Adventourous Black Bean Burger

As you know, I've been chronicling my year of learning to cook and experimenting with new recipes. Up until the other day, however,there hasn't really been a lot of experimenting going on. I've been following recipes carefully and closely, always careful not to wander too far off the beaten path least disaster follow. With my cooking confidence at an all time high after my foray into the ice cream cake relm, I decided I was ready to go rouge (well,somewhat). 


Ever since the weather has gotten warmer, my appetite has begun to make its transition from craving warm comfort foods, to colder, lighter foods. I've been on a fruit and veggie kick (more so than usual if that's possible), but since I still need to make sure I'm getting enough protein, I had to get a little creative...hello black bean burger! I've been wanting to try making my own veggie burger patties for a while now and with the summer grilling season quickly approaching, there seemed like no better time than the present to give it a whirl. Since I had about a cup of already cooked black beans that I broke out of the freezer before heading to work that morning, I just has to find a  base recipe to guide me. Then the experimental alterations began. As I mentioned earlier, I wasn't totally rouge since I used a recipe to set up the foundation for which the finished product was born; but after this creation I am definitely in ridding a bike with only one training wheel territory :)


Veggie Black Bean Burger
(original recipe found on a blog with a similar name)


Ingredients

• 1 cup black beans (cooked)
• 1/4 T ground flax seed + 3/4 T water
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/2 T tomato sauce
• 1/8 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 cup veggies (blended in food processor...I probably used a little more for fun)

Preparation

1. Peel garlic, chop in food processor on high
2. Add black beans, cumin, and salt to processor. Pulse until mixture resembles a chunky black bean dip
3. In a small bowl, mix together ground flax and water. Let stand for 5 minutes
4. Transfer mixture from food processor to large bowl, stir in bread crumbs, tomato sauce, flax and veggie mixture
5. Cook--either on grill or frying pan. I ended up doing both because the grill pan I was using wasn't conducive to the burger's delicate structure and it kept breaking apart in the slats. Live and learn. It was still delish!

Celebration Ice Cream Cake

After spending the past week being treated to some southern(ish) hospitality, CHEAP eats, and delightful spring weather, I have returned to the east coast and my dear blog. While away, I didn't remain entirely out of the kitchen. In fact, one of the top orders of business on my Oklahoma agenda was making a birthday cake for TF. (Yes, I'm still in birthday mode almost a month after the fact). This year has definitely set the record for longest amount of time for which a birthday can be celebrated. Our birthdays are within a week of each other, so we both got to enjoy some delayed, but wonderful, homemade treats during my visit. 

I'd been scouting recipes for weeks in preparation and was both nervous and excited to see how my chosen recipe would turn out. I've never in my life made an ice cream cake (and for years was quite frankly perplexed as to how they even made them). After building up my confidence the last couple of months, I decided I was ready to plunge into the frozen tundra of ice cream cakes...partially at least. As it was, I ended up starting in the shallow end this time instead of plunging head on into the deep waters of ice cream cake crafting. Enter: chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream bars. 

As soon as I saw this recipe I was sold. When it comes to desserts, chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream tops TF's list of favs. As noted by the blogger that brought this wonderful recipe into my life, TF and I often complain that the cookie dough pieces in chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream are often few and far between, and this is frustrating to say the least. This delightful find eliminates that worry and allows for undisturbed and blissfully proportional ice cream and cookie dough indulgence. 

My only disappointment is that the melted chocolate began to harden before I finished my decorating, so some of the M&Ms were forced to rest on top of the chocolate rather than being held in place

Ingredients

[Original recipe found here]

• 1 batch prepared chocolate chip cookie dough [I ended up doubling because the pan I was using was a little larger and 1 batch wasn't enough to cover the bottom]
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
• 2 tablespoons milk (I used skim)
• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips [I remain partial to Ghirardelli] 
• 3 cups vanilla bean ice cream
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips [for a fun twist, I used Ghirardelli dark chips for this portion]

Preparation

1. Set ice cream out to allow it to become slightly melted while preparing the cookie dough, this will make it easier to spread out later
2. Mix cookie dough ingredients together and line bottom of pan evenly. [Original recipe called for a 9x9 pan, I used a large spring form pan]
3. Spread vanilla ice cream over cookie dough layer, cover and freeze for an hour
4. Once ice cream is frozen, place chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl
5. Melt chocolate in microwave in 30-second increments, stirring in-between
6. When chocolate is melted, spread evenly over ice cream layer [decorate quickly if you dare], cover and re-freeze for an hour or until ready to serve
7. Cut into bars and enjoy!

