Southwestern Black Bean Burgers

The original for this recipe was from America's Test Kitchen.  I saw it on their Instagram feed and when I clicked I could actually see the whole recipe!  It just looked so tasty, so I copied it right away before they could change their mind and put it behind a paywall of some kind.  I didn't make the mayonnaise sauce that they recommended, figuring I'd try the burgers with regular toppings and then make the sauce some other time if I feel like it.     

I did make a mistake and started putting them together right when I wanted to cook them.  Unfortunately, they need at least an hour for the ingredients to sort of meld together.  It meant I was really hungry by the time they were finished that evening.  Here's a reminder to, you know, read whole recipes before you start them.  Also, I don't have a food processor, so I chopped/mashed everything by hand.  It wasn't hard at all.  

Also, I don't usually have tons of hot sauces in the house, and the recipe was a little sparse with the details on what kind of hot sauce to use.  I used Frank's Red Hot, but I might put in more next time or switch up the sauce.  It was good, just not particularly spicy if that's your thing.  

I cooked 3 at once, and froze the other 3 patties for later.  The pre-cooked ones reheated nicely in the microwave for lunches, too. (The leftovers were better than beef burgers and cheaper, too.)

Ingredients:

• 2 (15-ounce) cans  black beans, rinsed
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 4 scallions, minced
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce (or more, to your taste)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• ½ teaspoon ground coriander
• ¼ teaspoon table salt
• 1 ounce tortilla chips, crushed coarse (about 1/2 cup, and I used Tostitos bite-sized)

Directions:

1. Spread rinsed beans onto rimmed baking sheet lined with triple layer of paper towels and let drain for 15 minutes. 
   
2. In large bowl, whisk eggs and flour into uniform paste, then stir in scallions, minced cilantro, garlic, hot sauce, cumin, coriander, and salt.
   
3. Crush up tortilla chips until relatively fine (I crushed them in a bag).  
4. Mash up black beans (I smooshed mine with a fork on a cutting board) and stir in chip crumbs. 
5. Stir egg mixture in until combined. 
   
6. Cover and refrigerate, for at least an hour and up to 24 hours.  
7. Divide bean mixture into 6 equal portions. Using lightly moistened hands, tightly pack each portion into ½-inch-thick patty. 
   
8. To freeze patties (for up to a month): transfer to parchment paper and stack (w/ parchment between layers).  Wrap in plastic wrap and place in zipper-lock freezer bag. Thaw patties completely before cooking.)
9. Heat oil in a skillet on a medium heat until shimmery (or, like me, use some Pam spray).  Cook patties until well browned on one side, 5 to 7 minutes.  Then flip and cook until the other side is well-browned and crisp.  
   
10. Serve with your favorite toppings--I did a cheese slice, tomatoes, pickles, avocado slices, ketchup, and mustard.  

Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake

Back in August when I was making other rhubarb-based treats, I made this cake and it was really good.  Cutting and placing the rhubarb made for a pretty design--though I obviously could've crammed more together in the center of the cake pan.  I based the recipe off this Real Simple one, but I made some changes.    

Ingredients: 

• 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/2 cup white sugar, divided
• 2 cups flour (cake or all-purpose)
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/3 cup plain yogurt (I used greek yogurt)
• 1 lb. rhubarb, cleaned and cut (I did about 1 inch sticks with diagonal ends)
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. dried lemon peel (or 1 tsp. fresh zest)
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• Cinnamon sugar, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325°F.
2. Grease a round cake pan, line bottom with parchment, and grease parchment.
3. Stir rhubarb with 1/2 cup of white sugar and 1/4 cup of brown sugar.
4. Layer rhubarb in bottom of pan and add the remaining sugar mixture to it.  I made concentric circles!
5. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together.  
6. In a separate bowl beat the butter, the rest of the white and brown sugar, and lemon zest with mixer until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes.
7. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then beat in vanilla and eggs, one at a time. 
8. Stir in yogurt at a low speed (the original recipe said, "The mixture may look curdled.")
9. Gradually add flour mixture and stir to combine. 
10. Spoon batter over rhubarb and smooth top evenly.
11. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top.  
12. Bake until toothpick comes out clean, about 1 hour and 15 minutes.
    
13. Cool for 15 minutes or so, then remove from pan, upside down on a plate.  Take off the parchment carefully and serve warm (or cold).  Store in the fridge. 

Delicious Fluffy Pancakes for Two

 

Who doesn't like pancakes?!  Next up in my 2020 recipe catch-up series is this nice recipe that makes two servings. I guess you could share them with someone if you wanted to.  But I like to eat one when I make it on the weekend, and save the other serving for Monday morning. 

