Black Bean Rice Burgers

Feel like a different kind of burger? These are a great alternative. I got this recipe from my sister, Amy. Very simple and very good! You HAVE to make the sauce to go on the buns. That's what makes them even better! This is one of our favorite meals. I use a smaller measuring cup and we can get 6-8 burgers out of this recipe. Normally you would get 3-4 using the 1/2 cup scoop.


Black Bean Rice Burgers

1 can (15 oz.) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 egg
1 cup cooked brown rice
2 Tbsp. + 1/4 cup salsa
1 small onion, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
lettuce and tomato
1/4 cup reduced fat sour cream
sliced cheese, optional

In a mixing bowl, mash beans with fork. Add rice, onion, egg, salt and pepper, and 2 Tbsp. of the salsa; mix well. Using a 1/4 or 1/3 cup (or 1/2 cup if you want a bigger burger) measuring cup, drop onto sprayed, preheated skillet or electric skillet. Flatten slightly. Cover. Cook on low to med-low heat for 4-5 minutes. Flip with a sprayed spatula. Can be fragile. If they fall apart just pat back into shape. (Try to avoid flipping more than once. The secret is to slow cooking to avoid having to turn too often.) Cover again. Cook until firm and brown. Place sliced cheese on burgers to melt, if desired.

SAUCE:
In small bowl, combine 1/4 cup. sour cream and remaining 1/4 cup salsa. Spread generously on toasted hamburger buns, both sides. Assemble with lettuce and tomato. Enjoy!

Fruit Pizza

This fruit pizza has a snickerdoodle crust with a cream cheese topping. We usually put a variety of fruits on it but this time we did a more patriotic theme using blueberries, strawberries, star marshmallows, and sprinkles. I never make the sauce that goes on last but I'll include it in case you want to. Lining your pizza pan with foil helps the pieces come out better. You can also make this in a rectangle cookie sheet and cut into square pieces instead of triangles.


Fruit Pizza
Crust:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 2/3 cup flour
1 tsp. cram of tartar
1/2 tsp. baking soda

Cream butter, sugar, and egg. Add remaining ingredients. Bake in round pizza pan at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until golden.

Topping:
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 T. pineapple juice (optional, If you aren't using pineapple on your pizza, the topping works just fine without it.)

Cream together. Spread over cooled cookie crust. Arrange fruit over top: pineapple, strawberries, grapes, kiwi, peaches, raspberries, blueberries, bananas, mandarin oranges, etc. Cover with fruit sauce if desired.

Fruit Sauce:
Strain remaining pineapple juice and thicken with a little cornstarch.

I guess it was good! Notice the right side is missing some crust. I think we have some cookie snatchers on the loose!

Tostadas

These are nice to have when you need a quick dinner, especially if you have leftover brown rice already cooked! Feel free to use quinoa instead of the brown rice, too! Very tasty and quinoa only takes about 20 minutes to cook so it's faster than brown rice. (Or use your leftover quinoa!) Another bonus is that they are great to make during the summer! Doesn't heat the house up at all! I used some premade oven baked corn tortillas instead of the fried ones you often find for tostadas. They are so great! Look for them in your grocery store. I found mine at Wal-mart in the aisle with all of the ethnic foods from Mexico. This is a vegetarian version but you could always throw on some sour cream, shredded cheese, and taco meat if that's what makes your mouth water. We like ours smothered in guacamole and salsa! Mmmmm....

Tostadas

1 can fat free refried beans
2 cups cooked brown rice
1/2 envelope taco seasoning (I like to use the 1/3 less sodium kind)
1/4 cup water

Mix together in a saucepan and heat til warm. Spread over baked tostada shell. Layer with torn spinach, chopped tomatoes, green onions, cucumbers, black olives, etc. Top with guacamole and salsa! Enjoy!

Marshmallow Krispie Brownies

Just another delicious brownie recipe to add to the files. I've also seen these made with white frosting between the brownie and chocolate layers instead of marshmallows. This recipe makes a square pan but you could easily use a brownie mix or recipe for a 9x13 and then just double the ingredients for the toppings. But unless you're feeding a very large crowd, an 8x8 pan is plenty! These guys are very rich!


Marshmallow Krispie Brownies

1 brownie mix (8x8 pan size) or recipe from scratch

• Mix brownies and bake as directed on package. When brownies are done remove from oven and add:

2 cups miniature marshmallows

• Sprinkle marshmallows evenly over hot brownies. Place back in hot oven for 2 minutes. Remove from oven and let brownies cool completely. When cool mix up the following topping:

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

• Stir in saucepan until melted. Stir in 1 1/2 cups dry Rice Krispie cereal. Spread mixture over cooled marshmallow brownies. Cool completely before cutting, about 1 hour. Store tightly covered at room temperature (unless you live in a hot place like TX and then you should store them in the fridge or else the chocolate is always half melted.)
  

