Cheeseburger Salad

This recipe is from the amazingly talented Pioneer Woman!

If you haven't seen her blog, you MUST check it out.

www.thepioneerwoman.com

This has all of the tasty ingredients from a cheeseburger but it is in salad form

and it is SO GOOD!

(My husband even added it to his "new favorite" list)

So.Dang.Good!

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Serves: 6 (small salads)

Here is what you will need:

• 2lbs Ground Beef
• 1/3 cup Ketchup
• 1 teaspoon Yellow Mustard
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon or Spicy Mustard
• 2 Tablespoons Barbecue Sauce
• 4 whole Hamburger Buns
• 1 stick Butter (I used half)
• 2 heads Romaine or Green - Leaf Lettuce, Torn
• 1 cup Grated Sharp Cheddar Cheese (forgot to put this in the picture!)
• 4 whole Roma Tomatoes, Diced
• 8 whole Dill Pickle Spears, Cubed
• 1 whole Red Onion, Sliced

(I halved this entire recipe because I was only making it for 2)

Brown meat in a large skillet over medium heat. Then remove from the heat and drain off the fat.

Add ketchup, mustard's and barbecue sauce to the meat.

Stir to combine. Taste and add more of whatever you'd like more of, keep warm.

Cut hamburger buns into 1-inch cubes. Melt 1/4 stick of butter in separate skillet over low heat, then add the bread cubes and toss to coat.

Toast the croutons in the skillet over low heat for about 10 - 12 minutes, adding 1/4 stick of butter every couple of minutes until you've used the whole stick. (This will ensure all the croutons soak up the butter and toast nicely).

-If you are trying to be healthier and want to skip this part, DON'T. (Okay, obviously you can do whatever you'd like, BUT this ties the whole salad together!) Just don't use as much butter!! I used less then half of stick and they turned out toasty. The salad wouldn't have been as wonderful without these though.

To assemble each salad, pile torn lettuce on a plate.

Pile on a good quantity of the meat mixture, then top with plenty of g grated cheddar.

Add the diced tomato, chunks of pickles, and slices of red onion over the top.

Then sprinkle warm croutons all around the plate.

Serve immediately!!

If you're a cheeseburger kind of person and are skeptical of this salad... you will not be disappointed!