Big Mac Salad

 

We don't eat out much. When you're 15 minutes from town, it hardly seems worth the effort. Plus, it's a lot more cost-effective to eat at home.

 

The pandemic impacted our limited dining out even more, mainly because we didn't seem to go anywhere at all. Even on our infrequent travels to see the kids, we took along a sack lunch and ate it at roadside parks, rather than going into a restaurant along the way.

 

McDonald's hasn't been on our regular dining out choices since our kids were little.  Happy Meals from the drive-through were part of the Wednesday night routine during the few years Jill and friends took dance lessons in Hutchinson. 

 

These days, if we go a fast-food franchise, it's usually Freddy's. And finding their sauce bottled and ready to eat at home has been a nice addition to the sandwich/tater toppings in my refrigerator door. 

So I'm not sure exactly why the recipe for Big Mac Salad appealed to me. Probably it's because I have hamburger readily available. And I'm always looking for new - and tasty - ways to use it. So the Big Mac Salad appeared on our noontime table this month, and it got good reviews from both Randy and me.

 

I just prepared enough lettuce for us for one meal and then topped with the toppings. I made each of us a main dish salad on separate plates. I had both hamburger and special sauce dressing leftover for another meal.  Just keep well-covered in the refrigerator until ready to use again. That's the beauty of this: Make as much or as little as you need. 

 

And make it how you prefer: We don't particularly care for raw onions, so I just included some chopped onion when I browned the ground beef instead.

 

And, by the way, it's Kansas Beef Month. Since it's always Beef Month around here, I didn't even think about the fact that this blog post could even be considered timely ... until after I wrote it. What a happy coincidence!

 

According to www.kansasbeef.org, there are more than 27,000 cattle farms and ranches in Kansas. This year, Kansas takes third place among U.S. states with cattle numbers, totaling 6.5 million head of cattle on ranches and in feedyards. That’s more than twice the state’s human population. Furthermore, Kansas ranked second among U.S. states in fed cattle marketed, with roughly 4.97 million in 2019. In total, beef cattle and calves represented 51.5 percent of the 2019 Kansas agricultural cash receipts, bolstering and enhancing the spending power in local economies across the state.

 

Kansas has about 45.8 million acres of farm ground. However, not all of this land can be used to grow crops. Grazing cattle is an ideal technique for efficiently utilizing grasses and plants growing on more than 15.3 million acres of Kansas pasture and rangeland. These acres would be wasted if not for ruminants like cattle who can turn these resources into essential protein and nutrients for humans. Additionally, grazing cattle helps maintain grasslands and reduce the fuel load which can spark destructive wildfires.

 

So enjoy a little beef for Beef Month!

 

 Big Mac Salad 

Adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

 

1lb. ground beef

Worcestershire sauce

Seasoned salt and pepper
3 heads romaine lettuce, chopped
1 red onion, thinly sliced (opt.)

Freshly shredded cheddar cheese

Cherry, grape, or vine-ripened tomatoes, chopped

Dill pickles, chopped
 

For the Special Sauce Salad Dressing:

1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup French dressing
2 tbsp. minced pickles
2 tbsp. minced onion (red or white)
1 tbsp. distilled white vinegar

For Special Sauce Salad Dressing: Add ingredients to a bowl then whisk to combine. Can be made several days ahead of time.

For Salad: Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat then add the ground beef. (I added onion to cook along with the ground beef.) Let the beef cook undisturbed until the bottom is golden brown then add a few shakes worcestershire sauce. Season with seasoned salt and pepper, and continue to saute until cooked through. Drain any fat, and cool slightly.

Once slightly cooled, divide lettuce between plates or bowls then top with the cooked ground beef, red onion, cheddar cheese, tomatoes, and dill pickles. Drizzle with Special Sauce Salad Dressing then serve.

Notes:

• Neither Randy or I prefer raw onions. I just incorporated some minced onion into the hamburger as I was browning it.  
• I just prepared enough lettuce for us for one meal and then topped with the toppings. I made each of us a main dish salad on separate plates. I had both hamburger and special sauce dressing leftover for another meal.  Just keep well-covered in the refrigerator until ready to use for another meal. That's the beauty of this: Make as much or as little as you need. 
• I kept all the components - including dressing - separate for photo purposes. Then we just tossed our own salads together and enjoyed!
  

Greek Bowl with Meatballs

 

• Is your recipe rotation getting as tired of "quarantine" as you are? 
• Have you run out of ways to use that pound of hamburger? 
• Are you dreaming of exotic flavors - even though they'll be experienced around your own dining room table?

