Burgers & Salad

This recipe is modified from feast from the Mideast 250 Sun-Drenched Dishes from the Lands of the Bible. I got this book from the library, but liked it so much, I bought it from Amazon... I think I will end up trying every recipe. The only major change I made is to add Thyme, and I made a different sauce than the recipe suggested.

Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon ground thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• salt & pepper, to taste
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 pound ground beef, chuck or sirloin
  
• 2 - 4 pita breads or sesame rolls
• 1 onion, sliced thin (optional)
• pickle slices (optional)
• sauce of choice

Method:

Prepare grill, pan, or broiler. Combine meat with cumin, turmeric, thyme, salt and pepper, and garlic. Shape into four patties, about 1 inch thick. If using rolls, toast them lightly.

Grill, fry or broil until juices run clear. This will take approximately 6 minutes on each side. To check, make a small cut in the center of burger to see the color.

If using pita, heat briefly on grill or oven for a few seconds on each side, making sure bread stays soft.

Transfer burgers to pita or buns and serve with toppings of choice, like onions, pickles and sauce.

For the "garlic sauce":

I have tried to make authentic garlic sauce and haven't been successful, so this was my adaptation. I took about 1/2 cup mayonnaise, added a couple tablespoons olive oil and about 5 cloves minced garlic and let this sit in the regrigerator to blend flavors. This worked well, and gave the flavor I wanted, though the texture was a little different.

Suma from Suma's Cuisine tagged me ... Thanks, Suma ;)

**The rules are: Respond and rework – answer the questions on your own blog, replace one question that you dislike with a question of your own invention, and add one more question of your own. Then tag eight or ten other people.

1. What is your current obsession?

Worrying about the future.


2. What are you wearing today?

Jean skirt & T-shirt.


3. What’s for dinner?

Frozen Pizza.


4. What’s the last thing you bought?

Soap.


5. What are you listening to right now?

Harry Potter/ Prisoner of Azkaban


6. What do you think about the person who tagged you?

Very nice, great blog, and so sweet for thinking of me and tagging :)


7. If you could have a house totally paid for, fully furnished anywhere in the world ,where would you like it to be?

I don't care, but close to people I care about.


8. What are your must-have pieces for summer?

Sandals, jean skirts, t-shirts and sunglasses.


9. If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?

California.


10. Which language do you want to learn?

Spanish, as I could get a job just for being able to speak it.


11. What’s your favourite quote?

"I'm selfish, impatient, and a little insecure. I make mistakes. I am out of control and at times hard to handle, but if you can't handle me at my worst... then you don't deserve me at my best."
-Marilyn Monroe-


12. Who do you want to meet right now?

Sri (Soybean)


13. What is your favourite colour?

Burned Orange


14. What is your favourite piece of clothing in your own closet?

My jean skirts & t-shirts.


15. What is your dream job?

Writer/ Author


16. What’s your favourite magazine?

Right now, Science Illustrated.


17. If you had $100 now, what would you spend it on?

I'd take my daughter to lunch tomorrow, then to the mall and buy her something... Then maybe something for myself.


18. What do you consider a fashion faux pas?

I don't care about fashion, probably wearing clothes too tight and small.


19. Who are your style icons?

I don't have any, style and fashion aren't really important to me.


20. Describe your personal style.?

Comfortable, clean, good-fitting and appropriate for the situation.


21. What are you going to do after this?

Take a shower, and go to the library.


22. What are your favourite movies?

The King & I, Gone with the Wind, It's a Wonderful Life, What Dreams May Come, The Gladiator, Shawshank Redemption, John Q, Puff the Magic Dragon, Water, Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, Seven Pounds.


24. What are three cosmetic/makeup/perfume products that you can't live without?

Foundation, eye-liner & blush.


23. What inspires you?

Intelligence.


24. What is your current favorite song?

Runaway - Love and Theft.


25. What do you do when you “have nothing to wear” (even though your closet’s packed)?

Get frustrated and stay in the house.


26. Coffee or tea?

Coffee in the mornings, tea in the evenings.


27. What do you do when you are feeling low or terribly depressed?

Lay around, cry, try to figure out how to fix everything in my life, then get more depressed.


28. What is the meaning of your name?

It's Greek for a sea nymph.


29. Which other blogs you love visiting?

All food blogs


30. Favorite Dessert/Sweet?

Right now, I'm craving some Tira Misu.


31. Favourite Ornaments.

Earrings & Nose Ring.


32. Most important thing your parents taught you?

Work Ethics.

I'm tagging anyone who wants to do this... :)