Hot Mess Burger

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

The Hot Mess did not disappoint. It was full of flavor: sweet, spicy, tangy and savory. The creators won Rachael Ray's burger cook-off contest and we can see why. The original recipe was posted online and in her Everyday Cooking Magazine.

Ingredients

Hot Mess spread:

8 to 12 ounces chopped bacon (much to Brian's displeasure, I omitted this because the baby doesn't like it)
8 to 12 ounces chopped dill pickles
8 to 12 ounces chopped red onion
1 to 2 fresh jalapenos, chopped (seeds included)
12 to 16 ounces Thousand Island dressing


Hamburger:

2 pounds Certified Angus Beef (80/20) ground chuck
4 to 8 slices American cheese, depends on how cheesy you like it.
1/2 head of iceberg, shredded (we used spinach leaves)
8 to 12 ounces sweet potato French fries
4 Deli rolls

Instructions

1. In medium to large bowl, mix all the ingredients for the hot mess spread.

2. Fry sweet potato fries in canola oil. (Use a fryer if available or a pan with enough room to submerge the French fries) (we baked our frozen sweet potato fries in the oven)

3. Cook 4 8-ounce burgers to your specific liking on a flat griddle or grill. (we grilled ours on our charcoal grill)

4. At 350°F-400°F, add 2 slices of American cheese to each burger.

5. Butter and toast the buns face down on the grill or in a separate frying pan.

6. Put the burgers on the buns and then layer with the: 1. mixed ingredients (spoon on and spread out the mix generously) 2. Add shredded lettuce on top of the spread 3. Place about 5-6 sweet potato French fries over the lettuce 4. 2-4oz Thousand Island dressing over the top of the fries on each burger.

7. Serve open-faced with some chips on the side if desired.