Twisted Bread Sticks

These are some seriously good bread sticks. Soft and dripping with butter...they are an extra special 'treat' to go with a meal. I got this recipe from my sister Amy, who got it from one of her sisters-in-law I believe. The ones in my picture are a bit crammed in my pan and not twisted as beautifully as Amy's. They take some practice and I'm afraid I can't practice with these too much. It's very dangerous to make these too often. They are soooo good! So anyway no matter how they look...they are very tasty!

Twisted Bread Sticks

1 Tbsp. yeast
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 cup warm water
3 cups flour
1 tsp. salt

1. Add ingredients and mix 2-3 minutes until smooth and elastic. Let rise for 30-45 minutes.
2. Melt 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter in a 9x13.
3. Roll dough out into a thin rectangle (just a little thicker than a place mat) and cut into strips about 1/4-1/2 inch wide.
4. One-by-one, take an end in each hand. Twist each end in opposite directions while folding in half as you go. (Bottom picture shows finished bread stick a little better.)
   
5. Place each twisted bread stick in butter as you place in pan. Squish them all in the pan together. Overlapping is OK.
6. Bake at 400 degrees for 12-13 min. Don't wait for tops and bottoms to brown or they will be overcooked.

Optional: Sprinkle with garlic salt or Parmesan cheese or both. I like garlic salt & parsley. You could also sprinkle with cinnamon & sugar or brown sugar.

Split Pea Sweet Potato Soup

Yes, it's summer and I'm still making soup. I think soup is a great meal to prepare in the summer especially if you use your crock pot! Anything that doesn't heat up the house is a plus for me! Serve it with a nice cool, fresh salad whether it be green or fruit and call it good! It calls for yellow split peas but if you can't find any then regular green split peas are just fine.

Split Pea Sweet Potato Soup

7 cups water
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
2 small sweet potatoes, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (3/4 lb.)
1 medium potato, peeled, cut into 1/2-inch pieces (1 cup)
1 medium onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
2 carrots, finely chopped or shredded (1 cup)
1 (16 oz.) package dried yellow split peas
1 (6 oz.) package sliced Canadian bacon, coarsely chopped

In slow cooker, mix all ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours. Stir before serving.

Corn Dog Muffins

A corn bread muffin with a hidden surprise! These muffins taste like corn dogs without being fried. Still not a "healthy" recipe but a little better...and fun. I use my little rectangle muffin tins but regular round muffin tins work just fine. In this picture I used the breakfast links (look like miniature hot dogs but bigger than the Lit'l Smokies-not breakfast sausage) cut in half. You could also use regular hot dogs cut into thirds or one Lit'l Smokie per muffin. I also used a jalapeno cornbread batter but regular is just fine. I think you could even make these with hot dogs cut into rounds and bake them in the really small muffin tins for an appetizer. Just an idea.

Corn Dog Muffins

1 package your choice of "hot dog" (hot dogs, Lit'l Smokies, breakfast links, etc.)
2 packages cornbread muffin mix (or your own recipe)

Make cornbread muffin batter as directed on package. Divide muffin batter evenly in sprayed muffin tins. (My rectangle tins are slightly smaller than normal and they made about 20.) Fill each muffin cup about 1/2 full. Place one hot dog piece in the middle of each muffin. Press down slightly until it is almost covered. Bake in oven as directed on cornbread muffin recipe. Remove from oven and cool slightly. Dip in ketchup or favorite corn dog dip.

Caramelized Onion Hummus

This is the hummus recipe I've been making lately. I combined several recipes that I thought looked "good" for this one that is "great"! The caramelized onions are what MAKE this! Mmmmm....If you've never tried hummus before or tried some that you just didn't like, give this one a try. My kids love it! Even my 10-month old! And you can feel good about what's in it. No preservatives like some of the ones you buy premade and you can control the salt. I want to try adding roasted red peppers to this recipe sometime. I think that would be very tasty! FYI: Tahini is a sesame paste made from ground up sesame seeds. You can buy tahini in the grocery store in the 'health food' section often by the natural peanut butters or at a health food store. One jar lasts a long time. I just keep it in my fridge. You'll definitely want to get some tahini to make your hummus. It makes all the difference! Serve hummus with fresh veggies and/or pita chips, smooth on a pita or tortilla and pile with your favorite veggies for a sandwich, or eat it by the spoonful! I like to add a spoonful on top of my salad instead of dressing. It's delicious! As a side note: For another way to use tahini--mix equal portions of tahini with natural peanut butter and use on sandwiches or to dip apples. It's really good!

