I’ve been a bit in a recipe writing rut. I’ve felt uninspired and frustrated that I’m not doing much creating in the kitchen. Sure, I’ve been cooking because we all have to eat but I haven’t made a recent recipe that I impressed myself with (read that as I don’t like sharing recipes that you wouldn’t love to cook at home!)
And then my in laws visited. At the Blandford House, out of town company is always an excuse to indulge in some of our favorite local eateries. One of our favorite places to eat is Two Brothers. It’s a local brewery but we’ve actually always gone there for the food. It’s amazing!
Two Brothers is one of those restaurants where we know we will always have an outstanding meal. We’ve tried countless entrees and continue to be blown away by the quality of each dish we’ve enjoyed. It’s upscale bar food and is worth seeking out if you are in the Chicagoland area.
When I was pregnant with both of my kids, I had serious cravings for the Tap House Burger. Paired with cheese fries and a homemade cream soda, it was my dream meal. And I could rationalize all the calories for the benefit of my baby! The Tap House Burger is ground beef mixed with diced jalapenos then grilled to perfection. The heat of the jalapenos makes for one outstanding burger.
On our most recent visit, I realized this was a burger I could easily recreate at home. Instead of simply replicating the Tap House Burger, I created a jalapeno bacon burger with guacamole. These burgers were incredible.
I’m still obsessed with sliders, so I made this burger a slider. I mixed jalapenos into the meat, added a cube of cheese to the middle of each patty then topped the finished burgers with bacon and guacamole. The cheese in the middle didn’t work out very well so I’d encourage you to just top your burgers with sliced cheese.
Whether you are spending your weekend watching college football or spending the day at your kid’s athletic events, these burgers would be a lovely addition to your weekend menu. I’d love to know, what’s your favorite type of burger?
ingredients
1 lb ground beef
2 jalapenos, diced (if you prefer less heat remove the seeds and veins)
sliced cheddar cheese (I like sharp white cheddar)
8 slices bacon, fried
1/2 cup guacamole (I used wholly guacamole as avocados seem to be past their prime)
8 slider buns
salt and pepper for seasoning
canola oil for grilling
instructions
- Preheat grill.
- Place ground beef in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Add diced jalapenos and combine until jalapenos are evenly dispersed. Be careful not to over mix.
- Divide the meat into 8 even rounds. Brush each patty with canola oil and place on a hot grill. Cook to desired doneness. Top with cheese. Remove from heat.
- While meat is grilling, divide guacamole among slider buns. Break slices of bacon into halves or thirds depending on the size of the sliders. Gently press bacon into guacamole.
- Place a patty atop the guacamole and slices of bacon. Top with the second half of the bun. Enjoy with a side of chips and salsa.