Canada Day is Friday, a day to celebrate our “Home and native land.” It’s a day for all people, regardless of race, religion, sexual preference, whether we are First Nations, or long-ago immigrants, new immigrants or even non-citizens, to join in thankfulness and appreciation for the freedoms and opportunities this great nation affords us. Happy Canada Day!
Fantastic Chicken Burgers
1 pound ground chicken
1/2 (1 ounce) package guacamole seasoning mix
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro, divided
1/2 lime, juiced
1/4 cup minced onion (I use green onion)
8 slices ciabatta bread
1/4 cup prepared salsa, divided
4 slices Cheddar cheese
Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil the grate.
In a bowl, mix together the ground chicken, guacamole seasoning, half the cilantro, lime juice and minced onion until thoroughly combined.
Form the chicken mixture into 4 patties. Reserve the other half of the cilantro for garnish.
Grill the chicken burgers on the preheated grill until the meat is no longer pink inside, the juices run clear, and the burgers show browned grill marks, 5 to 8 minutes per side.
About 2 minutes before burgers are done, place slices of ciabatta bread onto the grill to toast, about 1 minute per side. About 1 minute before the burgers are done, top each burger with a slice of Cheddar cheese, and let melt.
Serve chicken burgers on the toasted ciabatta bread, topped with about 1 tablespoon of salsa and about 1 tablespoon of the reserved chopped cilantro.
Strawberry-Blueberry Trifle
1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
3 cups cold milk
2 cups whipping cream or (substitute a 12-ounce container of frozen whipped topping, thawed)
1 (9 inch) angel food cake, torn into small pieces
2 cups sliced fresh strawberries, or raspberries
1 cup fresh blueberries
Prepare pudding with milk according to package directions.
Whip cream in chilled bowl until thick enough to hold its peaks.
In a trifle bowl or other glass serving dish, layer half the cake pieces, half the pudding, half the strawberries or raspberries, half the blueberries and half the whipped cream. Repeat layers.
Cover and chill in refrigerator 4 hours before serving. Delicious! Can be made with frozen fruits in winter.
Cathi Litzenberger is The Morning Star’s longtime food columnist, appearing every other Wednesday and one Sunday per month.