Crave Wednesday: The American Standard

In general I tend to overdo.  Go elaborate.  Take it to the limit. 

Things are rarely simple in my house.  I'm working on that.  I mean, if you've read this blog anytime in the past few months you'll see it is rife with complaints about how busy/tired I am.  I'm sure you're tired of reading about it!

So let's take things a step back.  To something simple.  Just a plain old burger simple.  No bells and whistles.  In theory it could be simpler.  You could leave the cheese off.  And in truth, I'm a huge fan of burgers without cheese.  But, baby steps. 

 Thatboy would tell you to use American cheese, I'm going to beg you not to use American cheese.  Because if you're going simple, the ingredients really do matter.  Heirloom tomatoes, a quality cheddar, and mixed baby greens make this simple burger something really special.

The American Standard (From Cooking Light)

1 lb lean ground sirloin

4 slices sharp cheddar cheese

12 dill pickle chips

4 heirloom tomato  slices

lettuce

ketchup

4 whole grain hamburger buns

1. Divide sirloin into 4 patties.  Grill the burgers for 3 minutes on each side, or until desired doneness.
2. Place slice of cheese on each burger during last minute of cooking.
3. Place lettuce on bottom bun and top with burger, tomato, pickles, and ketchup.