Culinary Cube

Stove Top Potpourri

Some combinations to try:

*Orange slices, or even just the peel, rosemary sprigs, whole vanilla bean, and a bay leaf

* Lemon slices (or just the peel), mint leaves, rosemary sprigs, and a whole vanilla bean

*Apple slices, orange slices (or just the peel), peeled ginger root, cinnamon sticks, cloves and cardamom

Place your items in a pot or Dutch Oven, cover them with water, bring to a boil, then reduce the temperature to a low or simmer. As it cooks down, you can add more water. You can even refrigerate it, add more water and reheat it.

Turkey Lettuce Wraps with Green Goddess Dressing

Wrap:

4 large lettuce leave (Boston, Butter, Romaine)

1/3 cucumber sliced very thinly

Tomato thinly sliced, a few slices

8 oz. organic turkey or ham, thinly sliced 6 pieces

Green Goddess Dressing:

1 avocado

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons chives

3-4 tablespoons fresh tarragon

1 teaspoon anchovy paste

1 1/2 fresh lemon juice, or more

Fresh ground black pepper

Make the dressing: Place the avocado, mayo, chives, tarragon, anchovy paste and lemon juice in the blender, blend until smooth and creamy, thin with lemon juice. Taste and season with pepper.

Place slices of turkey atop unfurled lettuce leaves, spread with dressing and add cucumber and tomato and roll up to create a wrap.

NOTES:

The original recipe calls for salt. With the anchovy paste, there is enough salt in the dressing.

The original recipe calls for avocado mayo (which is pricey.) Just use regular mayo.

I found it makes a real mess to try and wrap this sandwich. Instead, I put turkey on top of the lettuce with some dressing on top of that.

I didn't bother with the tomato, and I had the cucumber and small pile of dressing on the side to dip into. That worked for me.

Apple Pie Smoothie

1 apple, cored and diced

1 cup almond milk, unsweetened and unflavored

1/3 cup full fat coconut milk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp to 3/4 tsp. ground cinammon

Pinch of nutmeg (optional)

1 scoop protein or collagen powder

2 low cal sweeteners like Truvia

Ice, in smaller pieces

Dice the apple into tiny pieces (this helps it blend faster and smoother.) Add apple, almond milk, coconut milk, vanilla extract and cinammon to blender and blend. Taste for flavor in case adjustments have to be made. Add ice and blend again.

NOTES:

I core the apple then cut it into tiny pieces as I think it speeds the blending process along.

I have used the pinch of nutmeg in the paste, but it's so overpowering for me (even a pinch,) that I just skip it. That way I truly get an apple taste.

If you were serving for a guest, you could add two thin slices of apple on the rim of the glass, or in the center of the glass top, depending on the size of the glass.

Shrimp with Artichoke Hearts, Tomatoes and Olives

2 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 of a yellow onion, diced

2 garlic cloves

1 15 oz. can of unsalted diced tomatoes

1 8 oz. can of sliced black olives or 1/3 cup of other olives, sliced

1 15 oz. can of artichoke hearts, drained and cut into quarters

3/4 to 1 lb. shrimp, cut in half

1/8 cup of Italian parsley

Pinch of salt

Pinch of red pepper flakes

Black Pepper, a few grinds

Parmesan Reggiano Cheese, grated to taste

In a large pan or Dutch oven, add the onion and garlic and sautee over low heat. Add tomatoes, olives, artichokes. Keeping on low heat, simmer for five to ten minutes.

Add the shrimp and parsley and simmer for five more minutes.

Grate parmesan reggiano cheese over the mixture, to taste

NOTE: You can serve this with a small portion of cooked pasta either mixed in, which I prefer, or the vegetables places on top of the pasta. You can also use a variety of zoodles or rice. You can also serve it as a side dish with a protein.

