Over the past thirty-six hours, I have had the pleasure of realizing how horrible it is to cook dried beans. First, I tried the eight-hour soaking method. After ten hours had lapsed, I tried the beans, which were only about forty percent softened. So I decided to boil them for a few minutes then let them sit in a covered pan overnight. That didn't work, either. So this morning, I boiled the little buggars again, then proceeded to let them sit in their own water for ten more hours. This finally did the trick, but seriously... All that work to save a lousy three dollars!
So anyway, I didn't know what to do with the beans once they were softened (I was actually just excited to cook them because I had never strayed from the canned variety), and then it hit me... black bean burgers! I scurried home with a general idea of how to make them, but once I made my way into the kitchen, my creative juices started flowing... and after they were done, so did my drool.
Ingredients:
1/4 lb dried black beans (or 1 can, drained and rinsed)
1 egg
1 very small onion, chopped
1 generous tsp basil
3 cloves garlic, crushed
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup bread crumbs (I used Italian blend. Also- If you're using canned beans, you may have to adjust this measurement because they may contain more moisture than the soaked ones)
3-4 tbsp ranch dressing (See note above regarding measurement adjustments.)
handful shredded Parmesan cheese
Sauce (Optional)
1/2 avocado
4ish tbsp ranch dressing
salt to taste
Method:
1. Cook your beans. Or, unless you're as cheap as me and three bucks really means that much to your poor soul (no pun intended), support your favorite legume farmer and buy canned ones.
2. In a large bowl, mash beans with a fork. You don't have to mash them until they resemble baby food, but do mash
them enough so that about 50% of them have exposed their white innards. Don't try to get all slick on me and use your food processor. You will end up with a mess and wonder why your burgers came out horribly.
3. Add all other ingredients and mix until everything is fully worked in. Mold into four patties.
4. In a skillet, fry your burgers in a tablespoon or two of oil. This should take about 5 minutes on each side.
5. To make sauce, mash avocado and mix it with dressing and salt.
6. Complete your burger by adding cheese, the avocado-ranch sauce, sliced avocado, tomato, lettuce, or whatever else you fancy.
Pin It
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Monday, July 30, 2012
Best Ever Chocolate Chip Cookies
I have experienced my fair share of chocolate chip cookie disasters, but after years of searching, I finally found (and perfected) one that never, ever fails. For all you die hard Tollhouse fans... forget about it. That "classic recipe" produces cookies that don't always rise, sometimes spread too far, and get oddly crispy for no apparent reason. My spectacularly delicioso recipe always cranks out flavorful delights that puff up in the oven, and after they've been out of the blasted heat box for about 45 seconds, fall just enough to form sugary-chocolate valleys of goodness. Yum... they're chewy, moist, and have amazing texture.They spread just enough to look normal, but never get flat. You all know what I'm talking about... we've all opened the oven after 8 minutes, expecting to see golden pillows with gorgeous glowing chunks of chocolate, but instead see this ridiculous mess of nearly transparent, paper thin cookie dough with chocolate chips standing fully erect. That's when the tears start flowing and the swear jar begins to overflow with 20's.
NO MORE. The recipe I am about to present will never leave you swearing off baking ever again. In fact, you might even gain a few pounds because you'll be making these SO often. For real. Let's get started.
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cup white flour (I know... no whole wheat!)
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 package instant vanilla pudding (Do not buy sugar free unless you like things that taste disgusting)
1 tbsp vanilla extract (this is not a typo. TBSP)
1 bag chocolate chips (I always use Ghiradelli. Go big or go home, right?)
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened, NOT melted (I usually use cold butter and mash it with a fork, but you don't have to do that... just don't use melted butter)
Method:
1. Strap on your jazziest apron.
2. Preheat oven to 375'.
3. Combine butter, eggs, vanilla, white sugar, and brown sugar. Mix until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
4. Add pudding mix to sugar-y egg mixture. Now add baking soda. Mix like Hell.
5. Slowly add flour. Once all flour has been mixed in, add chocolate chips.
6. Drop by spoon fulls onto UNGREASED cookie sheets. You should get about four dozen.
7. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
8. Brag to all your friends about how you make a bangin' chocolate chip cookie that puts their beloved Nestle recipe to shame. Pin It
NO MORE. The recipe I am about to present will never leave you swearing off baking ever again. In fact, you might even gain a few pounds because you'll be making these SO often. For real. Let's get started.
Ingredients:
2 1/4 cup white flour (I know... no whole wheat!)
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp baking soda
1 package instant vanilla pudding (Do not buy sugar free unless you like things that taste disgusting)
1 tbsp vanilla extract (this is not a typo. TBSP)
1 bag chocolate chips (I always use Ghiradelli. Go big or go home, right?)
