It’s true. Dinner combined all three of these mouth-watering adjectives into a trifecta of deliciousness!
No, it wasn’t a grilled stuffed burrito from Taco Bell – which I ate, no joke, about 7 of on a 4 day vacation to LA once (long, traumatizing story…)
Rather, Mozzarella Stuffed Bruschetta Burgers with Balsamic Glaze!
I’ve been seriously obsessed with stuffing burgers since my run in with the Apricot Glazed Turkey Burgers Stuffed with Goat Cheese I made a few weeks ago. I reformulated my recipe, taking advantage of some gorgeous summer tomatoes, and came up with this baby!
Zee instructions (recipe to come!)
1. Combine 1lb 99% fat-free ground turkey breast with parmesan cheese and seasonings.
I like to mix with my hand in a plastic baggie. Minimizes feelings of ickiness.
2. Take a peanut butter jar lid and line it with plastic wrap.
3. Divide the turkey into 4 portions, then divide each of those portions into 2, so you have 8 mini portions. Press 1 portion into the bottom of the lid.
4. Add mozzarella cheese in a little mound in the middle.
5. Add another mini portion of turkey on top and press down to seal the sides.
6. Invert your stuffed patty onto waxed paper.
7. Once you have all your patties made, pinch the sides firmly together so none of your delectable cheese will escape!
8. To the grill we go! 3 minutes per side (lid down during each cooking half),
trimmed asparagus grilling nearby for the same amount of time.
Flip,
and top with bruschetta mixture and balsamic vinegar reduction!!!
OMG – PARTY IN MY MOUTH AND EVERYONE’S INVITED!!!! Look at the golden brown crust the parmesan cheese gave the outside of the burger! There was an audible “crunch” when I cut it in half!
The garden-fresh bruschetta mixture was just heaven when combined with the balsamic reduction. All I did to make the reduction was pour about a cup of balsamic vinegar into a skillet over medium heat, and let it reduce until it was the consistency of thin maple syrup. Slightly sweet, bold – amazing!
But let’s talk about this ooey, goeey mozzarella cheese!!!! It was so light, mild and refreshing when paired with all the zesty flavors around it.
Who says turkey burgers have to be boring?! 
In other news, I am cursed. CURSED, I tell you. I have been locking my keys in my car at least once a week for the past month or so. It’s not even a recent problem though. Once, when I lived in Minneapolis, I locked my keys in my car at the same gas pump at the same gas station on the same day, two weeks in a row.
Today I went to get a Starbucks before work and I realized as soon as I shut my car door that I had locked them in there. Slow mo “noooooooooo!!!” and all. Luckily I was within walking distance from work, and Ben hadn’t left the house yet, so he came and dropped off an extra set of keys before heading in. T.G.!
What is my issue?!
On a happier note, I loved all your “favorite things” from today. I found myself saying “oh, me too!” to about 98% of them. Fuzzies!
I’m heading out to the back deck to answer emails and read! Hasta!
~~~~~
Are you a forgetful person? Ever lose your keys, misplace your wallet or lock yourself out of the house?
I have a pretty good long term memory, but my short term memory is shot. I have an excuse though – a skiing accident circa 1997. A snow boarder collided with me and ever since then my short term memory has been a weeeee bit fuzzy. That’s part of the reason why I love lists!!!
That is BRILLIANT! A meal that both me and Mr. How Sweet can enjoy!!
What a great idea! I hate touching raw meat.
What a great idea for forming stuffed burgers!! That recipe sounds amazing too, definitely book marking it!
I used to be pretty bad about locking my keys in the car, but I’m pretty good now.
that is a GREAT idea to form patties in a lid… ALL EVEN cooking!
these look really tasty! I, too, am obsessed with stuffed burgers, and I DO NOT do it enough. I best get on that… and anything that includes the nom nom nom flavors of bruschetta is something I want to eat!!
I agree, great idea for forming burgers. Mine never look as perfect! From now on, I’m using peanut butter lids.
YUM! I’d do the same with feta cheese and turkey burgers… maybe some spinach and kalamata olives, too for a Greek theme!
I love the combination of tomato/balsamic vinegar. So delicious! I stuffed turkey burgers last night with pepperjack cheese -spicy and yummy!
I can’t wait to try those burgers!! YUM!! I have the worst short term memory. One of my biggest problems is forgetting where I park. My boyfriend and I go to a lot of sporting events (as in sometimes 2-3 per week). That being said we tend to get the lots we park in confused. My old car had a clicker so it was easier to find but this one has all manual locks… haha in-cog-ghetto
I am also TERRBILE with sunglasses. I bought an expensive pair once that were prescription and drove off with them on top of my car after filling up. I went back immediately once I realizd it and they were gone 
I still do that sometimes to this day, so my rule is only cheap sunglasses now!!
