Making Your Takeout: Homemade Cheeseburger and Fries

Kick-starting a series of easy takeout meals you can make at home is this classic diner dish. College students commonly order burgers in restaurants and for delivery, but making them at home is cheaper and healthier.

A cheeseburger deluxe at The Flame costs $8.75, not including tax and tip. A homemade burger costs easily half that, depending on the type of cheese and bread you use. The ground beef at Whole Foods will be in the two-dollar range, and two medium potatoes cost a whopping 75 cents.

Cooking at home also gives you more control over where the meat comes from and how the dish is prepared. Since the potatoes are baked, they are much less fatty and greasy than the fried ones you will get from a restaurant. Try experimenting with other meats, like ground lamb, different cheeses like Comte, Manchego and Gruyere, or even substitute sweet potatoes!

At this price (and if you’re over 21), you can add a local beer or split a bottle of red wine with a friend and still spend less than if you ate out!

Cheeseburger Deluxe: Minus the Greasy Diner

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What you’ll need:
Tools:
A grill pan or regular frying pan
Baking tray
Tin foil
Ingredients:
Burger:
8 oz. ground beef, preferably fresh
Burger bun or two slices of bread
A slice or two of whatever cheese you have in the fridge
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Fries:
One large or two small, floury potatoes (like Russet), peeled if desired
A few tablespoons olive oil
Salt

Instructions:
1.Heat pan over medium heat (if pan is not nonstick, spray or grease to prevent sticking).
2. Shape the patty, season with salt and pepper and set in center of pan. Cook 3-4 minutes on each side for medium.
3. Add cheese about two minutes before second side cooks. Toast bun on sides of pan.
4. Wash the potatoes and cut into thin strips about 1/2 inch thick. Rinse and dry thoroughly.
5. Line baking tray with foil.
6. Toss potato strips in oil and spread evenly on tray. Bake at 450 degrees for 30 minutes, turning over halfway, until browned and crispy. Remove from oven and place in bowl lined with paper towels to drain. Season with salt.

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