Caprese Burger

This burger screams summer – as do my flourishing basil plants in the garden! Some critter is munching our tomatoes but the basil on this is home grown! The mozzarella gets melty with a perfect stretchy-gooeyness. I like the hot burger ontop of a cool tomato and plenty of basil for freshness and a touch of creamy yet tart balsamic mayo.

The Three Bite Rule - Caprese Burger
I thought about a drizzle of balsamic reduction but went the easy route with some balsamic mayo.

Caprese Burger for 2

Ingredients:

2 burger patties
2 burger buns
2 tablespoons mayo
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 tomato slices
2 slices of fresh mozzarella
~6 pieces of fresh basil

Directions:

Preheat the grill and form the burger patties. Then grill the burgers to your desired cook.
Mix together the mayo & balsamic.
Slice the buns, tomato, and mozzarella.
Toast the buns for the last minute the burgers cook and add the cheese on top of each burger until it melts.
Assemble with tomato on the bottom, then the burger, then basil and a spread of the balsamic mayo on the top bun.

The Three Bite Rule - Caprese Burger
I loved this and think it’d be great as a chicken sandwich too. I might even have enough basil for a small batch of pesto. That’d be so great on a caprese burger too!

Ultimate Mexican Burger

This Mexican burger pulls out all the stops. Happy Birthday Burger Mr. J! The burger gets amped up with chorizo, queso, guac, and beans. I’be been saving this idea for awhile and it was perfect to plan for this one when I knew we’d have some taco leftovers!
The Three Bite Rule - Ultimate Mexican Burger

Ultimate Mexican Burger

Ingredients: (for 2 burgers)

1 link chorizo sausage
1/2 pound ground meat
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
2 tablespoons refried beans
3 tablespoons guacamole
3 tablespoons salsa con queso
lettuce
2 rolls

Directions:

Mix together the ground meat and the chorizo and form into patties. Sprinkle half of the taco seasoning on before grilling the burgers. Grill until cooked to your liking.
While the burgers are cooking, warm the queso and the refried beans.
After taking the burgers off the grill, sprinkle with remaining taco seasoning.
Spread the beans onto the bottom bun, then add lettuce, burger, queso, and spread the guacamole onto the top bun.
The Three Bite Rule - Ultimate Mexican Burger Enjoy!

Happy Birthday Burger Mr. J!

Here’s the history of the Birthday Burgers:
2016 it was a Mac & Cheese Stuffed Burger topped with bacon, onions, and tomato.
2015 it was a Picnic Burger with slaw & potato sticks
2014 it was a German Burger with horseradish, caramelized onions, pickles and a pretzel roll
2013 it was a Vermont Burger with maple mayo, cheddar, bacon, and spinach
2012 it was a Bacon Wrapped Burger
2011 it was a Stuffed Burger stuffed with bacon & cheddar or bacon & blue cheese

Cheeseburger Potato Skins

These cheeseburger potato skins were so fun, especially for a drizzly evening when grilling wouldn’t have been ideal. Mark these down for the next time you have just a liiiitle ground meat and want to make a meal for three out of one burger’s worth. The little one is obsessed with “helping cook” so we made these together. Plus, I taught him to say garnish, so there’s that.
The Three Bite Rule - Cheeseburger Potato Skins

Cheeseburger Potato Skins (meal for 3, or appetizer for 5-6)

Ingredients:

3 potatoes
1/4 pound ground beef/turkey/chicken
1 tablespoon hamburger seasoning (don’t buy this, I had a packet to use up, otherwise it is: onion powder; paprika; garlic powder; black pepper; dried basil)
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons mustard
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
pickle slices for garnish

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400-degrees, and preheat a medium skillet.
Cook the potatoes until cooked through. (I microwaved mine for 5 minutes.)
Scoop out the insides of the potatoes, leaving about a 1/4 inch thick edge from the skin to the inside.
Brush with the olive oil & spices, then broil for 5 minutes (until crisp).
The Three Bite Rule - Cheeseburger Potato Skins
Whisk together the ketchup, mustard, and worcestershire sauce.
The Three Bite Rule - Cheeseburger Potato Skins
Cook the ground meat until no-longer pink in the skillet, then add in the sauce. Reduce heat to low and cook for another 3 minutes or so.
Remove the tray of potato skins and sprinkle in a little cheese, then spoon the meat mixture in.
The Three Bite Rule - Cheeseburger Potato Skins
Top with more cheese & bake for 5 minutes. Remove from the oven and garnish with pickles.
cheeseburg_pot_plate_590_390
Serve & enjoy!

