Black Bean Burgers

This recipe is made with things I keep on hand, it mixes up quickly, and you can make it either mild tasting (like I did) or spicy (as the original recipe indicated) just by the kind of salsa you use.  I use mild salsa all the time, it is one of the pantry items I always try to keep well stocked.

Black Bean Burger

• 1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed (or 2 cups cooked dry beans)
• 1/2 cup old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup flour (I used all purpose but they suggest oat flour or gluten free if necessary)
• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons salsa
• 1 tablespoon oil for pan (I needed more than that)

Mash black beans in a bowl with fork or potato masher (I used a ground beef masher).  Add the remaining ingredients except the oil and stir (or use your hands to mix like I did).  You may need to add more salsa if too dry and flour if it isn't holding together firmly (1 tablespoon at a time).

Form into 4 patties and brown in a skillet with oil on medium heat about five minutes the first side and three to four minutes the second side.  Black bean burgers burn easily so you do need to keep an eye on them.  

I served them without a bun, topped with extra salsa and chopped onions.  However, I have served black bean burgers I used to make from a mix as regular burgers and putting cheese on top.

These were delicious and while we do not eat vegan, your vegan friends will probably like them without any added dairy.  They are also gluten free if using the right flour and making certain the oats are gluten free (not processed where any gluten products are also processed).

The original recipe is from Jenn Sebestyen of the Veggie Inspired blog (and other social media).

Roasted Cauliflower

I have roasted veggies for a very long time but roasted cauliflower was a recent discovery.  It takes plain cauliflower and makes it SO yummy that I need to roast two cauliflowers for the three of us. It is low in carbs and much healthier than the deep fried equivalent.

Roasted Cauliflower
1 or 2 cauliflowers (or more)
Olive oil (regular, garlic, or lemon infused oil... or regular vegetable oil)
Salt (I like to use a seasoned salt like Lawry's).
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven at 375 degrees.  Although the original recipe I tried had the temperature at 400 degrees, I've found keeping it at 375 does a nice job roasting with less chance of burning the veggie.  One could pop it in the oven at 350 to roast while another item is baking... just add to the baking time.

Break the florets into smaller pieces and place on a baking sheet lined with foil or parchment paper (not necessary but it makes clean up easier).  Make certain you get all the cauliflower, even those tiny bits that fall off when you break the bigger sections into pieces.

Drizzle with olive oil and add salt and pepper to taste.

Bake about fifteen minutes, remove and stir to make certain all is coated with oil.  Drizzle with a little more oil if it is too dry.

Bake another ten or fifteen minutes... until the cauliflower is nicely brown but not burned.

Add more salt and pepper if necessary... serve hot (if you must wait before serving it, take off of baking sheet and place on a platter with paper towels to absorb excess oil).

This is SO good.  :)

Freezing Zuchinni

This post was originally posted on Coffee Tea Books & Me.

I shred the zucchini and then place it in a colander which is sitting on a plate to let it drain awhile. It stays there an hour or two and I "fluff" it when I think of it.

Some cooks salt the zucchini just a little to help take the moisture out but I prefer to let it sit in the colander since I'm using all of it for quick breads.

I then fill snack size ZipLoc bags with two heaping half-cup measuring cups of the green stuff. It's a little more than a cup total.

All of these bags came from just three zucchinis.

The snack size ZipLoc bags are placed in a gallon size ZipLoc bag. Since I'm putting a "bag within a bag", neither of them have to be freezer strength. I love snack size bags... use them for lots of things.

I froze the sliced zucchini exactly as above except they went into quart size ZipLoc bags and then in the gallon size for extra protection. I have read that some people like to blanch their sliced zucchini for about a minute but I didn't. I'm using them in soups and casseroles.

Freezing corn

The corn this year is especially sweet and that comes from (as I mentioned before) a corn snob. I won't buy corn on the cob in the grocery store. I'm sceptical of any corn I either 1) did not pick, or 2) buy from the back of a farmer's pickup truck down the road.

However, we were given corn recently so I happily accepted it and hubby shucked all the husks for me. I served some for lunch but froze the rest for fried (sauteed) corn this winter since I wasn't sure how old it was. In case you have never frozen corn, here are the easy directions (really easy if you got your husband to shuck the corn cobs!).

