Cheddar Jalapeno Burgers: 4th of July Recipe

4th of July weekend is approaching fast so you know what that means. Time to get your summer cooking on! Barbecues, birthday parties, graduation parties...literally every kind of party happens over the summer. When it comes to summer cooking, the staples are always classic: burgers, hot dogs, etc. But let's be honest, they get a little blah after a while. Even the juiciest of cheeseburgers gets old when you've had them twice every weekend for a month. Instead of starting at square one and revamping the menu completely, why don't you just spice up what already works?

The idea for this recipe was born out of a cheese craving and need for more than one flimsy slice on top. Cheesy and spicy, these burgers definitely take the traditional summer barbecue favorite to a new level. Use a basic hamburger recipe, add a few cheese cubes throughout the entire patty, chopped jalapeno and you've got yourself one bangin' burger. Serve as is or top with even more cheese. Use two slices of extra thin sliced or one slice of regular. Whatever floats your boat. This would also be fantastic topped with guacamole.

CHEDDAR JALAPENO BURGERS
Ingredients:
1 lb. Ground Beef
1 Jalapeno, finely chopped
1/2 cup Breadcrumbs
1 Egg
1 Garlic Clove, minced
1/2 cup Onion, finely chopped
4 oz. Cheddar Cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
4 slices Cheddar Cheese
4 Hamburger Buns
salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat the grill to medium-high heat.

2. Mix together ground beef, jalapeno, breadcrumbs, egg, garlic and onion. Form the meat into four patties. Tuck the cheese cubes into the beat sporadically throughout the burger with your thumb to create little cheese pockets.

3. Place the patties on the grill. Cook on side one for about five minutes, flip and cook another 2-3 minutes. Place a cheese slice on each patty and close the grill for another 1-2 minutes. Remove to a plate and serve on hamburger buns with your choice of toppings.