If you said yes to any of the above - or even one of them - I have a solution. Jill sent me a link to a new-to-her recipe that got thumbs up from the big people and little people at her house. It's now garnered a couple of other thumbs up from her dad and me.

Greek flavors don't show up on our dinner table as often as Italian, Mexican or good ol' American fare. But I think we may make a "trip" to the Mediterranean a little more often now that we've tried this recipe.

The meatballs are flavored with pork rinds. Since I was going to the grocery store anyway, I added pork rinds to the shopping list. For the record, I don't think I had ever purchased or even tasted a pork rind before this. Jill forgot to tell me she just substituted panko breadcrumbs. The recipe originator also suggested leftover garlic bread as a substitute for the pork rinds. Maybe the pork rinds provided a little extra flavor boost, but it's not a deal-breaker if that's not in your quarantine pantry arsenal.

The original recipe called for English cucumber, which has fewer seeds and a little less moisture. But I worked my way around that by using a regular, run-of-the-mill cucumber, grating it, and then squeezing out excess liquid before adding it to the Tzatziki Sauce.

I also didn't have fresh herbs available, so I substituted dried herbs. Dried herbs have a much more concentrated flavor, so the general rule of thumb is to use a third of the amount of dried as you would fresh herbs. I also cheat and use refrigerated minced garlic.

This recipe was the perfect place to use some of the "fancy" herb-scented olive oil Brent gave me for Christmas, but regular olive oil will work, too.

It may look complicated, but it's really not. Enjoy! If you try it, let me know what you and your family think!

Greek Bowl with 

Mediterranean Meatballs

Adapted from Our Life Tastes Good blog

Tzatziki Sauce
1 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup grated cucumber
1 tsp. freshly minced garlic
1 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp. fresh dill
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly-cracked black pepper
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

Mediterranean Meatballs
1/4 cup pork rinds, crushed
1 large egg
2 tbsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley
1 tbsp. freshly-minced garlic
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. freshly-cracked black pepper
1 lb. hamburger

Mediterranean Orzo
1 cup orzo
1 cup finely-diced cucumber
1 cup finely-diced tomatoes
1/2 cup finely-diced onion
1 tbsp. chopped Italian parsley
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup feta cheese
Salt & pepper to taste
Olive oil

Toppings
Feta cheese
Freshly chopped parsley for garnish (I used green onion tops)

For Tzatziki Sauce: Grate cucumber. Squeeze excess moisture from it. Combine Greek yogurt with cucumber, garlic, olive oil, dill, salt and pepper. Mix in lemon juice and stir to combine. Give it a taste and adjust the flavors to your liking. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. For best results, prepare Tzatziki Sauce earlier in the day or the day before. Keep refrigerated.

Meatballs: Combine hamburger with the other ingredients. Mix well. Form into meatballs using a medium-size scoop for uniform size and then roll into a ball. (You can form them by hand if you don't have a scoop). Place meatballs on a lightly-greased baking tray. Bake at 425 degrees for about 10 minutes or until cooked through. Cooking time will vary depending on the size of your meatballs. Rest meatballs 5-10 minutes before serving. (I lined my baking sheet with foil to make for easy clean up.)

Orzo: Prepare orzo as directed on the package until tender. Drain well. Toss with a little olive oil. Add diced cucumbers, onions and tomatoes, along with parsley, lemon juice and feta cheese. Toss together. Add salt and pepper to taste.

To serve for each individual serving: Put rice in the bottom of the bowl. Top with 3-4-5 meatballs. Drizzle with tzatziki sauce. Garnish with additional feta cheese and chopped parsley (or chopped green onion tops).

Other notes:

• You can use panko breadcrumbs or other dried bread instead of pork rinds. 
• Fresh dill and parsley weren't available at my hometown grocery store. I substituted dried herbs. Dried herbs have a much more concentrated flavor, so the general rule of thumb is to use a third of the amount of dried as you would fresh herbs.
• The original recipe called for an English cucumber, which has less water content. I didn't have that available, so I used a regular cucumber and then squeezed the moisture from the grated vegetable before adding to my Tzatziki Sauce.

Zesty Ranch Beef Stroganoff

I admit it: I get in recipe ruts from time to time. I have go-to recipes that don't require a lot of thought. The ingredients are always available in my well-stocked fridge and pantry. So I go with the path of least resistance when it's 11 AM and I think, "What am I going to serve at noon?"

