Homemade Red and Black Bean Burgers...

I made these today for my family. I took a recipe and tweaked it and made it my own.. So this is the recipe I came up with...

1 16oz can Black Beans (drained and rinsed)
1 16 oz can Red Beans (drained and rinsed)
1 green pepper
1 med onion
2-3 stalks of celery
3 cloves of garlic
2 eggs
2 Tbls chili powder
2 Tbls cumin
2 teaspoon hot sauce
1 Cup bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375. Line baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with olive oil spray.

In a bowl mash beans with a fork until thick and pasty.

In a food processor finely chop the onion, celery and green pepper.

In a small bowl stir together egg, chili powder, cumin and hot sauce.

Stir egg mixture into the mashed beans. Mix the bread crumbs into the mashed beans until the mixture is sticky and holds together. ( this is where I take off my rings and use my hands!)

This will make 8 burgers. I just grab some and shape the burger in my hands.

Bake for 10 minutes per side.

Garnish as desired..


If anyone makes these I would love to hear how they came out.. If anyone changes the recipe I would love it you would share the changes.

My baby turned 15 yesterday

Time has flown so fast.... It seems like just yesterday I was changing her diapers. Now she is 15 and getting ready to test for her driver's permit... The Monkey has turned into such a beautiful young woman. She has a beautiful heart and a beautiful soul. I truly don't think she knows the word hate. She loves everyone and treats everyone the same... She doesn't see black and white or gay and straight. She sees a person. I have learned so much from her.. I honestly hope that she never changes. I will try to post some pictures of her through out the years this weekend. Lola

Wow... It has been like forever!

Can't believe how long it has been since I have been on here.. I was sitting at work yesterday thinking that I really need to get back to blogging. I enjoy it...

Work is going awesome.. I totally love working at HSN. I am currently still in Customer Service but I have my eyes set on different departments...

The Monkey is back to homeschooling.. After some difficult times at the public high school she approached me stating she isn't being challenged and wants to come back to homeschooling.. Can't say that I was not happy! I actually did a little dance.. She will be doing Virtual School again. She already has started taking the Drivers Ed course. I can't believe that in a week and three days she will be fifteen! Geesh.. Seems like just yesterday she was born..

I have taken a new hobby on.. I am determined to grow some of my own veggies... I currently have a lime tree and a lemon tree ( I know neither of which are veggies) growing. I planted carrots. I am waiting for my Earthbox which should be delivered today along with the Staking Kit. I think I am going to grow some zucchini squash in that... If all does well then I will be purchasing more.

We have gone back to being vegetarian. Frankie and I have decided that we felt much better eating a vegetarian diet.. So we decided to go at it again... It has been only four days but it is easier this time around. I have pretty much cut out the soda. I drink carbonated water that is naturally sweetened. I do drink ginger ale when I drink whiskey but other than that maybe two sodas a month.


Hope everyone has a blessing filled day!

Lola

Another week down.. Another week closer to CHRISTmas!!

HE HE!

I bet you can't tell what my favorite time of the year is??? I can't believe it is almost here. It seems that this year just flew by sooo fast.. I haven't even started shopping.. But I have decided that anyone we are buying for gets gift cards with the exception of Little Man, his momma, my mother and father in law and The Monkey. We know what The Monkey's "big" present is. But for obvious reasons I will not post it (Sohttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifrry Mohttp://www.blogger.com/img/blank.gifnkey if you are reading this and thought you would find out! Love you! I can tell you it is NOT a trip to Cardiff.) Little man... Well, we are looking at ride on power wheels for him... Maybe ShaSha and Papaw can find one that is a Mustang... Oh yeah!! lol.

Work is going splendid... Everyday I love it more and more... Of course some think I am crazy for loving it but hey, it makes work so much better when you are doing something you love. I love talking with people and I love being able to help them.. Amazingly my checking account has not suffered from working here I have only managed to buy two containers of meal replacements. Chocolate and Pina Colada. I made the Pina Colada with Coconut milk and it was great. The Chocolate I used Almond milk. Also good. The only thing was they were sweeter than expected. but still very good.

I redid my hutch yesterday. It was very disheveled. So I took everything off and made it pretty.. I used the three sets of dishes I received for CHRISTmas last year... Two from my father and his gf and one set that I bought myself. Now I need to get my table cleared so that I can put my sewing machine up and finish Little Man's quilt.. Yes, I am still NOT done... I am almost though... I just have to finish the quilting and add the binding. I am half done with the quilting... He should receive the quilt by college graduation.. LOL!











"To God Be The Glory Great Things He Has Done!"



JMFK 11/27/2010 Gone but never forgotten

wooo Finally able to sit for a few and post!