Raspberry and Chocolate Smoothie

1 cup unsweetened unflavored almond milk

1/3 cup full fat coconut milk

1/2 cup to 3/4 cup raspberries

use cocoa powder, or chocolate protein powder, or Ensure (a small portion) or chocolate syrup or chocolate chips to achieve the chocolate flavor. I used about a third of a cup of Ensure for this drink.

1 scoop collagen or protein powder

2-3 drops vanilla extract

sweetener, such as truvia, as needed

ice

Put all of the ingredients, minus the ice, into a blender and run until smooth. Add 1/2 or more ice to blender and blend well. Garnish with a few fresh raspberries if you want the drink more decorative.

Four Mushroom and Barley Soup

Four Mushroom Barley Soup

1/3 cup dried mushrooms like porcini

1 pound of mushrooms (varied.) White, brown-cremini, shitake. Sliced or diced.

2 tablespoons oil

1 medium onion, diced

1 medium carrot, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 cup of barley, farro, or spelt

6 cups low sodium salt free beef broth (vegetable or chicken can be subtituted)

1/4 cup dry sherry

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon sherry vinegar

Prior to cooking put dried mushrooms in a separate bowl and pour 1 cup boiling water over them, letting them set for 20 minutes while you prepare the rest of the soup

Trim, slice and dice the rest of the mushrooms. Where there were stems, I diced them. The caps were sliced thinly.

Pour oil in a dutch oven and saute diced carrot and onion over medium heat, about ten minutes.

Add fresh mushrooms and cook until they release liquid, about ten minutes. If the pot seems dry, pour a tiny bit of water in.

Add broth, add reconstituted dried mushrooms. I add the garlic at this point so it hasn't burned in the earlier process. Add the barley, dry sherry, tomato paste and sherry vinegar.

Season the soup with salt and pepper.

Cook on low-medium heat for about 40 minutes until the grains are tender. Adjust seasonings and serve.

NOTES:

* I did use four different mushrooms, including reconstituted dried porcini. You could use one, if doesn't really matter. I like the variety of tastes and texture.

* I did use sherry products, but I imagine you could use red wine. I did have a tiny splash of balsamic vinegar to add. Also, a few shakes of Louisiana hot sauce if you wanted heat.

* I almost always use the Italian tubes of tomato paste now rather than even the tiniest cans which means an open can of leftovers. The tube can allow you to get a tablespoon at a time and refrigerate it until needed again.

* You could turn this into a cream of mushroom soup with a litte cream added. You will get a very dark broth as you see in the photograph, which I wanted to reflect a January winter meal.

* I think you could also slightly increase the amount of grain, if people wanted that for a carb substitute, rather than bread on the side.

Peach & Almond Butter Smoothie

1 cup unsweetened, unflavored almond milk

1 tablespoon almond butter

1-2 drops almond extract

1 peach, pitted and diced or 1 cup frozen peach slices

1 scoop of protein powder or collagen power

Sweetener (2 packs Truvia)

Broken down ice, about one cup

Pinch of nutmeg (optional)

In a blender, combine all ingredients, minus the ice (if using.) Go through first blend, then add ice and blend again. Garnish with a fresh peach slice or a pinch of nutmeg.

Notes:

* I use fresh peaches, seasonally. During the cooler months, I use sliced frozen peaches. I've also used white peaches, which have a sweeter flavor.

* Even though the original recipe says you can use nutmeg, I find even the smallest amount is still too much for the delicate flavor of this smoothie.

* When I've been short of almond butter, I have also resorted to using regular peanut butter, crunchy or smooth.

Covid Cosmo

Ina Garten posted a photograph of herself on Instagram, holding a comically large martini glass full of the cocktail, Cosmopolitan. With bars and restaurants still closed down during the pandemic, it seems timely to be posting cocktail recipes that can be made in large batches to divulge in during the week.

Duke's Hotel, London

Ina posted a Cosmopolitan cocktail which is true for the one I usually make. She borrowed this from Duke's Hotel in London which uses fresh lemon juice, but I've always used lime juice and which Garten also uses in her own concoction.

