Thursday = Recipe Day

I think I am going to start the trend of putting up a recipe every Thursday. It'll be something new each week, I hope. This week is Homemade Black Bean Burgers. These black bean burgers are great on wheat hamburger buns with some cheese on top and a lime and chili sour cream.

INGREDIENTS
1 (16 ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 red bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces
1/2 onion, cut into wedges
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 egg
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon cumin
1 teaspoon Thai chili sauce or hot sauce
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1 tablespoon Lime Juice
1 tablespoon of cilantro
Feta cheese to taste

STEP BY STEP:
If grilling, preheat an outdoor grill for high heat, and lightly oil a sheet of aluminum foil. If baking, preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C), and lightly oil a baking sheet.
In a medium bowl, mash black beans with a fork until thick and pasty.
In a food processor, finely chop bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Try and drain excess water. Then stir into mashed beans.
In a small bowl, stir together egg, chili powder, cumin, cilantro, lime juice and chili sauce.
Stir the egg mixture into the mashed beans. Mix in bread crumbs until the mixture is sticky and holds together. Add as much feta cheese as you would like. Divide mixture into four patties.
If grilling, place patties on foil, and grill about 8 minutes on each side. If baking, place patties on baking sheet, and bake about 10 minutes on each side.


Chili Lime sour cream - three tablespoons sour cream, one teaspoon lime juice, 1 teaspoon chili powder/cayenne/paprika (whatever one of these you have) - mix together and put on the burgers and buns.

Thoughts for Shan

This wonderful girl from the Knot, Shannon, just found out some distressing news and needs thoughts and vibes today. Keep her in mind and hope that it all works out for her, her fiance, and their wedding.

Furloughing state employees

The Governor just ordered that state employees be furloughed for a mandatory 10 hours... they're taking money out of our next two paychecks. Great. We're already broke and I'm planning a freaking wedding. This sucks. Alex and I will just have to tighten our belts and keep things as close to budget as possible.

*Sigh*

I hate money.

Good news - I go pick up my dress this weekend with my Mum and I made an appt. with Olga (NC Knot girls rave about her) for my alterations. So pleased, because she is a very popular alterations person and does incredible work.

Oh, and it is LOST DAY!!! Yay!!! Got to keep the positives at the forefront of my mind :)

The dress!!!

My dress has come in - I got the call this morning! Aghggggggjhhhhhh - I hope it still looks as beautiful as I remember and that I look pretty in it!

I have a case of the Mondays...

We are home from an absolutely wonderful weekend in Athens. It was so great to see everyone and share some really happy times together. Amy and Ryan got married in a way that suited them to a tee. It was great to see what just a couple weeks of planning can yield. All hands were in to prep for the feast and put up decorations and do anything needed. I love our friends. I always leave Athens with a heavy heart knowing that we are leaving some of the most generous and loving people there.

This weekend in Athens, there was also a triple homicide by a UGA professor. Keep the deceased in your thoughts and prayers and let's all hope and pray that they catch him. These are crazy times in the world and a lot of people are acting in horrific ways. It just makes me value life and my loved ones even more. It is always so beyond comprehension when someone acts this way and I am so sad for the kids and friends and family that lost loved ones this weekend...

Love to Athens and happy vibes to everyone today. Hopefully, I will snap out of my Athens-withdrawal blues soon.

P.S. I love Alex, spending time with him this weekend and any other time reminds me of how amazing, loving, supportive, and loyal he is. I am so happy to be marrying someone who is a great friend to others and also to me.

TGIF!

So, Alex and I are heading out of town tonight to Athens, GA! Time to go see some friends and celebrate a marriage :)

On a slightly less positive note.... I need new tires. That's what they told me when I went to get my oil changed. Don't really have the money or time to do it right now so I guess it will have to wait until we get back and payday. I really do not enjoy having unexpected expenses come up. *Sigh* Especially when they are increasing our healthcare costs and talking about furloughing people. Do they not realize I have a wedding to pay for???

Anyway, something positive, I have to end with something positive. I cannot wait to enjoy a weekend in Athens and see Amy and Ryan tie the knot and see everyone and touch Emily's pregnant belly and be in Athens!!! Ahhhhh! It really is home in a lot of ways.

PURPLE!

Shan tagged me - here goes!!

8 Things I Look Forward To:
1) My Wedding!
2) Going home to my beautiful man every night
3) Ryan and Amy getting married this weekend
4) Seeing our friends on Friday
5) My new niece or nephew being born
6) LOST tonight
7) Seeing my whole family in under 6 months
8) Walking Yoshi in the beautiful spring sunlight
8 Things I Did Yesterday:
1) Made new coasters
2) Ate at Sweet Tomatoes, yummmmm
3) Bought scrapbooking paper
4) Resumed blogging
5) Made a new recipe for dinner
6) Talked to my Mommy on the phone
7) Kissed my lovely FI
8) Mixed up some chili oil
8 Things I Wish I Could Do:
1) Cut my hair NOW
2) Lose 30 pounds
3) Not work
4) Ballroom dance including swing, tango, waltz etc.
5) Sew things!
6) Draw
7) See my family and friends everyday
8) Get a tan without it meaning cancer
8 Shows I Watch:
1) LOST
2) Chuck
3) The Simpsons
4) Reno 911
5) Ace of Cakes
6) Millionaire Matchmaker
7) The Office
8) 30 Rock

Coasters

Alex described these as suitable for a vampire lounge...

Hump Day aka Lost Day

Last night was a ton of fun. Alex and I got so much accomplished! I finished the sea salt and oil for our friends and got one set of coasters completely done. Alex worked on his painting and it is looking amazing. He is trying out this new technique using paper on the wood to get more texture, depth, and personality in the painting. So far, so good!

Oh, and we got to the halfway stage with the origami lilies!!!!!!! FINALLY!!! 80 down, 80 more to go! Whew! It's a lot of folding. I am so pleased though because they are going to be a big part of the decor.

I am in a great mood today and hope to keep it going. Tonight is LOST, aka my favorite show. I wonder what they have in store.

2 in one day!! Ahhh!!!

Our friends, Ryan and Amy are getting married this weekend. They only gave us two weeks notice of the wedding and they don't want "traditional gifts" so we are doing the following:

Alex is painting them a waist high painting of a lotus and a man coming out of it.
I am making them:
Citrus and Rosemary Sea Salt
Mango Chili Vinegar
Lemon and Ginger Honey
Spicy Olive Oil
Peach Whiskey
and a Set of Coasters

Recipes and craft steps available :)

Boy, has it been a while

Ok - so since I started the blog I have done absolutely nothing to continue it. So, I guess it is time for updates!

1) Alex and I got engaged and are getting married October 10, 2009. A lot of planning had taken place and it has been a ton of fun so far. We have all our vendors booked and are just paying off and buying the rest of the stuff before it comes to be!
2) Well, my sister, Emily, Becca, and Beth all got pregnant. Becca had her baby last week, Kathryn Isabelle. Jenny is due in a couple weeks. Emily is due in August. Beth is due in September! Wow!!!
3) I have started cooking a lot and really want to go to culinary school in the next few years.
4) I have decided to start an etsy shop online. I am pretty creative and have started a ton of fun projects that I think would be fun for others to get a chance to look at.

I am now dedicating myself to restarting this whole blog thing in earnest. Keep me honest, folks!