Best cookie dough to ice cream ratio that's ever graced my pallet 

Beating me to the punch, TF greeted me with homemade birthday cookies

And capping off the visit/extended birthday celebration--birthday ice cream from my beloved Braum's

Asparagus Arrives

One of my favorite things about spring is the plethora of fruits and veggies that come into season. During my beloved winter months, I often find myself longing for the fruits of summer, one brighter than the next. With the earlier than usual arrival of spring (or summer on some days) I was reminded just how much I missed this joyous food season during my family birthday party a few weekends ago. Since it was my day, I got to pick the menu and with hardly a second thought, requested the presence of a fruit tray. We had real food too because, unlike me, the rest of the family prefers to have a little more sustenance, but I would have been happy sitting undisturbed with my giant fruit tray. 


Nonetheless, after that weekend I was in full on fresh food mode. My mom let me take all the leftover fruit back to the District with me and I was able to begin my favorite summer tradition of bringing a small fruit salad to work as part of my lunch ensemble. To further excite me, I wandered into the Safeway by my office one day and was greeted by beautiful bunches of asparagus on sale for $1. There are two things I love most in food: bright, beautiful colors and a good deal. In that trip I found them both and was on cloud nine. 


Unfortunately, with so much going on last weekend, I almost missed getting to enjoy my wonderful find! It wasn't until Sunday evening, when I realized I was leaving town for a week soon, and only had two more days to eat or freeze all the fresh produce currently occupying my fridge, that I made time to cook up some of my asparagus. 


Over the years, as my love of asparagus has grown, I've come to appreciate it in a variety of ways: grilled, steamed, tossed in a salad cold. Oddly, what I realized I rarely do with it is bake it. I'm not sure why, but it was quick, painless (except when I burnt my hand on the 400 degree over rack), and did not disappoint.   

Roasted asparagus topped with a three cheese blend

In my continued effort to use veggies up...spinach pita pizza topped with the remains of my pasta sauce

Roasted Asparagus

1. Preheat oven to 400 F
2. Wash and trim desired amount of asparagus (yet another thing I love about asparagus...how easy the bottoms snap off)
3. Lay asparagus on baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil, salt, and pepper
4. Bake for 10-15 minutes (depending on desired firmness)
5. Top with cheese, bake for an additional 1 minute or until cheese is melted
6. Enjoy!

St. Patty's Day Fun

In addition to Saturday being the half marathon, it was also the only holiday that I've found to be more fun as an adult than as a child. Growing up I actually hated the "day of green." I think this was largely do to the fact that I owned little to no green clothes (it was never really a color I gravitated to) so it was always burdensome to find something to wear to keep people from touching me all day (I also don't like to be touched, let alone pinched). As I've gotten older, green has infused itself into my wardrobe and now it's no longer a question of if I have something green to wear, it's more deciding which delightful green item I should adorn on this joyous occasion. 

Although I spent the majority of the day resting up from the race so that I could  celebrate to the fullest later on, I still found time to whip up a little holiday treat in Mr. Red. I realized I had even seen his smiling face since my first (and last) baking project in him and that simply was not ok. I mustered the strength to bake about two hours before I had to meet up with everyone, so I was somewhat limited in what I could take on. Sugar cookies had been all that I could think about for the better part of the afternoon, so I decided to whip up a recipe I'd found a few months back and loved, cutting them into cute little clovers and decorating them with some festive sprinkles. Yes, I have sprinkles and cookie cutters for every occasion (or so I thought). As I went to get out the cute little clover cookie cutters I envisioned in my giant cookie cutter box, they were nowhere to be found. As I scoured the side of the box for their picture, I was shocked and appalled to find they weren't included in the mix. Literally the only cookie-appropriate holiday not represented! Fear not, I'm resourceful. I let go of the shamrock dream quickly and end up just making circles...I guess that's not really resourceful so much as it is me just wanting to make some cutout cookies so I'd have something to put my festive sprinkles on :) And at the end of the day, I still have a fun cookie and recipe to share!

