Cheesy Salsa Burgers

You might notice the absence of my Little Red Plate. It's been lost for several days. :(

Since most members of my family have been such good sports when it comes to all of the veggie-heavy recipes I have been coming up with lately, tonight I am switching things up a little bit, and it's all about the beef! I even made these super juicy burgers with a little surprise inside--ooey gooey molten cheese! Not necessarily good for the waistline, but since we don't eat like this regularly, I'm not going to fret. ;) And besides, there is still a fair amount of vegetables in the burger recipe thanks to salsa, and I will serve them with baked sweet potato fries and fresh fruit.

I kept this recipe fairly easy as far as ingredients are concerned, so even with the added step of forming twice as many burgers as you normally would, putting the cheese in the middle and pressing two burgers together, it's still something you can throw together quickly. You  can customize the "heat" to your liking by choosing the appropriate salsa--I use a medium. There are many varieties of salsa to try as far as flavors too--pineapple salsa is particularly delicious in this recipe. You could use any cheese you like of course, though I love how smooth and creamy Monterey jack melts, and it is one of just a few varieties available to me in the organic section. There are many, many ways in which to change this recipe up!

Cheesy Salsa Burgers

1 1/2 lbs ground beef/chicken/turkey
4 oz shredded Monterrey jack cheese
1 cup salsa
1 Tbsp fresh cilantro or parsley (or 1 tsp dried)
Fresh cracked black pepper to taste
Kosher salt to taste

Directions: Combine all ingredients except cheese in a large mixing bowl and mix with your hands, being careful not to overwork. Form six patties with half the meat mixture, place cheese in the middle of each patty (I personally find the cheese easier to work with when I grate it), form six more patties, place each one on top of one with cheese on it, press seams together and cook as desired.

Cost:

Beef (grass fed): $3.79/lb, 1 1/2 lbs = $5.69

Salsa (organic): On sale for $2.50/16 oz jar, used 1/2 of jar = $1.25

Monterey jack cheese (organic): On sale for $3.49/8 oz, used 1/2 = $1.75

Total Cost: $8.69

Six Servings: $1.45 per serving