GREEN CHILE CHEESEBURGERS!

For my birthday the husband got me this awesome cook book called Cook This, Not That!, by David Zinczenko and Matt Goulding. It is a compilation of some restaurant favorites and how to make them at home on the cheap AND with fewer calories. There will be many recipes that I make out of this book, but this week I wanted something that I have never tried before and wouldn't likely order in a restaurant.

The recipe for the green chile cheeseburger jumped out at me as a good candidate because of the different flavors involved.

Ingredients (recipe makes 4):

1 lb. ground beef

4 oz. roasted green chiles, drained and chopped

4 slices swiss cheese

4 potato buns

4 medium slices red onion

4 thick tomato slices

salt and black pepper to taste

1. Heat a grill, stovetop grill pan, or cast-iron skillet

2. Season the beef with salt and pepper and form into 4 patties (do not overwork the meat)

3. Cook on one side for 3-4 minutes (until nicely charred), then flip and immediately place 1 tablespoon of chiles onto each burger, followed by a slice of cheese. For medium-rare burgers continue to cook for another 3-4 minutes.

4. Remove the burgers, and toast the buns. Place the onion and tomato on the bottom of the buns, then place the burger.

AND ENJOY! The burgers have great flavor and while they seem like they would lack, the mixture of the swiss cheese and green chiles is SO GOOOOOD and I will definitely be making them again--- actually I will be making them again tonight for dinner as I forgot to take a picture last night (well I remembered but by the time I did remember it was way too late...burger in stomach).

The husband is going to try mayo on his tonight- I would never pollute my food with the substance, but I can see that if you like mayo, then it would be good. I also did not use tomato on the burgers because I forgot to buy them, and I actually don't think that the burger needs them. Instead, tonight when I make them I am going to caramelize the onions. My only hesitation in doing so is that it could overpower the other flavors- but it is worth a shot (love me the caramelized onions!).

Give these babies a try- if you are already grilling all you need is the swiss and the chiles so fire up the bar-b!

[PICTURE TO COME TONIGHT-JUST WANTED TO GET THIS SUCKAH UP]