Easy Sugar Cookies

Courtesy of All Recipes

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll out dough on floured surface and cut with cookie cutters. Place shapes onto ungreased cookie sheet
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks
4. Decorate icing (I used my favorite buttercream recipe from Martha) and festive sprinkles

Happy Belated St. Patty's Day!!

Celebrating the day of green with two of my loyal readers

Half Marathon Pre-Race Fuel

Since this blog is also supposed to be about running, I guess it's about time that I have a running related post. In addition to being one of the greatest holidays of the year, Saturday was also the DC Half Marathon. I am a big fan of this race. Because DC is so small, the half literally takes you around the whole city. I did this race for the first time last year and loved it so much that when Alicia expressed an interest in doing it this year I was thrilled. This year, the race fell on St. Patty's Day, allowing us to not only run and enjoy all the fun incorporations of green in the ensembles of our fellow runners, but to also spend the rest of the day celebrating with a little less guilt.


One of my favorite parts of running long distances used to be the pre-race pasta dinner. I'm always encountering people that think vegetarians spend their days downing pasta. Perhaps surprisingly to many, I probably eat less pasta since becoming a vegetarian than I did before. I used to love the grain, but perhaps as a result of consuming it too frequently during my ill-experienced cooking years in college, I find more often than not that I have to really mentally psych myself up to get in the mood for a pasta dinner. (This is admittedly another of my weird food tendencies) 


To help get me excited for my pre-race meal, I decided a new pasta recipe was in order. Not wanting to spend too much time cooking the night before the race, I was thrilled when I discovered a 10 minute sauce recipe while browsing the pasta aisle at market. I'm not a huge sauce person and this allowed me to combine the needed sauce to prevent the meal from being too dry with my love for chunky tomatoes. The results did not disappoint and I was carbed up and ready to go for race day. 

Pasta with 10 Minute Sauce


Ingredients

• 1 box, whole wheat pasta (I usually just go with whatever looks good to me on a given day)
• 2 14.5oz cans petite diced tomatoes
• 1 cup onion, diced 
• 1 cup diced tomatoes
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• 4 tbsp olive oil

*I also tossed in some fresh broccoli to add some extra nutrients and color

Preparation

1. Cook pasta according to directions on box
2. While pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Saute onions until tender (about 5 minutes)
3. Stir in tomatoes, garlic, and Italian seasoning. Simmer for 8-10 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste
4. Drain pasta, pour sauce over pasta and serve. Enjoy!

Alicia and I pre-race

Finished! Ready to start celebrating

A big part of why I run...that and the post-race pancakes I had prior to this

Potluck Breakfast

I don't work in an office that affords me the opportunity to bring in baked goods very often. This is not to say that it's forbidden. On the contrary, I think people would love it if I brought in baked goods (which is actually becoming more of a possibility since the arrival of Mr. Red) on a regular basis. Usually when any morsel of food appears in the kitchen it is gone within minutes, but I like to have an occasion to bake for. Sadly, after the annual holiday party, it's pretty much quiet in the officina until Halloween comes back around. So, when word of a going away potluck breakfast for a coworker spread, I couldn't wait to contribute something. 


When I think breakfast baked goods, my mind automatically goes to muffins. I am my father's daughter, I love a good muffin. I think more than anything I love the versatility of the muffin. They're a great excuse to use up any overrippened fruit you have laying around (or in the freezer--which is where I keep a steady supply of bananas that passed their prime before I was ready for them). My biggest problem with muffins is narrowing down what I want to put in them. This time, with my banana reserve at an all time high, I knew they would be included and ended up merging them with two of my other muffin staples: cinnamon and oats. The result did not disappoint. Although I wanted to try a new recipe this time (and didn't have any apples on hand) this recipe would also make a great muffin. 

Banana Oat Muffins
Adapted from All Recipes


Ingredients

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup rolled oats (plus extra for topping)
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup mashed bananas
• 1 tsp cinnamon (I LOVE cinnamon so am always very generous with it)

Preparation

1. Combine flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, soda, and salt
2. In a large bowl, beat the egg lightly. Stir in the milk, oil, and vanilla
3. Add the mashed banana, and combine thoroughly. Stir the flour mixture into the banana mixture until just combined
4. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper bake cups, and divide the batter among them. Top with oats and cinnamon (if desired)
5. Bake at 400 degrees F for 18 to 20 minutes

Tabouli Time

With the unseasonably warm weather we've been having this week in the District, cooking (especially warm foods) has been the furthest thing from my mind. Instead, aside from my taking my new mixer for a test run, I have found myself spending more time outside than in the kitchen. Although I love winter more than most people, this is the time of year I love having a dog and my neighborhood. The dog park has been filled with lots of friends for Bax (some she likes and some she doesn't)...and sometimes I think I like going there more than she does. 


