layer over the cooled cookie bars. Sprinkle with your favorite sprinkles, cut into 16 squares, and enjoy!

*www.bromabakery.com