Duke's Cosmopolitan

4 ounces freshly squeezed lemon (lime) juice (two lemons.)

4 ounces Cointreau liqueur

7 ounces Cranberry juice

7 ounces vodka

Dash of raw egg white (optional)

Ice

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In a pitcher, stir ingredients together: lemon juice, Cointreau, cranberry juice, vodkka and egg white (if using.)

Fill a cocktail shaker halfway with ice and pour enough of the drink mixture into the shaker to almost fill it.

Shake the cocktail for a full 30 seconds (it's longer than you think) and strain into martini glasses.

Serve ice cold.

NOTES:

* I doubled the recipe

* I used lime juice

* I used Tito's vodka

* I skipped the egg white

* Because I fell short of vodka, I used up the last of Italian limoncello liqueur that I had (maybe a fourth of a cup.)

YIKES!!!!

Banana Bread Cake

Ingredients:

Non-stick baking spray, for the pan (baking spray has flour mixed in)
8 tablespoons (one stick) salted butter (melted and cooled)
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs (beaten)
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4-5 over ripe bananas, mashed

1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1-2 tablespoons sugar, if you feel it is needed

Turbinado sugar, for covering the top

Directions:

1) Preheat the oven to 350F°. Spray an 8x8 pan with non-stick baking spray or line it with parchment paper.

2) In a stand mixer with paddle attachment (or in a large bowl with a hand-held electric mixer), beat together the butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla until well blended. Add the bananas and mix until combined.

3) In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Add the dry ingredients in to the wet ingredients and beat until just combined. Add the pecans (if using) and mix until combined.

4) Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly. If you wish to follow this step, sprinkle the Turbinado sugar over the top. The author recommends covering the who surface completely with sugar; as much as you like. This and baking sugars maintain their crystallization and give a pleasant crunch.

5) Bake until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes. Let the bread cool slightly in it's pan on a rack. Slice and serve warm with salted butter or cream cheese.

6) When completely cooled, cover the pan with foil and store at room temperature for up to two days.

Makes eight servings

MY NOTES:

* I've made this recipe about four times and it's come out perfectly each time.

* The recipe calls for an 8x8 pan. I am going to try it with a bundt pan the next time I make this. I think as long as the banana isn't in big chunks (which she says you can do) but rather smooth, a bundt pan should work. I would warn you should leave cakes in bundt pans about a half hour for ease in removing. I put the pan on a large cooling rack.

* The recipe calls for salted butter. You are already using salt in the batter recipe. I don't think it's needed. I've always used unsalted butter.

* The recipes says 4-5 bananas. I've always used five. I make sure they are fully ripened and I slice them into the mixing bowl before using the hand mixer to get a really smooth batter. Just a matter of personal preference. Also, with more banana, I have never felt the need to add extra sugar to the batter.

* I've always used the chopped pecans, because I am used to making banana bread this way (my mother's recipe which is on this blog.) It is stated you can also use chocolate chips as a substitute for the nuts. I'm not sure I would like that combo, but I agree that it would work.

* I do use the Turbinado sugar over the surface of the batter. It makes a nice crunch. I do not use it thickly, although I suppose you could.

* As an aside, it says the prep time is 15 minutes, cooking is 45-50 minutes. You might even get buy with 40 minutes depending on how your oven runs. Let cool 5-10 minutes...or longer.

Rossi Pasta

I discovered this pasta company called Rossi Pasta in Marietta, Ohio. It may be the same company I used to have available through Whole Foods where they had extra long pasta in spinach or tomato. There are truly no artificial ingredients in these dried pastas. I made the "Tomato Basic Garlic" recently and have the "Parsley" still to use. It's hard to explain what makes them so unique other than you would think dried pasta is dried pasta, yet this product has a remarkably fresh taste. It costs more than the boxed pastas from Italy, but oh so far superior.

