Mexican Burger — Because Tyler Ate Three and Nobody Complained

Labor Day was Monday. Amber did not come home — she had a group project starting and elected to stay — but the rest of us did a Labor Day that was a half-sized version of summer's earlier Labor Days. Dave grilled. I made potato salad. We had Gayle and Steve and Louise over. Josie ran around the yard with a beach ball until she got bitten by so many mosquitoes she had to come inside at dusk. Justin ate two burgers. Tyler ate three. The dog ate a brat that somebody dropped. It was an ordinary Labor Day. It was the first holiday I have cooked without having any Amber to cook for, and it was fine, and I felt okay about it, and Dave caught me staring at a plate and said, "She'll be here for Thanksgiving." I said, "I know." We ate.

Drove a Lincoln run Tuesday, a Des Moines run Thursday-Friday. Met with Sarah on the phone Wednesday. The cookbook is now in twelfth printing. The numbers are bigger than anything either of us had projected. She said, "Brenda. This is not a book anymore. This is a phenomenon." I laughed. A phenomenon. Me, Brenda, a 45-year-old truck driver from Grand Island, Nebraska. A phenomenon. Sarah said, "You need to think about a tour." I said, "Sarah. Not yet." She said, "Okay. We will revisit."

Justin had his first JV-varsity scrimmage of the season Friday. Third-string running back. He got four carries. He averaged 8 yards per carry. He scored on a 15-yarder. The coaches are using him, I think. He came home at 10, ate leftover pork, went to bed. I heard him humming in the shower later, which is Justin's highest emotional expression. I wrote it down. I have a document of Justin moments.

Cooked a big pot of beef and barley soup Sunday — Gayle's recipe, the one Larry loved, the one I made last year that now lives in my head without a card. It was perfect. The kitchen smelled like 1988. I thought about my father a lot. Then I thought about Justin a lot. Then I called Amber and she talked to me for twenty minutes about a Tuesday lunch of spaghetti that had been, by her assessment, "a crime against pasta." I laughed for five minutes.

After Tyler put away three burgers and Justin had two, I stood at the grill thinking we needed to raise the bar next time. Plain burgers are fine — they’re what Labor Day asks for — but Dave and I have been making this Mexican Burger on weeknights, and it’s the kind of thing that would have made Tyler try for four. Pepper jack, jalapeños, a little guacamole on top. It’s still a backyard burger, still simple enough for a holiday, but it’s got some life in it. Next cookout, I’m making these.

Mexican Burger

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Total Time: 25 minutes | Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 2 pounds ground beef (80/20)
• 1 packet taco seasoning (about 1 ounce)
• 1/4 cup finely diced white onion
• 1 jalapeño, seeded and finely diced
• 6 slices pepper jack cheese
• 6 hamburger buns, toasted
• 1 ripe avocado, mashed with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lime
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Shredded lettuce, for topping
• Sliced tomato, for topping
• Pickled jalapeño slices, for topping (optional)

Instructions

1. Mix the patties. In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, taco seasoning, diced onion, and diced jalapeño. Mix gently with your hands until just combined — don’t overwork it. Form into 6 patties, about 3/4 inch thick. Press a shallow dimple into the center of each patty with your thumb.
2. Preheat the grill. Heat your grill to medium-high, about 400°F. Clean and oil the grates.
3. Grill the burgers. Place patties on the grill and cook 4 to 5 minutes per side for medium, or until internal temperature reaches 160°F. In the last minute of cooking, lay a slice of pepper jack cheese on each patty and close the lid to melt.
4. Toast the buns. Set the buns cut-side down on the grill for about 30 seconds, until lightly charred.
5. Assemble. Spread mashed avocado on the bottom bun. Add the patty, then top with salsa, a dollop of sour cream, shredded lettuce, tomato, and pickled jalapeños if using. Close with the top bun.
6. Serve. Serve immediately with potato salad, chips, or whatever else the day calls for.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 560 | Protein: 35g | Fat: 34g | Carbs: 28g | Fiber: 3g | Sodium: 890mg