Thinking of this weekend’s season-concluding football game? How about some spicy beef sliders with hot chipotle flavor and a tortilla salad? Enjoy them for a weeknight dinner or make them for your Super Bowl party.

Chipotle peppers are smoked, dried jalapeno peppers. For this quick dinner, I use ground chipotle powder found in the spice section of the market. It adds a smoky flavor to the burgers. The powder can also spice up most other foods: salad dressings, vegetables, potatoes, rice and other meats.

Helpful Hints

These burgers have a hot kick. If you’re sensitive to hot spice, reduce the chipotle powder amount.

Look for lean ground beef (95% fat-free) in the market.

Countdown

Start burgers.

While burgers cook, assemble salad.

Shopping List

To buy: 3/4 pound 95% lean ground beef, 1 bottle chipotle powder, 1 jar reduced-fat mayonnaise, 1 package whole-wheat slider rolls (mini hamburger rolls), 1 red bell pepper, 1bag shredded washed-ready-to-eat iceberg lettuce, 1 tomato and 1 small bag tortilla chips.

Staples: onion, salt, reduced-fat oil and vinegar dressing.

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BEEF SLIDERS

3/4 pound 95% lean ground beef

1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder, plus 1/4 teaspoon, divided use

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup thin sliced onion

1 cup thin sliced red bell pepper

1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise

4 whole-wheat slider rolls (mini hamburger rolls), 1 1/4 ounces each

Mix ground beef with 1 teaspoon chipotle powder and salt. Form into 4 patties (about 3 inches in diameter.) Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the burgers, onion and red bell pepper. Saute 4 minutes. Turn burgers over and stir the vegetables. Saute 4 minutes. A meat thermometer should read 135 degrees for medium rare. Remove the burgers from the skillet and place them on the bottom half of the 4 slider rolls. Continue to cook the onion and red bell pepper for 2 to 3 minutes. Mix the mayonnaise with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder and spread over the cut side of the 4 tops of the rolls. Spoon the onion and red peppers over the hamburgers and close with the roll tops.

Yield: 2 servings.

Per serving: 544 calories (35% from fat), 21.3 g fat (5.7 g saturated, 6.2 g monounsaturated), 108 mg cholesterol, 46.4 g protein, 38.7 g carbohydrates, 6.9 g fiber, 871 mg sodium.

TORTILLA SALAD

4 cups shredded, washed, ready-to-eat iceberg lettuce

1 tomato cut into cubes, (about 1 cup)

2 tablespoons reduced-fat oil and vinegar dressing

2 cups tortilla chips (1 ounce)

Toss lettuce and tomato in a medium-size bowl with the dressing. Break tortilla chips into bite-size pieces and sprinkle over the salad.

Yield: 2 servings.

Per serving: 102 calories (20% from fat), 2.2 g fat (0.3 g saturated, 0.6 g monounsaturated), 1 mg cholesterol, 3.6 g protein, 18.6 g carbohydrates, 3.9 g fiber, 91 mg sodium.

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Linda Gassenheimer is the author of over 30 cookbooks, including her newest, “The 12-Week Diabetes Cookbook.”