Tex Mex Burgers

Everyone's got those go-to recipes when you don't have much in the house and are looking for something quick and easy that you know is good. For us it's Tex Mex Burgers, a recipe I stumbled across a few years ago and have held on to because they are so tasty!

You will need:

1 1/3 pounds of ground beef (we use 93% lean)
1/2 cup of mayo
1 teaspoon of Cajun seasoning (you can find McCormick's at any grocery store)
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped (the recipe calls for a whole one but we found it too spicy)
1/2 cup of diced white onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning
1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce
4 slices of Pepperjack cheese
4 hamburger buns
4 leaves of lettuce
4 slices of tomato

To start, in a small bowl or ramekin, mix the mayo with one teaspoon of Cajun seasoning and set aside.

Next, in a large bowl, combine the ground beef, jalapeno, onion, garlic, one tablespoon of Cajun seasoning, and Worcestershire sauce with your hands. Then divide into four balls and shape into patties. I had about one and a half pounds of beef and was able to make seven patties depending on how large you like your burgers.

In a cast iron or a grill pan, lightly oil the surface and heat over medium-high heat. Once hot, place the burgers in the skillet, making sure you hear a nice sizzle when you put it down so you know it's hot. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side, less if you like your burgers medium rare. During the last 2 minutes of cook time, place your cheese over the top of each burger so it melts (I forgot to do this so our cheese didn't get quite as melty as this time).

Toast your buns slightly in a toaster oven (this gives them a nice crunch and they hold up better with burger juices), spread with the seasoned mayo, place the burgers on the buns and top with lettuce and tomato. Voila!

These burgers are so flavorful and taste good for several days if you make a bunch. I suggest serving them with sweet potato fries.