Easy Burgers and Fries

Today we'll be doing basic easy burgers and fries. We'll start with the oven fries. Preheat the oven to 450, and grease a cookie sheet. I always line with foil.
All you need is olive oil, salt, pepper, and potatoes.

Cut the potatoes into wedges, quartering lengthwise and halving the quarters. Toss the wedges in olive oil to coat, then season with salt and pepper. For really fuss-free potatoes, leave the skins on and lay them on their backs. If you do this, you can go ahead and cook them for 25-35 minutes without turning.


While the fries are baking, make the burgers. I like to season the ground beef, depending on the flavor I want, I try to stick to 5 ingredients or less. For a basic burger flavor, I'm using salt, pepper, minced garlic, Worchestershire sauce, and liquid smoke.

Mix the meat and seasoning by hand, being careful not to squish the meat. Be gentle! Once the ingredients are combined, roll the meat into balls. 1lb = 4 quarter pound balls. If you're working on the stove, get a sturdy pan good and hot; I prefer a grill pan. Flatten the meat balls with your palms, and make a dent in the center with your thumb to ensure even cooking. Cook the burgers 4-5 minutes on each side. After you pull the fries out, you can toast buns in the oven on the same pan. When they're good and toasty, pull them out and butter the top bun. This adds flavor and keeps the bun from getting soggy with condiments.

There you have it, quick and easy burgers and fries. Enjoy!