I first made it early this fall and I've had it several times since. Pictured above is a stack served with light margarine, bourbon-vanilla maple syrup, and toasted pecans. Pictured below is a stack made with sprinkles.  You could make fewer, bigger cakes, but I like a tall stack of smaller ones.  Because it just seems more fun that way!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbsp. sugar (or less, if you prefer)
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 egg
• scant 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla (or to taste)

Directions:

1. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Whisk or stir with a fork to blend
2. In a small bowl, lightly beat egg.  Add milk, oil, and vanilla.
   
3. Stir to blend.
4. Spray skillet/griddle with non-stick spray
5. Use a 1/4 cup to measure out batter onto skillet
6. Cook on one side until bubbles are breaking all over the top
   
7. Flip and cook until bottom is browned. 
   
   
   
   

Grandma's Hello Dolly Cookies: aka Magic Cookie Bars

 

My Grandma Duple--and my aunt, apparently--used to make these, especially at holiday time.  My college (go Williams Ephs!) served a semi-giant version all-year-round.  They are delicious, gooey, and extra-easy to make.  In fact, you don't even need a bowl and can just make the whole thing in the pan.  Perfect for 2020, the year of not even wanting to wash a bowl! 

In celebration of Grandma, I decided that they would be the perfect recipe for my 2nd annual holiday-card recipe.    

Ingredients:

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) butter or margarine, melted
• 1 cup graham cracker/vanilla wafer crumbs
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 1 cup shredded coconut
• 1 cup nuts (pecans are the classic)
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk

Directions:

1. Put melted butter into square pan (9x9 or 10x10)
2. Stir in crumbs and press into bottom of pan
3. Layer chocolate chips, then coconut, then pecans
4. Pour sweetened condensed milk over the top and spread to edges
5. Bake at 325°F for 30 minutes
6. Cool before serving
   

Hints:

• Refrigerating makes them way easier to cut
• Cut smaller for a candy tray and larger for a cookie tray
• Waxed paper between layers will keep them from sticking
• Swap out ingredients to experiment (different flavored chips, different nuts, etc.)
• Don't use twice as much butter by accident (they were very tasty, but unsurprisingly overly buttery)

The handwritten card below is my mom's copy, photographed and sent to me this year.  Gotta see if I can find Grandma's copy in her recipe box...

Holiday Baked Fruit: Perfect for a Crowd

 

With a 4-day work holiday for New Years, I'm working to get caught up on a bunch of stuff: sleep, housework, recipes, etc.

This is an old favorite from my mom's recipe cards, labeled as being from "Taste of Farmland" magazine.  You could swap out whatever fruit you want and use the fruity liquor of your choice.  For example, I couldn't find pineapple chunks this holiday, so I used an extra can of pears.  And I didn't have any orange liquor, so I used Chambord.  Oh, and I added dried strawberries, just for kicks!  

Also, while it makes a huge batch, it keeps well.  I had several servings over the Christmas week, but I have some in my freezer for later.  It can be served warm or cold, but my favorite is warm.      

Ingredients:

• 1 can apple pie filling
• 1 can cherry or strawberry pie filling
• 1 can mandarin oranges, drained
• 1 can pineapple chunks, drained
• 1 can pear halves or slices. drained
• 1 can sliced peaches, drained
• 12 oz. pitted prunes
• 2 to 4 Tbsp. butter or margarine
• 1/4 to 1/3 cup orange liquor or brandy (optional)
• dash of salt

Directions:

1. Combine fruit
2. Place in greased 13x9 baking pan
3. Sprinkle with a smidge of salt, and dot with butter and liquor/brandy
4. Bake at 350°F for 1 hour.

Crescent Roll "Pretzels"

The first food experiment of 2021 was a moderate success!  These have been on my to-try list for a while, so with the leftovers from New Years Eve, now was the perfect time.  They weren't actually pretzels, but they were distinctly pretzel-y crescent rolls, with a salty crust and a soft interior.  

Ingredients:

• 5 cups water
• 2 Tbsp. baking soda
• 1 egg 
• 1 Tbsp. water
• 1 can Pillsbury™ refrigerated crescent rolls
• sesame seeds
• kosher/pretzel salt 

Directions:

1. Prep
• Heat oven to 400°F. Spray foil on cookie sheet with cooking spray.
• Heat 5 cups water and baking soda over high heat, until boiling.  
• In a small bowl, beat egg and 1 tablespoon water with fork.
2. Roll Dough
• Unroll dough onto work surface and separate into the triangles. 
• Starting at shortest side of each triangle and stretching dough slightly, roll up to the opposite point.
• Bring ends of dough together into a ring shape.  
  
3. Boil Dough
• Place 2 rolls at a time into the boiling water mixture.  
• Cook 30 seconds. 
  
• Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel (they will be gooey!)
• Repeat with remaining rolls. 
  
4. Put on the Cookie Sheet
• Move dough to cookie sheet, spread out. 
• Reshape them if they need it.
•  Brush tops with egg mixture and then sprinkle each with sesame seeds and salt.
  
5. Bake
• Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until deep golden brown. 
• Immediately remove from foil/cookie sheet.