Spicy Bean “Burgers”
Spicy Bean “Burger”
While I like veggie burgers- well, some of them- I am not crazy about the name. For me burgers are made from meat. Still, I guess if I say veggie burger at least people know what I am talking about. I prefer to call them veggie patties. I like to eat veggie patties that are not too processed and are made with ingredients I can find in my own kitchen. These bean “burgers” are actually pretty good. They are easy to make, taste good and provide a nutritious meal at a reasonable cost.
Spicy Bean “Burgers”
1 (14-15ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 sweet pepper, chunked
1/2 onion, cut into wedges
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 egg
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon hot sauce, or more to taste
1/2 cup bread crumbs
If grilling, preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil a sheet of aluminum foil. If baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees and lightly oil a baking sheet. In a medium bowl, mash black beans with a fork until thick and pasty.
In a food processor, finely chop pepper, onion, and garlic. Then stir into mashed beans. In a small bowl, stir together egg, chili powder, cumin, and hot sauce.
Stir the egg mixture into the mashed beans. Mix in bread crumbs until the mixture is not sticky and holds together. Divide mixture into four patties. If grilling, place patties on foil, and grill about 8 minutes on each side. If baking, place patties on baking sheet, and bake about 10 minutes on each side. Makes 4.
Spelt Biscotti
Spelt Biscotti
If you haven’t cooked with spelt flour before you might want to give it a try. Spelt gives you the fiber and nutrition of the whole grain that it is but with a texture like white flour. You can use it in cookies, muffins, waffles and more and get the softness you desire with the extra benefit of cooking with whole grain. Spelt also works great in yeast breads with little kneading. It might be tricky to find in your area, but it is turning up in more stores as demand increases.
Spelt Biscotti
1 ¼ c. spelt flour
⅓ c. sugar
1 t. baking powder
¼ t. salt
½ c. walnuts
¼ c. golden raisins
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla
Combine dry ingredients with nuts and raisins in medium mixing bowl. In small bowl combine eggs and vanilla and add to dry ingredients. Stir together to make a slightly sticky dough. With oiled hands shape into loaf (2”x11”) on oiled sheet. Bake at 350-degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from oven. Slice the loaf thin using a serrated knife and place slices on a rack on a baking sheet then return to oven, reduce heat to 300-degrees bake 25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Store in an airtight container to retain crunch. Makes about 16.
Honey Bunnies
Honey Bunny
I make these sweet rolls every year for Easter but they are so good you can enjoy them any time. Sweet and so cute they are sure to be a hit when you make them. The dough is chilled before rolling so you can mix up a batch in the evening- put in the fridge- then roll them out the next day.
Honey Bunnies
4-5 c. flour
2 packages yeast
1 t. salt
2/3 c. evaporated milk
½ c. each water, honey and butter
2 eggs
Raisins, optional
Honey glaze
1/2 c. honey and 1/4 c. butter or margarine heated together until warm.
In bowl combine 1 c. flour, yeast and salt. Heat together milk, water, honey and butter until very warm and beat into the flour mixture. Beat 2 minutes on high speed. Beat in 1 cup flour and eggs. Beat 2 more minutes, until batter thickens. Stir in enough flour to make a stiff batter and chill, covered with plastic wrap for 2-24 hours.
Place dough on lightly floured surface and divide into 15 equal pieces. Roll each into a 20- inch rope. Cut rope into a 12- inch piece, a 5-inch piece and 3 one-inch pieces. Coil 12 inch piece to form body, five inch piece to form head and inch pieces to form ears and tail. Place on greased cookie sheet and let rise, covered until doubled, about 25 minutes. Bake in a 375-degree oven for 12-15 minutes. Remove to cooling rack and brush with honey glaze. Place raisins on each to make eyes. Brush with additional glaze before serving, if desired. Makes 15 bunnies.
Roll dough out into a rope
Cut dough into pieces for the bunny
Assemble into bunny shapes
Let bunnies rise before baking
Brush baked bunnies with warm honey glaze
Chocolate Waffles
Chocolate Waffles
These are fun because they can be for breakfast, brunch or even dessert. I like to make a batch and keep them in the freezer. That way I can pop them in the toaster when I need dessert in a pinch. Topped with a scoop of ice cream and fresh strawberries they make a great dessert for a last minute dinner with friends.
