Big bold flavors. Bright cheerful colors.

There’s nothing boring about these burgers.

I have a Jerk Marinade that I’ve used for Turkey Tenderloin, Turkey Meatballs, Caribbean Couscous Salad….

Its punchy, gently spicy, with bursts of citrus and herbs. There’s warmth from the spices balanced by the natural mildness of ground turkey. I’m addicted!

To make these burgers, mix up your spices and aromatics first then add them to the ground turkey. This insures the flavors are incorporated well without overworking the mixture.

Overworking = tough burgers.

When cooked properly Turkey Burgers are moist and juicy. Ground turkey is tender and can be tricky to cook on a grill. The secret I’ve found is to sear the patties in a hot pan, then finish them in the oven. They come out perfectly every time.

Turkey Burgers reheat beautifully too, so they are fantastic for meal prep and making lunches for the week! The flavors in these jerk burgers are even better the next day, warm or cold!

Juicy Jerk Turkey Burgers with Caribbean Coleslaw are fun for the weekend, but easy enough for a weeknight meal! Serve them on toasted burger buns or lettuce wraps, topped with Caribbean Coleslaw.

Are there recipes that remind you of a favorite vacation that you’d like to see us recreate? I’d love for you to comment below. Your feedback is so important to me (and keeps the recipe love fresh).

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Juicy Jerk Turkey Burgers with Caribbean Coleslaw

Juicy Jerk Turkey Burgers with Caribbean Coleslaw scream summer! Big bold tropical flavors. Bright cheerful colors. Smiles all around!

Course Burgers

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs use gluten free panko for GF version

Spices and Aromatics

• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce or coconut aminos
• 1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 2 sprigs minced fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 scallion thinly sliced
• 1 small jalapeno fine diced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• oil for pan frying

For Serving

• 1 cup Caribbean Coleslaw recipe link in post
• 4 burger buns lightly toasted

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350° F.
• Mix spices and aromatic together. Add ground turkey, egg and panko breadcrumbs. Mix with hands until just combined.
• Form into 4 burger patties. Heat 1 Tablespoon cooking oil in oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Pan fry burgers 2-3 minutes per side, then transfer to oven. Cook for 10 minutes or until internal temperature of burgers reaches 165° F. Remove and allow to rest 5 minutes.
• To serve, place each burger on a toasted bun and top with 1/4 cup Caribbean coleslaw.

The post Juicy Jerk Turkey Burgers with Caribbean Coleslaw appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

It has the perfect balance of savory (hello pesto) with a hint of sweetness.

I’ve literally made five variations of it in the past several weeks, sharing it with friends & family along the way.

Rave reviews from all of my taste-testers!

For anyone following a gluten free diet, or looking to incorporate more veggies into their meals, or just loves sweet potatoes as much as I do….this is your new secret weapon!

Sweet potatoes are high in fiber, mineral rich (particularly potassium) and packed with vitamins (particularly immunity boosting Vitamin A / beta-carotene), which has anti-inflammatory properties – that’s music to my ears!

Sweet Potato crust is genius!

I first saw it in a Cooking Light post and instantly knew I would recreate it at home.

The Sweet Potato Crust Method

Because the crust is pre-baked before filling, causing the sweet potatoes to shrink, it’s important to overlap them a good bit and to be sure the diameter of the slices are large enough to stand above the edge of your quiche pan.

I’ve practiced several times now and believe I’ve found the right combination of slice thickness (1/8-inch), diameter (1-inch larger than the height of the pan), and spacing (overlap at least half of each slice).

Using a mandolin set at 1/8-inch thickness makes the slicing a breeze, but you can certainly cut the sweet potatoes by hand.

I found one large sweet potato will do the trick, but buy two just in case. The crust is baked at 375 degrees F. for 20 minutes before adding the fillings.

For the Veggie Quiche Filling

For this Veggie & Pesto Quiche I chose steamed broccoli, asparagus, and zucchini for my veggies, Basil Pesto, and feta and parmesan cheese.

The custard consists of 6 large eggs, 1 cup of heavy cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg.

