Game On!
Thursday, January 13, 2011 at 4:00AM 
Tickets. Check. Jerseys. Check. Foam Fingers. Check. Stadium Food…. Forget about it.
There’s nothing better than a weekend game, especially when the Lakers and Knicks are playing. But there’s nothing worse than stadium food. Few would argue it’s easier, cheaper and tastier to have your own tailgate party at home. And a classic burger is always on the tailgate party menu for Ben and Nick. Set your kitchen table with your favorite team’s memorabilia and play “Tonight’s Gonna Be a Good Night” to make dinner fun!
Classic Burger
2 pounds Niman Ranch fresh ground beef, makes 4 (4- to 6-ounce) patties
8 slices Dubliner cheese
4 whole wheat buns
8 leaves red leaf lettuce
4 thick slices red onion
4 thick slices tomato
Divide the meat into 4 equal sections. Form sections into balls and then flatten into patties. Season each side with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Grill, broil or pan-fry the burgers on one side, and flip, place 2 slices of cheese on each burger and finish cooking (use the chart below to gauge cooking time).
Toast the buns (mandatory for any respectable burger), while the burgers are cooking. Spread on condiments of choice, and pile on the lettuce, onion, and tomato.
In the spirit of the Lakers, we serve purple grapes and yellow bananas. The colorful fruit is a little healthier than a side of fries.
Cooking times:
Use the following chart as a guide to cooking time. Times are based on a 1-inch-thick burger and will vary depending on the thickness of your patties and cooking method.
4 minutes on each side – rare
5 minutes on each side – medium-rare
6 minutes on each side – medium
7 minutes on each side – medium-well
8 minutes on each side – well-done
The boys never tire of watching Kobe slam dunk, Pau make a tough turn-around jumper under the basket, or Artest steal an inbound pass. And with full bellies, they can cheer to their hearts content!
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