Tell me I'm not alone!

But that rut can also lead to "same old, same old" meals. It's not as if I don't have plenty of recipes to draw from. I have more cookbooks than anyone needs. And my pile of "to try" recipes from blogs, Facebook and other sources threatens to avalanche off my kitchen counter.

Again, please tell me I'm not alone!

So, recently, I dug into that "to try" pile and made Zesty Ranch Beef Stroganoff. I almost always have hamburger ready to brown, since that's the most abundant meat source in my freezer. The other ingredients were all on hand, too. (True confessions: The original recipe called for fresh mushrooms. While there are not many foods I dislike, mushrooms happen to make that list. So I skipped the mushrooms. Feel free to add them if you are a fan. Randy likes mushrooms, but around here, it's the cook's prerogative.)

Since it made a large casserole, I baked half and put half in a disposable foil pan for another day. That's always handy for busy days or if I'm going to be gone at noon. Instant meal for Randy!

Some fresh sliced tomatoes and Colorado sweet corn from Smith's Market in Hutchinson made for a complete summertime meal. Enjoy!

Zesty Ranch Beef Stroganoff

Adapted from The Kitchen Is My Playground blog

10 oz. wide egg noodles
1 1/2 pounds hamburger
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 can (14.5 oz.) chicken broth
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1 packet ranch dressing mix (dry)
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Topping
2 tbsp. butter, melted
3/4 cup panko bread crumbs
1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley (or 1 1/2 tsp. dried)
Pinch of salt and pepper

Cook noodles in salted water until done. Drain and set aside.

In a large saucepan, brown hamburger with garlic and onion. Cook until hamburger is browned. Drain fat.

Return to heat. Add flour and stir well. Stir in chicken broth, buttermilk and dry ranch seasoning. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Stir in sour cream, mozzarella cheese, salt and pepper. Toss hamburger mixture with cooked noodles.

Spoon into a greased 2-quart casserole or 9 X 13-inch baking pan.

For topping, combine all ingredients in a small bowl and toss together with fork. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the noodle mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes until heated through and bubbly and topping is lightly browned.

The original recipe called for 8 ounces of fresh mushrooms. Since I don't like mushrooms, the cook's prerogative is to leave them out - whether Randy likes them or not.

Sloppy Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Every so often, a recipe seems to catch the collective eye of my friends on Facebook. Several will "share" a recipe to their timeline, I suppose so they can find it later to try out in their own kitchens.

Sloppy Grilled Cheese Sandwiches appeared to be one of those recipes making the Facebook rounds. It may sound like sacrilege, but my kids weren't fans of sloppy Joes. I made several variations of the popular sandwiches during their childhood and teen years. But neither Jill or Brent liked traditional sloppy Joes.

I don't know whether this latest version would convert their tastebuds, but Randy liked them. It's a tasty addition to a lunch or supper line-up. I served them with carrot and celery sticks, as well as apple slices.

Though the recipe makes enough for five or six people, you don't have to make them all at once. I just used enough Texas toast and meat mixture to make one meal for two and saved the rest for another meal. That's the best kind of leftovers!

Sloppy Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Adapted from a Facebook feed

1 lb. hamburger
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper or colored pepper
2 tbsp. prepared mustard
1/2 cup ketchup
3 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
10 - 12 slices Texas toast bread
Butter, softened
2 cups shredded Cheddar or marble cheese (or more, if you prefer)

Brown ground beef with onion and peppers until cooked. Drain off any grease. Add mustard, ketchup, brown sugar and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes.

Spread butter on one side of each slice of bread. To assemble sandwiches, place one slice bread, butter side down, onto griddle or skillet. Sprinkle with cheese and a scoop of the beef mixture. Top with additional cheese. Place a piece of bread on top, butter side up. Cook over medium heat until browned. Carefully flip over and brown the other side.

Note:  If you aren't serving 5 or 6 people, just make the amount of sandwiches you need. Butter as many pieces of bread as you'll use at one meal. Refrigerate the beef mixture and use it for another meal, making the sandwiches as you need them rather than heating up leftover sandwiches.

***

Today, I'm linked to Weekend Potluck. Click on the link for recipes from cooks and bakers from all across the country. Thanks to the hostesses:

• Served Up With Love ~ Melissa
• The Country Cook~ Brandie
• The Better Baker ~ Marsha
• Sweet Little Bluebird~ Mary

Mini BBQ Cheddar Meatloaves

Meatloaf shouldn't be the punch line for a bad joke. Comedians are always bad-mouthing meatloaf. I think they are misguided. Or maybe they just haven't had the right meatloaf.