Place the quiche on a baking sheet then bake a 350 degrees F. for 35-40 minutes, until the center is just firm to the touch.

Allow to cool slightly before slicing.

The result is a perfectly cooked sweet potato crust, with a delicious savory veggie filling.

The feta cheese and basil pesto really bring wonderful flavors to this dish and the ratio of custard to filling is perfect.

Not too ‘eggy’ as my husband would say.

Sweet Potato Crust Veggie & Pesto Quiche is easily one of my new favorite quiches.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Sweet Potato Crust Veggie & Pesto Quiche

This quiche has a perfectly cooked sweet potato crust, with a delicious savory veggie filling. The feta cheese and basil pesto really bring wonderful flavors to this dish and the ratio of custard to filling is perfect.

Course Breakfast, Brunch, Entree, Lunch

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 35 minutes minutes

Prebake Sweet Potato Crust 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1-2 large sweet potatoes, peeled sliced 1/8-inch thick
• 2 1/2 cups steamed veggies (such as broccoli, zucchini, asparagus, yellow squash)
• 1/4 cup basil pesto recipe link in post
• 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
• 6 large eggs
• 1 cup heavy cream or half & half
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 375° F. Peel and slice sweet potato(s) into 1/8-inch slices. Spray pie plate or quiche pan with cooking spray, then line with sweet potato slices. Slices should be 1-inch taller than sides of pie plate and should be overlapped by half. Place pie plate on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, steam veggies and prepare pesto, reserve. In a mixing bowl, beat eggs with cream, salt, pepper and nutmeg.
• Remove prebaked sweet potato crust from oven. Lower oven temperature to 350° F. Arrange veggies in crust. Sprinkle with pesto and cheeses. Slowly pour custard over filling. Bake for 35-40 minutes, until center is set and just firm to the touch. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before slicing. Delicious served warm or at room temperature.

Previous versions of sweet potato crust quiches. All delicious, but you’ll notice the crust is a bit wimpy. This is where using thicker and larger diameter sweet potato slices comes into play. Go big!

The post Sweet Potato Crust Veggie & Pesto Quiche appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

These spinach and ricotta ‘dumplings’ are soft and tender and practically melt in your mouth.

The simple ingredients come together to form a soft dough. Roll the dough into balls, then boil until they float.

I experimented with the ratio of ricotta & spinach to flour. The result was that the Malfatti held together nicely even when the flour was reduced. Yielding a dumpling with more spinach flavor which is absolutely delicious.

Malfatti are classically served with sage brown butter and crispy sage leaves, one of my most favorite flavor pairings.

Sage Brown Butter

To make sage brown butter, simply melt butter in a skillet over med-low heat, toss in some fresh sage leaves.  Allow to cook, stirring occasionally until butter turns a nice golden brown.  Remove the sage leaves and most the butter to a small dish. Toss several Malfatti dumplings in the same pan, then spoon additional butter and crispy sage leaves over top when plating.

We loved them so much that I’ve made them multiple times over the past several weeks. Because these dumplings taste very mild, the intense sensual flavor of the sage brown butter is fabulous.

That said, I also served the Malfatti plated with a tomato sauce and basil pesto, then topped them with a little freshly grated parmesan cheese. Another fantastic pairing.

Malfatti can be made ahead and refrigerated then boiled just before serving. This makes them a wonderful weeknight ‘meatless’ meal or as a first course appetizer for a more formal Italian themed evening.

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Malfatti {Spinach & Ricotta Dumplings}

These Malfatti {spinach and ricotta 'dumplings'} are soft and tender and practically melt in your mouth.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

For the Malfatti

• 21 ounces fresh spinach discard any hard stems
• 8 ounces Ricotta cheese drained well
• 1 large egg beaten
• 1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup semolina flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon frehly grated nutmeg

For the Sage Brown Butter

• 8 Tablespoons butter
• 12-15 fresh sage leaves

Instructions

For the Malfatti

• Place ricotta into fine mesh strainer and allow any liquid to drain off.
• In a large skillet, add spinach with a sprinkle of water and salt over medium heat. Cook covered until wilted, using tongs to turn a couple times during cooking. Drain in a colander until cooled. Place cooked spinach in a clean cotton dish towel and completely wring out all liquid. Finely chop spinach.
• In a bowl, combine drained ricotta and spinach with egg, parmesan cheese, flour, semolina, salt and nutmeg. Mix until evenly incorporated. Roll into 1 1/2" balls.
• Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Cook Malfatti in batches in boiling water until they float, about 2-3 minutes.

