Black Bean Burgers

The first time I made these I did not have any buns.  Being all naked without a bun, lettuce or whatever I did not feel they were photo worthy.  But alas I should have clicked their picture because they were so good, it really didn't matter if they were flying solo.  We all loved them, even my picky eater who never eats anything like this.  We are not vegetarians but I did announce that no animal had to die to put this burger on our plate.  I guess that was incentive enough for her to eat it.  

We all agreed that even though they were good, they would be that much better with a bun, tomato, avocado or whatever.  I had to make them again.  And I did... The recipe only makes four and they are totally gobbled up so I had to take the picture in the terrible light that we have around 5:30pm.  But you get the idea. right?

Any of the people that follow my blog, know that I have made bean burgers before.  In fact I was on a bean burger kick for a while there.  You can check out these burgers.  Vegan Burgers (via Serious Eats); Lentil Spinach Burgers; Cheesy Lentil Burgers;  Mushroom and Beluga Lentil Burger; and this one I loved but never posted, Perfect Veggie Burgers. I have my favorites.  These bean burgers are right up there with my favs. But what makes this bean burger even better is its sheer simplicity. 

Black Bean Burgers
Adapted from this recipe at Fine Cooking

1/2 cup rolled oats
1 15.5-oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 large egg
1 tsp. ground cumin
salt and pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
2 oz. finely grated pepper Jack cheese (1/2 cup)
1 large scallion, minced
2 Tbs. chopped fresh cilantro

Put the oats in a food processor and pulse three times to roughly chop. Add half of the beans and pulse into a coarse paste, about 6 pulses. Add the egg, cumin, cilantro and 1/2 tsp. salt and process to mix well, about 1 minute. Transfer the bean mixture to a large bowl. Stir in the remaining beans, the cheese, and scallion.

Form the bean mixture into four 1/2-inch-thick patties and transfer to a plate covered with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes to let the burgers set up.

Heat a large non stick skillet until warm; add the oil and swirl the pan to coat the bottom. Cook the burgers until browned, with a good crust, 3 to 5 minutes; then carefully flip and cook, flipping again if necessary, until the burgers feel firm when pressed with a fingertip, another 3 to 5 minutes. Serve the burgers in the buns, topped with the salsa and avocado or toppings of your choice.

Calories for the burger 225.

A list of other veggie or bean burgers that I would like to try.

Veggie Burger
Veggie Burger
and Morgans Veggie Patties  

M and M Cookies with Oatmeal

I had a multi-kid play date at my house the other day. The Moms sat and talked together while the kids played!  Fun!  It was great to see them having a good time and really nice to catch up with my friends!

While they were over I made some M and M cookies.  I had bought the M and M's on sale after Valentine's Day.  I saw the recipe below and thought it would be a great recipe.  And it was.  The cookies disappeared-  love that.  The oats make them a bit more toothsome.  Definitely a cookie recipe I would make again.

Mrs. Field’s Chocolate Chip Cookies 

• 1 1/4 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups milk M and M's
  

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray baking sheets with cooking spray or grease with butter.

In the bowl of the food processor, pulse oats until mixture resembles coarse meal, with just a few pea-size pieces remaining; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugars on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3- 5 minutes. Beat in vanilla and egg until well combined. Gradually add both flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt at low speed, beating just until incorporated. Gently fold in chocolate chips.

Drop tablespoons of batter onto prepared baking sheet.  Place into oven and bake until edges are golden brown but center is still moist, about 13-15 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

BORRACHO BEANS and TIPS ABOUT COOKING BEANS

Love!  I am a big fan of beans anyway.  These could make you a fan as well. Creamy, tasty and delicious.  What more could you ask for?

Beans are truly economical.  They can be a fast week night meal too.  Whether you get the beans out of the can or have them in crock while you are out for the day- the flavor will be wow.  This is a great combination of flavors for the beans.

My trick for yummy beans from dried beans is to flavor them while they cook.  You will see tons of blogs and cookbooks tell you not to put salt in it.  I have.  No big deal.  But truly the trick is to put flavor in.  After a virgin soak - nothing in the water at all, overnight- next day when you simmer the beans to get them tender, be creative.  I add at the very least, a bay leaf and an onion.  I have been known to add in garlic, broth, salt, herbs...  When the beans are done, you will have amazing tasting beans, instead of bland beans.  THen you add them to your recipe and layers and layers of flavor are present.

And for goodness sake don't throw away the bean liquor.  You know, the liquid you cooked your beans in.  Even if you dont have a use for them now, freeze the liquid.  It makes a great addition to soups!

Borracho Beans
From Whole Foods Cookbook

2 cans pinto ( I used soaked and cooked ones 2 cups dry)
1 rib celery
1 small onion
1/2 green bell pepper
1/2 cup cilantro

2 cloves garlic
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 jalapeno, chopped, more or less to your liking
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder (always use the best chili powder that you can afford)
1 tomato chopped
1 cup amber beer or water (but if you use water they will no longer be drunk- you could call them on the wagon beans instead!)
1 tablespoon smoked soy "bacon bits" or the real thing if you like
These directions are assuming you are using canned beans. If not just get your beans to that point first.

Heat olive oil in pot add onions, celery, green pepper, garlic and saute for about five minutes.   Add spices, tomato, and "bacon bits' to the pot.  Cook five minutes more.  Add the beans and beer.  Stir. Simmer for about 20 minutes.  Season with salt and garnish with cilantro.

