jalapeno popper w/bacon topper burger

i love poppers, i love bacon, and i love burgers- the combination of the three is a winner!

Ingredients:

jalapeno ranch dressing;

1 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup buttermilk
3 tblsp granulated garlic
1 tsp granulated onion
2 tblsp chopped chives, dried
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1/2 tsp salt

jalapeno popper filling;

1-8oz. pkg. cream cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup finely chopped canned or jarred jalapeno pepper rings

burger patties;

3 lbs. ground chuck
1 tblsp salt
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
2 tblsp ice water

toppings;

12 slices thick sliced smoked bacon
12 tblsp store bought french fried onions (such as durkee or french’s)
6 thick slices pepper jack cheese

6 foccacia rolls, split
12 slices vine ripened tomatoes
1 head of iceberg lettuce, chopped

vegetable oil for rubbing on grill

Instructions:

preheat grill to med-high

in a small bowl, whisk all ingredients for jalapeno ranch dressing together thoroughly, set aside.

in another small bowl, mix chopped jalapenos into cream cheese, set aside.

in a large bowl, gently combine all burger ingredients with gloved hands, making sure not to handle the meat too much, until just blended together. form into 12 equal sized 1/4 inch thick patties. drop 1/6 of the cream cheese mixture onto the center of 6 of the patties,making sure to keep it in a ball shape in the center. place one of the remaining patties on the top of each cream cheese topped patty, crimp with your fingers to seal the edges, flatten slighty when sealed to create an even patty. set aside.

cook bacon until crisp in a fire proof skillet on the grill, drain and set aside.

gently place cream cheese stuffed burger patties on the grill, leaving at least 2-3 inches between patties. cook for 2-3 minutes , rotate each patty 1/4 turn to achieve grill marks, then continue cooking for 2 minutes. carefully flip each patty, cook for 2 minutes, then repeat 1/4 turn rotation, cook 2 mor minutes, add a slice of pepper jack cheese to the top of each burger, close grill cover, and cook for one more minute. remove burgers from grill to plate, top each patty with 2 tblsp french fried onions by pressing them into the melted cheese.

place split foccacia rolls cut side down on the grill until toasted.

to assemble burgers;
spread a generous amount of jalapeno ranch dressing on bottom piece of roll, top with a small handful of lettuce, 2 tomato slices, the burger patty, 2 slices of bacon. spread another generous portion of jalapeno anch dressing on the top piece of the roll, add to burger and secure with a skewer or toothpick until served.