For the Sage Brown Butter

• Melt butter in a skillet. Add sage leaves and cook over medium-low heat until sage is crispy and butter is golden brown. Remove the sage leaves and most of the butter to a small bowl. Add the Malfatti to the pan in batches and gently stir to coat. Plate with a spoonful of sage brown butter, crispy sage leaves and freshly grated parmesan cheese.

The post Malfatti {Spinach & Ricotta Dumplings} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

This spice blend goes perfectly in muffins, pies, granola, oatmeal and cider.

I make this blend with ground cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. You’ll sometimes also find ginger and/or cardamom included. It’s similar in profile to Pumpkin Pie Spice which also contains ground ginger and cloves.

I’m curious. Are you team apple or team pumpkin? I have to say I’m very fond of pumpkin, especially in baking and soups. Have you tried our Pumpkin Morning Glory Muffins? Or Pumpkin Acorn Squash Soup?

My husband is an apple freak! He loves everything from simple cinnamon apples that fill our home with the most wonderful aromas to apple pies that delight all the senses. As apple season approaches we’ll be heading to the North Georgia Mountains to do a little picking.

Stay tuned for apple recipe overload. In the best way possible.

You’ll find this homemade apple pie spice blend in recipes like Dutch Apple Pie Muffins or Salted Caramel Apple Dumplings. Plus you can sprinkle it on oatmeal or granola for warm flavor boost.

What are your favorite apple recipes? I’d love for you to share in the comments below. Your feedback keeps the fall baking love alive!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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Apple Pie Spice

Making Homemade Apple Pie Spice is an ideal way to incorporate spices likely already in your cabinet. This spice blend goes perfectly in muffins, pies, granola, oatmeal and cider.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon groud nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

Instructions

• Combine spices in an air tight jar.

The post Homemade Apple Pie Spice Blend appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

What better way to celebrate than with a refreshing summery cocktail. The Painkiller Cocktail is a twist on Piña Colada flavors with dark rum, pineapple, orange and coconut finished with freshly grated nutmeg on top. A classic Tiki Drink every mixologist should have in their playbook.

We’ve come to love Tiki Bars, especially when you discover them in the most unexpected places, like hidden below the bustling streets of Chicago. Three Dots and a Dash, an underground tiki speakeasy, is a must visit if you’re lucky enough to be bar hopping in Chicago!

However, we were first introduced to The Painkiller Cocktail while vacationing in Key West. There was something about the laid-back vibe and relaxed island setting that paired quite nicely with this tropical rum drink.

Sitting in a courtyard sipping Painkillers while listening to the calypso sounds from the steel drums as colorful chickens strolled by without a care in the world.

The Painkiller Cocktail is made by combining dark rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, and cream of coconut in an ice filled shaker. Shake vigorously then pour into a crushed ice filled highball glass. The drink is topped with freshly grated nutmeg and garnished with fresh orange and pineapple. It is so smooth and refreshing and sure to ease you into a good mood.

No worries. No cares. Life is good. Cheers!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

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The Painkiller Cocktail

The Painkiller Cocktail is made by combining dark rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, and cream of coconut in an ice filled shaker, topped with freshly grated nutmeg. This cocktail is so smooth and refreshing and sure to ease you into a good mood.

Course Drinks

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Ingredients

• 2 ounces rum navy or dark
• 4 ounces pineapple juice
• 1 ounce orange juice
• 1 ounce cream of coconut not coconut milk
• freshly grated nutmeg
• pineapple and orange wedges for garnish

Instructions

• Fill shaker with ice. Add rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, cream of coconut and shake vigorously. Strain into a ice filled highball glass. Sprinkle with freshly grated nutmeg. Garnish with pineapple wedge. Cheers!

