Burger Magic

Summer means grilling, and grilling means hamburgers. We have come so far from the traditional plain hamburger, topped with pickles and ketchup (although a plain burger, cooked to perfection, can be fabulous). Now burgers are made with ground turkey, ground pork, seasoned with ethnic flavors, or have no meat at all.

Food safety (of course) is always at the forefront whenever I cook burgers. Any food made with ground meat has to be cooked well done. You can take your chances and make yourself a rare burger, but why risk it? Properly cooked, well done hamburgers can be just as juicy and succulent as a rare burger. And make sure that you place the cooked burgers on a different platter - not the platter that held the uncooked burgers.

There are two rules to follow when cooking burgers at home (besides food safety rules). First, handle the meat as little as possible for the most tender burgers. And second, do not press down on the burgers while they are cooking. I know it's satisfying to see those juices sizzle, but every time you press on the burgers, you are losing flavor and moistness.

Use your imagination when thinking about different burger flavors. If you have a favorite sandwich, transform those flavors into burger toppings or mix some of the sandwich ingredients into the meat. Enjoy a summer of burgers.

Burger Recipes

• Grilled Nacho Cheeseburgers
  Slice up some jalapeno peppers to top these burgers if you like your food extra hot!
• Veggie Burgers
  Finely chopped mushrooms and shredded carrots keep these meatless burgers juicy and add great flavor.
• German Burgers
  Caraway seed, dill, beer, and sauerkraut combine for a delicious new burger sensation.
• Pesto Burgers
  These tender and juicy burgers are made with dry pesto sauce mix. They are fabulous served on toasted English muffins.
• All-American Burger
  The classic burger, seasoned just right!
• Cranberry Turkey Burgers
  Tart cranberries combined with mustard top these tender well seasoned turkey burgers.
• Caesar Burgers
  Caesar salad dressing is the secret ingredient that gives these burgers such flavor.
• South Seas Pork Burgers
  Flavors from the islands, including lime, allspice, and crushed red pepper, make these burgers sing.
• Greek Burgers with Yogurt Sauce
  Be sure to serve this cooling mint and dill flavored yogurt sauce with these savory burgers.
• Moroccan Turkey Burgers
  Warm spices including cumin, ginger, and allspice season ground turkey to perfection in these easy burgers. Serve with a sour cream and mint sauce.
• Stuffed Tex Mex Burgers
  Hide the cheese and chilies inside the burgers and enjoy the great taste.
• Blue Cheese Burgers
  Blue cheese melts inside these tender burgers.
• Juicy Onion Burgers
  Onion soup mix adds just the right flavor to these extra tender burgers.
• Stuffed Pizza Burgers
  Put your favorite pizza toppings inside these burgers for a neat to eat treat.