5.2.14 Merry May!

We’ve gotten most of the carpeting up and I’m preparing to paint the floors. All the floors will be simple plywood for quite a while, if not longer. We’ll be painting all the floors a rich dark brown call Bittersweet Chocolate.

When we get to the walls the livingroom, kitchen and bath will be Cottage White or Old Lace or both, my room will be light Victorian Sage ( a color of my own making) and the mudroom will be Tawny Birch.

I tried a new recipe for veggie burgers the other day and I think it may be my favorite yet. It makes 4 big burgers. I made two into regular burgers on buns with oven fries and wild salad. The second two I saved for supper and we had them like mini meatloaves with catsup on top, served with herbed potatoes, polk greens and acorn squash.

Here’s the original recipe as is, with my changes noted.

Red Bean Burgers

2 cans (15.5 0z ea) red kidney beans rinsed and drained.

(I used around 3 cups of cooked dry red beans, drained but did not rinse)

1 med carrot pealed and shredded (about ½ cup)

1 t chili powder

1 t dried oregano

¾ cup dried bread crumbs

( I used some homemade seasoned croutons, crushed )

2 large eggs

Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper  (I use sea salt)

3 T extra virgin olive oil

Lightly mash beans in large bowl, leaving some whole. (I roughly mashed all and left larger pieces). Add carrots, chili pepper, oregano, bread crumbs and eggs. Season generously with salt and pepper; stir until thoroughly combined. Divide mixture into 4 portions and form patties.

Heat 2 T oil in large non-stick skillet over medium heat. ( I Never use non-stick! I cooked mine on a large cast iron skillet with 1/2  T olive oil per side ) Add patties and cook undisturbed until bottom forms a browned crust and most of oil is absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes. Flip patties and add remaining 1 T oil to pan, swirling to coat bottom. Cook undisturbed until browned on other side and heated through, 8 to 10 mins. Serve on buns with accompaniments.

** I’ve not tried freezing them but I would think they would freeze well if first frozen singly on a baking sheet then added to a glass container or whatever you use. I plan to make a double batch next time and try freezing for fast food. I’ll post the results.

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It’s been cooler this week so the solar shower is still cold but it’s to warm up this coming week so maybe …  It’s usable now but we’re going to be working to finish it next Tues and Wed and I’ll take some photos.

I’ve gotten a good amount of the main herb garden and the vegetable garden tilled. The main herb garden won’t be tilled again as a whole after this year. Just a tilling to get it started. I moved the horse radish and part of the mugwort to the main herb bed the other day and planted the onion sets and magenta lamb’s quarters today in the main herb bed as well. I sprinkled medicinal poppy seed over the onion bed as well. I’ve been moving several things there but want to move what’s in the veg garden first. I’ll wait until fall tho to move the garlics, I don’t want to risk stunting them or harming them at all for a fall harvest.

The main herb bed is for all manner of perennial herbs and veg. The main vegetable garden will be worked twice a year and is for the annuals. There will be a second small working vegetable garden behind the barn for popcorn and gourds.

All the animals are doing great. We have an abundance of goats milk! Old Hen has now laid 8 eggs. The last chicks hatched will be going into the chicken pen next week.

I found 2 pairs a jeans at a yard sale yesterday. And the great news is that, they fit! 1.00 each. Sheesh, I’ve not had jeans that actually fit in years. The jeans I did have I had to tie on with a scarf so that about ¼ of the waist was cinched tight. It wasn’t comfortable at all. I also found a bed skirt and a small box of babyfood jars. Thank The Stars for yard sales and thrift stores!

There are a lot of May-lemons (may-apples) this year. I see them everywhere. I keep checking to try and get some lemons before the creatures but none so far. I never get the ripe ones in time and the fruit is so rare anyway.