Mexican-seasoned Platter Burger

Another Fun show stopper for the grill!!! And, it is Super Sized!!
(serves 8-10)

Burger:
1 round loaf (1&1/2 lbs.) French bread about 11" in diameter
1/2 cup Kerrygold butter, room temp.
1 T. chili powder
1/4 cup hot* or mild* taco sauce (I like Taco Bell Hot*)
3 T. instant minced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 t. each chili powder and dry oregano leaves
1 t. ground cumin
2&1/2 lbs. ground lean beef
8 oz. thinly sliced sharp cheddar
Kosher* salt

Toppings:
2 med. ripe avocados
3 T. freshly squeezed* lemon juice
Pinch* of garlic salt
A couple of drops of Tabasco*
2 cans (4 oz. each) whole green chiles, split open, seeds removed, and cut into wide strips
2 med. beefsteak* ripe tomatoes, cored and sliced
3 large pitted black ripe olives, sliced

Using a long serrated knife, cut bread in half horizontally. In a small bowl, beat butter and the 1 T. chili powder until blended; spread evenly over cut sides of bread. Set bread aside. In a large bowl, combine taco sauce, onion, garlic, the 2 t. chili powder, oregano, cumin, and beef; mix well. Scoop meat mixture onto a 12x17" rimless baking sheet lined with wax paper; pat into a round 1" patty wider than the bread (meat patty should be approx. 12" in diameter). Holding both ends of baking sheet, invert meat patty onto a lightly greased grill 4-6" above a solid bed of med. coals (you should be able to hold your hand at grill level for 4-5 seconds). Lift off wax paper. Cook for about 7 mins. Then turn, using 2 rimless baking sheets: with 1 baking sheet, push patty onto second sheet. Then hold patty between baking sheets; invert sheets to flip patty. Slide patty back onto grill, cooked side up; overlap cheese slices on top. Continue to cook until done to your liking, about 7 mins. more for med. rare. Slide cooked burger back onto 1 baking sheet; keep warm under foil. Place bread halves on grill, cut side down, and heat until lightly toasted. Cut top half of bread into wedges; keep warm. Slide burger onto bottom half of bread. While burger is cooking, make guacamole: halve and pit the avocados; scoop flesh into a bowl and mash with a fork. Stir in the lemon juice and season to taste with the garlic salt and hot pepper sauce. When ready to serve, lay chiles strips around so the points go between the points of the cheese with the other ends touching in the middle of the burger. Next, lay the tomato slices around about an inch from the edge (so that the cheese and chiles show). Top that with the guacamole, and finally, the sliced black olives. Cut the burger in to serving size wedges; accompany with bread wedges. Season to taste with salt.

"Keep running the race with eternity in view."

Editor's note: I will be leaving this aft. to go to our Women's Retreat for the weekend, so see ya Monday.

Have FUN and Happy Friday!!!

Love,

MM