Black Bean and Rice Burgers Recipe, Long-Term Food Storage Friendly

As part of our January meatless challenge, I have been trying new recipes and modifying old ones. Going into this, I thought we could just make the same old meals sans meat, and it just hasn't worked out that way. Most recipes that have meat use it for the main dish so creating the same dish without meat leaves you hungry and wanting more. I've had fun experimenting with new dishes and even created a few new household staples along the way.

One thing I have missed desperately however is a big, juicy, delicious... HAMBURGER! I have visions of a bacon hamburger smothered in condiments with a homemade hoagie bun. Yum!  But, that, for whatever reason is one thing I haven't allowed myself to cheat with. So, last night in an effort to curb my hamburger craving, I decided to make black bean burgers. I've always heard great stuff and have seen tons of great looking foodie photos which made me want to try them. But, I never thought the family would go for it.

January Meatless Challenge

My manly, meat-eating, hamburger loving, husband decided a few weeks ago that we should try to go meatless for the month of January. Imagine my shock (or should I say horror?). A few things immediately started to stress me out, but mostly the thought of coming up with a bunch of recipes for foods I've never cooked before and didn't know if anyone would even eat. We usually cook at home and try our best to eat made-from-scratch foods as much as possible with our busy schedules.

Winter Break Boredom Busters and A New Found Love of Sewing

Sewing on the new sewing machine

School is back in full swing, and it should start getting back to normal around here soon (I hope!). Winter break can be a doozy as most moms know. It snowed here for a few days and there wasn't a lot of opportunities for outside play, which meant we needed to get creative with activities for the kids. The week before Christmas flew by in a flurry of wrapping, shopping and baking. We made all kinds of goodies and spent some good quality time together. We didn't even take any pictures that week, or Christmas for that matter. I might regret that some day, but honestly it was just kind of nice to live in the moment as opposed to capturing the moment.

A Modern Quilt for the New Year

It's been awhile since I purchased this pattern. 2... maybe 3 years. I'm not sure what drew me to it, or why I even bothered. At the time, I wasn't much for quilting anyway. I think i just had a great appreciation for the simplicity of the look, how modern it was. From time to time, I would pull this pattern out, and start to think of ways I could use it. I never got very far though, and never even opened the envelope more or less started cutting out the pattern pieces.

Just a few weeks ago around Christmas time, I thought again about this pattern, that it would look great done in Christmas prints and used for a holiday quilt. It kind of fits the theme I'm going for with our Christmas decor, and the trees could be decorated to be Christmasy.