Wow, what a brilliant idea for stuffing burgers! Where ever did you come up with that method? I love the use of the PB lid!
Those burgers look incredible by the way!
Haha, I’ve been feeling so clumsy and forgetful lately. Not sure why, but I seem to go through phases of utter ditziness. Must be something in the water.
oh my goodness – this is pure genius!!!! Love the use of the lids…..what a wonderful idea!!!
I love stuffed burgers! Yummy
omigoodness that looks SO GOOD!!! my mouth is watering as i type this! i must try it.
i am such a forgetful person. it’s horrible. i can’t find my keys, cel phone, planner….
does anyone else kinda want to know the story about the burritos? taco bell is usually the geneisis for some pretty intense experiences, good or bad…
i can’t remember the last time i forgot anything-haha-until literally today when i was buying the iphone 4g and i forgot the name i’d reserved it in…for some reason i told them my mother’s instead of mine(the last time i had to visit at&t was two years ago when i was still under my parents coverage). i felt pretty lame, LOL
You are amazing. I am still salivating as I polish off some IGE-inspired pre-made and frozen greek turkey burgers! And now this? Genius! Looks like a nice treat for the 4th.
I am sooooo forgetful! I forget why I walk into rooms, I get off the wrong exit on the highway, & I lose my keys/phone/you-name-it once a week! I am the queen of “to-do” lists. I even have like 15 extremely random lists saved in my phone, ranging from “Groceries” & “To Do” to the totally random “Books I Want to Read,” “Books I Have Read,” & “Restaurants I Want to Try!” But… it works!
Beautiful presentation :0)
I’ve killed my car battery by leaving my lights on more times than Triple AAA would like to count …
I’m pretty good at remembering stuff but Hunni is soooooo forgetful that I have to remind him all the time.
that is such a creative way to stuff a burger – i have always wondered how people did it because it sounds so complicated. looks delicious
I’m still renowned for one incident in which I left my keys in my ignition…with the door open…and the car running. Yup. Just got out and went to class, apparently, without realizing anything was wrong. Fortunately, a particularly observant classmate noticed my GAPING car door and returned my keys to me, not without well-deserved ridicule.
In high school, I also locked my keys in my car on a monthly basis. But other than that, I’m not usually forgetful!
Also, that burger? Gonna make it. ASAP. For the whole family. Don’t care what my picky-eater Dad has to say about it
Ahhh…thats awful! I’ve only locked my keys in my car once (knock on wood) and that was enough for me. Those burgers look incredible!! How do you make the bruschetta mixture??
I lock my keys in my car all the time! I actually have a set of keys wired underneath the front of my car… sad, but necessary.
That burger looks delicious! I will have to recreate soon.
I always forget if I left my hair straightener on! My fiancee gets so mad when I make him turn the car around to check : )
I think I need to make those burgers ASAP. Maybe a Fourth of July treat this weekend in Iowa City.
LOL.. ” PARTY IN MY MOUTH AND EVERYONE IS INVITED ” um- most hilarious thing ive heard ALL day!! love that! hahaha you are so freakin cute!
Looks yummy! Love the balsamic/tomato combo. I keep a box of vinyl gloves from the hardware store in my kitchen wrap drawer and use those when mushing seasonings into burgers. The “ewww” factor gets to me, too. Great for slicing jalapeños, too, especially you like rub your eyes afterward like I tend to do – probably as often as you lock your keys in your car
Love using the PB lid to form the burgers – great idea! They look delicious, will have to make them at my 4th of July BBQ!
I always always forget where I put my phone, even if I just set it down. Good thing the husband keeps track of my things.
ooooooooh, my gosh. I am so making those. I made the goat cheese stuffed ones, twice. Failed the first time, succeeded the second but these look eeeeeeven better! Mmmm, yum!
you are seriously the funniest person ever! i laughed out loud in my bed when i read “there’s a party in my mouth and everyones invited!” hahahahahaha. just seeing how much you love your dinners makes me want to try them! amazing.
i rarely forget things like that. usually it comes down to forgetting people’s names or forgetting to do something 20 seconds after i set out to do it. my boyfriend, on the other hand, locks his keys in the car, loses his cell phone and wallet, and forgets EVERYTHING all the time. he needs a lesson in mindfulness
Last winter, I locked my keys in the car…and the keys were in the ignition and my car was running!!!!!
this meal is so smart. love the PB cap trick!! you don’t seem like the forgetful lock the keys in the car type! the skiing accident…now it all makes sense!! curse those crazy shredders.