I recently tried a mini meatloaf recipe that Jill & Eric had recommended. Kinley wasn't sold, but she's 3. The recipe is from Iowa Girl Eats, one of Jill's and my favorite food blogs.

What makes it different than any other meatloaf recipe? Well, for one, it uses a recipe. I usually don't when it comes to meatloaf. Secondly, it uses caramelized onions in the mix. Kristen thinly sliced her onions, but Jill suggested chopping them, so that's what I did. The taste of the caramelized onions adds another whole layer of flavor. Thirdly, it incorporates sharp Cheddar cheese. Cheese makes everything better, in my book.

The meatloaves are shaped and put on a foil-covered baking sheet. Be sure and spray the foil with cooking spray for easy removal. Since the crunchy bits are my favorite part of meatloaf, I loved having extra "crispies" around each individual loaf. Yum! 

I doubled the recipe and put half of them in the freezer to pull out on a busy day. It also made enough for leftovers, always a winner in my book.

When I was a little girl, my mom usually make baked potatoes and baked beans to go along with meatloaf. I still love that combination. But this time, I served it with Brussels sprouts and crescent rolls from my freezer. These mini BBQ Meatloaves are yummy - no matter what you serve on the side!

Mini BBQ Cheddar Meatloaves

Serves 4

Adapted from Iowa Girl Eats blog

1 large sweet onion
1 tbsp. butter
Salt
1 lb. ground beef
1 egg, whisked
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp. BBQ sauce, divided
1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
Pepper to taste
2 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, cut into 1/4-inch cubes

Chop onion and caramelize in butter in skillet, stirring every couple of minutes until onions are golden brown; don't burn. Set aside to cool slightly.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In large bowl, combine ground beef, egg, Worcestershire sauce, 2 tablespoons BBQ sauce, panko bread crumbs, dash of pepper, cheese cubes and caramelized onions. Mix until just combined. Divide mixture into 4 equal-sized portions, then form into loaves on a foil-lined, nonstick-sprayed baking sheet. Spread 1 tablespoon of BBQ sauce over each loaf. Bake for 20 minutes or until no longer pink in the center.

Cheeseburger Roll-Up

This Cheeseburger Roll-Up is one of Jill's quick, go-to meals. It's about to become one of mine, too. Jill served it on Halloween, dressing it up as a mummy with cheese "bindings" and olive eyes. (She added the cheese after the cheeseburger roll was baked, putting it back into the oven to melt it just a bit.) The Halloween version was a hit with Kinley.  

But the taste was a hit with Kinley's grandparents, too. I can't get a refrigerated pizza crust at my hometown store, so I had to wait until I went to the "big city" to get one. But it was worth the wait. My favorite dietitian advises using a whole wheat crust, so I bought the name brand instead of a store brand, though it cost a little bit more.

If you wanted to make your own pizza dough, I'm sure you could do so. But using a ready-to-go crust speeds preparation in the kitchen, which we all need from time to time, right? 

Jill doesn't use the bacon called for in the original recipe, but I used it, and we liked the additional flavor that it added. I used packaged, prepared real bacon bits instead of frying it up myself. I might as well continue with the "convenience" theme, right?

I served the roll-up with tossed salad and fruit.

Cheeseburger Roll-Up

From Jill, Adapted from Kraft.com

1 lb.  lean ground beef

1 small onion, chopped

1 1/2 cups shredded cheese, divided

4 slices bacon, fried and chopped 
1 pkg. refrigerated whole wheat pizza crust

HEAT oven to 400°F.

BROWN ground beef and onions in large skillet on medium-high heat; drain. (You may use minced onion to speed preparation, if desired.) Return meat mixture to skillet. Add 3/4 cup cheese, stirring until melted. Cool 10 min. 

UNROLL dough onto baking sheet that's been sprayed with cooking spray. Press into 15-  by 8-inch rectangle; top with meat mixture. Sprinkle with chopped bacon. (Jill leaves this part off to avoid additional calories.) Sprinkle with 3/4 cup additional shredded cheese. Roll up, starting at one long side. Rearrange, if necessary, so roll is seam-side down. 

BAKE 20 to 25 min. or until golden brown. Serve with ketchup, mustard, salsa or other cheeseburger condiments. 

Here are the slices topped with honey mustard and ketchup. I guarantee that this recipe tastes better than I could get the individual servings to look!