Different Ways To 'Do Burgers'

I never thought I'd hear a kid turn down a burger, but last week my nephew did just that. 'I'm tired of burgers', he said. 'They're boring'. I guess I shouldn't be surprised, considering that this is the kid who can't stand it if the different foods on his plate touch each other and eats mustard right out of the bottle. He seems to have cornered the market on 'weirdness'. If you have a kid like that, you might be in the need of something 'different'. In that case, here are a few burgers that even a six-year-old won't get tired of.

This burger is proof that bacon really does make everything better.

Bacon-Wrapped Hamburgers-makes 6 burgers

1 lb ground beef

6 slices bacon

1 egg

1 small onion, chopped

½ cup Cheddar cheese, shredded

1 tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

1 tbsp ketchup

½ tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

Preheat your grill on high. In a large bowl, combine the cheeses, ketchup, egg, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Then add the beef, mix well and form into patties. Wrap a slice of the bacon around each patty and spear with a toothpick. Now, cook the patties for 5 minutes on each side, or until well done. Remove the toothpicks and serve.

I think these would be especially good on sourdough or otherwise-crusty buns. If you're concerned that the bacon won't be done completely, you can cook it to a soft consistency.

If you're more partial to turkey burgers, here's a fresh and flavorful version.

Garlic and Ranch Turkey Burgers-serves 8

2 lbs ground turkey

6 garlic cloves, minced

2 eggs

2 1-oz packages of ranch dressing mix

½ cup Worcestershire sauce

salt and pepper, to taste

Preheat a lightly-oiled grill to medium-high heat. Combine all the ingredients, make into patties and cook for 5 minutes on each side or until well done. Turkey burgers should always be heated to at least 165 degrees F.

If you want a burger-y way to get your daily serving of fruit, try this peach-tinged treat! They're a bit smaller than 'the usual', but packed with flavor!

BBQ Burgers with Pickled Peaches-makes 8 burgers

For the burgers themselves:

8 canned, refrigerated biscuits

2 pounds ground beef

½ cup barbecue sauce

pinch of salt

For the peaches:

2 pitted, thinly-sliced fresh peaches

1 cup apple cider vinegar

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

Preheat your grill to high heat. Preheat the oven to 350 F and prepare the biscuits according to the directions on the can. Meanwhile, combine the beef with the sauce and salt and form into 8 equal-sized patties. Place them on the grill, turn heat down to medium and cook covered for 6 minutes.

While everything is cooking, slice the peaches and place in a heat-resistant bowl. In a small pot, blend the vinegar, brown sugar and red pepper flakes. Once the vinegar is boiling and the sugar is dissolved, pour over the peaches and set aside.

Now, flip the burgers and let them cook uncovered for 3 to 5 more minutes or until they reach 160 F. Place on sliced biscuit, top with the peaches and serve.

Enjoy!