The company link is: https://www.rossipasta.com/

….and now I won't forget again when re-ordering. There is only one shop (in Ellicott City) that carries this line and one in North Truro on Cape Cod in Massachusetts.

Poultry Stock

When making stock from chicken or turkey carcasses upon which little meat is left, there are two points to be made:

First, use them quickly, without waiting for them to get dried up and stale.

Second, it is a mistake to cook them too long, or a strong and unpleasant flavor of bone will result (this is what makes pressure-cooked stocks so horrible) and the stock will be cloudy. Whenever possible, it is a great improvement to add a small portion of raw veal or beef when making such stocks, and to add onions, carrots, celery and herbs.

~~ Elizabeth David

Kathy's Rum Cake

Just Out of the Oven

Kathy's Rum Cake

Ingredients:

1 package yellow cake mix (other flavors also work great)

1 package instant vanilla pudding (the 3.5 ounce small box)

4 large eggs

1/2 cup rum (it can go up to one cup)

1 cup plain yogurt

1 cup poppy seeds (optional)

1/2 cup vegetable oil

Directions:

1) Beat all of the ingredients at medium speed for five minutes. Pour into a greased ten inch bundt or cake pan.

2) Bake for one hour at 350 degrees.

3) Cool fifteen minutes then turn out.

A Special Art Deco Shaped Bundt Pan

Glaze:

1/4 cup butter

2 cups powdered Confectioner's Sugar

2 to 4 tablespoons milk, cream or hot water

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Melt the butter in a saucepan or microwave. Add to the powdered sugar. Add the milk-water and vanilla extract. Stir to blend, beat until smooth and creamy. Add a bit more milk if necessary.

Drizzle the finished glaze over the cake. You can vary the glaze by adding other extracts or citrus zests.

NOTES:

* I used Duncan Hines yellow cake mix

* I used a medium brown rum as it's all I had

* I used a Greek full fat plain yogurt which fell slightly short of one full cup, so I added a few teaspoons of sour cream to fulfill the measurement.

* I skipped the poppy seeds

* I used Wesson oil.

*For the glaze, I microplane zested a navel orange and juiced the entire thing.

* I used cream instead of milk

* I forgot the vanilla extract (duh) but it came out fine. And after going to buy a good quality bottle. Shaking head at self.

* I didn't wait 15 minutes for a cool down. The non-stick pan made the cake quite brown so I put a rack over the top and turned it, then let it cool outside the pan.

About five minutes in I put the glaze over the cake, with wax paper under the cooling rack, then reused it two more times in the coating process. The fresh orange gave it a brisk, clean flavor.

Con Queso Rice

Con Queso Rice

Ingredients:

2 cup black beans
1 1/2 cups white rice, uncooked
1 teaspoon salt
3 cloves garlic, peeled and diced
2 small onions, chopped
1 four-ounce can, chopped green chilies
1 fresh jalapeno, chopped
1 pound Jack cheese, shredded
1 pound cottage cheese

Directions:

The original directions call to cook beans from scratch, but for ONE cup of beans? Use canned, drain and rinse.

Cook rice with 3 cups of water, a pinch of salt, for twenty minutes. Cool slightly.

Mix rice, drained beans, garlic, onions, and chilies in big bowl.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Butter a large casserole. Cover bottom with a layer of rice, a layer of the bean mixture, then a layer of cheese and cottage cheese and repeat to the level you wish. End with a layer of rice.

Bake for 30 minutes. Add final sprinkle of cheese and cook 5 minutes more.

Serves 6
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NOTES:

This recipe came originally from Diet for a Small Planet, a hippy Bible for wholesome cooking in the late '60's, early '70's. The original recipe was bland and this has been spiked a bit more.

I didn't have white rice (I usually use Basmati) so I used a frozen Trader Joe's brown rice, which was fine, but I think overall, the recipe would benefit more visually and taste wise with white. I used about four cups cooked, which fell a bit short of the quantity it should be. This lead the layers to be thinner than I think it should be.

