Big Mac Salad - Sing It With Me ...

Y'all know the jingle .... "Two all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions – all on a sesame seed bun" ... Everyone knows that, right? Growing up, going to the Golden Arches was a special treat - and I loved getting the Big Mac meal. We didn't go very often, but that sandwich was such a cultural icon, and I wanted to experience it for myself every chance I got. Now that I've grown up, I want a somewhat healthier version of one of America's favorite sandwiches. Aside from soup, salad is probably one of my favorite meals. Literally, the possibilities are endless.  
Anyways, one of our more recent favorites is this Big Mac Salad. All the flavor of a Big Mac, with a lot less fat and calories! My kids think it's kind of neat to eat these "famous" sandwich salads. They especially love the fact that I use the hamburger buns to make the croutons! Seriously, that scores me "mega cool mom points" every single time! 
You could easily make this a Bacon Deluxe .... or Bacon Double Cheeseburger or whatever other famous sandwich with bacon is called. Just add bacon! 
The warmer weather will soon be upon us, so it's time to start thinking about lighter meals that don't make you sacrifice flavor or make you feel like you're starving yourself! I hope you give this salad a try! We think it's a winner and we hope you do too!

Big Mac Salad Printable recipe Yield: 6-8 servings
For the meat mixture: 1 small onion, chopped 3-4 cloves garlic, minced 2 lb. lean ground beef ½ cup ketchup 2 tbsp. mustard 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce Salt & pepper, to taste 1 tsp. sugar 1 tbsp. vinegar
For the croutons: 4 hamburger buns, cut into cubes 2-3 tbsp. vegetable oil
For the salad: 2 heads of Romaine lettuce, chopped 2 Roma tomatoes, chopped 1 block (8 oz.) Cheddar cheese, cut into small cubes Dill pickle slices, chopped Thousand Island dressing Sesame seeds, toasted (optional)
In a large skillet, cook and crumble the beef with the onions and garlic until the meat is no longer pink. Drain if necessary. Mix in the ketchup, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, sugar and vinegar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until most of the liquid has thickened up to your liking. Remove from the heat and set aside. 
Preheat oven to 400°F. In a large bowl, toss the hamburger bun cubes with the oil. Spray a cooking sheet with cooking spray and spread the bread cubes on the pan in a single layer. Bake for 5-7 minutes. Stir, then continue to bake for another 5 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. 
To serve: Layer desired amount of lettuce on a plate. Top with desired amount of the beef mixture, tomatoes, cheese, pickles, Thousand Island dressing, sesame seeds and croutons. Serve immediately. 
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And just for good measure, here's another picture. ;) You want to eat it, don'tcha?! 
  I hope you enjoy! Shared at these fun parties!
Featured at Rediscover Mom, Anyonita Nibbles, Michelle's Tasty Creations, Call Me PMc and Ms. enPlace

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