And just a note.  Dishes like this are always better served the day after you make it.

Maple Baked Beans

Yes, we have been bombarded by snow here in the North East.  As long as I don't have to go anywhere, I don't mind the snow.  Its nice to have an excuse to stay home.  What really cracks me up is that there were a ton of people at the grocery store when the snow started coming.  Yes, I was there but only because I was working.  If I did not have to work I would not have been there.  People act like they're going to be snowed in for a week.  With all the plows we have around here I rather doubt that will happen.

I saw these on Serious Eats.  They looked real good.  I opted out of the bacon and brown sugar on top at the end.  I really enjoyed the flavor but felt the beans needed more liquid.


Maple Baked Beans
Adapted from this recipe at Serious Eats.

2 cup dried navy beans
6 strips bacon
1 onion chopped
1 teaspoon dried mustard
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup maple syrup
1 pork hock, fresh or smoked

Preheat oven to 325°. Simmer navy beans in water until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain beans and reserve cooking liquid. Line bean pot with strips of bacon. In a large bowl toss together onion and beans. In another bowl combine 2 cups bean cooking liquid, mustard, salt and maple syrup. Place half the bean mixture on bacon strips in pot. Place pork hock on beans, top with rest of bean onion mixture, then pour over reserved cooking liquid/syrup mixture. Cover with lid and place in oven for 3 hours, or until pork hock is fully cooked and pulling away from the bone. If beans begin to look dry, add more cooking liquid. 

Once pork hock is cooked, remove beans from oven and remove lid.  Remove from oven and serve with cold beer and dark bread.

Healthy Muffins

These are not your average cardboard healthy muffins.  Really, they are delicious especially if you are not use to eating tons of sugar.  Only two tablespoons of oil and very little sugar.  A great treat in the morning with a cup of coffee or tea.



HEALTHY MUFFINS
Best if eaten within three days

3/4 apple juice or orange juice (whatever you have on hand- I used mango peach juice)
3/4 cup raisins
3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1 1/4 cup chopped apples
2 tablespoons molasses or honey or even agave syrup
2 tablespoons oil (something mild in flavor like vegetable safflower....)
1 1/2 cups oat bran cereal (Fiber One, Aldi's brand, something with flakes)
1 cup milk
1 egg
1 3/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder

*My neighbor adds a banana into it as well.  

Mix dry ingredients (except nuts, raisins and apples) in a small bowl or larger measuring cup.  Mix wet ingredients with a whisk.  Pour dry ingredients into wet. Stir until combined, do not over mix.  Fold in raisins, walnuts and chopped apple. Spoon into sprayed muffin tin (or you can use papers as well).  Bake at 350F for about twenty minutes.  Cool on wire rack for five minutes then remove from tin.

Schlotsky's Knockoff Bread

It's not a real exciting picture.  It really should be captured with some avocado, sprouts, cheese, carrots strips...  Or maybe some meat filled sauce slathered type sandwich.  But its not.  Why?  Because I lost my oomph for writing on my blog.  I toyed with the idea of giving it up.  But really its such a great place to keep and actually find recipes of things that I made. I often find myself in the kitchen saying to myself, now what did I do when I made that... whatever it is? I go to my blog and BAM, there it is. I love that.  Saves time!

As the comments decreased so did my enthusiasm for posting.  At the same time my crafty, creative juices started flowing and I have been fairly active with my crafting blog... Craftication.  Better known as Buzz or The Crafty Bees Knees.  It kind of evolved but the name of the blogspot is craftication. I know I should probably combine the two blogs, it would make my life a whole lot easier but it is difficult to think of crafts on a blog called Lipsmacking Goodness and then hard to imagine food on the Crafty Bees Knees ( a little easier to imagine but just not there yet). So until I figure out just what to do, I will post food as often as I can.

So if you are unfamiliar with Schlotsky's Deli, I will tell you about it.  The first time I went to this deli was n Phoenix Arizona and I was totally wowed.  The bread is really what makes it I think.  THere sandwiches are delicious.  I moved away went to college and missed them so much.  When I was visiting Austin Texas years later there was a Schlotsky's and of course I had to go and get a sandwich!  And that was about 12 years ago, whew!

I found this recipe and knew it was a MUST MAKE!

I am passing it along to you.  Next time I think I would make a poolish to make it more sourdough tasting.  The texture though was right on.... at least from my memory.


1/2 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

1 tablespoon white sugar

2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons warm water (110degrees F/45 degrees C)

3/4 cup warm milk (110 degrees F/45degrees C)

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 1/2 cups bread flour

2 tablespoons cornmeal

Directions:
1. In a small bowl stir together the warm water, sugar, and yeast. Stir to dissolve and set aside.
2. In a large bowl dissolve baking soda with the 1 1/2 teaspoons warm water. Add the warm milk, salt, and one cup of the flour. Beat with a wire whisk until smooth. Beat in yeast mixture and remaining flour. Batter should be thick, sticky, and smooth.
3. Prepare 2 pie pans with non-stick spray. Dust pans with cornmeal. Place 1/2 dough in each pie pan. Batter will spread during rising time. Spray top of dough with non-stick cooking spray. Cover and let rise for one hour.
4. Repeat spraying of bread with non-stick cooking spray. Bake in a preheated 375 degree F (190 degrees C) for 20 minutes.
5. Allow to cool for an hour before slicing.