Patty melt a great alternative to standard burgers

Enjoy this patty melt, a different-style burger for a holiday weekend or for anytime. It’s a thin burger, smothered with caramelized onions, topped with melted cheese and served on rye bread.

It takes a while to caramelize the onions. I speed it up by starting them in the microwave first, and then they only need about 10 minutes in a skillet.

Helpful hints:

Any type of cheese can be used instead of cheddar cheese.

Any type of sliced bread can be used.

Patty melt

2 cups sliced onion

2 teaspoons canola oil

8 ounces 95 percent lean ground beef

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 slices reduced-fat cheddar cheese (about 2 ounces)

4 slices rye bread

Place onions in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave on high 5 minutes. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Add the onions and saute 10 minutes. They should be a golden color. Meanwhile mix the ground beef and Worcestershire sauce together and add salt and pepper to taste. Form into 2 thin patties. Move the onions to the side of the skillet and add the patties in the center. Brown on one side 2 minutes. Turn over and cover each patty with sliced cheese. Cover the skillet with a lid and cook about 1 minute or until cheese melts. A meat thermometer should read 160 degrees. Toast the bread. Place the bread on a counter and add one patty each to two slices. Cover the patties with onions. Close the sandwiches with the remaining 2 slices of bread.

Two servings. Per serving: 464 calories (28 percent from fat), 14.4 g fat (4.5 g saturated, 6.5 g monounsaturated), 78 mg cholesterol, 3738 g protein, 43.5 g carbohydrates, 538 g fiber, 818 mg sodium

Pickle relish salad

2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish

2 tablespoons reduced fat oil and vinegar dressing

4 cups washed, ready-to-eat salad

1 cup sliced red bell pepper

1 cup peeled and sliced cucumber

Add relish and dressing to a large bowl. Mix well. Add the lettuce, red bell pepper and cucumber and toss with the dressing.

Two servings. Per serving: 69 calories (20 percent from fat), 1.6 g fat (0.1 g saturated, 0.4 g monounsaturated), 1 mg cholesterol, 2.1 g protein, 13.1 g carbohydrates, 3.6 g fiber, 137 mg sodium.