Today is...

National Hamburger Day!

MEXICAN HAMBURGERS (CHULETAS)

Salsa Fria:

1 10 oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon wine vinegar

Chuletas:

2 cups Saltines, finely crushed
3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
1 cup Vidalia onions, chopped
1/2 tsp garlic powder (not salt)
1 lb ground chuck (beef)
1 egg
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chili powder
1 cup oil (for frying)

Garnish:

Rings of red onion, slices of avocado, sour cream and sprigs of cilantro.

Combine all Salsa Fria ingredients. Refrigerate for at least one hour.
On a sheet of wax paper, evenly spread cracker crumbs. Combine parsley, onions, ground meat, garlic powder, egg, chili powder and salt in a small bowl. Form 4 patties and coat each pattie with the cracker crumbs evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (but no more than 3 hours) to thoroughly chill.
Heat oil until it is hot enough to brown a 1 inch cube of bread in a little over 1 minute. (Don't get oil too hot or center of patties won't cook through). Fry patties in oil well browned on outside and cooked through. Drain on paper towels.
Serve on a bed of iceberg lettuce with a few rings of red onion, topped with Salsa Fria and with a dollop of sour cream with a sprig of cilantro to the side and a slice of avocado.

My SIL made these a lot when I lived in CA. They are so yummy!

Hot Pastrami Sandwich

Today is 'National Hot Pastrami Sandwich Day'.

4 to 5 oz. pastrami, thinly sliced
4 slices Swiss cheese
4 tablespoons butter
1 small onion, chopped
1cup sauerkraut, drained
8 slices rye bread
mustard
Dill pickles

Divide pastrami into 4 portions. Top each with aslice of cheese; set aside.
Heat tablespoons of the butter in a skillet. Add onion and saute slowly until tender.
Meanwhile, rinse the sauerkraut under cold water and squeeze dry.
Add sauerkraut to the onion. Toss over high heat until heated through.
Spread slices of rye bread with mustard.
Top 4 of the slices of bread with evenly divided portions of the kraut and onion mixture. Place pastrami and cheese on top of the vegetables, cheese side up. top with second 4 slices of bread.
Melt remaining butter in frying pan. Then saute sanwiches on boh sides until browned.
Serve immediately garnished with spears of dill pickes.