Bring a stockpot about 3/4ths full of water to a boil. Add corn into the water, one batch at a time. It took me two batches for this amount of corn. When the water comes back to a boil, set the timer for six to eight minutes (the smaller the corn, the less time it takes).

If you are freezing them on the cob, shock them by placing in ice water. If you are slicing the corn off into niblets, just drain them as shown above. This corn is draining on a clean dish towel.


When they have drained, I set them on the cooling rack I use for cookies until they are cool.


If freezing corn on the cob, after they have been "shocked" in the ice water and drained, place them in gallon ZipLoc freezer bags, getting as much air out of the bag as possible. Immediately place in the deep freeze.

I sliced this corn off the cob when it was cool enough to easily handle.


The niblets were placed into snack size ZipLoc bags. Since there are often only two of us at home, this size bag works very well for us. Otherwise I'd use the quart size bags or place them into freezer containers.


The individual snack size bags were placed inside a gallon size ZipLoc bag, especially since they are not freezer bags. The date was written on the larger bag (it can be used again and again when the smaller bags are all used).

I'm thankful now for the corn but how wonderful it will be to take it out in winter, sauteed in a little butter... or a lot... with a little salt and pepper... yum. :)

Sauteed corn

Doesn't that sound better than "fried" corn? My mother was from the south and there were few things she didn't fry. However, unless she was making succotash, she boiled the corn on the cob... but it is still in my genes... frying that is.

I am a self admitted corn snob. I won't buy corn cobs at the grocery store (unless they were flash frozen by Green Giant). I mean, really, I don't know where that corn came from. It wasn't grown on my beloved local soil (which also grows the best tomatoes... believe me). Picked this morning fresh is also preferred.

We were gifted with corn recently, soon after seeing corn fixed this way on a cooking show. It is absolutely delicious and my preferred way to cooking corn now.

Just cut the raw corn off the cob (carefully as the knife can slip) as close to the cob as you can. Heat a heavy skillet and then add as much butter as your waistline and checkbook can handle. Pour the corn into the skillet and salt & pepper to taste. Turn the heat down and saute about fifteen minutes on low to medium... see what works best for your skillet.

You'll need to keep an eye on it and stir from time to time to keep it from scorching. When done, pour into a bowl and serve immediately. This recipe was a huge hit in our house. It brings out that rich corn taste. Yum...

Oriental Slaw

This is from Laine's Letters. It makes a good hot weather side dish.

Oriental Slaw

6 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
4 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce (you may want to start with 1 Tablespoon... to taste)
1/2 Cup Olive Oil (or any vegetable oil)

Shredded Cabbage
Shredded Carrots
(or one package cole slaw mix)

Sliced Green Onions

Mix vinegar, brown sugar, oil, and soy sauce together.

Pour over veggies and let marinate about an hour or so, tossing frequently.

Thanksgiving Dressing and Broccoli Casserole

Mamaw's Dressing Recipe

Dry one large loaf white bread overnight. When dry, break up into a big bowl.

In large skillet, melt two sticks of butter. Add one chopped onion and a few stocks of celery, sliced. Slowly cook just until veggies are soft.

Pour everything into bowl. Whisk one egg and pour into bowl or mix egg into broth below and pour in together.

Mush all together along with 1 to 2 T. poultry seasoning. Add salt, and pepper (to taste).

Pour in just enough broth to make moist. (I end up using about 2 cups.)

Place into 9 x 12" buttered dish. Bake until brown, about 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Wash Hands!!!


The Broccoli Casserole is now on the Christmas Menu more often than Thanksgiving since my daughter-in-law or her mother brings Green Bean Casserole to the Thanksgiving meal.  But it is still a favorite side dish and made for "company meals" quite often.

Broccoli Casserole

2 Boxes frozen chopped broccoli
1/2 Stick butter-soft
1/2 Stick butter-melted
1/2 lb. Velveeta cheese
1/4 lb. (one sleeve) Ritz Crackers, crushed

Cook broccoli, drain. Add softened butter and cheese. Stir until cheese is melted.

Place in a 9 x 13 pan.

Mix crackers and melted butter. Sprinkle on broccoli mixture.

Bake 350 degrees for 20-30 min.