Mini Burgers 3 ways..Taco, Chipotle, Italian

The grill is getting a work out and my in-laws are the brave Guinea pigs. Last year we bought Bobby Flay's Grill It! and ever since we have been inspired to try creative new combinations for burgers. This weekend we decided to try 3, the Italian one we have done before but we altered it slightly by adding a parmesan crisp instead of the normal  mozzarella and topped it with our bruschetta mix. The taco burger Brea saw on the cover of Food Network Magazine, we didn't look at their recipe we just kinda guessed by the picture and the name. The Chipotle is an old stand by of ours updated with arugula and caramelized onions. While everyone seemed to like all three I think the winner was the Chipotle with the Taco burger being a very close second.

Taco Burger (4 Mini Burgers)
4 Mini Buns
1/2 Lbs Ground Sirloin (90/10)
1/2 Package Taco Seasoning (I used Ortega)
1/4 C grated Cheddar Cheese
1 ripe Avocado, cored and chopped
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 C Sour Cream
3 Roma Tomatoes, Diced
1/4 Red Onion, Diced
1 Jalapeño Pepper, Finely Diced
1/4 C cilantro, chopped
salt and pepper

Heat grill to med-high. In a bowl mix together taco seasoning and meat. Form 4 equal patties and set aside. In a mixing bowl combine the tomatoes, red onion, jalapeno, and cilantro. Season to tase with salt and pepper and set aside. In a food processor combine the avocado, lemon juice, 2 Tbp sour cream and salt and pepper. Pulse to combine. Grill the burgers for about 2-3 min per side. Remove from grill and rest 5 mins.

Assembly: bun, avocado mixture, burger, cheddar, tomato mixture. On the top half of the bun spread some sour cream and top the burger. Taco Burger Done!

Chipotle Burger (4 Mini Burgers)

4 Mini Buns

1/2 Lbs Ground Sirloin (90/10)

1 Chipotle, finely diced

salt and pepper

1 Tbs Olive Oil

1 small onion, thinly sliced

1 Tbs Honey

4 mini burger sized slices of Gouda

3 Strips of bacon, cooked (microwave works, or you can grill it)

1/4 C Arugula, chopped 

Heat grill to med-high. In a bowl mix together chipotle, meat, salt and pepper. Form 4 equal patties and set aside. Cook the bacon and set aside. Heat a skillet over med-high heat. Add the oil. Add the onions and the honey. Season with salt and pepper. Lower the heat to med and cook down until translucent. (not brown). Remove from heat and set aside. Grill the burgers for about 2-3 min per side adding the gouda during the last 1 min of grilling. Remove from grill and rest 5 mins.

Assembly: bun, burger, bacon, onions, arugula, and bun. Chipotle Burger Done!

Italian Burger (4 Mini Burgers)

4 Mini Buns

1/2 Lbs Ground Sirloin (90/10)

1 Tbs Tomato Paste

1/2 Tsp dried Basil

1/2 Tsp dried Oregano

1 Tsp garlic powder

1/4 C grated Romano Cheese

Salt and Pepper

1/2 C grated Parmesan Cheese

3 Roma Tomatoes, diced

1/4 Cup feta, crumbled

1/4 C fresh basil, chopped

1 Tbs Olive Oil

Heat grill to med-high. In a bowl mix together tomato paste,dried basil, oregano, garlic powder, romano cheese, meat, salt and pepper. Form 4 equal patties and set aside. In a bowl combine roma tomatoes, feta, fresh basil, olive oil, and salt and pepper to taste. Set aside. Heat the over to 400. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Spread the parm cheese in a thin layer on the parchment paper. Bake in the oven until the cheese bubbles and just starts to turn from white to slight yellow. (about 5-10 mins) Keep an eye on it cause it burns quickly. Remove from oven, let cool then cut in to squares. Grill the burgers for about 2-3 min per side. Remove from grill and rest 5 mins.

Assembly: bun, burger, parm crisp, tomato mixture, bun. Italian Burger Done!