By Birthday glow has worn off and the regular rhythm is back. The wooden bird is on the windowsill. I move it slightly when I do the dishes. It catches the light at four in the afternoon.
Clinic Monday: a follow-up on the heart attack patient from January. He is stable, three months out, walking three miles a day, eating better. He said to me his wife thinks I saved his life. I said his wife is right. He said okay then thank you. He shook my hand. I took the thanks.
Group Tuesday. Bernadette had us name a thing we wanted to ask the universe for in the next month. The newer ones asked for survival. The older ones asked for small things — better sleep, a phone call from a child, a clean kitchen. I asked for an easy April. Henry asked for a paint job for his dining room because the old paint depresses him. The room laughed. We needed it.
Wednesday Kettle. Fifteen quarts. Holding. Arnie has become a fixture. He brings his own knife. It is sharp. I have stopped sharpening for him.
Liam and Nora have a school break next week. I took two days off — Wednesday and Thursday. We have plans for the aquarium one day and the science museum the other. Ma will take them Friday so I can catch up on charting.
Saturday pancakes. Burned the first. Nora ate two. Liam ate seven. Seven now. The boy is consuming.
Sunday dinner at Ma's. Pot roast. Standard. Patrick was there. He told a story about Sean III at preschool that made the table laugh for ten minutes. Sean III had told the teacher his uncle is a fireman like Pop. The teacher had asked which Pop. Sean III said the dead one's friend. Patrick had to explain to the teacher that the dead one was Sean Sr.'s former captain. The teacher said oh my, I am so sorry. Sean III said it is fine, Pop is not dead, just retired. The table lost it.
Food of the week: Ma's pot roast. The carrots were soft enough to spread. The way she does it.
Ma’s pot roast is a whole event — the smell of it from the driveway, the carrots so soft they give without any argument, Patrick still making the table laugh while the plates go around. That kind of Sunday feeds you for days, and I mean that in every sense. But the other six nights exist too, and on those nights — the clinic nights, the charting nights, the Liam-ate-seven-pancakes kind of weeks — I want something that lands with the same satisfying weight but doesn’t ask much of me. This cheeseburger bowl is what I make when I need the comfort without the ceremony.
Cheeseburger Bowl
Prep Time: 10 min | Cook Time: 15 min | Total Time: 25 min | Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 lbs ground beef (80/20)
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, diced
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- 1 cup dill pickle slices
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 4 cups shredded romaine or iceberg lettuce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
- 2 tablespoons ketchup
- 1 tablespoon pickle brine
Instructions
- Make the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, and pickle brine until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
- Cook the onion. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, for 4—5 minutes until softened and lightly golden.
- Brown the beef. Add the ground beef to the skillet, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper. Cook for 8—10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until browned and cooked through. Drain excess fat.
- Build the bowls. Divide the shredded lettuce evenly among four bowls. Top each with a generous scoop of the seasoned beef and onion mixture.
- Add the toppings. Scatter cherry tomatoes, pickle slices, and shredded cheddar over each bowl.
- Dress and serve. Drizzle the burger sauce over each bowl. Serve immediately.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 540 | Protein: 34g | Fat: 40g | Carbs: 9g | Fiber: 2g | Sodium: 780mg