Caramelized Onion Hummus

1 can garbanzo beans (chick peas), drain and rinse
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 onion, diced
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup tahini
1 Tbsp. tamari or soy sauce (or to taste)
1/4-1/2 tsp. salt (to taste)
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1/4 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. sesame oil, optional

Saute onion and garlic in the olive oil until onions are caramelized. Set aside. In food processor or blender mix garbanzo beans, caramelized onions and garlic, tahini, lemon juice, tamari (or soy sauce), sesame oil, and spices. Blend until smooth. (The blender makes it more smooth and creamy but takes a lot more work!) I usually don't add more olive oil than the tablespoon I use to saute the onion but you can if you want. If it seems a little too thick I usually just add a tad bit of water. Adjust seasonings if desired. Refrigerate leftovers.

Fresh Italian Salad

Simple and fresh are the two words I'd use to describe this salad. Eat right away or make it a few hours in advance. Delicious either way.

Fresh Italian Salad

2 cucumbers, peeled and diced
1 package cherry tomatoes, halved
1 can black olives, drained and halved
1/4 cup sliced onion
juice of half-whole lemon
Mrs. Dash Tomato Basil (or your favorite Italian seasoning) to taste

Mix vegetables and toss with lemon juice and seasonings. Enjoy!

Zucchini Soup

I found this recipe on the Sisters' Cafe and knew I had to try it. We loved it! In fact Tory just went grocery shopping and came home with a huge bag of zucchini so I can make it again! A great way to use up zucchini if you have a lot growing in your garden. Mmmm...so fresh and very simple to make. I added some yellow crookneck squash as well, just because I had some that I needed to use. Easy to make vegetarian. I didn't add the bacon, half-n-half, sour cream, or cheese. Very healthy. My baby even loved it! The only problem was that there wasn't enough!
**I've made this several more times and have added a can of white beans, rinsed and drained, just before blending. Makes it a little more filling and you never even know they're in there. I've also added walnuts and blended them right up, too. They were very tasty!

Zucchini Soup

1 cup chopped onions
2 T. butter (I used 1 T. olive oil)
3 cups sliced zucchini
2 cups chicken broth
1/4 t. salt
1/8 t. pepper
½ cup half-and-half (Can substitute with regular milk or soy milk)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese (optional)
1/2 cup sour cream (optional)
4 slices bacon, cooked until crisp, then crumbled

In a large saucepan cook onions in melted butter until tender. Add sliced zucchini and chicken broth and bring to a boil. Simmer until tender (about 15 min.) Add salt and pepper. Cool slightly. Pour mixture into blender and puree it. Stir in half-and-half (or milk). Return to saucepan and reheat, but do not boil. Garnish with grated cheese, sour cream, and bacon bits. Makes 6 servings.

Edamame

Edamame, otherwise known as soybeans, is one of my most favorite things to snack on. My boys and I can go through a sack pretty fast! Quick, easy, and not too shabby on the health factor. I buy the frozen kind so that I always have them ready. I can cook as many as I need and save the rest for later. I bought these at good old Wal-Mart. Make sure they are the kind IN THE POD. Half the fun is getting them out!

The way I cook 'em up is:

Place about a cup of water in a saucepan. Bring to boil. Throw in the frozen edamame, cover. Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes (look at package to be sure). While they are steaming away I like to whip up my special dipping sauce.

Dipping Sauce:

Mayonnaise, Dijon mustard (I prefer Grey Poupon Mild & Creamy), and a splash of soy sauce-if desired. Sometimes I like to squeeze a little lemon juice in there, too. Feel free to experiment until you find your perfect mix. I use just about equal parts mayo and mustard...maybe just a tad bit more mayo. I don't like a lot of sauce for my edamame but you may want more.

To Eat:

Pile the steamed IN THE POD edamame on your plate. Grab one pod at a time and dip into sauce. (I like just the tip dipped. About 1 cm if you want to get specific. Just enough for a hint of flavor. But if you like more...dive on in!) Now for the fun part. Holding onto the clean, non-dipped end, place the pod between your teeth and gently pull out until the beans are in your mouth and the empty pod is in your hand. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT eat the empty pod (unless you really need something to chew on for awhile and don't have any gum handy. It will keep ya going!) Eat the 2-3 beans and repeat with another pod. Mmmmm....

Guacamole tip

I just learned something new about guacamole and have to pass it on:

After you make guacamole, bury the pit in the center and store in an airtight container.
This keeps it from getting all brown and yucky... also this will keep it from getting all brown if it is out like a dip at a party...

Just tried it and my guacamole looks just like it did yesterday when I made it.