Some nights, the kids beg for grilled cheese and soup. This, of course, allows for me and my hubby to have something a little more adult. Something spicy and with a kick! Not that some kids wouldn’t dig a good, firey burger, but I wouldn’t call this recipe, “Kid Friendly”. However, to make it great for the whole family, just omit the Serrano Chiles. And in our case, the onion too. Our daughter hates onion in her burgers. But she loves onion rings!  Go figure.

And to go along with the burgers, potato chips, of course!  This recipe is for baked chips.  I figured I’d do a more healthy version of a traditional chip.  If you’re trying to really cut calories, make these burgers with turkey meat.   Good for your wallet and your waist!

Baked Potato Chips:

3 large Russet Potatoes (2 1/4 pounds total) sliced into 1/8-inch thick rounds- $1.50
2 Tbsp Olive oil – pantry
2 tsp Fresh Ground Pepper – pantry
Sea Salt – pantry

COST: $1.50

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. In a large bowl with water and ice, drop sliced potatoes in till submerged completely and let sit for 10 mins.

Drain potato slices well and pat dry with clean towel or paper towels. Toss with 2 tablespoons of oil and pepper until well coated. Arrange potato slices in 1 layer on 2 cookie sheets. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until chips are crisped and lightly browned. Remove from oven, season with sea salt and cool.

Note: My oven runs hot, so 425 was better for me. You might need to adjust for your oven.

Serrano Cheddar Burgers:

1 lb Ground Beef (80/20 fat ratio) – $3.17
1 medium Onion, diced – $.20
2 Serrano Chile, diced – $.15
1 tsp Fresh Ground Pepper – pantry
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder – pantry
1 tsp Sea Salt – pantry
1 Tbsp Unsalted Butter – pantry
1 Tbsp Worcester Sauce – pantry
4 Hamburger Buns – $1.20
4 oz sliced Cheddar Cheese – $.50

COST: $5.22

Dice onion and Serrano. Set aside. Slice cheddar cheese and set aside also. Now’s the time to preheat your grill.  Medium to medium high on a gas grill should be fine.  You can do on the stove, but grilling is best.

With beef at room temp, place in a mixing bowl and add pepper, salt, garlic, worcester sauce, onion, butter and serrano chile to meat. Mix very, very well, using your hands.

Separate meat mixture into 4 equal balls. Now form balls into large patties no more than one inch thick and place on hot grill with a spatula. Cook 5-6 minutes on each side or to your preferred temp.  Once cooked, place slices of cheese on each burger and shut grill for 30 seconds.

Serve with whatever condiments you desire.  I love yellow chiles and just lettuce and tomato.  Maybe a salsa or spicy mayo.  Choices are endless!

GRAND TOTAL: $6.72 (but condiments can add $2-3.00)