I used one can of black beans and that was more than enough. It gave a sprinkling effect of beans throughout the rice, little dots of color and didn't seem excessive.

I used one large clove of garlic, not 3, and a small onion. I sautéed the jalapeno and onion briefly, then added the garlic at the very end. I wanted it pre-cooked briefly rather than raw, even though it would bake in the oven later. I mixed all of this with the beans and rice.

I also used small containers of cottage cheese. I half thought about blending it to get rid of curds. A pound of cottage cheese would have been the large container. I would never eat that much, so I used about three small containers, less than half a pound, and by mixing it in with the rice and beans, you didn't notice the texture.

The store I was at didn't sell Jack cheese in a block, so I used mixed pre-shredded Cheddar Jack mix. I think it needs something sharper with the Jack, because even with the chilies the dish was bland.

You were supposed to end with a layer of rice, I ended with a layer of cheese for the crusty effect, and all told, I made about two layers in a 9 x 13 casserole Pyrex dish.

I can see this as a side dish with grilled meats. It's a bit much as a main, and I only ate a small portion then others ate it as leftovers.

The dish needs something else. The chilies don't produce enough heat. A shake of just about anything would help: cayenne powder, chipotle powder, hot sauce, salsa.

Orange, Tofu, and Bell Pepper Stir-Fry

Ingredients:

1/4 cup canola oil, divided
5 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
1 (14-oz.) pkg. extra-firm water-packed tofu, drained and cut into 3/4-in. cubes
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1 cup thinly sliced yellow onion
1 cup sliced green bell pepper
1 cup sliced red bell pepper
1 tablespoon thinly sliced garlic
1/2 teaspoon grated orange rind
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 (8.8-oz) pkg. precooked brown rice (such as Uncle Ben's)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1) Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Combine 1/4 cup cornstarch and tofu cubes in a bowl and toss. Add the tofu to the pan and cook eight minutes or until golden brown, then remove from the pan.

2) Combine remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch and orange juice in a small bowl. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon of oil in pan over medium high heat. Add onion and bell peppers and cook one minute. Add juice mixture, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar and salt and bring to a boil. Stir in the tofu.

3) Place 1/2 cup of rice on each plate and top with 3/4 cup of the tofu mixture. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro, if desired.

NOTES:

* This dish is considered a 20 minute main. By using the mise en place technique (everything measured and ready to be entered), you can make this time limit.

* You can use a variety of rices. I had basmati brown rice on hand. Also Trader Joe's frozen brown rice, but instead I used a Mahatma yellow rice.

* You can use a variety of vegetables in this dish. I didn't have cilantro, but would have used it if it were available. I did not use an orange, but I did zest about one tablespoon of fresh ginger from a knob to use up the ginger. I could also see using broccoli florets, snow peas, and a variety of other things, including different types of tofu such as "aged."

* I was out of unseasoned rice vinegar so used Mirin instead. There was no noticeable difference.

* The sauce does make a lovely sticky glossy sauce that is a combination of sweet, sour and heat (from the red pepper flakes.) I found I had to play around with the sauce to make more and to get a better balance in the flavor. I kept adding small portions of orange juice, a little more orange zest and squeezed the rest of the fresh orange into the sauce. You can also add hot chili oil found in the Asian section of markets.

* I made a smaller portion of rice, but even then, there was some rice left over which is fine. It can be worked into something else tomorrow. The vegetable portions were all gone. I would definitely add more vegetables than the recipe calls for. I used carrots cut on the bias.

The Perfect Pitcher of Margaritas

The neighbors wanted to work up the perfect recipe for a pitcher full of Margaritas. Ingredients were a given. The issue was "quantity" and "measuring."

Ingredients:

1800 Resposado Tequila (750 mgl bottle)
Grand Marnier (250 mgl bottle)
3 Fresh Limes
Bottle of Margarita Sour Mix
Bottle of Simply True Limeade
3 cups of ice cubes

Directions:

Halve and juice three fresh limes. Place in pictcher, pulp filtered out.

