I heart cooking clubs- Potluck

This week's theme at IHCC was Potluck, so basically I could pick any Mark Bittman recipe I wanted. I decided to give the Simplest Bean Burgers a whirl, and I am so glad I did! These are, hands down, the best alternative burger I have ever tasted. They were also so dang easy! I had some leftover pinto beans in my fridge, so that is what I used for my beans but I think canned beans would turn out just as yummy!

Ingredients:

2 cups well-cooked white, black, or red beans or chickpeas or lentils, or one 14-ounce can, drained

1 medium onion, quartered (I used dehydrated onion)

1/2 cup rolled oats (preferably not instant)

1 tablespoon chili powder or spice mix of your choice

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 egg

Bean-cooking liquid, stock, or other liquid (wine, cream, milk, water, ketchup, etc.) if necessary

Extra virgin olive oil or neutral oil, like grapeseed or corn, as needed

I also added about 1/2 a cup of cheese to our burgers and a 1/4 cup stewed tomatoes. They were a little loose so next time I would use tomato paste or he also recommends ketchup.

1. Combine the beans, onion, oats, chili powder, salt, pepper, and egg in a food processor and pulse until chunky but not puréed, adding a little liquid if necessary (this is unlikely but not impossible) to produce a moist but not wet mixture. Let the mixture rest for a few minutes if time allows.

2. With wet hands, shape into whatever size patties you want and again let rest for a few minutes if time allows. (You can make the burger mixture or even shape the burgers up to a day or so in advance. Just cover tightly and refrigerate, then bring everything back to room temperature before cooking.) Film the bottom of a large nonstick or well-seasoned cast-iron skillet with oil and turn the heat to medium. A minute later, add the patties. Cook until nicely browned on one side, about 5 minutes; turn carefully and cook on the other side until firm and browned. 3. Serve on buns with the usual burger fixings. Or cool and refrigerate or freeze for later use.

"Wheatie" Joes

I love sloppy joes. They are simple and yummy. My husband, the not too much meat guy, isn't quite as fond of them. So over the last 11 years that we have been married I have tried to find a compromise. This is one of them. By using cracked wheat in place of ground beef, I keep most of the flavor that I love and he gets a meatless meal. Also using cracked wheat is cheaper than ground beef. So I guess it is a win-win-win situation. I have tailored this recipe to my family's taste, feel free to do the same. You could even do half ground beef and half cracked wheat. This makes enough for about a dozen wheatie joes, depending on how much of the mixture you want in each bun.

Ingredients:
4 cups beef broth
1 cup of cracked wheat (or you could also use bulgur wheat)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2- 1 onion, chopped
1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
1-2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp. mustard
1/2 cup ketchup
2/3 cup barbecue sauce

1. Bring the beef broth to a boil over medium heat. Add the cracked wheat and cook until all the liquid is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Stir frequently.
2. Chop onion and bell pepper and saute in olive oil until they just start to brown. Add in garlic, and saute about two more minutes.
3. Add the sauteed vegetables to the cooked cracked wheat. Mix in mustard, ketchup and barbecue sauce.
4. Serve on buns. Top with cheese if desired.

Mexican Bean and Rice Soup

This soup is "soup-er" easy. Okay, forgive me, I am not usually one for bad puns! I promise, no more. Anyway my family really loved this soup, especially the hubs! There are only a few ingredients and I had them all in my pantry. This is a great food storage recipe. I got the recipe from my husband's aunt.

Ingredients:
2 (16-oz) cans refried beans
3 c. vegetable broth (I used chicken because that is what I had)
1 can corn, drained
1 c. cooked rice
1 c. mild salsa

Place beans and broth into a pot and stir well to mix. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, add remaining ingredients, cover and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

I served with tortilla chips. You could also add cheese and sour cream. This soup really was dead easy and so quick!