Nonburger Burgers

The only time I remember having a veggie burger is from when I was a kid. It was one of those crappy, frozen patties that tastes like cardboard. And this was likely before 2002. Since I've been trying to eat more healthy and try new foods, I've seen a lot of great recipes for kale burgers, black bean burgers, and many others! I (obviously) haven't gotten around to making any of these, but now I can say I have!

The flavor of these burgers was absolutely amazing! I think they were a bit dry, but I'm guessing that comes with the territory. Adding just a bit of ranch (or buffalo ranch) added some great moisture and even more flavor to it. I'd definitely make this again!

Nonbuger Burgers-adapted from Food Network
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Serves 4

• 2 ounces olive oil
• 3 tablespoons onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons black olives
• 2 tablespoons red pepper, diced
• 1 teaspoon jalapeno, diced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoons artichoke hearts, chopped
• 4 ounces cooked black beans
• 4 ounces cooked chickpeas
• 4 ounces cooked white beans
• 6 ounces rolled oats
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground sage
• 2 tablespoons seasoned bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 4 burger buns
• 4 slices cheese

Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute all vegetables except beans until translucent.

In a large bowl, mix beans with vegetables and mix thoroughly. Add in all other dry ingredients and egg and mix well. Then pulse the mixture in a food processor until you can form into patties. Form into patties and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Saute in a skillet over medium heat with 1 teaspoon oil until darkened on both sides. Serve with cheese, bun and burger fixings.

Sausage and Chicken Cassoulet

I can safely say I've never  made a cassoulet before. And I can also say I was greatly surprised by this dish! It was flavorful, yet relatively easy to make! The only down fall is that it takes about an hour to fully cook everything, but for a Sunday night dish it would be perfect! There's plenty to feed the family and it's definitely hearty!

Sausage and Chicken Cassoulet-adapted from Best One Dish Meals by Pillsbury
Total Time: 1 hour
Serves 4

• 4 slices bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 4 bone-in chicken thighs
• 1 cup matchstick carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 6 ounces Polish sausage, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) great northern beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes with roasted garlic, undrained

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, cook bacon over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove from heat and set aside, leaving grease in pan to cook chicken.

Add chicken to skillet and cook about 4 minutes, turning once, until it starts to brown. Add spices and vegetables to skill and cook another 3 minutes, until vegetables start to brown.

In an ungreased 13x9 inch baking dish, mix sausage, beans, tomatoes, bacon, carrots and onion. Top with chicken thighs.

Cover pan with foil and bake about 45 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked and vegetables are tender.

Little Smokies

I made these for watching football and the fights last week. It's pretty much your standard recipe, but still tasty!

Little Smokies-adapted from More Make it Fast, Cook it Slow by Stephanie O'Dea
Total Time: 4 hours
Serves 8

• 28 ounces little smokies sausages
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 cup brown sugar

Grease the inside of a 4-quart slow cooker. Combine all ingredients and mix well. Cook on low for 4 hours, or high for 2 hours, until sausages are warm throughout.

Artichoke, Edamame and Asparagus Salad

I made a mistake when I bought the ingredients for this recipe. For some reason, I didn't think to grab the shelled edamame from the freezer section. This made it a bit harder to eat as you can't really eat the shells, but you could still tell the flavors that were there and I'd definitely make this again.

Artichoke, Edamame, and Asparagus Salad-adapted from Health Magazine
Total Time: 15 Minutes
Serves 4

• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 14-ounce can artichokes, quartered and drained
• 1 cup frozen shelled edamame
• 1 pound medium asparagus, trimmed and cut diagonally into pieces

In a salad bowl, combine garlic, oil, lemon juice, oregano, salt and pepper; whisk well. Add artichokes and toss gently. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the edamame and cook for 2 minutes. Add asparagus and cook until asparagus and edamame are crisp-tender, another 2 minutes. Rinse under cold water and drain well.

Add asparagus and edamame to artichoke mixture and toss to coat.

Salsa Quesadillas

This is a very simple, quick recipe to make when you just don't feel like cooking. We have a quesadilla maker, so just put the ingredients together in there, however, I did put the recipe from the book that discusses how to make this in a skillet.

I do have to admit the absolute fail I did while making Scott's quesadilla. I definitely forgot to put the additional tortilla on top and closed the quesadilla maker. Let's just say, it was a mess to clean up. You could add additional ingredients or meats to this as you choose-really make it your own!

Salsa Quesadillas-adapted from Meals Made Easy by Real Simple
Total Time: 15 Minutes
Serves 2

• 4 8-inch tortillas
• 1 cup shredded taco cheese
• 8 ounce jar chunky store-bought salsa
• 1 green onion, sliced
• 1 teaspoon olive oil, per quesadilla

Lay one tortilla on a flat surface and place half the salsa, cheese and onion in the middle, leaving a 1-inch border. Place in quesadilla maker with second tortilla on top and cook for recommended cooking time.

If using a skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Place tortilla with ingredients on the skillet, with second tortilla covering. Cook about 2 minutes per side, or until cheese is melted and tortillas are golden and crisp.

Cut tortillas into slices and serve with sour cream, guacamole, or additional salsa.