Pour in 1 1/2 cups Margarita sour mix

Pour in 1 1/2 cups Simply True Limeade.

Stir.

Add 4 1/4 ounces Grand Marnier

Add 9 ounces of Tequila

Add 3 cups of ice

Stir with a gang-related stiletto switchblade.

As you can see from the photographs, we kept upping the ingredients. This is our recipe for this week. It could change on a dime.

Shrimp Salad With Fennel And Radishes

Ingredients:

1 small bulb fennel
1-1/2 pounds shrimp, diced into 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 cup minced dill
4 radishes, trimmed and shaved
Bibb or Boston lettuce

Sauce:

1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Kosher salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Steps:

If using fresh shrimp, shell and de-vein and cook (or use frozen shrimp and thaw), drying the shrimp before making salad. Shave a small fennel bulb. Shave four radishes after trimming.

Mix together sauce of mayonnaise, olive oil, lemon juice, mustard and salt and pepper.

Gently mix both shrimp and dressing together and serve on Bibb or Boston lettuce leaves, or on toast or a croissant.

Notes:

* I used a good count sized frozen shrimp which I ran under hot water and removed tails, then patted dry and cut into 1/2 inch pieces.

* I used even less than a small bulb of fennel, because I didn't know how my guests felt about raw fennel, and I looked on it as a celery substitute. Any leftover fennel I have, I will use to make a braised fennel with roasted walnuts and saffron over fettuccine dish I have in my repertoire and is posted on this blog. While I did use a Mandoline to shave the radishes, I diced the fennel in very small pieces like celery, not sure if my guests would want to bite down on a large, shaved piece of fennel.

* I thought the dill would be overwhelming (I used fresh). It was not.

* I followed the sauce, to the letter. I might use less mayonnaise if I make this again.

When I served this, some ate it as a salad over chopped lettuce. Some had theirs on a croissant with lettuce on the sandwich. It would also be nice as a part of a cold plate.

Carrot, Kale and Tomato Tagliatelle

Ingredients

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1 medium shallot, diced
1 1/2 cups carrots, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 can diced tomatoes (14.5 oz.), drained
4 oz. tagliatelle pasta
2 cups kale leaves, chopped
1/2 cup white cannellini beans
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 tablespoons capers
sea salt and freshly ground pepper
freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Preparation

Bring a pot of water to boil and cook pasta, timed to it's directions. Drain and put aside.

In a large pan, heat the olive oil over a low flame. Add shallot and sautee until soft, about two minutes.

Add the chopped carrot, oregano, minced garlic, red pepper flakes and cook until lightly browned, about five minutes.

Add the white wine, balsamic vinegar and drained diced tomatoes. Simmer for about 10-15 minutes.

While this is cooking, lightly toast pine nuts in a empty pan. Watch carefully and take off before they brown as they will continue cooking.

Stir in the chopped kale and it will wilt down in about 1-2 minutes. Add the pasta, cannellini beans, toasted pine nuts, capers and any other herbs (chives, parsley, Italian mix, etc.)

You can season with salt and pepper, to taste, and add grated Parmesan cheese which is optional.

My Notes

* I used fresh pasta which cooked in just minute . I cut the pasta into 5-6 inch strands so it would stir better in the pan and be easier to eat.

* I used grated carrot, not chopped. Instead of using red pepper flakes, I finely diced a scotch bonnet type pepper, which was quite small but packed punch. If making again, I would use just a tiny bit of this type of pepper. I used fresh tomato since it was seasonal. I used a rose wine that I already had opened and I used a larger caper than I normally have on hand. (I usually buy the very small ones. For whatever reason, the caper I had on hand was about the size of a garden pea.)

