Bwahahahaha!!!

My family knows I'm always trying new things. They've just got to the point of shrugging and having a bite because I never tell them what's in it until after a few bites and plenty of thought goes into the critique...

Maybe they'll be food critics when they grow up. They're certainly getting lots of practise!

Recipe: There is no recipe. I've worked the ground veggies up to about a 1 to 1 ratio with the ground meat.

I use whatever veggies I have. Usually I try to put 3 to 5 veggies in so that everyone gets their daily quota in one meal. If I don't have any leftover in the fridge that are already cooked up, I just boil them up in one pot and then puree them. If I make too much, then I put it in canning jars, in the freezer for next time. Also, if I do any juicing, I keep all the pulp in canning jars in the freezer and use that as my 'burger filler' because it doesn't have too much liquid in it (therefore the burgers don't fall apart).

If you end up with too much liquid... just simmer down until enough has evaporated.

I used to use lots of paprika to get the right 'colour' (and Cara's right about the cocoa making the colour deeper and 'more acceptable' also) before but now it's getting to the point that my family knows I only use it for colour and that it tastes the same red as it does brown. I also use a fair bit of oregano if it's more of a ground beef flavour I want, more basil if it's a tomato based meat dish and then sage if it's a ground pork dish.

Then I either make a 'chilli' type stew out of it or pat it out and cut it into square burgers or sausages.

As you all know by now, I could go on forever but I've got to run to dance class.

Any more questions? Ask away! I'll be back later.

Hmmm I'll have to look for that in Appleton. We don't get meat at the grocery store, so I never even wander thru it.

Anybody ever have Bison?? Mmm Bison Burgers....

Bought a small bison steak at Wild Oats today. I will let you know how it tastes. I won't be able to hide any veges in this, but no problem, I love veges. Tonite will be sauteed kale, onions and orange pepper.
Anne

I liked it. I had a burger at Big Al's Oasis in SD.

My Betty Crocker cookbook calls for cocoa in the chili, so I've always made it that way. I think it's only a teaspoon, though. I made a vegetarian chili a looooong time ago. Mr. Kay and I decided it wasn't bad; it just needed some meat. As a result, I do grind up carrots and celery and replace some of the meat with that (3 carrots, 2 stalks of celery matched with 1/2 pound hamburger). I know, not too wild. Maybe I'll branch out a little next time. I like to fry the vegies until their soft before adding the rest of the ingredients. Otherwise, their still crunchy and I don't care for crunchy chili.