Monday, November 29, 2010

Goat Cheese Black Bean Burger & Turkey Burger

 I have learned a few things things this past weekend.

Such as, 
pacifiers are not just for babies.

Puppies need pacifiers too.


My child will probably never trust me again.



"Sure mommy, i'll let you put an ice cube in my mouth, cuz I love you!"





"Hmmm, something doesn't taste right."


"That definitely didn't taste right"





"Why does my head feel funny mommy?"


"I will never trust you again mommy."


Besides that, 

Goat Cheese Stuffed Black Bean Burgers are my new favorite thing.

Goat Cheese Stuffed Black Bean Burgers:
Adapted from Allrecipes

Ingredients:
1 Can black beans
1/2 bell pepper (I used green but you can use yellow/red/orange)
1/2 Onion
1 TB chopped garlic 
1 egg
1 TB chili powder
1 TB cumin
Dash of hot sauce
3/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs

Goat cheese (I used herb and garlic seasoned)

Directions:
1. Mash black beans
2. Finely chop onions, bell pepper, and garlic
3. Add all ingredients into a bowl and mix together
4. Form into smaller patties (4), reserving less than half the batter
5. Press goat cheese onto tops of patties
6. Using remaining batter, top patties so goat cheese is covered
7. Either pan fry or bake at 375 for about 35 minutes

So you start of with a simple can of black beans.
I love them beans.


For some reason I have this song stuck in my head,
"Beans, beans, the magical fruit. The more you eat the more you...."

Then you mash them...I used a potato masher...
Worked JUST FINE


Then chop your pepper, onion, and garlic.



Gather your spices, crumbs, and the egg.


Throw all ingredients into the bowl, and mash.



Then don't forget the star of the show.


You don't have to use goat cheese...
I guess...
Your problem, not mine =]

Top your patties with goat goodness.


Then top with remaining batter.


I baked mine, but pan fried would probably taste better.


Then top with all the fixings,


Such as,
avacado, lettuce, tomatoe, onion, hummus, ketchup, mustard, chocolate...
wait....
no never mind,
chocolate taste just fine on it.
Don't worry, I tried it.



 And for those of you who are lame, and don't want to try a black bean burger...


Try this turkey burger that I made for the "male" members in my family...aka sissy men who don't branch 
out =]
you know who you are.

P.S.
My dad said it was the best turkey burger he has ever had.
But he's my dad, and he is supposed to say that.

Turkey Burger
Adapted By: How sweet it is

Ingredients:
1-2 pounds lean ground turkey 
1 TB. olive oil
1/2 Cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 tsp. chopped garlic
dash of tabasco 
1/2 TB onion powder
1 tsp. paprika
1 TB. dried parsley
dash of salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mash together
2. Form patties
3. Cook on skillet until cooked all the way through.

Make sure to share with everyone...








Sunday, November 28, 2010

Pumpkin Banaynay Bread

Probably one of the biggest questions after thanksgiving is,
"How much weight did you gain?"
"What Do I do with all these left overs?"

As we contemplated what we should make, none of us could agree on the same thing.

Therefore, we all did something different.

We are kinda a complicated family.

I kept it simple. I just heated the leftovers and grubbed.

One of my brothers got a little more creative.


Turkey, cheese, mashed potatoes, and gravy panini.


That's not even that weird compared to what my older brother made.


Turkey, cheese, goat cheese, and pineapple pizza.

I'm guessing that it's an acquired taste.

Moving on.


This morning I had chocolate for breakfast. I've said this before, It's the ONLY way to start the day.



No, that's not melted chocolate on top of a banana. 
Although I could be kidding just cuz I don't want to be judged.
Actually it's dark chocolate peanut butter.
WAY better for you =]

Normally I make a bread at the beginning of the week so the hubby and I can enjoy it for breakfast.


And considering that I bough 56 cans of pumpkin puree, afraid that they would run out due to the season, I made pumpkin banana bread.