* I think you can play very loose with this recipe. Add more pasta, carrot, beans, kale, etc. Play with varied herb flavors. Add a protein like chicken or tofu. Use fettuccine or linguine. Brown rice variants.

* There were various components that shined through: the tang of the balsamic vinegar, the brine of the caper, the heat of the pepper. It was an interesting and flavorful melding.

* I used a chiffonade cut on the kale. I used a sturdier large leaf kale and removed the rib. You could easily use spinach, baby kale, maybe even broccolini rabe.

* I did not use salt or pepper as the cheese had salt, and I had put in heat with the red pepper.

Black Bean Burger

Black Bean Burger

2 scallions (white and green parts), cut into large pieces
2 large carrots, cut into pieces
1.2 medium red bell pepper, cut into chunks
1.4 cup cilantro
(all of these ingredients can be in large pieces because they are being pulsed in a food processor)

1 15-oz, can of black beans, rinsed and drained

1.2 cup quick cooking oats (note: quick cooking, not just rolled oats)

1.2 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Ground Cumin
1 tsp. Chili Powder
Pinch of Cayenne Pepper
1.2 tsp. Salt
1 tbs. Ketchup
1 large Egg
3 tsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil

4 Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns, Split
4 Lettuce Leaves (Romaine or Bibb)
1 Roma Tomato Sliced
1 small Red Onion, sliced

1) In the bowl of a food processor, combine the scallions, carrots, red bell pepper and cilantro and pulse the vegetables until they are finely chopped, 2 or 3 pulses. Transfer the vegetables into a large bowl.

2) Put the beans in the food processor and pulse until finely chopped, 2 or 3 pulses. Add the black beans to the large bowl.

3) Put the quick oats in the food processor and pulse until finely ground. Transfer the oats to the large bowl.

4) Add the garlic powder, cumin, chili powder, cayenne pepper, salt, ketchup and egg into the big bowl. Mix well and form into four patties.

5) In a 12-inch (or larger) skillet, set over medium high heat, heat the 1 1/2 tsp. of olive oil. Add two of the patties and cook until crisp on one side, about four minutes. Carefully flip and cook until the second side is done, about four minutes. Transfer to a paper toweled plate. Add more cooking oil and cook the last two patties.

Serve on toasted, grilled buns with lettuce, tomato and onion.
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So that's the official version. Here's what I found out and what I would do the next time:

The vegetables are fine, and the bean-oats ratio is good. After I made these, I searched out about seven more black bean burger recipes, two of them called "spicy," and in honesty, including the spices, most of them used the same ingredients (minus the carrots, scallions and red bell pepper.) In a few there was a tad more cumin or chili powder, but one problem, overall, with black bean burgers seems to be in the flavoring--how to boost it without drilling a hole in your stomach lining from "too much." I found these bland, so I need to work up some changes. I think it will be in concocting a chipolte mayonnaise using mayo and adobe peppers in chili sauce, and not much is needed of that.

When you are pulsing all of these ingredients in a food processor, it should be a visual process. Two to three pulses, mentioned in the recipe, won't do it. You have to watch out and not hit "puree" status, but you also don't want solids. Watch each use to make sure you're there. Think "minced."

Most of these recipes use bread crumbs, and a full cup versus the 1/2 oats of this one. I prefer using oats. They pulse down to powder quickly.

I would probably add anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 tsp. more of cumin. I would probably do two shakes of the cayenne. Maybe just a tad more of the chili powder. I think the chipolte mayo would pick up most of the bland issues.

I don't eat raw onion, so that was out, but I did use a good quality whole wheat bun, and I did use Boston lettuce and a Roma tomato. They added a lot, surprisingly.

Banana Bread -- Mom's and Chocolate Bits Banana Cake

Mom's Banana Bread

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup butter

3 ripe bananas, mashed

2 tablespoons sour cream, yogurt or milk

1/2 cup chopped nuts (or 3/4 cup)

2 large eggs, beaten

Have butter and eggs at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Put in parchment lined or greased 9 x 3 loaf pan.

