While, most often than not, when we think of ground meat, it’s mostly an all American ground beef cheeseburger that comes to mind, the truth is that ground meat – and this could be beef, chicken, pork and mutton or veal – is used in many ways  – in quiches, pot pies or a Shepard’s pie to meatballs and even in soups!

Now, break down that all American ground beef burger and you’re left with what you might call a ‘patty’, similar to the cutlet, schnitzel or kofta.

The focus of my post today is the difference between these various forms of ground meat/ mince & their versatility when it comes to cooking. Keep reading to find out how I made my version of this ‘patty’ recently for dinner & why it was a hit with my family!

Patty

A Patty is often described as a small flat cake of minced i.e. ground or finely chopped food, especially meat, typically served in a sort of sandwich called a “burger”, or a hamburger if the patty is made from ground beef. However, patty or Pljeskavica originated and is a national dish of Serbia, also popular in Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia. It is a traditional meal, normally grilled of spiced meat patty mixture of pork, beef and lamb, which only through American fast food chains became known around the world.

Cutlet

Often confused with a Patty, a Cutlet, is actually not ground or minced but is a  boneless, thin cut of meat, shaped like a croquette i.e. cutlet shaped— from the leg or ribs of veal, pork, chicken, or mutton chicken, veal, pork, or lamb. The Poles say chicken kiev, kotlet kurczeta, originated in the Polish city of Kijow, while the French say it was invented by Nicolas Francois Appert in the 18th century and adopted by Empress Elizabeth Petrovna (1741–1762) of Russia who preferred French foods and fashions. Most cutlets are made by pounding the meat until there is an even thinness. Because this thin cut of meat cooks very quickly, it is often dusted with flour or coated in breadcrumbs before being pan-fried.

One form of the cutlet, is a German schnitzel (or Schweineschnitzel). This is traditionally made with pork chops that are also thinly breaded and fried in a tender crisp coating.

Kofta

The Kofta is a family of meatball or meatloaf dishes found in the Indian subcontinent, South Caucasian, Middle Eastern, Balkan, and Central Asian cuisines. In the simplest form, koftas consist of balls of minced or ground meat—usually beef, chicken, lamb, or pork—mixed with spices or onions. Patties are often confused with Koftas, since both are made of ground/ minced meat. However, we now know that the origin & shape of the two differ. The kofta can be fried and eaten dry or added to a thick gravy and served on rice or eaten with flatbread. When made from a mix of other finely chopped vegetables, most significantly potatoes – for a vegetarian diet – these koftas are called ‘Tikkis’ in the Indian subcontinent and surrounding regions.

Ground chicken is always a part of my family’s grocery list. We have to have it at least once if not twice every week. And while I try switching up the serving format & spices, cooking ground meat is a time consuming, not to mention messy process (it releases a lot of water). With the kids’ soccer season and other changes to our routine, I had to find a less-involved, convenient way to use my ground chicken. I found the solution was Baked Chicken Patty. They taste awesome, don’t require a lot of involvement, left overs last for days & can be used in a variety of ways!

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9 Vegetables you can grow indoors no matter what the weather

And not all of us just have a greenhouse lying around at our disposal. So, some friends at Sugar Producer Magazine, the pros in sugar producers, have compiled this awesome list of plants that you can grow right from your own kitchen.

Tomatoes

Small Space Indoor Vegetable Gardening

Tomatoes are a great food item to grow inside. All you need is a pot, good soil, and a source of light. Start the seeds for the tomatoes in a muffin tin or egg cartons, and then move them into a pot once the sproutlings are about 2 inches tall.

Carrots

The 16 Best Healthy, Edible Plants to Grow Indoors

Who doesn’t love carrots and a little ranch for a good healthy snack? Just make sure you have a deep enough pot for this crop. You’ll want about 8 inches of soil for short carrots, and about 12 inches for long carrots.

Leafy Greens

How to grow your own vegetables year-round without a garden

Leafy greens, like spinach and lettuce, are a great kitchen crop. You can start as many as 15 seeds in one wide pot (or a long pot that fits the length of a window sill). Once they are grown, you can pull leaves off as you need them and more will continue to grow back.

Yellow Squash

Growing Squash Indoors

A good source of light, a large pot, good soil, and plenty of water will make this plant a wonderful crop to grow in your home this winter. If it has everything it needs, you’ll be able to produce enough squash to last until the outdoor growing season.

Herbs

How to Grow Herbs Indoors

Herbs are a great window sill plant. They need good sunlight and an appropriate amount of water (this is dependent upon each variety of herb), and then you’ll have great flavor to add into your cooking. And let’s be honest, live herbs can get expensive at the grocery store, so growing them on your own is a great way to go.

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