Chocolate Waffles
2 eggs, room temperature
1/2 stick butter, melted and cooled
1 t. vanilla
1 c. buttermilk
1 c. flour
3/4 c. sugar
1/2 c. cocoa
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 each baking powder and baking soda
1/4 t. salt
1/4 t. nutmeg
Beat first three ingredients until light and foamy, about 2 minutes. Stir in milk. Beat in dry ingredients just until blended. Bake until waffles are cooked through. Makes 4 cups batter. Serve with whipped butter or sour cream and fresh fruit. I like them just dusted with powdered sugar, too.
Cleaning Copper-Super Easy
Did you know you can clean copper with 2 simple ingredients you probably have around the house? It’s very easy and eco-friendly, too.
I remember when I was a kid my Father would polish Mom’s copper cookware from time to time. He had a bottle of some stuff that didn’t smell very good, but it did the job. I always loved the way the teakettle looked right after he was done. While I love when my own copper cookware is all shiny I am not a fan of the smelly chemicals. I wanted shiny copper without the smell.
So what is the big secret? Lemons and salt. You can clean your copper by dipping a piece of cut lemon in salt and rubbing over the tarnished copper. It becomes bright and shiny right away- with no smelly goop. Costs only a few pennies, too.
Dip a piece of lemon in salt
Rub gently to remove tarnish
Before and after- what a difference
As you work, keep dipping the lemon in the salt. Once the copper is clean just rinse with warm water and dry with a soft towel.
If you don’t have a lemon you can also use lemon juice and salt, but I seem to get faster results when I dip an actual piece of lemon. It is its own little scrubby pad. If you are using lemon juice instead of a lemon, dip the tip of a soft cloth in lemon juice and then dip it in the salt. Repeat as needed until finished.
Super easy, fast and no smelly mess. I love it when stuff works out that way.
Pantry Vegetable Soup
Pantry Vegetable Soup
I’ve been using stuff up and not going to the grocery store for almost 3 months now. Sometimes it takes some creative thinking to put an interesting meal together. When in doubt I can always make a good pot of soup. Soup comes easy to me. I grew up with a Mom who really knew how to make great soup. Can’t make a pot of soup without remembering her. I wanted to make a vegetable soup today so I looked around to see what I had on hand and ended up with this. Started with the basics, onion, celery, carrots. Then I added home canned tomatoes and pinto beans. Threw in some dried zucchini and dried mushrooms, too. I had a little broccoli in the freezer so I tossed that in as well. Some basil from the freezer, dried herbs and some other seasonings and it was good to go. Here is the recipe but this is the sort of soup that can be adjusted according to what you have around.
Pantry Vegetable Soup
2 T. oil
1 onion, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 ribs celery, sliced
1 c. chopped cabbage
3 cloves minced garlic
1 pint jar canned tomatoes- or a 14.5 oz. can
6 c. water
1 can pinto beans, rinsed and drained- I used a p[int jar of home canned beans
1/2 c. dried mushrooms
1/2 c. sliced dried zucchini
2 T. vegetable soup base – I use home made-
1 c. chopped broccoli
salt and pepper to taste
hot sauce to taste
dried and frozen herbs to taste- I used Tuscan seasoning and a frozen cube of basil with olive oil.
Heat oil in soup pot and add the onion, cooking until golden. Add remaining ingredients, except the herbs, and cook, covered, until veggies are tender and dried veggies are re-hydrated. This will take about 30 minutes. Add herbs and let simmer 10 minutes longer. Adjust seasonings and serve. Serves 4-6.
Pineapple Glazed Chicken Wings
Pineapple Glazed Chicken Wings
I have been using what is in my freezer and pantry fro some time now. Had company for dinner the other night and I came up with this dish, using what I had on hand. I used some chicken wings I had in the freezer and used a jar of pineapple chunks I had canned. You could easily use a can of pineapple chunks from the store or even fresh pineapple cut up. The dinner was a big hit so I thought I’d share the recipe with you.
