Guess what I did yesterday!?

Asiago Portobello Burgers with Roasted Red Peppers + Balsamic Glaze I howsweeteats.com

Something really fun.

I… spent about thirty minutes walking around the extended parking lot at the airport looking for my car.

Awesome.

Asiago Portobello Burgers with Roasted Red Peppers + Balsamic Glaze I howsweeteats.com

I rarely drive myself to the airport (huge baby), so when I did just that on Thursday morning (like um, MORNING-morning. like 4AM.), I found a spot, pulled in, yanked my luggage behind me in a sleepy stupor and walked my way to the terminal.

Then… somewhere over some plains or something – or whatever it is I have to fly over to get to the West coast – it dawned on me that the airport parking lot is like, sort of big. And it sort of all looks the same. Especially in the dark at 4AM. When you don’t drink coffee and also have on your glasses that make you look like an awkward 11-year old.

Frantically, I texted my husband who told me that security could probably help me and to not worry about such silliness over the weekend. (Okay, whatever, I’m a complete nutjob and have anxiety about the jacket I will wear to the gym later and the lunch I want to make in four hours, but yeah… whatever.) So I didn’t, until I was up in the air yesterday with my ears popping ten million times over and with an idiotic scarf wrapped around my neck which was simply perfect for the 90 degree weather. I always fit in so well.

Asiago Portobello Burgers with Roasted Red Peppers + Balsamic Glaze I howsweeteats.com

Soooo yes… that was my afternoon delight. I didn’t ask security because I figured “Oh! I’m SURE I will find it easily!” and then proceeded to walk around the entire lot pressing the panic button on my key. Stubborn what?

Asiago Portobello Burgers with Roasted Red Peppers + Balsamic Glaze I howsweeteats.com

And I wish I could tell you that we ate something as delicious as these burgers last night when I got home, buuuut… we had Chinese take-out. It was just what I wanted, but not nearly as delicious as what you see here. Aside from surviving solely on blackberry grilled cheese’s last week, I also ate a good handful of these burgers since I was living the single lady life. It’s weighing heavily on me that this is my THIRD portobello burger recipe, because truly? It isn’t my all-time favorite way to eat them. But when paired with English muffins, they are like… my livelihood. The crust is what counts.

The muffins are so crunchy and the crevices provide just enough bread, but not too much SOFT bread that can be totally weird with the portobello texture. And then there is asiago. And roasted reds. And glaze! There is just something about this combo that is truly outrageous, Jem-style. These are inspired by a dish at one of our favorite local restaurants and well… they were so delicious that it’s annoying me. Really.

Asiago Portobello Burgers with Roasted Red Peppers + Balsamic Glaze I howsweeteats.com

Asiago Portobello Burgers with Roasted Red Peppers + Balsamic Glaze

makes 4 burgers

4 large portobello mushrooms

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 medium roasted red peppers

4-5 ounces sliced asiago cheese

4 multigrain English muffins

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

Add vinegar to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a very low simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes, until liquid reduces by about half and is slightly syrupy. Remove from heat, pour vinegar in a bowl or glass to pour, and set aside to cool and thicken.

In a small bowl mix together 2 tablespoons of olive oil, smoked paprika and onion powder. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Drizzle portobellos with the remaining olive oil and add a bit to the skillet. Brush tops of mushrooms with olive oil/paprika mix and place mushrooms top-down to cook for about 5 minutes, until slightly juicy. Flip, add asiago slices to the top and cook for 5 minutes more, or until mushrooms are evenly cooked and juicy and cheese is melted. Toast english muffins, place mushrooms on top, cover with roasted red peppers and drizzle with the glaze. Eat!

Asiago Portobello Burgers with Roasted Red Peppers + Balsamic Glaze I howsweeteats.com

Be annoyed. Eat a burger.