Shift flour, salt and baking soda.

Mix butter and brown sugar, then add eggs and mashed bananas.

Work flour mixture in gradually.

Add nuts

Bake in 350 degree oven for one hour, check at 50 minutes.

Chocolate Muscavado Banana Cake

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup plus one tablespoon Muscavado (dark brown) sugar

3 medium bananas, mashed

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 large eggs, room temperature

3 1.2 ounces dark chocolate (shaved, chips or nibs)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. You will need a non-stick loaf pan 9.5 x 5 x 3 inches deep lined with parchment paper.

Sift the flour and baking powder together.

Using an electric mixer cream the butter and dark brown sugar together until light and fluffy and pale coffee colored.

Put the bananas in a bowl and mash them with a fork. Gradually add them into the butter and sugar mixture. Stir in the vanilla extract. Whip the eggs and beat them into the sugar butter mixture. Introduce a teaspoon of flour at any sign of curdling.

Chop the chocolate into the size of fine gravel, or use tiny chips or nibs and fold into mixture. Add 1/2 cup pecans if you wish nuts. Gently fold in the flour and baking powder mixture.

Scrape the mixture into a lined loaf pan and bake for about 50 minutes. Insert a skewer to see if it comes out clean at the end. Let the cake settle in the pan for a few minutes, then lift out by paper and let cool on a regular surface. Carefully peel off paper. Serve cool in thick slices. Very good with cream cheese.

NOTES:

The major variation between the two is baking soda versus baking powder. The Muscavado recipe gives you a smoother, more cake like texture. The baking soda version, Mother's, give you more of a normal fruit bread like texture which is darker and coarser.

I always put chopped pecans into banana bread, so it's not an optional with me, and I usually use slightly more than 1/2 cup.

I grew up buttering and-or flouring cookie sheets and baking pans. More and more I find myself turning to parchment paper.

Using dark brown Muscavado sugar versus light brown means you are adding more molasses and therefore a deeper flavor which complements and doesn't obscure the banana flavor.

Curried Chickpeas and Brown Rice

4-6 Servings

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup minced shallots
1 clove garlic, minced (or more to taste)
2 cups brown rice, rinsed and drained
4 cups cold water
1 cup cooked chickpeas (rinse, if canned)
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup diced carrot
1/4 cup diced celery
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pinch of sea salt
1/4 cup fresh or frozen peas
Whole or chopped roasted cashews, for garnish

Directions:

* Heat the oil in a heavy saute pan over medium low heat. Add the shallots, garlic, carrot and celery for 2-5 minutes to soften. Stir in the rice and spices and stir another 2-3 minutes.

* Add all of the remaining ingredients except the green peas and cashews into the pan. Cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, stir and cover. Simmer for 45-50 minutes and the water absorbed and rice tender.

* Remove the pan from the heat and let sit for ten minutes. Add the peas and transfer to a server bowl or plates. Garnish with cashews.

Notes:

* I didn't follow the directions at all. I used the baked brown rice recipe, also on this blog, and improvised.

* I used basmati rice, canned chickpeas, Thompson raisins which seemed nicer than Sunshine.

* I put oil in a large saute pan and cooked the garlic, shallots, celery and carrots over low heat at the time recommended. Then I added the chickpeas and raisins and spices, followed by the water which I let come to a low boil.

* Once the water was heated, I poured all of this into a 9 x 13 pyrex glass casserole, sealed with heavy duty aluminum foil and baked for about an hour.

* I mistakenly added the peas during the cooking process, which was fine, but it blanched the bright green color out. I would add them lightly sauteed at the end in the future.

* I bought raw cashews at Whole Foods, about a cup, and I roasted them in an iron skillet with a tiny bit of coconut oil which has a higher cook point. Given the size of the dish, and how people want to eat the cashews while they sit roasted, I would seriously consider putting two cups of cashews out to top the dish.