Blues-y Bacon Onion Burger

I love burgers!  There is just something about a good burger I can’t resist.

But as much as I love a good old fashioned burger topped with the classic garnishes of cheese, tomato, and lettuce, I love to experiment with the ingredients to come up with my own “specialty” burgers.

This Blues-y Bacon Onion Burger is one of my favorites.

In my hometown of Memphis, folks take their blues and barbecue seriously.  And I can guarantee this burger will be sure to appeal to discriminating blues and barbecue fans everywhere!

For the blues, I stuff and top the finished burger with crumbled blue cheese.  (You can’t get enough of blue cheese in my opinion!) I also stuff and top the burger with zesty FRENCH’S® French Fried Onions.  The French Fried Onions are my secret ingredient.  They add flavor and texture both inside and outside the burger. Oh … and I almost forgot to mention the bacon!  I add crispy, crumbled bacon to the patty to give it an extra kick.  The barbecue sauce makes its appearance as the condiment of choice for the finished burger.

Enjoy!

Blues-y Bacon Onion Burger

1 pound ground beef
1 cup FRENCH’S® French Fried Onions, divided
1 cup crumbled blue cheese, divided
1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup barbecue sauce
4 hamburger buns, split

Preheat a clean grill to medium-high.

In a large mixing bowl combine the ground beef, ½ cup FRENCH’S® French Fried Onions, ½ cup crumbled blue cheese, and the crumbled bacon. Generously season with salt and pepper to taste. Gently mix together, by hand or with a fork, until well combined. Divide and shape the mixture into 4 patties.

Grill patties 10 minutes or until no pink remains (160°F internal temperature), turning once.

To serve, toast the buns. Place each burger on a bun. Top with the barbecue sauce and the remaining blue cheese and FRENCH’S® French Fried Onions. Serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Cooking Tip:  

Don’t have a grill?  No problem.  These burgers can easily be made indoors.

In a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat, warm 1 tablespoon olive oil until a few droplets of water sizzle when carefully sprinkled in the pan. Cook the burgers until well-browned on both sides, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer the skillet to the oven until cooked through and no longer pink in the middle, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Mixed Lettuces with Strawberries, Red Grapes, and Almonds

This is of my favorite salads.  It has the perfect combination of tastes and textures. I could wax poetic about how each element of the combination … the sweetness from the fruit, tartness from the lettuces, saltiness from the cheese, and crunch from the nuts … compliments the others.  But I will spare you the rhetoric and just tell you in plain terms … it’s darn good!

The Blush Wine Vinaigrette is my homemade version of Brianna’s Blush Wine Vinaigrette.  When I was writing my cookbook Simply Salads, I took some of my favorite store-bought dressings and did my best to imitate them. At times my kitchen resembled a strange sort of vinegar and oil laboratory! Some attempts worked; others didn’t.  But I am proud to say that I may even like my homemade version of this dressing better than the original. It’s brighter in flavor (thanks to the freshly squeezed lemon juice), has no preservatives or MSG, and costs so much less than the bottled original.

Hope this becomes one of your favorite salad combos too!

Enjoy!

Mixed Lettuces with Strawberries, Red Grapes, and Almonds
From my cookbook Simply Salads

For the Blush Wine Vinaigrette:
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
5 tablespoons canola oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

For the salad:
1 bag (8 ounces) Mediterranean salad blend
1/2 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced
2/3 cup red grapes, halved
1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions
1/4 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1/4 cup crumbled blue cheese (preferably Maytag)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

For the Blush Wine Vinaigrette:

In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar, lemon juice and sugar until the sugar has dissolved.  Slowly add the oil in a stream, whisking to emulsify.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

For the salad:

In a large salad bowl toss together the salad blend, strawberries, grapes, scallions, almond slices, and crumbled blue cheese. Add the dressing to taste and gently toss.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 6 appetizer or side salads.

Cooking Tip:  Mix and match this colorful salad using your favorite ingredients.  Try substituting spinach or using green grapes or dried cranberries. Goat cheese is also a nice substitute for the blue cheese.