Black Bean Burgers and Seasoned Oven Potatoes

You have seen that we are trying to eat healthy.  That is the inspiration for this recipe.  I did a lot of research on black bean burgers.  I had never made them before.  We had eaten them but had never made them.  I love, love, love to create recipes, so when my husband said, let's make (meaning me) some black bean burgers, I was up for the challenge.  I have made the seasoned oven potatoes for years, so they were the perfect match.  They are a bit lighter too and you could certainly make them with sweet potatoes.  I just had white potatoes in my pantry, so that is what I used.  Just use what you have.

Black  Bean Burgers

Ingredients:
2 cans of whole black beans, rinsed and drained
1 small white or red onion, minced
1 carrot or 5-6 baby potatoes, minced

1 bag of frozen corn
1 tsp Seasoned Salt
1/2 Tbsp Garlic Pepper Seasoning
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 to 3/4 cup plain bread crumbs

Mash the beans until you get a coarse paste.  Add the onions, carrots, seasonings and mix well.  Add the egg mixture and mix again.  Start off with 1/2 cup of the bread crumbs and mix well.  If it appears too sticky add the rest and mix well.  Create patties, you should get 6 out of the batch.  Let rest while you prepare your potatoes.

Seasoned Oven Potatoes

Ingredients:
4-5 potatoes, cut in half and then sliced
1/4 cup Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Seasoned Salt

Place sliced potatoes in a bowl, add olive oil and seasoned salt.  Toss to coat and pour out onto cooking sheet making sure they are all flat on the sheet.  Bake at 475 degrees while you are cooking the burgers (about 15-20 minutes), turn at least once during the cooking time.

Cook the burgers on a griddle or grill pan greased with olive oil until browned and firm.  I cooked 4 and then 2 to make sure they all cooked evenly.

Serve with a bun (or not) and your favorite toppings. 

An Ode to The King In Muffins

I have always liked Elvis and you may know or you may not, that he really liked peanut butter and banana sandwiches. Well, this is my tribute to him. 

Ingredients:

Banana Chocolate Chip Bread Mix

1/3 cup natural peanut butter

1 1/2 stick of melted butter

1 cup water

1-2 tbsp cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 350. Melt the butter in a microwave safe dish. While it is still hot, add the peanut butter and whisk well. Add the water and then the Banana Chocolate Chip Bread mix. Stir until just combined. With a teaspoon, spoon into a mini muffin pan. Line your counter with wax paper and using a sifter or strainer, dust with cocoa powder. 

Bake for 20 minutes and cool on a wire rack. These make a great dessert for the game day, holiday get together or other gathering.  If you are having a large crowd, you better make a double batch. ;)

Split Pea Soup

I love the fall and this is one of my favorite things to take that is warm, filling and pretty good for you.  Your tastebuds will be happy, happy. 

Ingredients:

1 bag of green split peas, rinsed and drained

3 baby carrots, minced

1 stalk of celery, minced

1-2 tbsp Onion Onion

1 tbsp Garlic Pepper Seasoning

1 tsp Seasoned Salt

2-4 turns of a black pepper grinder

1 pkg of ham cubes, rinsed and drained 

8 cups of water

Add all ingredients to a large soup pot. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1.5 hours or until the peas are soft and the broth is thickened some. For a thicker soup, add a slightly cooled cup of the soup mixture to a blender and blend until smooth. Add back to the soup and cook until thickened. Serve with  Bountiful Beer Bread or crackers. 

Uncle Bob's Wahoo! Beans

This recipe was inspired by my Uncle Bob, my dad's brother. He made an awesome spicy bean and sausage soup when we visited them in Texas and my mom replicated the recipe when we got back home. It became a family favorite and now it is a favorite with my family. I had to Tastefully Simple-ize it and below is the result.

