Skip to main content

Surprise Burgers

Editor's note: This recipe is reprinted from Rose Hammick and Charlotte Packer's book Great Parties for Kids. For their tips on throwing a kids' summer party, click here.

Kids will enjoy helping to make these burgers — let them squelch the mixture into patties and hide a piece of cheese in the center. The burgers can be made and frozen well ahead of time — just remember to defrost them well before cooking.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 8 burgers

Ingredients

18 oz (about 2 1/2 cups) ground beef
2 teaspoons tomato ketchup
1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce
4 scallions, finely chopped
1 egg, lightly beaten
4 oz Cheddar cheese, cut into 8 small pieces
flour for dusting
vegetable oil for brushing
8 small part-baked bread rolls
tomato salsa for serving
8 romaine lettuce leaves

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Mix together the beef, sauces, scallions, and egg in a large bowl. With damp hands, divide the mixture into 8 balls, then shape into flat patties.

    Step 2

    Insert a piece of cheese in the center of each patty. Wrap the meat around the cheese and shape into a burger. Place on a lightly floured plate and chill for 30 minutes.

    Step 3

    Brush the burgers with oil and cook on a cast-iron grill-pan or under a hot broiler for 5-8 minutes on each side.

    Step 4

    Meanwhile, bake the rolls according to the manufacturer's instructions. Split them in half and top the bottoms with the cooked burgers, tomato salsa, and a lettuce leaf.

    Step 5

    If you are cooking on a barbecue, place the burgers on a lightly oiled barbecue grill over medium heat, so they do not burn on the outside before being cooked through. Cook for 5-8 minutes on each side.

Reprinted with permission from_Great Parties for Kids_ , Copyright © 2006, by Rose Hammick and Charlotte Packer. , Ryland Peters and Small, Inc.
Read More
This chicken salad nails it—creamy, herby, and endlessly riffable.
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
Filberts, goobers, scaly bark nuts: Explore the world beyond almonds in this guide.
Like crispy gnocchi caprese and raspberry—brown butter skillet cake.
Like hot honey chicken with peaches and a dirty martini spritz.
The secret to flavorful, never-greasy eggplant parm? Brine the eggplant first.
Just as great with coffee for breakfast as it is with amaro for dessert.
Nutty, protein-packed, and batchable—perfect for hectic mornings.