Texas Toast Burger

So, I had to end "burger week" with a bang!  This burger seems to have lots of elements, however, the onions, the bread and the cheese sauce can all be made before the burger even hits the pan.  It's cheesy and gooey and has a hint of spice that even the most sensitive of palettes will love.  This is what I would call a "four napkin meal"....heck, I'd say you may want to grab a roll of paper towel, shove your sleeves up and get to it!  This would make the perfect football Sunday meal, especially if you're a Green Bay fan.  Lots of cheese for the cheese-heads out there in the world ;)  The perfect theme for a great Super Bowl party menu. 

(Have no idea why the fonts are different here and cannot seem to fix it!!!  Arrggh)

I had a burger similar to this in Texas while visiting my mom.  When I ordered the burger I thought I might die of shame for ordering such a decadent, fattening concoction.  But, when it came to the table and I took the first bite it was worth every morsel.  The waitress told me I had to order it, and she was right.  So, I decided to re-create it, with quite a few twists.  They clearly used store bought garlic bread and didn't have jalapenos in it.  But, it was delish and I knew I'd want to whip one up for burger week.  The cheese sauce alone is worth every calorie.....   Enjoy!  OOh!  And I served it with fried okra, which was really the perfect side dish.  Just sayin...... ;)

Housepitalities Texas Toast Burger

Ingredients:

• 1.5 lbs Ground Chuck
• 1/4 Cup Grated Red Onion (great egg substitute and is lower in fat and makes the burger less greasy)
• 3 Garlic Cloves Grated
• 1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
• 2 Teaspoons Cumin
• 2 Teaspoons Garlic Powder
• 2 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar
• About 3-4 pinches of salt and a 3-4 turns of the pepper mill.

Grate the onion  and the garlic into a small mixing bowl.  Add the balsamic vinegar and the spices, including the salt and pepper and mix well.  In a large mixing bowl add the ground beef and then add the spice and onion/garlic mixture slowly to the meat.    Patty your burgers to a size that's about half an inch bigger than the bun you're using.  They'll shrink while cooking.  Make sure they've had a chance to sit for about 10 minutes to the let flavors marry.  Pan fry on each side for about 7-8 minutes on medium heat.  These will be medium well, so if you want them to be more rare, adjust accordingly. 
Bread/Texas Toast

• 4 slices of thick italian bread, cut on the bias
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon italian seasoning

Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.  In a small bowl add butter, grate garlic and add italian seasoning and melt in microwave, heating every 30 seconds until it's completely melted. Slather on both sides of the bread and cook on the lowest oven rack for about 4-5 minutes on each side until toasty and brown

 

Caramelized Onions & Jalapenos

Ingredients:

• 2 large white onions
• 2 jalapenos
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Slice onion in half and then into thin strips.  Saute on medium-low heat for about 20 minutes until brown and caramelized.  Put aside and add diced/seeded jalapeno to the onions.  Let sit until cheese sauce is ready.

Cheese Sauce

Ingredients:

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black or white pepper
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 cup grated sharp Cheddar or smoky flavor Cheddar cheese

Melt butter; remove from heat. Stir in flour and seasonings. Gradually add milk, stirring until well mixed. Cook over high heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and smooth. Cook for 3 minutes longer; add cheese. Stir until smooth and well blended. Add caramelized onion/jalapeno mixture.


Assemble burger, slather with cheese sauce and get that roll of paper towel!  It's crispy and gooey and savory.  You will love this burger.