Notes

Cream of Coconut is not the same as Coconut Milk.  Look for Coco Lopez in your local markets with the cocktail mixers.

The post The Painkiller Cocktail appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Pumpkin Pie Spice is a fall baking staple. All those warm sweet smelling aromatic spices bring a cozy element to muffins, pies, coffees and cookies.

I’m a fan of making my own spice blends, mostly because it gives me a chance to include some less frequently used jars from my already crowded spice cabinet.

The post Pumpkin Pie Spice appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

I sent Shelby an innocent birthday text (back on May 28th).  It went something like this….what’s your favorite kind of cake? She threw me for a loop with her response.

Initially I had no reason to believe that Vegan Hemp Seed Carrot Cake wasn’t exactly what she wanted. My Mom-in-action-mode took me to this recipe.  Which I printed, acquired ingredients for, and assumed the holding position.  But then later that day it was revealed the spawn of Chocoholic might prefer… a chocolate cake.

Curve ball two…spawn of Chocoholic recently identified an adversity to dairy. Thankfully I’ve been called to dairy free chocolate love on another occasion.  Have you seen our Dairy Free Chocolate Truffles <3

I made the love of my life the perfect birthday cake.  We got so caught up with our awesome kid and young life and birthday joy that I never posted her almost dairy free macadamia crusted chocolate torte.  Be watching for it next year on or about May 28th.

Flash forward to a few days before Christmas.  I was going through my treasured to-be-made-recipes folder and found the recipe that I printed back on May 28th.  It was thyme to make and present vegan hemp seed carrot cake delivered in the form of Carrot Cake Energy Bites.

I honestly think these were one of Shelby’s favorite Christmas presents (her new hi-tech juicer a close second).

The fact that I actually fell for her original request and that they turned out to be delicious bites of healthy, homemade love made them extra special.  Carrot Cake Energy Bites are stored in the freezer making them a quick on the go snack.

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Carrot Cake Energy Bites

Author lightly adapted from Blissful Basil

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups pitted sun ripened dates
• 1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
• 1/2 cup raw chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut
• 2 Tbl. hemp seeds
• 1 Tbl. milled flax seed
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Instructions

• Add all ingredients to a food processor or Vitamix.
• Pulse until the mixture is well combined, yet with texture; about 10 times. The mixture should be sticky enough to form into balls.
• Form into 15 balls. Store in the freezer.

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~ Peaches & Cream Martini Recipe ~

1 1/2 ounces vanilla vodka
1 1/2 ounces peach schnapps
1 1/2 ounces cream
1 1/2 peaches, pureed
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
ice & shaker
peach slice for garnish

Combine sugar and nutmeg on a plate.  Dip rim of martini glass in peach schnapps, then into sugar.  Place in freezer.
Fill shaker with ice.  Add vodka, schnapps, cream, peach puree and 1 teaspoon of sugar/nutmeg.  Shake vigorously.  Strain into a chilled martini glass.

It’s National Peaches & Cream Day.  How do I know this?  Because I follow this insanely cool lady who in between keeping up with her three kids, manages to find (make) time for date nights, cocktails, and all those off the wall holidays.  Like National Food on a Stick Day, which is precisely how we met.  This lady is MomSoPolitan.  You’ll want to follow her too.

Regarding this Peaches & Cream Martini.
It’s become my No. 3 favorite peach recipe ever, just behind a Malted Peach Frappe and Peach Cobbler.

The post Peaches & Cream Martini appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

One of our favorite dishes enjoyed at Desta Ethiopian Kitchen was Miser.  Red lentils stewed in a rich spicy berbere sauce with onion, garlic, and ginger.  I set out to recreate this warm and flavorful dish from the ground up.

Here is my version of the Berbere spice blend (pronounced burr-burr-ee and meaning “hot”).  I slightly adapted this recipe from Epicurious according to the spices I had on hand and reduced it by half.

