Cheddar & Spicy Red Onion Burgers

Remove the honey from the refrigerator to bring to room temperature. Fill a medium pot 3/4 of the way up with salted water; cover and heat to boiling on high. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Halve, peel, and thinly slice the onion. Cut off and discard any stem ends from the green beans. Thinly slice the cheese. Halve the buns. Roughly chop the peppers. Halve the tomatoes; place in a large bowl. Add the chopped peppers and ranch dressing. Season with salt and pepper; stir to combine.

In a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the sliced onion; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 6 minutes, or until lightly browned and softened. Add the honey (kneading the packet before opening) and as much of the hot sauce as you'd like (carefully, as the liquid may splatter), depending on how spicy you'd like the dish to be. Cook, stirring constantly, 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until thoroughly coated and combined. Transfer to a bowl; taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired. Cover with foil to keep warm. Rinse and wipe out the pan.

Fill a medium bowl with ice water; add a pinch of salt. Set aside. Add the green beans to the pot of boiling water and cook 4 to 5 minutes, or until bright green and slightly tender. Using a slotted spoon or tongs, immediately transfer the cooked green beans to the bowl of ice water. Let stand until cool. Drain thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels. Transfer to the bowl of dressed tomatoes; stir to combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

Meanwhile, place the beef in a bowl. Season with salt, pepper, and the spice blend. Gently mix to combine. Form the mixture into four 1/2-inch-thick patties. In the same pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the patties. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, or until browned. Flip the patties (carefully, as the oil may splatter) and evenly top with the sliced cheese. Loosely cover the pan with foil. Cook 4 to 5 minutes, or until the cheese is melted and the patties are browned and cooked through.* Leaving any browned bits (or fond) in the pan, transfer to a work surface. Carefully drain off and discard any excess oil.

*The USDA recommends a minimum safe cooking temperature of 160°F for beef.

Meanwhile, in a bowl, combine the mayonnaise and pickle relish; stir to combine. Taste, then season with salt and pepper if desired.

Working in batches, add the halved buns, cut side down, to the pan of reserved fond. Toast on medium-high 30 seconds to 1 minute, or until lightly browned. Transfer to a work surface. Assemble the burgers using the toasted buns, sauce, cooked patties, and glazed onion. Serve the burgers with the finished vegetables on the side. Garnish the vegetables with the crispy onions. Enjoy!