Sunday, September 5, 2010

Another Low-Carb Diet Idea: School Cafeteria Ranch Burgers

Preparing interesting meals for a low-carbohydrate diet is challenging. Especially since the diet has fallen out of "fad" status, and prepared low-carb items are hard to find.  But we Atkins acolytes are resourceful. And we have to be when we share a household with someone who is not on the diet.  "No, those are my low-carb, $4-per-pack tortillas, eat your own!!!"

I've posted a few recipe ideas in the past, from hamburger or chicken egg-drop soup, to low-carb pizzas and tuna melts.  But I came up with a new one today.  Back in school, I was a very skinny, very active kid. I could eat absolutely anything and everything, and not gain an ounce.  At lunch, it wasn't uncommon for me to scarf stuff off of others' trays, if they didn't like what was served (this was before ala carte or vending machines).  Other than pizza, my absolute favorite cafeteria food was ranch burgers.

Kids called it mystery meat, but it was really a ground beef concoction on half a hamburger bun, topped with cheese.  I just loved these things, and a few years ago, I figured out how to make them.  So first is the ordinary recipe, and at the bottom there is a low-carb addendum.

Greenlee Gazette's School Cafeteria-style Ranch Burgers

2-lbs. Ground Beef
1 Medium Onion
2 Cans of "Cream of. . ." Soup (I use one chicken, one mushroom)
Salt & Pepper
Hamburger Buns
Cheese

Chop onion, and sautee in skillet. Brown ground beef with onions. Drain fat.  Mix in soups, salt and pepper. Grease a cookie sheet, and set the oven to 350. Lay hamburger bun halves with bread side up on cookie sheet, filling the surface with buns. Spoon even amounts of ground beef mixture onto buns.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove from oven and top with cheese (for authenticity, American cheese slices, or use your favorite). Bake for 10 more minutes.

Low-carb diet addendum:

I use "Net-5" bread from Aunt Hattie's, available in Nevada at Vons, Albertsons, Smith's, and Wal-Mart.  The bread is bigger than a bun half, so you get a bigger ranch burger.  I filled half the sheet with buns for The Other Half, and half of it with my bread, and voila!

Two ranch burgers, using the low-carb bread, amounts to 10 net carbs, plus the small amount from the soups (there are 9-10 carbs in each serving of soup, so we're talking 4 or 5 max for two burgers).

Now, you're probably thinking, "why so much?"  Because these suckers are great to freeze in a sandwich bag, for a quick-and-easy snack or lunch later on.  If you don't do things that way, cut the recipe in half.  Enjoy!

NOTE: I went to Whitehall-Yearling High School from 1980-1984, Rosemore Junior High from 1978-1980, and Beechwood Elementary School from 1971-1978. Ranchburgers were a staple in all of Whitehall's cafeterias, and were a favorite of mine. They were usually served with corn and tossed salad, and probably jello or a cookie.

15 comments:

  1. That actually sounds pretty good and may try it. But you will never see that in the CCSD any time soon. well, never. Too expensive, too much time to take to cook and it would actually taste good. Can't have that.

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  2. Actually, it's pretty easy. I always loved cafeteria food, and all the other kids complained about it. One thing I'd like to know from an insider like you: Is every school required to hire a cook that looks like "Lunch Lady Doris" from The Simpsons? They seem to be in every cafeteria.

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  3. My kids loved the Hamburger Gravy that they served at their school. I worked cafeteria as a volunteer enough that I was able to figure out the recipe, just from watching her make it for the crowd. I think I may try the ranchburgers when I have some of the grandkids over.. they sound good.

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  4. They are good, but in my case they're flavored with a heap of nostalgia! I got them just about right, but they turned out just a teeny bit bland. Missing something. So, being a mom and grandmom, and knowing your way around a kitchen, I trust you can spice them up to your liking!

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  5. I'can't answer that for obvious reasons. But all the food is cooked in one location, close the Speedway and so you have a bunch of lunch ladies there. We have about 6 lunch ladies at our school. By contract, I have to say they all look great nd nothing is ever wrong with the food.

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  6. Excellent stuff with wonderful information! I'm new here and liking the post! dieting
    I feel strongly about it and love learning more on this topic. Thanks for sharing this great info!

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  7. I went to Whitehall for a year and I've been looking for this recipe FOREVER! I can't wait to try them!

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    Replies
    1. I went to whitehall schools from 1979-1992 and I remember these well.

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    2. I went to whitehall schools from 1979-1992 and I remember these well.

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  8. I have been dying for a taste of ranch burgers. Thanks to google, I found this page & started reading & got so excited that I finally found someone who knew what a ranch burger was! Imagine my surprise when I saw your note about where you went to school. I went to Etna Road, Rosemore & Whitehall, graduated in 2001. Small world. I can't wait to try these & even better that they're Atkins friendly.

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  9. Well, only Atkins-friendly if you can find some good low carb bread. It's getting harder to find, but Sara Lee makes one now that has 5 net carbs, I think.

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  10. I went to Whitehall also. Graduated 2004. I've been looking for this recipe for years! Thank you for sharing! I'll be cooking these tonight. I've got cream of chicken and cream of celery so hopefully that works

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  11. I did a search for cafeteria ranch burgers to make foe my kids because I remember loving them growing up in Whitehall and your article came up!

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  12. Two Whitehall alumni here, 1995, 1997. I make these often and just thought I'd see if I could find a recipe that was different than mine. All other recipes were ranch dressing burgers. Were these exclusive to Whitehall?

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  13. Thanks for sharing the recipe
    I am excited to make these thanks again!
    Grace
    I left Whitehall high in 1973😸

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