new recipe: blue cheese burgers

In the great theme of spring and trimming excess (and taking a look at my cameos in the pictures from Kelly's bachelorette party), I decided another dedication to the local YMCA was in order. Today I went, telling myself to at least go for thirty minutes, and managed to go beyond that and complete a very slow 3.5 miles on the elliptical. Last summer, when I had great stretches of time before me, I went daily, sometimes twice daily, and often for an hour or more. I didn't so much lose weight as I did find more regular energy and felt better overall. A few weeks ago I was the highest I've ever seen on the scale (which I keep seeming to say, which should be an indication), and with the wedding only four months away, I don't want to bemoan those photographs in the same manner. Clearly I cannot arrive at something remotely like my goal weight, but I can at least make an effort.

I did go ahead and post the pictures of me from the bachelorette party, not because they needed to be preserved because other objects in the picture were so wonderful, but I hope to be able to point to them as "before" pictures one day. I am struck with how this is a fairly sad thing to say.

That said, I have been very good about what I have eaten today and though it is not low fat, we haven't been grocery shopping in too many weeks to count and have a box of hamburger to use up. (And for those of you who are wondering: yes, this would be my first hamburger since I started eating meat again. I was a vegetarian for about eight years until recently.) So, we are adapting this recipe with what else we have:

1 beaten egg
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/3 c. fine dry rye bread crumbs
1 tsp. prepared mustard
1/8 tsp. pepper
Dash of garlic powder
1 1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
3/4 c. crumbled blue cheese
6 hamburger buns, split & toasted
Alfalfa sprouts

In a medium size mixing bowl, combine egg and Worcestershire sauce. Stir in rye bread crumbs, mustard, pepper and garlic powder. Add ground beef and mix well. Shape the meat mixture into 12 (1/4" thick) patties.

Place about 2 tablespoons blue cheese atop each of 6 patties. Spread to within 1/2" of edges. Top with remaining patties. Press meat around edges to seal well.

Place patties on a rack in an unheated broiler pan. Broil 3" to 4" from heat about 13 minutes total or until done, turning once. Or, grill patties, on an uncovered grill, directly over medium hot coals for 13 to 14 minutes total or until done, turning once. Serve burgers on toasted buns with alfalfa sprouts. Serves 6