Mr. Baseball: Turkey Burgers with Roasted Eggplant

Well, we made it 4 years, but now we have entered the world of sports.  Baseball to be exact.

The mother of one of Thatkid's friends alerted me that they could play on the same team, and so we signed him up.  I liked the idea of him starting his first team sport with friends, which I hoped would keep him interested and on the field.

So far, so good.  His team is made up of 3 and 4 year olds, and they are adorable.  Probably just about the cutest thing you've ever seen.

Practices have been going well, as the kids run through drills, batting, catching, and running the bases.

And we now have a game every Saturday.  Which is fun.

We start with the pledge of allegiance, and then play 2 innings.  Instead of 3 outs, we play so that each kid gets to bat and run the bases.  Then we switch sides.

The kids all take turns playing the different positions.  So far Thatkid has been catcher, 2nd base, and shortstop.

So far, Thatkid seems to really enjoy baseball.  He talks about it all the time, his team, the different teams, rivalries, etc. 

Although like most 4 year olds, he is does sometimes get bored or distracted.  Like the rest of his team.  This is a picture from during a game.

We also are using this as an opportunity to teach him about baseball greats like Babe Ruth and Jackie Robinson.  And show him our favorite baseball movies like The Sandlot and Rookie of the Year.

The baseball practices are during the week, which adds on to our already busy schedule.  They're at 4:30, so dinner needs to be quick and ready to go shortly after we get home.  Burgers are a great quick cook meal, especially if you prep that patties ahead of time.  Then you just need to throw them on the grill and you have a meal in under 10 minutes. 

I've mentioned before that turkey burgers run the risk of being dry.  Adding pureed eggplant into the patty definitely helps with that.  I like to form the patties and then throw them in the fridge for whenever I'm ready for them.  The pureed eggplant also works as a nice burger topping.  

Turkey Burgers with Roasted Eggplant (From Cooking Light)
1 eggplant
cooking spray
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley, divided
4 tsp olive oil, divided
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
3/4 tsp kosher salt, divided
1/2 tsp freshly ground pepper
1 lb ground turkey
1 tsp lower-sodium soy sauce
1/4 tsp marmite
4 hamburger buns, toasted
4 Bibb lettuce leaves
8 slices tomato

1. Preheat oven to 400.  Lightly coat eggplant with cooking spray; wrap in foil, place on jelly roll pan.  Bake for 45 minutes or until very tender, turning once.  Remove from foil; cool slightly.  
2. Cut eggplant in half.  Carefully scoop out pulp to measure 1 1/4 cup.  Discard the skin.  
3. Place pulp in a food processor; process until smooth.  Reserve 1/4 cup pureed pulp.  
4. Combine remaining pulp, 1 Tbsp parsley 2 tsp oil, juice, and garlic.  Stir in 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.  Set aside.
5. Combine reserved 1/4 cup eggplant puree, turkey, 1 Tbsp parsley, soy sauce, and Marmite in a large bowl.  Divide mixture into 4 equal portions, gently shaping each into a 1/2 inch thick patty.  Press thumb in center of each patty, leaving a nickel sized indentation.  Cover and chill until ready to grill.
6. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Lightly coat patties with coking spray; sprinkle with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper.  Place patties on grill rack and grill 4 minutes.
7. Carefully turn patties over and grill 3 minutes until done.  Place 1 patty on bottom half of each bun; top each serving with 1 lettuce leaf, 2 tomato slices, 1 Tbsp eggplant mixture, and top half of bun.