The Patty Melt

Who doesn't love a patty melt? The gooey, melted cheese on butter toasted bread that comes from a delicious grilled cheese, stuffed with a juicy burger and sweet, caramelized onions. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. These are extra delicious and so quick to whip up on short notice. I would give it 20 minutes tops!

To make 4 delicious patty melts, you will need:

4 sirloin burgers or about 1 lb of chopped meat
Salt and pepper, for seasoning
1 tsp Worcester sauce, optional
1 large or 2 medium onions
4-5 tbsp butter
8 slices of bread, I used whole wheat
8 slice of cheese, I went for good ol' American

Let's get started by slicing our onions and tossing them in a skillet with 1-1 1/2 tablespoons of melted butter. Keep the heat on medium-low and allow these to slowly caramelize for the best flavor. Keep these going while you start to prep your burgers.

Season your burgers with a dash of salt and a pinch of pepper on each side. Feel free to also add a drop of Worcester sauce to add some extra flavoring. Again, melt about 1 tablespoon of butter in your skillet and throw in the burgers. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side for medium well, making sure to only flip the burgers once so they get a nice char.

As your burgers are finishing up, we can start to get our bread ready for toasting. In a third skillet (I never said clean up would be easy), melt 1/2 tablespoon of butter. Place two pieces of bread on the melted butter and top each with a slice of cheese.

Next up, add a burger and top with a generous helping of your caramelized onions. Just look how delicious those onions look, so soft and sweet.

Another piece of cheese? Yes, please!

Top with the other slice of bread and flip to toast the other side. Why don't you toss in some more butter before the flip. It really wouldn't be fair if only one side got the special treatment. Cook on medium heat until the bread is toasty, the cheesy is gooey, and the smell is unbearable.

Remove from the skillet, slice and eat right away. Mmm, delicious!

As these can be quite heavy, best to serve with a side salad and some fresh veggies to lighten things up. Enjoy!

Pesto & Roasted Red Pepper Cheeseburgers

This is my version of the Italian cheeseburger. You start off with crispy ciabatta, spread it with fresh arugula pesto (check out my recipe HERE!), add some sliced roasted red pepper and mozzarella cheese and you are good to go. I cheated and bought jarred roasted red peppers, but check out this post for an easy way to make your own. This burger is two-hander with the best of them. Be sure to have plenty of napkins laying in wait for when that pesto comes dripping out.

Recipe yields 6 burgers

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef
1 1/2 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp oregano
1 tbsp seasoned salt
1 tsp red pepper flakes (this adds a great kick to the burger itself)
1 loaf ciabatta bread (or any bread of your choice, you can also go with rolls here)
1/2 cup Arugula Pesto
6 slices roasted red peppers
6 slices mozzarella cheese

In a large bowl, mix together the ground meat with your spices. Mix with your hands to evenly distribute the spices.

Place the meat on a sheet of aluminum foil. Cover with foil and roll into a log shape. This will help to make all your burgers the same size!

Unwrap the foil and slice the log into burgers, about 3/4"-1" wide. Remember, the burgers will slim while they cook, so you might want to make them on the larger side. Helpful Hint: To prevent the burgers from bubbling in the middle, create a shallow dip with your thumb. This way, when the middle bubbles up, it will even out with the rest of the burger.

Add a drop of oil to a hot pan and add your burgers. Let them sizzle on high heat without moving them to get a nice char on the bottom before flipping them over and doing the same thing to the other side. Lower the heat and cook until the insides are done to your liking.

In the meantime, slice your mozzarella.

Once the burgers are done, remove to a dish and set aside until ready to assemble.

Slice open your bread and place under the broiler for 4-5 minutes to get nice and toasty.

Once the bread is crisp, it is time to assemble. Spread one side of bread with the pesto. Place the burger on the other piece with a slice of cheese and a piece of roasted red pepper.

Top it all off with the pesto bun and you have a delicious burger packed with flavor and texture. Serve with fries or chips and enjoy!

Mozzarella Stuffed Chicken Burgers

I like to think of these burgers as an inside out version of Chicken Parmesan. You have your chicken burgers, stuffed with mozzarella cheese and covered in a spicy tomato sauce. If that doesn't sound absolutely delicious, I don't know what does. These burgers are such a treat that everyone enjoys each time I make them.

Recipe yields about 8 burgers

Ingredients
2 lbs chopped chicken
8 balls of marinated mozzarella cheese (plus more for snacking!)
1 large scallion
4 cloves garlic
1 tbsp freshly chopped basil
2 tsp oregano
1 tbsp Worcester sauce

Burger rolls (I used onion rolls I picked up from the bakery - they were delicious!)