Pineapple Glazed Chicken Wings
12 chicken wings
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can (or jar) of pineapple chunks, drained, reserving liquid- I used a pint jar- if using store bought use the 20 oz. can.
salt and pepper
Sauce:
1/2 c. apple cider vinegar
1/2 c. sugar
3 T. ketchup
3 T. sherry
2 T. soy sauce
1 t. minced garlic
1 t. red pepper flakes
reserved pineapple juice
3 T. cornstarch
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place wings in pan and season with salt and pepper. Bake chicken wings in roasting pan for 30 minutes. Add the onions and pineapple chunks to the pan with the chicken wings and return to the oven for 30 minutes longer. While chicken is cooking combine the first seven sauce ingredients in a small pot and bring to a boil. Check baking pan for any juices- Spoon them out and add to the sauce. Combine pineapple juice and cornstarch in small bowl, stirring until smooth and add to the sauce. Return to boil and stir until sauce is thickened and bubbly. Pour hot sauce over chicken and return to the oven to bake 20-30 minutes longer or until wings look nicely glazed and sauce has started to brown. Serve over hot rice or pasta, if desired. Serves 3-4.
Spiced Split Pea and Rice Soup
Spice Split Pea Soup with Rice
I made this soup the other night and a friend requested I share the recipe. I like it because the split peas are cooked until tender- but not cooked to mush. With the addition of spices like cinnamon and cardamom it has a wonderful flavor and is pretty quick to make. This is a vegetarian version, but feel free to use chicken stock, if you prefer.
Spiced Split Pea and Rice Soup
1 c. dried split peas, green or yellow
3 c. water
2 c. chopped onion
2 cloves minced garlic
2 bay leaves
1/2 t. each cumin, cinnamon and cardamom
1/4 t. cayenne, or more to taste
2 c. vegetable stock
2 t. lemon juice
1/2 c. cooked rice
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 c. chopped parsley or cilantro
Rinse peas and cook them in the water until tender, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, cook onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add the spices and cook 5-10 minutes longer, being careful not to burn them. Add this to the peas along with the rest of the ingredients and heat through. Adjust seasonings and serve. Serves 4.
Moroccan Date Cake
Moroccan Date Cake
I have liked dates for as long as I can remember. They are truly nature’s candy. In this simple cake recipe I used both dates and nuts to add richness. The hardest part of this dish was cutting up the fresh dates. They are pretty sticky. I used kitchen scissors, dipped in oil, to snip up the dates and that worked pretty well. I suppose you could add frosting or a glaze but I prefer this cake unadorned.
Moroccan Date Cake
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. sugar
4 eggs
1 t. baking powder
1 c. flour
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. nutmeg
1/2 t. ground cloves
1/2 c. milk
1 t. vanilla
1 c. pitted, chopped dates
1/2 c. chopped walnuts
Cream together butter and sugar and beat in the eggs. Combine dry ingredients and beat into the egg mixture. Beat in milk and vanilla. Stir in nuts and dates and pour batter into a greased 9-inch cake pan. Bake in a preheated 325-degree oven for about 30 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Serves 8-10.
Squirrels in the Garden
Planters of pea seeds with cayenne pepper dusting
I actually like squirrels. I think they are kind of fun to watch. The problem is that they can be very destructive in the garden. My problem is mostly with container grown plants this time of year. When the planters are freshly planted, squirrels love to dig them up. I started some pea seeds today for pea shoots. It is still pretty cold here so peas are one of the few crops I can safely plant outside right now. I filled 3 long planters with soil and seeds. I am looking forward to a tasty crop of pea shoots in no time. I’ll also leave some of them into produce peas. To keep the squirrels out I dusted the planters generously with cayenne pepper . Since it seems to keep them out of the bird seed it should work here, too. Birds are not bothered by cayenne so they still eat the bird seed in the feeder. We’ll see if it works. I’ll post updates from time to time to see if this does the trick. What do you find works to keep squirrels and other critters out of your garden? I think it is a problem for a lot of us and would love to hear what works for you.
