Hamburgers with Feta and Caramelized Onions

I am back from my vacation. Although we never made it to the mountain for skiing, I had a wonderful time with my family and friends. It's good to be home and great to be cooking again.

I was craving a hamburger but didn't want an ordinary burger. I thought adding some feta cheese and a few herbs would make these burgers taste fantastic. I was right! The feta bits caramelized while cooking and added a great flavor to the burger. I also decided to caramelize some onions because, well, I love them. My husband and I really enjoyed these burgers but my kids said they liked plain ones better. I served them with fresh fruit and oven baked steak fries. It was a simple, quick and tasty dinner.

Caramelized Onions:

• 1/2 sweet yellow onion, sliced
• 1 tsp olive oil
• Sea salt to taste

In a skillet over medium heat, add the onions and cook until caramelized, about 10-12 minutes, making sure to stir frequently. Add salt to taste then set aside.

Burgers:

• 1 lb lean ground beef - I used 94/6
• 1/4 feta cheese (I used reduced fat)
• 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• 1/4 tsp dried oregano
• 1/4 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and mix gently with hands. Heat a grill pan over medium heat and coat with olive oil cooking spray. Form the burgers into patties as thick as desired. Place the patties on the grill pan and cook until the desired degree of doneness. Remove from heat.

Other Ingredients:

• Hamburger buns, toasted
• Lettuce
• Tomatoes
• Additional feta cheese
• Steak sauce (optional)

Build your burger by layering the bun with burger, onions, additional feta, lettuce, tomatoes, a bit of steak sauce and the other bun. Enjoy.

Click here for a printable version of this recipe

On a side note:

My brother-in-law Brooks treated us to a fantastic dining experience while we were in Boise, Idaho. We went to a restaurant called Barbacoa Grill, I loved everything about it, from the food, service, decor and drinks. We ordered the Icetini's that they are known for. It's a martini (any flavor you like) served in a glass made of ice. They were so much fun!

We started off the meal with freshly made guacamole and calamari. They were both really great but the guacamole was one of the best I've ever had, the gentleman made it at our table, which was fun to watch. My father had a mushroom soup that was AMAZING. My mother's crab bisque was one of the best soups I've ever had. Brooks had a Caesar salad that was served in a Parmesan crisp bowl - it was pretty and delicious. My sister ordered a seafood pasta with a spicy tomato sauce - the seafood was perfectly cooked. My husband had a primavera pesto pasta that was rich and creamy. I ordered the LARGE shrimp in a chipoltle cream sauce - tender and so good. My mother had a fillet mignon with a peppercorn sauce - they served the meat on a hot piece of granite that kept the steak hot the whole time she ate it. My brother-in-law ordered a wonderful sea bass and my father had the lamb. I am not a lamb fan but his was perfectly cooked and so tender.

If you ever have a chance to go to this restaurant - GO! It's spendy but worth every cent...it's truly a wonderful dining experience. The pictures of the food didn't turn out...I had to use a flash and the restaurant was so dark that it just didn't make for good food shots. Below is a picture of my parents, myself, my husband, my sister and her husband Brooks. Thank you Brooks for an outstanding dining experience.