For the sauce:
1 large can Tuttorosso tomato sauce
3 tsp garlic salt
2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

Finely mince the garlic and shallot.

In a large mixing bowl, add all of your ingredients.

Mix them all together to evenly incorporate all ingredients throughout the meat.

Grab a handful of the mixture and create a burger with a hollow center. Add in a ball of mozzarella and cover it up with another pinch of meat. Your goal here is to bury the mozzarella into the middle of the burgers.

Arrange your burgers on a platter until you are ready to cook them.

Add a teaspoon of oil to a hot skillet. Add your burgers and cook on medium heat about 4 minutes per side.

You want the outsides to have a golden crust and the insides to be white - no sign of pink here, please!

While your burgers are cooking, add your sauce to a pot with your spices. Give it a good stir and bring it to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, lower it to a simmer until you are ready to use it.

Slice your buns and place a chicken burger on the bottom half. Top with a heaping spoonful of tomato sauce.

Serve with extra sauce on the side for dipping and enjoy!

Swiss & 'Shroom Bacon Cheeseburgers

If you know me, you know I am not one to shy away from a 'mans' meal. A bacon cheeseburger covered in sauteed portobello mushrooms and Swiss cheese is just my style. If you were ever looking for a perfect mix of burger toppings, I think I can confidently say, I might have found one of my favorites. First off, who doesn't love a slice or two of crispy bacon on top of a burger - hell, on top of just about anything. Add that to the melted cheese and the mushrooms and you have got yourself a burger fit for a king.

Recipe yields 6 burgers

Ingredients
6 large beef burger patties
6 slices of bacon
12 slices of Swiss cheese
8 oz sliced portobello mushrooms
6 rolls

You can cook your burgers in the broiler or on the stove. As my broiler will be occupied soon, I threw the burgers in a skillet with a drop of water in the bottom of each. Cover the skillet and cook on medium heat for 5-6 minutes and then flip the burgers and repeat. After about 10 minutes, remove the cover and drain any excess fat. Raise the heat to get a nice char on the outside of your burgers.

Meanwhile, add a drop of olive oil to another skillet and throw in your sliced mushrooms. Saute until softened and fragrant.

Heat your broil to maximum heat. Slice all of your buns and line half of them with cheese and the other half with the mushrooms. Once the mushrooms are arranged, cover that side with a few slices of cheese as well.

Place the buns under the broiler for no more than 4 minutes. Be sure to keep an eye on them as it does not take long for the cheese to burn. Once melted and bubbly, they are ready to come out.

Now it is time to construct your burger. First comes the bottom roll with cheese only and then of course the burger patty.

Add your crispy strips of bacon.

And top it all off with the top bun that has the mushroom glued down with cheese.

Serve alongside fries or chips and Enjoy!

French Onion Burgers

Burgers are always an easy weeknight meal that can be changed up in so many ways. For today's rendition, I made a 'French Onion Soup' themed burger. All the flavor of the caramelized onions and the bubbly cheese really pack a punch.

Recipe yields 6 burgers

Ingredients
2 lbs lean chopped meat
1 large yellow onion
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp sugar
2 tbsp Worcester sauce
1/2 cup beef stock
2 tsp onion powder
2 1/2 cups shredded gruyere cheese
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

6 rolls or burger buns

Preheat the broiler to high heat. Slice yellow onion into rings.

Heat oil in a skillet and add onions. Cook on low heat for 8-10 minutes.

Add salt and sugar and continue to cook for 10 minutes until deep brown in color.

Add 1/2 tbsp Worcester sauce and beef stock and simmer until liquid has mostly disappeared.

While onions are cooking, combine chopped meat, onion powder and remaining Worcester sauce in a mixing bowl.

Form six patties and place on a broiler pan. Cook for 2-3 minutes and then flip and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. (If you like your burger cooked more well-done, you can keep it in the broiler longer). Helpful Hint: Whenever you are making burgers, form a flat patty and then push your thumb down on the middle to create an indentation. Do you ever start off with a flat patty and once it is cooked it looks more round then you remember? Well creating this indentation before hand will help produce a nice flat surface once it is finished cooking.

While burgers are in the broiler, you can prepare your buns. Mix together both cheeses in a bowl and then evenly distribute them amongst the top and bottom buns of all six rolls. Right after you take your burgers out, place your rolls under the broiler for 1 minute to melt the cheese.

Now it is time to assemble. First the bottom bun with a layer of melted cheese. Then your burger. Topped off with a helping of cooking onions. And finally the top bun with a second layer of melted cheese to close it up.

Serve with fries or chips and enjoy!