Kelly's Corner: A twist on a burger bliss

Earlier this month, I spent a few hours talking with my 95-year-old grandmother.

She reminisced about her childhood days, the simplicity of growing up without technology glued to our fingertips and the things that were luxuries back then that have become commonplace today.

As with any conversation with an older generation, there was some wistful remembrance, and I couldn’t help but be transported back in time as she talked about gathering around the table, eating wholesome and filling food, and the simplicity of a home-cooked meal. While I strive to provide my family with as many home-cooked meals as possible, there are days I give in to the convenience of a drive-thru.

In my grandmother’s childhood, fast food didn’t exist. In my father’s childhood, fast food chains began to pop up in neighborhoods around the country, but the food couldn’t compare to the local diner or mom’s home cooking. In my childhood, fast food chains were commonplace, but still a treat.

Today, we see drive-thru lines stretch around buildings, can order from our phones and pick up our food without having to speak to a restaurant employee. We are busy driving to and fro, and the convenience of fast food in the car has replaced gathering around the dinner table with friends and family.

As a consequence, many of our taste buds have changed. We’ve replaced our cravings for fresh, wholesome food with quick and easy food. To placate our emotions, we occasionally order a salad or a side of fruit with our triple cheeseburger.

Many families that I know are trying to get back to the days of our own childhoods, where fast food was a treat and not the norm. We are included in that group. Between inflation and an apparent lack of transparency about what is really making up the food made behind the checkout counter, the transition from convenience to conscientiousness has been made a little easier. Not to mention, with some googling, you can replicate nearly any dish that you have come to love from chain restaurants.

It’s not often that I crave a double decker delight, but when I do, I want a Big Mac. I can never finish it though, and it seems like a waste. And I often find myself wanting it on warmer days and then regret the heaviness of the sandwich. Thanks to the internet and many trial-and-error sessions in the kitchen, I have finally found a recipe that allows me to enjoy the taste of a Big Mac as a healthier salad option, right from my own kitchen.

Replicating my favorite restaurant foods has become a fun way that I can bring my family back to the table and feel good about the food we’re eating. I hope you enjoy this Big Mac salad recipe as much as we do.

Big Mac Salad

Salad ingredients

1 pound of ground meat of choice, browned

1 medium white onion, diced

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of pepper

6 cups of romaine lettuce, chopped

1 red onion, sliced thin

1/4 cup of dill pickles

1/3 to 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese, shredded

Dressing ingredients

1/2 cup of mayonnaise

2 tablespoons of relish

2 tablespoons of mustard

1 tablespoon of white vinegar

1/2 teaspoon of paprika

1 teaspoon of honey

Directions

Prepare the dressing by mixing all of the ingredients in a blender and set in refrigerator to cool slightly while preparing the salad.

Add ground beef to a large skillet. Add salt and pepper to the meat. Cook 4 minutes, then add half of the diced, white onion. Cook it until the meat is browned. Drain the grease and let the meat and onion stay warm in a skillet while you prepare the salad.

In a large bowl, combine the lettuce, the remainder of the white onion, red onion, pickles and shredded cheese.

Add the ground beef and onion mixture to the top of the salad and mix it.

Drizzle the dressing over the salad and toss it to coat everything.

Top it with sesame seeds if desired and enjoy.