So sorry about slacking in my blog posts.. Working a full time job has kicked my butt with the sleeping schedule. I work at a call center as a Customer Service Rep Hybrid (means I can also take sales calls). Let me just say I LOVE my job!! It is so awesome.. My shift is 3pm until 1130pm. Perfect for me.. BUT I have a temporary shift change and am working 9am until 530pm. I have pretty much decided that my decision to take the later shift was the correct one.. I do not like the day shift as much.. But it is still fun.. Some of my friends have gone to the email/chat team because they would rather not have to talk to people but instead email or im them.. Not me! I love getting to talk to the people. Hearing their excitement, anger, disappointment etc... I love helping them out!

The Monkey has adjusted amazingly to high school. She loves it... She is making friends and loving life. She has her first boyfriend. He lives in Cardiff.. He is a cutie...

The Boy.. We love him very much...

Little Man has been starting to use the big boy potty! Yay! ShaSha ordered him his own big boy potty chair. I can't believe that end of next month he will turn two. Where did that time go?????

My friend and her daughters came and stayed. They now rent a unit in our complex (we have some that are rentable. Most are owner occupied). It works for everyone.


As for us.. Well, life is great.. Frankie also got a job working at the same call center. He is currently in training but seems to be enjoying it. Frankie and I incorporated meat back into our diets this week. We did seafood and yesterday hamburgers (grilled). The Monkey is not overly thrilled at this but we told her it was a decision that we made and we weren't going to force her to choose the same.







"To God Be The Glory Great Things He Has Done!"



JMFK 11/27/2010 Gone but never forgotten

I am on a new routine now... I am employed. Yup, employed! I am in training now from the hours of 2pm until 1030pm. After training (6weeks) my normal schedule is Wed-Sun 3pm until 1130pm. I am totally in love with my job.. Enjoying training so much..

Wednesday I thought was going to be a bad day.. I was brushing my teeth and part of one my fillings came out. But the day turned out great!! I still need to get to the dentist to get it fixed but it really isn't bothering me (knock on wood!)

I have to say with me working my family is all pulling together. My hubby has been helping with the shopping and the chores (on his own) and Monkey is doing awesome helping out.

Tonight my friend and her three daughters are coming in from MA.. I am pretty excited. They will be staying with us for a little.








"To God Be The Glory Great Things He Has Done!"



JMFK 11/27/2010 Gone but never forgotten

We finally broke down and admitted we need a second vehichle. With me starting work (oh yeah, I will tell you about that in a little) on the 5th of July we realized that yes vehicle number two can't wait. We will be going out today and looking.

My job... In May I sent a resume on a whim to HSN. Imagine my surprise on a Sunday night in June when I checked my email before bed and saw one from HSN asking if I wanted to set up a time for an interview. Hubby was not on call on Wednesday so I made it for then. I was offered the job during the interview! All I could think of was "I can't wait to call my mother in law." So after a background check and a drug test I start in July! I am so excited... It is like waiting for CHRISTmas morning...










"To God Be The Glory Great Things He Has Done!"



JMFK 11/27/2010 Gone but never forgotten

What a year..

Frankie and I celebrated our 1 year anniversary on the 19th of June... It has been an amazing year... We had our great times and a few sad times...

For our anniversary we went away. We stayed at Snug Harbor from Friday until Monday... It was wonderful. We reserved the On Golden Pond Room and had a breakfast basket delivered daily... This inn is wonderful. The inn is ran by a husband and wife. All the rooms are named and decorated after plays they both appeared in. Our bed faced a window that looked out over the Boca Ciega Bay. The atmosphere is so relaxing. We swam in the pool (which is heated) and were able to enjoy drinks while doing so. I thought it was a riot when blackbirds got into the deep end of the pool to cool off (they stood on the ladder) and a little crane type of bird came and sat on the step next to where we were and just cooled himself off... Online reservation was easy (deposit equaled to one night stay is required), check in and out were problem free (check out we just called and said we were leaving. Left the key in our room) I love it here and am thinking of reserving our anniversary weekend there next year... This place is family and pet friendly (even though we went only as husband and wife. No human or furry children!) Grade- A++++

Our anniversary this year fell on Father's Day. Frankie always wanted to eat at this new restaurant down in Madeira Beach called Latitudes. I wish with all my might I had something positive to say about this place. The best thing was the appetizer which was a plate of cut vegetables and ranch dip... We ordered the Vegetarian Pasta was told it came with salad then after about 20 minutes we were told it didn't. Grrr... My pasta was very oily. Frankie had to flag the waitress down to get another beverage. The dining room was small but the bar area was even smaller. This day they were running a Make Your Own Bloody Mary (WHAT??). Grade- F

All in all it was a great weekend. We spent time at the beach but mostly we spent our time in the pool. So relaxing...







"To God Be The Glory Great Things He Has Done!"



JMFK 11/27/2010 Gone but never forgotten