That looks incredible!
Sorry to hear about the key situation! I have yet to do that- but anything is definitely possible. I find the less sleep I get, the more forgetful I am.
Seriously, you’re a food preparation genius! And I can honestly say my cooking has been way more inspired since I started reading this blog.
As for the keys, that’s annoying…but at least you’re not endangering anyone. I’ve been known to leave the coffeepot on, the oven/stove on, etc. Not good.
OH. MY. GOSH. My favorite flavors of all times…I must make those this weekend. I have never made a burger, let alone a stuffed burger, in my LIFE, but I am so doing that!
Obsessed with tomatoes & balsamic! Thanks for the idea
Ooooh! I WILL be making these ASAP.
It’s a good thing you don’t live closer or I might be camped on your doorstep, lol! That dinner looks amazing! I will have to try those burgers out! Love, love, love that tip with the lid of a jar. I like perfect patties and was wondering just what I could use.
I don’t misplace things or forget to much (I am a Professional Organizer so no one would hire me if I did, lol.) I am sorry to hear about your injury; I am sure that can be a problem.
I do work with clients with ADD and short term memory is a problem for them so I can understand how challenging it can be. Why not just get an extra set of keys to put in your purse? Then if you lock yourself out, you have a spare pair in your purse-assuming of course, you take your purse with you.
what amazing burger recipe! I’ve been planning on making some, and this will definitely be the ones I’ll make
Except, without the grill, pan will have to do the work.
)
Yeah, sometimes I have clumsy days like that, but usually, it always happens in the kitchen. Like having a fire in the microwave or sth like that
For a while there I was sure I was going to put my local locksmith’s children through college!! $40 everytime he had to come unlock my car or house! One day I had to call out a locksmith TWICE in the SAME DAY, both times I locked my keys in my car while it was running, the same guy came out twice and just laughed at me, I am pretty sure he thought I was the dumbest person alive. And I have stopped telling my dad how often this happens, he insists this is something I inherited from my mother, he just can’t understand how it happens to us so often!!
ahhh i’ve never locked my keys in the car but i can only imagine how that feels…at least you guys have an extra set. my bf in college did that once and well, we were away at college so his paresnts who were 2 hours away couldnt give him the keys. the car was ON too. so we had to jimmy the window and get it out.
i loooove that meal girl! good work. balsamic reduction is soooo good on salads too. i need to make some tmw. i keep a bottle in the fridge.
Mmmm! loving this
What a great idea of putting the patty in the jar lid!
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I loose my cell phone constantly. We got rid of our home phone, so I can’t just call it & have the kids help me look.
I use to lock my keys in the car constantly. I now drive a ford freestyle & it has keyless entry . . . LOVE IT! I go running with my dad in the mornings & because we don’t live in town we drive there. I just lock my keys in & use the keyless entry to get back in.
Can’t WAIT to try the turkey burgers. They look amazing!
I love the idea of using the PB lid to make the patties – mine are always too fat in the middle.
I used to lock my keys in my car all the time, but try this – put a spare key in your wallet or purse (or both). Saves the day!
Stuffed Burgers are my favorite! My bf always wants me to make my blue cheese stuffed turkey burgers, which we love. I’m gonna have to give these ones a try sometime! Great idea!
Those burgers look fabulous! Thanks for the tips on making a stuffed burger. I’m not usually a forgetful person; however, I have my moments.
These look absolutely delicious. Can’t wait for the recipe!
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Kristin and Kristin, Krishna. Krishna said: Looks so good! RT @iowagirleats: How to Make a Stuffed Burger http://ht.ly/25omQ [...]
Your turkey burgers inspired me! I am going to try stuffed turkey burgers tonight! Hope they turn out as well as yours did!
Oh those burgers look A-Maz-ing! I can’t wait for the recipe!
[...] my parents were out of town, and I had a big package of turkey meat staring at me. I had just seen THIS on this lovely ladies blog! and IT LOOKED SO GOOD!! We didnt have mozz cheese, So I [...]
OMG, geen-yus
I have turkey meat and cheese in the fridge that are calling my name right now…(don’t worry, it’s 7 am)…Great idea to use the baggie too, i get so grossed out mushing it up!!
So, I totally turned this into a stuffed chicken with pasta dish last night! Thanks so much for the great idea! Mine wasn’t as healthy (although I used a little spinach too!), but it was unbelievable
http://bethcooks.squarespace.com/journal/2010/7/8/mozzarella-stuffed-bruschetta-chicken.html
[...] even begin to know what to do with. Usually they’re stuffed and fried. You know I like to stuff things, but frying? Eh, I’ll leave it to the [...]