2 sticks unsalted butter, softened, NOT melted (I usually use cold butter and mash it with a fork, but you don't have to do that... just don't use melted butter)
Method:
1. Strap on your jazziest apron.
2. Preheat oven to 375'.
3. Combine butter, eggs, vanilla, white sugar, and brown sugar. Mix until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
4. Add pudding mix to sugar-y egg mixture. Now add baking soda. Mix like Hell.
5. Slowly add flour. Once all flour has been mixed in, add chocolate chips.
6. Drop by spoon fulls onto UNGREASED cookie sheets. You should get about four dozen.
7. Bake for 8-10 minutes.
8. Brag to all your friends about how you make a bangin' chocolate chip cookie that puts their beloved Nestle recipe to shame. Pin It
Friday, July 27, 2012
Scones-- Sorry, no fun name this time!
Who doesn't love a good scone? What would I do for a tasty biscuit to enjoy with my morning tea or winter hot chocolate? I'd read a Goosebumps book and maybe prank call Cox Communications. This may not seem like much to you, but for someone like me, these are pretty big steps that may potentially lead to a week of nightmares or a criminal record that would bar me from any legit form of employment for the rest of my life.
I have tried my hand at many scone recipes, but they all have left little to be desired. I finally found one that is a a definite, no questions asked home run. The best thing about it is that it serves as a base and is just begging for a splashing of creative mix-ins. I'll admit, my cinnamon raisin ones weren't all that jazzy, nor were my lemon meringue wannabes, but creative or not, I still had a trickle of drool leading from the left corner of my mouth down to my chin.
I'll offer you this one very serious warning: Scones do take a bit of time due to the fact that they have to be cut out with either a glass or a cookie cutter. I prefer to make them heart-shaped, but that's just me. If you want to form them into a skull and crossbones, that's your deal, not mine. I won't even care if you make peepee shapes... just don't give me the credit (although, in all fairness, my blog did give you the idea, right?)
Ingredients:
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp baking soda
4 cups flour (If you want to try your hand at making these healthier, you can sub 2 cups of wheat... but if you do any more than 1/2 wheat, 1/2 white, you're walking a fine line, my friend)
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder (If you're using wheat flour, it's in your best interest to increase this to 2.5 tsp)
1 tsp salt
2 sticks unsalted butter (if you don't have unsalted butter, don't bother making this recipe... you'll ruin it!)
1 egg
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
Egg wash (beaten egg+ water)
Possible additions: 1 cup raisins, 1 cup candied orange peel, 1/2 tsp cinnamon (to taste), 1 tsp orange extract, 1 cup dried cranberries, lemon zest... get your thinking cap on- the sky's the limit!
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350'. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Combine sour cream and baking soda. Let set for a few minutes before the egg. Add any wet additions (juice, extracts) at this point.
3. In another bowl, combine remaining dry ingredients. Slowly add flour mixture to the sour cream mixture. As you're adding the flour, you can also add in the raisins, etc.
4. Knead the dough for a few minutes. Roll into a 3/4" slab. Use a cookie cutter to make these little buggars beautiful. Otherwise, use a glass. Or, if you want to take the SUPER easy way out, you can just cut wedges with a knife. Yawn... borrrrring!
5. Lightly brush the tops with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar, if desired.
6. Bake for 15 minutes. This is accurate if get about 12 biscuits. If you've cut them much smaller, check them at about 7 or 8 minutes.
If you'd like to make them and freeze them before baking, you can certainly do that. Just make sure that you freeze them on a cookie sheet. Once they're fully frozen, you can transfer them to a ziploc bag. Bake as normal, but for about 45 minutes, or as is necessary for the size. Size does matter. Pin It
I have tried my hand at many scone recipes, but they all have left little to be desired. I finally found one that is a a definite, no questions asked home run. The best thing about it is that it serves as a base and is just begging for a splashing of creative mix-ins. I'll admit, my cinnamon raisin ones weren't all that jazzy, nor were my lemon meringue wannabes, but creative or not, I still had a trickle of drool leading from the left corner of my mouth down to my chin.
I'll offer you this one very serious warning: Scones do take a bit of time due to the fact that they have to be cut out with either a glass or a cookie cutter. I prefer to make them heart-shaped, but that's just me. If you want to form them into a skull and crossbones, that's your deal, not mine. I won't even care if you make peepee shapes... just don't give me the credit (although, in all fairness, my blog did give you the idea, right?)
Ingredients:
1 cup sour cream
1 tsp baking soda
4 cups flour (If you want to try your hand at making these healthier, you can sub 2 cups of wheat... but if you do any more than 1/2 wheat, 1/2 white, you're walking a fine line, my friend)
1 cup sugar
2 tsp baking powder (If you're using wheat flour, it's in your best interest to increase this to 2.5 tsp)
1 tsp salt
2 sticks unsalted butter (if you don't have unsalted butter, don't bother making this recipe... you'll ruin it!)
