Hamburgers and Fries

Wednesday nights are crazy.  Mostly because that is the night I leave to participate in activities with the youth in my church.  Last night we made 400+ sandwiches for a local soup kitchen.  The kids had fun and learned a great lesson about service.

I have to have dinner ready earlier and I usually like to do something a little easier so I'm not stressing too much.  All the kids love hamburgers and it doesn't get much simpler.

BEWARE: My hippie is going to poke out a little here.

Hamburgers:

1 lb. ORGANIC ground beef (Costco seems to have the most affordable)
1/2 tsp. Paprika
1/2 tsp. Chili Powder
1/2 tsp. Garlic Salt
1/2 tsp. Morton's Nature's Seasons-Seasoning Blend

In a bowl mix all of the seasons then add meat and fold in the seasoning.  If you have time let it sit in the fridge, if not make into patties.  I like my meat VERY well done, so I make my patties as flat and large as possible.  They will shrink quite a bit.  I cooked them at 400 degrees on a griddle for about 2 minutes on each side just to sear the outside then I turn it down to 300-350 degrees.  For me this seems to keep the juiciness of the hamburger intact.  Continue to cook til desired "doneness" is achieved. 

So, I'm a hypocrite.  I buy Organic meat but I serve the juicy morsel on a store bought 99 Cent package of enriched white buns.  I do this for two reasons. 1) I simply do not have time to make homemade whole wheat buns and 2) It taste better.  I learned when I "went organic" I couldn't have it all simply because it's stinkin expensive.  Some things I just have to not worry about.  And I didn't worry about it last night, quite the contrary I REALLY enjoyed my burger. 

I melt Colby Jack cheese on the burger the last few minutes of cooking then I toast my buns and add condiments.  Last night I just added steak sauce...it was quite divine.  Just thinking about it makes me want another one. 

Fries

5-6 ORGANIC potatoes
olive oil
vegetable oil

Wash your potatoes.  They may be organic, but they still grow in the ground and need a good washin and scrubbin!  Cut the potatoes into fries.  I made fries with the skins on, easier on me and the kids still ate it.  I cut off the "side walls" of the fries and those each made 4 fries then the middle cube made between 4 and 8 fries depending on the size of the potato.  Put cut fries in a bowl of cold water. This will keep your fries from browning and I read somewhere once will help give them a crispy outside (sure why not!)
Poor an equal amount of oil into frying pan so it's deep enough to cover a fry.  Heat oil. Dry small batches of fries at a time then add into hot oil.  (You MUST dry the fries first or you may have a small kitchen fire on your hands...ask me how I know) Now you can heat them all the way thru now or you can do what I did and heat for 4 mins a batch remove into strainer then cook all of your fries for 18 min. at 450 in the oven.  That may seem tedious but it was good for me because I prepared and fried the fries in the morning and then kept them in the fridge until I was ready to cook dinner.  So the fries cooked while I made hamburgers and I had a warm meal all ready for me at the same time!