Cajun burger

I'm sure some of you have noticed that there is a lack of recipes using red meat on this blog.  Part of this is because one of the writers is a vegetarian and this writer really does prefer chicken.  I don't know if it's because of my upbringing or despite it that I love chicken, I just do.  I was raised in a red meat and potatoes kind of family.  Steak and potatoes almost every single night.  For a long time I was a steak and potatoes kind of girl too, that's what I ate at restaurants, it's what I requested my mom make for dinner.  I think my transition to chicken stems more from my fear of cooking red meat than my lack of love for it.  I've always been afraid that I'll overcook it until it's a dried out and far less appetizing version of itself, but for you, our loyal readers, I decided to go for it.  I came up with this delicious take on an American classic.

You will need:
enough ground beef for your ideal sized burger (or wild game stolen from your parents' freezer if you live like I do)
1/4 green bell pepper minced
slice of pepper jack cheese
bacon (optional)
all your favorite burger toppings (lettuce, tomato, pickles, ketchup, mayo)
a few dashes of the following:
cayenne pepper
black pepper
salt
garlic powder

Mix your minced pepper and spices in with your ground beef.  I recommend getting over the EEEW aspect and just getting your (clean) hands in there and mixing it that way, it's much more efficient.  Once it's completely mixed make your patty and cook on medium heat in a skillet for a few minutes on each side.  Add the pepper jack when you are cooking the second side so that it has a little time to melt.  I like to add real bacon bits to the cheese to make some melty deliciousness.  Not to mention bacon bits are easier than cooking up some bacon.  I used a couple slices of GF focaccia bread for my bun, unfortunately that wasn't awesome so feel free to use any type of bun you want.  I used cajun mayo on my burger, If you're a fan, use the same spices listed above and mix with mayo until it tastes amazing!  Add your favorite burger toppings and dig in!!

Megan S