Here's a fun burger that's sure to put a smile on the faces of hard-playing little cowpokes after a day out on the on range.

Open Face Cowboy Burger

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup diced celery
1 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup tomato sauce
1/2 cup tomato ketchup
Onion salt
2 large hamburger buns, split
6 slices (1 ounce each) Wisconsin Mild Cheddar, Brick or Colby cheese

 

Use slices of your favorite vegetables and garnish to decorate the face, such as carrots, cucumbers, pickles, olives, red onions, mushrooms, celery, and peppers.

1. Sauté ground beef and skim off fat. Set aside.
2. In a saucepan, sauté celery in butter. When tender, add the ground beef, tomato sauce and ketchup. Season slightly with onion salt.
3. Cover the split buns with sliced cheese. Place under broiler just long enough to melt cheese.
4. Remove from broiler and spoon on the ground beef mix.
5. Arrange “eyes” and “mouths” made from remaining cheese slices on ground beef mix.
6. Return to broiler to slightly melt cheese.
7. Add olives or mushroom buttons to accent the eyes and nose on the face.
8. Place sandwiches on plates and arrange “ears” using cucumbers, carrots or red onions. Create a “crown” using celery or a pickle. Slice green, red, or yellow pepper strips as or simply use cheese slices for “collars”.

Makes 4 servings.

Recipe and photograph provided courtesy of Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board, Inc.