McDonald's BigXtra!

McDonald's roll-out of the BigXtra! is another bomb dropped on the battlefield of the latest burger war. Burger King took the first shot by introducing the Big King - a pretty good clone of

McDonald's signature Big Mac, with a bit more meat and no middle bun. Then Mickey D's fired back with a clone of Burger King's popular Whopper, to be exact. That's just under 5 ounces of ground beef, stacked on a huge sesame seed bun, with the same ingredients you would find piled on the Whopper - lettuce, onion, tomato, ketchup, mayo, and pickles. Plus McDonald's addition of a special spice sprinkled on the beef as it cooks. It's all very tasty.

Especially if you like Whoppers. Today the Big Xtra! is less extra, having been shrunk down and renamed Big 'N Tasty.

1 large sesame seed bun (4 3/4-inch diameter)

5 ounces ground beef

seasoned salt

ground black pepper

2 teaspoons ketchup

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 tablespoon chopped onion

3 pickle slices (hamburger style)

1/2 cup chopped lettuce

1 large tomato slice

non-stick cooking spray

1. Form the ground beef into a very large patty on wax paper. Make it approximately 5 1/2 to 6 inches in diameter (the meat should shrink to the perfect size for the buns when cooked). Freeze

this patty for a couple hours before cooking.

2. Grill the faces of the hamburger bun in a hot skillet over medium heat. Grill until the buns are golden brown. Leave pan hot.

3. Grill the frozen patty in the pan for 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Sprinkle one side with seasoned salt and ground black pepper.

4. Prepare the rest of the burger by first spreading the 2 teaspoons of ketchup on the face of the top bun. Follow the ketchup with the tablespoon of mayonnaise.

5. Stack the onion onto the top bun next, followed by the pickles and lettuce. Add the tomato slice to the top of the stack.

6. When the beef patty is done cooking, use a spatula to arrange it on the bottom bun. Turn the top of the burger over onto the bottom and serve.

Makes 1 hamburger.