These were fun bun-less burger, fit for inside eating. It is a tricky line of cooking food we’re all going to eat together while the little one’s has time to cool (usually a turbo cool in the freezer) while ours remains hot. Serve with a salad and poof, dinner’s done.

I’m looooving cooking with the little one. I did have to send him to tell Daddy “5 minutes” so I could quiiiiickly snap a pic before getting the hot pan out of reach. He loves spoons, spatulas, and the like. Sometimes his “helping cook” is to hold this unused, uncooked potato while I’m yielding a knife, but whatevs. He ate all the tomato out of our salad bowl which was kind of funny.

Bahn Mi Burgers

Eeeee! I’m so excited. This was such a fun burger and exactly what I needed to get back into my cooking groove. I seriously haven’t made anything interesting in weeks. It’s been all no-thought-required-meals…until now…I flavored the meat, mixed up a sauce, and topped these with cucumbers, avocado, and cilantro. They were so fun! Albeit, not authentic, but delicious nonetheless.

The Three Bite Rule - Bahn Mi Burger

Bahn Mi Burgers

Ingredients: (for 3 burgers)

3/4 pound ground pork
2 teaspoons sesame oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon ginger
1/4 cup mayo
1 tablespoon sriracha (or more, to taste)
1 teaspoon Italian dressing
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro + 2-3 sprigs of cilantro leaves
3 burger buns
cucumber, sliced thin
avocado, sliced thin

Directions:

Mix together the pork, sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger, salt & pepper.
The Three Bite Rule - Bahn Mi Burger
Form patties and heat the grill and cook the burgers.
Stir together the mayo, sriracha, salad dressing, and chopped cilantro.
The Three Bite Rule - Bahn Mi Burger
Chill the sauce until serving.
The Three Bite Rule - Bahn Mi Burger
Top the burgers with avocado, cucumber, cilantro leaves, and sriracha mayo.
The Three Bite Rule - Bahn Mi Burger
Enjoy!
The Three Bite Rule - Bahn Mi Burger

I loved this burger! I made them with pork since a) I don’t eat red meat and b) it is more reminiscent of a bahn mi and c) it can be easier to have all the same since I was seasoning the meat. I kept the sauce pretty mellow since we don’t eat tons of heat, and the little one was “helping” me cook so I wanted him to taste it. He ate some…not so impressed with cilantro but biting a bunch plain might be weird for anyone 😉

This would be great with pickled veggies, a la bahn mi. I took a simpler route but go forth!

Fall Flavors Burger with Pork, Pear, & Sage

This fall burger is so fun with diced pear & sage in a ground pork burger. I thought about a grilled cheese with pear and sage and then I decided to make it in to a burger and figured pork would be perfect. It was so perfect for a fall evening.

The Three Bite Rule - Fall Pork Burger with Pear & Sage

Ingredients:

1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pear
5-6 sage leaves
ground black pepper & salt

Directions:

Mix together the pork, pear, and sage.
The Three Bite Rule - Fall Pork Burger with Pear & Sage
Form into patties and grill or pan-sear.
The Three Bite Rule - Fall Pork Burger with Pear & Sage
Be sure took cook through. Then top with lettuce, mustard, mayo, and lettuce.
The Three Bite Rule - Fall Pork Burger with Pear & Sage
Enjoy!

I wanted to be sure not to over do it on the sage. It is a strong flavor to me. I loved the raw pear that cooks slightly for a softness. I liked this one and might still make the grilled cheese version too!