Today I decided to break my no-cooking pattern and try my hand at something I've been craving for a while now, tabouli. When the weather gets warm it becomes nearly impossible for me to eat warm foods, ever. I literally don't eat soup from about mid-April until early October. Yes, it's true, I have weird food tendencies. With temperatures breaching 80, my craving for a cold bowl of tabouli was at an all time high. I had two choices. I could take the easy way out and stop at one of my favorite restaurants on the way home (for the record, Zorba's is way too close to the metro) for some take out tabouli, or I could toughen up and finally try to make it myself. Feeling ambitious, I went with the latter. Thanks to google, I found a super easy recipe that only required one thing that I didn't already have in the home. With wheat bulger in tow, I took the plunge. Not only was it at least as good as my beloved Zorba's, but it made a ton. As we know, I'm still new to this whole cooking thing and having leftovers that allow me to avoid cooking still makes me happy. I'm pretty much set for the rest of the week...


Homemade Tabouli
Original recipe found here

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Ingredients

• 1 cup boiling water
• 1 cup Bulgar Wheat
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
• 1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
• 1-3 tomatoes, diced 
• 2 cucumbers, seeded and diced (mother got me hooked on English cucumbers so I always have those on hand which eliminated the seed issue)
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 teaspoons sea salt

Preparation

1. In a large mixing bowl, pour the boiling water over the bulgar wheat and cover; let stand about 20 minutes until wheat is tender and water is absorbed
2. Chop vegetables and cilantro (this was fun for me because I got to use the new peeler I got from sister)
3. Add the chopped herbs and vegetables and toss with the wheat bulgar
4. Drizzle the oil, lemon juice, and sprinkle the salt over the wheat mixture and mix well. Chill (I sped this up by sticking a small portion in the freezer for about 5 minutes)
5. Serve with pita and enjoy!

Happy Birthday to Me

The only thing I love more than my birthday is stretching out my birthday. In recent years, doing so has become somewhat of a past time (this year I'm on track for a new record...I'll keep you posted). Reaching this goal was easier when my parents lived on the east coast and I was still in school in Oklahoma as I was guaranteed a second celebration when I visited for spring break. Now that I live much closer, the dragging out process takes a little more effort, but I'm getting good at it.

Last Monday was my real birthday and after celebrating with friends last weekend, this weekend was devoted to birthday part 3 (I had a wonderful birthday dinner on my real birthday as part 2) with the family. I was more excited than usual this year because I had asked for one specific gift from my parents. My request was made back in January, so the anticipation had only increased as the months passed. I've gotten some delightful birthday presents over the years, but only few have risen to the level of excitement and anticipation that this year's gift did. As I was presented with it my excitement reached Kristin Bell sloth receipt levels...although I'm currently reserving such a reaction for the receipt of my next dog (Bernie, the Bernese Mountain dog). Nonetheless, without further ado, I am now the proud owner of a red, Kitchen aid stand mixer. He is everything I dreamed he would be and has effectively eliminated my main reason for marrying (I joke, but receiving this delightful invention was about 85% of why I wanted to get married). Instantly added to the top five of best birthday gifts ever. 

I'd hoped to try out the newest addition to my kitchen upon returning to DC, but I got back too late and had to wait til today to put Mr. Red to use. It was more pressure than I expected trying to determine what to make in him first. I wasn't in the mood for anything too sweet (probably because my sugar high from the cake my grandmother made me was still alive and well) and since I'm doing a half marathon on Saturday I wanted to keep it somewhat healthy. Enter, the oatmeal raisin cookie (altered by my favorite site). They were just what I needed to get my mixing fix, although just writing about the experience is making me want to bake again, so I may just start bringing treats to work so I can keep mixing without having to worry about eating the fruits of my labor. Either way, I'm officially in love with my new toy!