It was super moist, which is really the only way I like my bread.
And I used alot of natural ingredients, so I felt better when I ate half the loaf in one sitting.
Kidding 
Kidding
I felt really guilty




Pumpkin Banaynay Bread
adapted from: Peas & Thank you

Ingredients:
1 3/4 Cups Whole Weat Pastry Flour
1 1/2 tsp. Baking Powder
1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1 tsp. Nutmeg
1/2 tsp. Ginger
3/4 Cup Sucanat (or brown sugar)
1/4 Cup Vegan Butter, or canola oil
1/2 Cup Non Dairy Milk (Or regular Milk)
2 over ripe Bananas
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 Cup (Heaping) Pumpkin Puree

Pumpkin Butter (Optional)

Directions:
1. Combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices in medium bowl.
2. In a separate bowl combine butter and (sucanat) sugar, and beat until combined. Add milk, vanilla, & pumpkin and mix until incorporated. 
3. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients.
4. Now, if you want to, you can add pumpkin butter, which I made a few weeks back. Just take about a 1/3 cup of Pumpkin Butter, and using a mixing spatula, swirl it in the batter. You don't have to fully incorporate it, but just enough. If you don't want to do this, you can skip this step.
5. Pour batter into greased bread pan, and bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes.


Now go suck your thumb, lay on the couch, and wish you didn't eat 5 servings of grandmas sweet potato casserole. 




Thursday, November 25, 2010

Gratitude

Happy Thanksgiving =]
I truly love the spirit of today.
I have so much to be grateful for.
God has truly blessed me.

For starters;

This boy  man.



Yes, he ALWAYS looks this sexy.



He's perfect. Yes, perfect. He does so much for me, it makes me look like I'm one lazy butt.

Second of all;

I'm grateful to have gotten pregnant.


Feeling that little angel inside of me everyday was such an amazing blessing.
Of coarse, it wasn't too bad that I ate like an elephant, slept like a bear, and acted like a monkey sometimes =] 


Third;
I am grateful for epidurals and amazing nurses.



All which kept me sane safe, and helped me bring one of the greatest blessings in the world...

My baby!
I never thought one little human being could bring so much joy and happiness into my life. 



She's melted my hubby's heart.


She's been patient with me when I stick flowers, bigger than her body, on top of her head.


She let's me dress her up and buy her the latest baby fashions. All the while mommy is wearing sweat pans and maternity shirts stained with breast milk and spit up.
That's pure love people, pure love.





This has been ONE of the greatest years so far. Thank you for following along with me on life's journey!


Happy Thanksgiving day!

Now go get fat

Monday, November 22, 2010

Have you ever Tim Tam Slamed?

When I woke up this morning I noticed something terrible had happened,


I  someone ate all my peanut butter!!
(It was most likely, I'm pretty sure, probably not, me...)

So, I licked scrapped what was left of the depressing PB jar and spread it on an english muffin with banaynays and coconut.


This some how made it all better.

So this weekend I was out with the hubby, baby boo, and some friends, and we were walking around Cost Plus World Market when my husband demanded we buy these:


Apparently they used to be called Tim Tams. I have NEVER, for as long as I have known my husband, had him demand we buy something sweet. I mean, he's demanded a frozen box of taquitos before, but never chocolate...
I think I am rubbing off on him.

Anyways, he begins to describe these cookies and how he wants to do a Tim Tam Slam. Now he's just talking CrAsY, which isn't abnormal I must add. 
So, I let him buy is precious cookies, and off we went continuing our shopping adventure, all the while he repeated, "I can't believe you have NEVER done a Tim Tam Slam!!"
"Yes, I know sweety, it's pretty crazy"

Little side note; you can buy these cookies at Target, and they are actually called Tim Tams. You don't have to go to a Cost Plus World Market. 

So...Do you want to know how to Tim Tam Slam??!!

First get a mug ready for you and the friends,


Fill with your favorite hot chocolate.
The hubby's is Olvaltine. Wierd.


Ok, we're a weird couple.

Here is the hubby plating the cookies so I can take a lovely picture for the blog. He's so cute. He wanted to do it all by him self ladies and gentlemen =]


And here we have the Tim Tams.


So, you take your cookie, and bite a little bit out of one corner,

(He is SOOO excited)


Then you take a little bite out of the opposite corner.


Then you dip your cookie in the hot chocolate and suck, like a straw, out of one of the corners. Keep sucking till you get hot chocolate in your mouth and your cookie starts to melt.


Common' let's all try!


After your cookie begins to melt, and your getting a good amount of hot chocolate, shove that Tim Tam in your mouth! 


It's probably the most disgusting, yet delicious thing I have ever done. 
Thank you hubby for introducing me to your white trash dessert =]
kidding kidding
I think all in all we Tim Tamed 75 times.
Which resulted in Tim Tam hang overs.

And even though the next morning my stomach was crampin from Tim Tammin, I was still able to get ready for church, and take cute pics with my baby boo =]




Now remember, if anyone ever asks you to Tim Tam Slam...
Just limit your self

Cuz you may be rolling each other to bed