Thank you Food Network

I'm sure I'm not alone...I'm a Food Network junkie! Really, it's probably the one cable channel I couldn't...well...wouldn't live without.

One of my favorite shows, Food Network Challenge. I stole this idea from a recent "Best Burger" challenge. We love hamburgers around here, but I like to keep it interesting and try new things with our burgers. This recipe has become a favorite.

I serve them with a fresh pico and sour cream. Enjoy!


ADOBO QUESADILLA BURGERS
(Recipe adapted from Food Network Burger Challenge)

2 lbs. ground beef
¾ C. black beans
½ C. chopped cilantro
½ C. grated onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 T. adobo sauce*
1 T. ground cumin
2 t. seasoned salt
½ t. black pepper
12 tortilla shells**
12 slices of cheese (cheddar, mozzarella, or cheese of choice)
sour cream
fresh pico or salsa

1. Combine the beef, beans, cilantro, onion, garlic, adobo, cumin, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Mix to combine, handling as little as possible to avoid the meat from getting too tough.
2. Shape into hamburger patties. (As large or small as you would like.)
3. Cook patties on a grill pan, fry pan, or BBQ grill at medium high heat until cooked to your preference.
4. Remove burgers from the pan and set aside.
5. Lay out a flour tortilla and put a slice of cheese in the middle. Place burger on top of cheese. Fold in sides of the tortilla and roll like a burrito, securing with a toothpick if you need to. Repeat with all the burgers.
6. Place each tortilla wrapped burger back on the grill or pan until tortilla is golden brown and crispy.
7. Serve with sour cream and fresh pico sauce.

*Adobo sauce is the sauce found in the cans of “Chipotle Chilies in Adobo Sauce”. You only use the sauce, not the chilies. The sauce is not “hot” spicy, in fact it’s got a real smoky almost chili powder flavor. I have several recipes that call for chipotle chilies in adobo sauce. Some need the chilies, some need the sauce. I hate opening a can and wasting the rest, so I usually divide a can up and freeze it in 2 T. portions. If you don’t want to mess with this ingredient, you can replace it with 1 T. of chili powder, or 2 T. canned green chilies. I’ve also left it out all together and the burgers still tasted good.

**I manage to get 12 hamburgers out of this recipe, however, the original recipe said to make only 6. I guess I like my burgers a little smaller and my tortillas aren't that big. I will usually make a whole recipe and only cook half of it. I form the other half of the meat into burgers and freeze them for another time. I told you, I'm a big freezer!