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 large egg white, lightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup raisins
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup sifted cake flour
• 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Preparing for the first mix

Poor Bax, she was exhausted from the dog park but wanted to be part of Mr. Red's first baking run. Even after I shattered my mason jar and made it rain brown sugar on her head, she remained. She was rewarded for her faithfulness

Let the mixing begin!

First baking project done!

Preparation

1. Position rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or coat with cooking spray
2. Whisk together sugar, applesauce, egg white, oil and vanilla in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in raisins. Stir together oats, cake flour, whole-wheat flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet with a wooden spoon, mixing just until blended
3. Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto a prepared baking sheet, spacing cookies about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake until lightly browned, about 15 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool

A Birthday Cake for Alicia

Growing up, birthdays were always a big deal in my house and it wasn't long before I grew to love everything about them: cake, presents, and an entire day devoted to me. Even as I've gotten older, my love for birthdays lives on, and in some ways has grown. I now find myself not only getting excited for my own birthday, but also for the birthdays of my friends as well. In fact this year, I was more excited for the birthdays of others than my own!


Although this post is almost a month overdue, celebrating my own birthday on Monday got me in the mood for it. Because I am a firm believer that everyone should have a cake on their birthday, I enthusiastically jumped at the opportunity to make one for Alicia's big, quarter-life celebration. While I have been making cakes for some time, I have just recently started to venture away from old reliable (also known as Betty Crocker) and into the real world of baking from scratch. I have historically struggled with icing consistency (inevitably it's either too runny or so thick I can't get it to spread). Not this time. It was the most perfect icing I could ask for and the perfect accompaniment to Martha's classic vanilla cake. This is definitely one I will be making for many birthdays to come!

Martha's Versatile Vanilla Cake

Courtesy of Martha Stewart

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for pans
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour two 8-by-2-inch cake pans, tapping out excess flour. In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. With mixer on low, beat in eggs and yolks, one at a time. Beat in vanilla. Alternately beat in flour mixture and buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture; mix just until combined.
3. Divide batter between pans; smooth tops. Bake until cakes pull away from sides of pans, 32 to 35 minutes. Let cool in pans 10 minutes. Run a knife around edges of pans and invert cakes onto a wire rack. Let cool completely.
4. Place one cake, bottom side up, on a cake stand. Tuck strips of parchment paper underneath. Using an offset-spatula or table knife, spread top with frosting.Top with remaining cake; frost top, then sides. 

Sing and enjoy!

Roasted Veggie Strudel

When I started this blog I worried I would run out of recipes and have nothing to write about after a few weeks. To my surprise, I feel like I have more recipes than I know what to do with! Unloading my camera over the weekend, I was greeted with photos of wonderful meals past that I was socked to learn I’d yet to share with the world. And, to make matters worse, I was without internet for most of last week and the weekend, putting me further behind! Silver lining though, you'll be guaranteed a slew of recipes from me for the foreseeable future! 

One of the first photos to come off my camera was actually the first recipe on my cooking journey that didn’t turn out as planned (or pictured). It was still a good learning experience, and more importantly, still tasted delish. In assessing my failings I attribute my problems (the final product was supposed to be a strudel rather than the flat mass that I ended up with) to the use of too many vegetables (even though I really never believe you can have too many veggies in your life). So here we go, what was intended to be roasted vegetable strudel.

Roasting the veggie assortment

Baked (sadly flat instead of rolled)

Served with a little sauce and parm in an effort to put my own spin on my failings

Roasted Vegetable Strudel

Courtesy of Proud Italian Cook

Ingredients

• 2 zucchini
• 1 large eggplant
• 1 large red pepper
• 1 small onion
• 3 garlic cloves 
• Cheese blend (shredded)
• Phyllo sheets

Preparation

1. Dice the veggies, drizzle with olive oil, S&P and roast at 425F until tender and golden
2. Most important tip when using phyllo: keep it covered with a damp cloth as you go layering it. For this recipe it was recommended that 6 sheets of phyllo be used (I probably used 8-10 to try and get it to roll but eventually gave up
3. When you reach the final sheet, spread your vegetables all over leaving about a 2" border all the way around 
4. Scatter your favorite cheese combination on top of the veggies, I used a six cheese Italian blend. Fold up the border ends over the vegetables then carefully roll up starting up on the longer side until it becomes into a log (this is where my failure came and I just left it flat and baked it as it was
5. Bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes or until top is lightly browned. I wish you better luck than I had at rolling it, but if not, it's still worth a try!