Ingredients:
2 slices bacon, chopped 2 pounds lean ground beef 1 large onion, chopped 1 small bell pepper, chopped 3 tablespoons butter 1 clove garlic, minced 2 tablespoons flour 1/2 cup red wine 1/4 cup catsup 2-3 “spluts” of Tabasco sauce 1/2 teaspoon paprika Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
You’ll need a skillet for browning the burgers and another skillet or pan in which to make the tipsy sauce. Place the chopped bacon into one skillet and stir around to get the bacon grease spread evenly around the skillet. Make 4 nice, big half-pound patties and brown them on both sides in the bacon grease. Turn down the heat to low and put a lid on the skillet to keep them warm. In the other skillet or pan, make the sauce by sautéing the onion and pepper in the butter. As the onions begin to become translucent, add the garlic and stir in the flour. Add the red wine a little at a time while stirring. Then, add the catsup, Tabasco sauce, paprika and salt and pepper to taste. Stir this sauce continuously so it’ll smooth out. If it looks dry, add a little water and stir in well. Pour this sauce over the burgers in the skillet, turn the heat up to simmer and continue simmering about 5 minutes. Serve the sauce over the burgers either as chopped steak on a plate or he-man sandwiches on bakery buns. Readers with questions or comments for Dave Kessler may write to him in care of this publication.