1 egg
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
Egg wash (beaten egg+ water)
Possible additions: 1 cup raisins, 1 cup candied orange peel, 1/2 tsp cinnamon (to taste), 1 tsp orange extract, 1 cup dried cranberries, lemon zest... get your thinking cap on- the sky's the limit!
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350'. Lightly grease a baking sheet.
2. Combine sour cream and baking soda. Let set for a few minutes before the egg. Add any wet additions (juice, extracts) at this point.
3. In another bowl, combine remaining dry ingredients. Slowly add flour mixture to the sour cream mixture. As you're adding the flour, you can also add in the raisins, etc.
4. Knead the dough for a few minutes. Roll into a 3/4" slab. Use a cookie cutter to make these little buggars beautiful. Otherwise, use a glass. Or, if you want to take the SUPER easy way out, you can just cut wedges with a knife. Yawn... borrrrring!
5. Lightly brush the tops with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar, if desired.
6. Bake for 15 minutes. This is accurate if get about 12 biscuits. If you've cut them much smaller, check them at about 7 or 8 minutes.
If you'd like to make them and freeze them before baking, you can certainly do that. Just make sure that you freeze them on a cookie sheet. Once they're fully frozen, you can transfer them to a ziploc bag. Bake as normal, but for about 45 minutes, or as is necessary for the size. Size does matter. Pin It
Thursday, July 26, 2012
The Easiest Thanksgiving Turkey Burgers Ever!
If there's one thing I can say with confidence, its that I really love to eat. But it's not just that I love to eat, It's that like to eat comfort food. Unfortunately however, many comfort foods tend to make an appearance on many dieters' do-not-eat lists due to their high fat, sodium, and carbohydrate content. What's a girl who no longer fits into her favorite clothes to do? The answer is NOT to give up satisfying foods and replace them with boiled chicken and unsalted steamed vegetables. The ticket is to find foods that rub your appetite in all the right places (that's what she said), but are actually pretty good for you.
This is where the turkey burger comes in. Now what's better than an amazing turkey burger? Thanksgiving. Oh yes. You can have a miniature Thanksgiving feast without even dirtying a pan. And if you don't have a woman to clean dishes for you, why make a mess. JUST KIDDING. FYI, I'm a girl, so please don't leave hateful feminist comments. I will not approve them anyway.
Anyway, jump aboard the Turkey Express and ride it all the way to Yumville Valley!
Ingredients:
1 pound 93% lean ground turkey (Don't forget, just because it's turkey, it doesn't mean it's less fattening than ground beef. 85% fat is 85% fat regardless of what animal it comes from!)
1/2 box stuffing mix
cranberry sauce (For the love of God... NOT the jellied crap. Go for the gold [my nod to the Olympics] and get the whole berry kind!)
Buns or whatever
Method:
1. Mix dry stuffing in with ground turkey. Mold into patties. You should get about five. If you get four, though, I'm not judging... your secret is safe with me!
2. Grill or pan-fry until your patties are cooked through. Seriously... make sure this is cooked because I don't want to see you all dropping like flies from Salmonella Poisoning.
3. Assemble. Use cranberry sauce instead of ketchup. You won't be disappointed!!
4. Enjoy this with the pumpkin pie recipe below. The whole meal will make your eyes roll to the back of your head as if you've just had the most pleasurable experience of you life. Pin It
This is where the turkey burger comes in. Now what's better than an amazing turkey burger? Thanksgiving. Oh yes. You can have a miniature Thanksgiving feast without even dirtying a pan. And if you don't have a woman to clean dishes for you, why make a mess. JUST KIDDING. FYI, I'm a girl, so please don't leave hateful feminist comments. I will not approve them anyway.
Anyway, jump aboard the Turkey Express and ride it all the way to Yumville Valley!
Ingredients:
1 pound 93% lean ground turkey (Don't forget, just because it's turkey, it doesn't mean it's less fattening than ground beef. 85% fat is 85% fat regardless of what animal it comes from!)
1/2 box stuffing mix
cranberry sauce (For the love of God... NOT the jellied crap. Go for the gold [my nod to the Olympics] and get the whole berry kind!)
Buns or whatever
Method:
1. Mix dry stuffing in with ground turkey. Mold into patties. You should get about five. If you get four, though, I'm not judging... your secret is safe with me!
2. Grill or pan-fry until your patties are cooked through. Seriously... make sure this is cooked because I don't want to see you all dropping like flies from Salmonella Poisoning.
3. Assemble. Use cranberry sauce instead of ketchup. You won't be disappointed!!
4. Enjoy this with the pumpkin pie recipe below. The whole meal will make your eyes roll to the back of your head as if you've just had the most pleasurable experience of you life. Pin It
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