Burgers Without Borders: Cheeseburgers Reimaged (And Kid-Approved!)

Ah, the beloved cheeseburger. Always a crowd pleaser, especially with picky kiddos. But even the kids get a little bored with the traditional cheeseburger. Spice things up (not actual spice...we know, picky eaters and all that) with these two fun ways to serve up cheeseburgers. You can customize these for each person, just like a normal cheeseburger. And your kids can join you in the kitchen when you make dinner tonight. That's a win, win...win!

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Cheeseburger Cups

First up: A kid-friendly dinner or snack that they will love, and maybe even love making, if you're lucky! This recipe comes from my good friend. This recipe has been in her regular dinner rotation for years!

Cheeseburger Cups

Ingredients:

• 1lb ground hamburger (or substitute ground turkey)

• Sesame seed hamburger buns

• Sliced cheddar cheese- cut into fourths

• Ketchup

• Chopped onion

• Mustard

• Pickles/relish

  
  

Directions:

Set oven at 350 degrees. Spray your muffin tin with cooking spray. Brown the hamburger and chopped onion. Season with salt and pepper to taste .

While cooking, roll out the buns with a rolling pin until they are flat and then arrange them in the muffin tin.

Once hamburger is cooked, scoop the meat into the buns and top with cheese. Bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Take out of oven and top with onions, ketchup, mustard, pickles or relish as desired.

"It’s one of my kid’s favorite quick meals!"- Anissa

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Cheeseburger Bowls

My teenage son is an athlete and trying to gain weight like it's his full-time job. This recipe is in our regular rotation - everyone likes it (you can customize your bowl just how you want it), it's a high-protein meal and so easy to make!

Ingredients:

• Frozen or Fresh French fries

• 1-1.5 pounds ground beef (can sub ground turkey or chicken)

• Seasoning for meat (season-all, onion soup dry mix, salt & pepper)

• Shredded cheese of choice

• Burger toppings, chopped:

  • pickles

  • tomatoes

  • onions

  • lettuce

  • bacon

  • avocado

  • banana peppers

• Sauces:

  • ketchup

  • mustard

  • mayo

  • A1 sauce

  • Heinz 57

Directions:

There really aren't specific directions for this recipe - it's kind of do what sounds good to you and your family. But here's how I make it:

When we make these, I start with the fries and immediately turn to my beloved air fryer. If I have time and ambition, I'll make fresh French fries from russet potatoes. Otherwise I turn to my freezer and go with Ore-Ida "Extra Crispy" (definitely go with their extra crispy items - so much better!) fries or tater tots. We also LOVE Alexia's sweet potato , waffle-cut or rosemary fries. Any will do - go with your fav.

While the fries, well, fry...brown the ground beef in a large skillet. I like to add a little diced onion and season with both a sprinkle of season-all salt and a packet of onion soup mix. If needed, I'll add about a 1/4 cup water during the cooking process to make it juicier. (You can also add some bone broth to that water to up the protein/bulking factor.)

Once the fries and meat are done, build your burger bowl! We like to start with fries on the bottom, then meat, then cheese (so it gets all melty) and then whatever toppings we love.

The best part about this recipe is that each person can customize their bowl just how they want it. It's also great for those avoiding breads/carbs - there is no bun and you can skip the fries.

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