Big Mac Salad

I've been intrigued by the idea of a Big Mac salad for a long time.  I mean really, a salad that tastes like one of my favorite guilty pleasures?  Yes, that's right, I'm a HUGE fan of the Big Mac.  I wanted a recipe that was easy to fix but didn't require pre-made salad dressing or a bunch of "diet" ingredients.  So I combined three recipes and came out with a keeper!

Big Mac Salad
serves 3 at my house!

1 pound ground beef
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 tsp salt
1/2 medium onion, minced
fresh ground black pepper to taste
2 T. yellow mustard
1/2 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. ketchup
1/4 c. sweet relish
chopped lettuce
chopped tomatoes
chopped pickles
shredded cheddar cheese

In a skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef.  Drain off the fat, then add dry seasonings and onion.  Cook for 3 - 4 minutes, or until onion is soft.  Add mustard, stirring to combine, and set aside.

In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise, ketchup, and sweet relish. 

Build salads to individual tastes and top with dressing. 

Ranch Beans in the Instant Pot

My daughter loves Ranch Beans - the ones in the can with the black label.  Also chili beans.  Seriously, she'd eat a whole can in one sitting if I'd let her.  I'm slowly trying to wean us off of food in metal cans, and I now have an Instant Pot which makes cooking dried beans a snap (have I mentioned I have more gadgets than kitchen space?), so I thought I'd hit the internet in search of an acceptable recipe.  I found several, and modified the most likely one to fit my daughter's taste and the ingredients I had in the house.

Instant Pot Ranch Beans
Adapted from http://allrecipes.com/recipe/123269/ranch-beans/

2 pounds dried pinto beans
2 cups tomato sauce
1 small onion, chopped
1 small head garlic (about six cloves), chopped
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1/2 tablespoon ground oregano
2 dried bay leaves
water

Put all ingredients in the liner of the Instant Pot.  Add water to cover by two inches, and stir until combined.  Put on lid, making sure it's set to "sealing".  Set for 45 minutes on the manual setting.  When finished, let pressure release naturally.  Remove bay leaves before serving.

I made a batch of this today and it has gotten my daughter's seal of approval!