Cheesy Burger Bombs
Hamburgers are heavily relied on in this household. And I use the word household loosely, for reliance includes those times when we eat in restaurants. At most places a hamburger can be ordered without a bun and with a salad instead of fries. It makes for a satisfying meal and keeps us safe from wheaty pasta and breaded concoctions on menus. Recently on a weekday evening I was standing in the kitchen, staring at a bag of ground beef, ready to be made into our dinner. Regular burgers with cheese melted on top was about to be made. As I reached into the fridge for cheese, I spotted little ever-present cheese wheel snacks in the cheese drawer. Little B loves to unwrap them, peel off the wax and throw the whole wheel into her mouth. She then slowly chews it up while looking like a chipmunk. The leftover wax serves as a mommy-eating monster lots of times, reminding me of the Pac Man games of my youth. I figured, why put the cheese on top of the burgers when it can be inside?! I have put filling inside of burgers in the past, but never such big cheese bombs! I am up for trying, are you?
Cheesy Burger Bombs
1 – 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 egg
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
1 Tbsp ground turmeric
4 – 6 Baby Bel cheese snack wheels
1/4 cup bacon grease or other high heat fat
Sauce
1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes, with juice
3 Tbsp tomato paste
1 Tbsp ground turmeric
1 Tbsp dried oregano leaves
1 Tbsp dried basil leaves
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
First make the sauce. In medium pot combine tomatoes, tomato paste and spices. Stir and cook over medium heat until steam rises. Cover and turn heat down to simmer until ready to serve. While sauce is cooking prepare the burgers. Remove plastic and wax wrapping from cheese wheels, then set cheese aside. In large bowl combine the ground beef, egg and spices. The best way to combine it all is using your hands, but because of the turmeric they may turn yellow. Divide the beef mixture into 1/4 pound piles. Take a pile in your hand and flatten it into a patty. Place a cheese wheel in the middle of the patty and wrap the edges of the patty over the cheese. Close up the edges to completely cover the cheese. Repeat making patties until all the beef is used up. In a frying pan heat the bacon grease over medium high heat. Place burgers in pan and cook on one side for about five minutes, until the bottoms begin to brown. Flip burgers, turn heat down to medium and cover. Cook for another 5-10 minutes, until burgers are done to your liking. Serve immediately over a bed of the sauce spread on a serving plate.