Ingredients:

2 lbs of pinto or cranberry beans, soaked overnight and rinsed

1 lb of breakfast sausage or chorizo if you prefer, browned and drained

1 tbsp Onion Onion

2 tbsp Wahoo! Chili Seasoning

1 tbsp Seasoned Salt

1 tbsp Garlic Pepper Seasoning

8 cups of water

Brown the sausage with the Onion Onion. Drain. Add the beans, sausage,seasonings and water to the slow cooker. Cook on low heat for 6 hours then high for 3 hours. This is best to be done on a weekend or a day off. It will totally be with it. Stir the beans occasionally and don't forget the Bountiful Beer Bread or corn bread. 

Wahoo! Chili

As the name of the products suggest it is fantastic to use in any chili recipe. There are so many other uses for it as well from tacos to chicken to fish seasoning.  This versatile product is a must have in your pantry. Stock up though, it is only available for a limited time.

Ingredients:

1 lb of ground meat, we use ground chicken

2 tbsp Onion Onion

3 tbsp Wahoo! Chili Seasoning

1 tbsp Garlic Pepper Seasoning

Cracked black pepper to taste

2 cans of chili hot beans

2 cans of red beans, light or dark

2 cans of black beans

1 6oz can of tomato sauce

1 can of petite diced tomatoes, use just diced tomatoes if you like it chunky 

1 can of vegetable juice cocktail (tomato juice

1 small can of tomato paste

Brown the ground meat with a splash of olive oil and Onion Onion.  Drain if you are using ground beef or pork. Stir in the Wahoo! Chili, Garlic Pepper Seasoning and black pepper. Stir and cook for a minute or two to "bloom" the spices. Add your tomato sauce and diced tomatoes and stir. Add each type of bean and stir between each type.  Do not drain the beans!  You need that liquid to thicken your chili. This I have learned over the years. Add about 3/4 of the juice. And stir. Cook on medium until boiling, stirring occasionally. Once boiling, turn down to low to medium-low and simmer for about an hour. The chili will thicken some. If you have added too much juice, add about half the can of the tomato paste and stir well to melt it into your chili. 

My husband likes a pasta or macaroni product so halfway through the simmering time, add not quite half a box of pasta.  Stir well. This may make your Hoosier style chili really thick, so add some more of the tomato juice. 

Serve with your choice of toppings and ENJOY!

Incredibly Simple Taco Dip

Made this for a work pitch in. Oh my goodness!!  Of course I had to use Tastefully Simple. Ha!

Ingredients:

2 cans of fat free or Vegetarian Refried Beans

1-2 tablespoons Wahoo Chili Seasoning or Fiesta Party Dip Mix if you like it spicy

1 8oz block of Neufchâtel cream cheese, softened 

1 cup light sour cream

1 tablespoon Garlic Pepper Seasoning

2 green onions, chopped

1 tablespoon chopped cilantro

1 pound ground meat of your choice, browned and drained (we use ground chicken)

1 tablespoon Onion Onion

1 8oz package of mexican blend shredded cheese

1 8oz package taco blend shredded cheese, with seasonings
1 jar Corn and Black Bean Salsa

Brown your ground meat with the Onion Onion. Drain if needed and set aside. In a medium mixing bowl combine the cream cheese, sour cream, onions, cilantro and Garlic Pepper Seasoning.  Add beans, Wahoo Chili, and mexican blend cheese. Mix well and pour into greased 9x13 baking dish. Top with Corn and Black Bean Salsa and taco blend cheese. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 25 minutes or until the dip is bubbly and the cheese is melted. Garnish if you like and serve warm with tortilla chips. 

Simple Ham and Bean Soup

We found a ham bone in the freezer, score!  Since it is starting to turn cool outside, what a perfect time for some bean soup. Yum!  

Ingredients:

Left over ham bone or ham hocks 

2 pound bag of great northern beans or your favorite, soaked overnight

2 Tbsp. Onion Onion

Cracked black pepper

8 cups water

Place your ham bone in a large slow cooker.

Add Onion Onion

Add your beans

Now your water and cracked pepper.  If you like more garlic use Garlic PepperSeasoning instead of the cracked pepper. 

Set your slow cooker on low and cook 6-8 hours. 

Serve with Bountiful Beer Bread or Bountiful Corn Bread (see Tastefully Simple website for the recipe).