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Berbere {Ethiopian Spice Mix}

Author Adapted from Epicurious

Ingredients

• 2 Tbl. Peri Peri or ground Serrano pepper
• 4 Tbl. paprika
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. ginger
• 1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
• 1/4 tsp. ground fenugreek seed or yellow mustard
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• pinch clove
• pinch garlic powder
• pinch cinnamon
• pinch allspice

Instructions

• Combine all spices and store in an air tight container.

The post Berbere {Ethiopian Spice Mix} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Swedish Meatballs.  Growing up, we enjoyed them every Christmas Eve as part of our annual holiday h’ordeuvres spread.  I’m slowly recreating these recipes one by one.  Some from memory and some that mom passed down to me.  Sunday I pulled out this recipe card and took a stroll down memory lane.

I made some minor adjustments to the recipe as I know when she wrote this out for me I was a twenty-something with very limited cooking experience.  She had a way of making everything seem possible.  For as long as mom was physically able, there was no adventure she wouldn’t be game for.  The only thing holding her back was money, but even then we’d plan some pretty elaborate get-a-ways or businesses we’d like to start or even how we would redecorate the house.  We’d plan it all out on paper, tear pictures from magazines, and enjoy every little detail along the way.  She had a way of making everything seem possible.

Mom’s recipe called for Red Currant Jelly, which she also used in her Cocktail Franks.  One change I made was to include Lingonberry jelly.  It’s not as common as red currant but as I shopped for this dish there it was on my market shelf.  I had to try it.  It’s very much like red currant jelly :)

I also increased the recipe to use two pounds of ground meat.  I chose a blend of beef and pork.  There are two things that make Swedish Meatballs so special.  First are the meatballs which are soft and feature the flavors of nutmeg and cardamom (or allspice).  Second is the sauce that begins with pan drippings from the browned meatballs and builds from there, eventually finishing with sour cream and jelly.  The sauce is rich with flavor yet not heavy.  Jelly imparts a slightly sweet finish which leaves you wanting to lick your bowl.  A benefit of cooking at home.

This recipe makes about 80 meatballs and you’ll be very glad of that.  They are fabulous served as an appetizer as we will do for our holiday spread.  They also made a wonderful meal served on top of egg noodles, although rice or even mashed potatoes would be perfect.  If you’ve never made Swedish Meatballs before you’re in luck, with this recipe everything is possible.

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Swedish Meatballs

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 8

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the meatballs…

• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 lb. ground pork
• 1 large onion grated
• 4 slices of bread chopped into crumbs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. ground cardamom or allspice
• 1 tsp. nutmeg
• 2 Tbl. butter

For the sauce…

• 2 Tbl. pan drippings
• 4 Tbl. butter
• 1/3 cup flour
• 4 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 Tbl. Lingonberry or red currant jelly.
• salt and pepper to taste
• fresh parsley to garnish

Instructions

For the meatballs…

• In a medium bowl combine bread crumbs and milk and allow to sit until milk is absorbed. Add remaining ingredients (except butter) and blend by hand until ingredients are well combined.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a tablespoon form meatballs; place on baking sheet. We made approx. 80 meatballs.
• Melt 2 Tbl. butter in a Dutch oven over medium heat (do not allow butter to burn, adjust heat accordingly throughout browning process). Working in batches brown meatballs on all sides. Meatballs will be tender, work gently when turning. Do not cook meatballs all the way through, once browned remove back to parchment lined baking sheet.

For the sauce…

• Once all meatballs have been browned, pour off all but 2 Tbl. of pan drippings. Add 4 Tbl. butter and melt over medium heat. Add flour and whisk until well blended making a roux. Slowly whisk in the beef broth, stirring constantly; scrapping bits off bottom of pan. Bring the sauce to a gentle boil then reduce the heat to low.
• Add the meatballs to the sauce. We were able to fit half the meatballs in each batch. Cook meatballs covered over low heat until cooked through about 8-10 minutes. Remove meatballs to a bowl. Pour sauce through a fine mesh strainer then return to the pot. Add in sour cream and jelly and whisk over medium heat until well blended and heated through. Do not boil sauce.
• To serve, spoon meatballs over noodles or rice. Ladle sauce over top. Sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley.

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