Super Bowl Party!

Hello foodie friends! I haven't fallen off the face of the earth!

Today I popped over here to get a link to a recipe for a friend for the Super Bowl, I happened to notice today is my two year blogoversary here at Seaside Simplicity! We won't count the fact that I've been on break for the last four months.

From the way things look my break here will continue for a while. It's not that I haven't been cooking, just not cooking anything that either hasn't already been posted, or that's blog worthy. My creativity in the kitchen has been zip - zero. Life has been crazy lately, most days I'm lucky to get a decent dinner on the table. 

Since tomorrow is Super Bowl Sunday I thought I'd take this chance to remind everyone to link up all your goodies on the final Tailgating Time - Super Bowl Party!

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If any of you would like to host Tailgating Time for the Super Bowl just click --> get the InLinkz code to add the linky to your blog too.

I hope all has been well with all of you. Leave me a comment to let me know how you've been.

I can't wait to see what you will bring to the Super Bowl party!

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Scrumptious Bean Burgers with Cholula Hot Sauce

A couple weeks ago I got an email offering me a 4 pack of Cholula Hot Sauces. Of course I couldn't wait to get my package, we are a hot sauce loving family!

I was expecting a package with some little sample sizes, but was nicely surprised with a four pack of full size bottles. It came with Original, Chili Lime, Chili Garlic, and Chipotle.  Cholula Hot Sauces rock!

I had just made a big pot of garlic and herb lentils when the package arrived. I decided to try an an experiment and make some lentil burgers.

Ingredients:

Dried lentils with garlic and herb seasoning (packet included)

Stuffing bread crumbs

Fresh finely minced onion and garlic

Fresh parsley
Italian Seasonings

Eggs 

Cholula Chili Garlic Hot Sauce

I cooked the whole bag of lentils according to the directions on the package - this made a huge pot. While the lentils were cooking I sauteed the garlic and onions (amount to your liking). Once the lentils were done and cooled I mixed about equal amounts of bread crumbs and lentils adding additional liquid from the lentils as needed. I made enough of a mixture for 8 burgers so I added 2 eggs (adjust according to how many you are making). I added the sauteed garlic and onion, Italian seasonings, a handful of fresh chopped parsley, and kicked it up by adding a couple generous shakes of Cholula Chili Garlic Hot Sauce. Mixed well and then pan fried in a little olive oil on medium until done.

I served them on whole grain sandwich thins with a baby spinach salad on the side. Talk about a nice healthy meal! Guess what? Even the guys ate them, but not without first eying them suspiciously. They agreed that they were delicious - what a shocker! We all topped our burgers with additional oh-so-good Cholula Hot Sauce, Mmmmm!

These burgers would be great served with the traditional Felafel toppings, and speaking of I have a funny little story to tell today...

I had taken one of the burgers to work for lunch the next day. One of my vegetarian food fearing friends was asking about the lentil burger, but how do you explain how it tastes to someone who has never even had lentils never mind any kind of veggie burgers? So we finish lunch and go back to work. A few minutes later I turn from my computer and ask her if she had ever had Felafels (thinking I would compare the lentil burger to that). She turns around and says "I don't think so, do they give immunizations for that?" I almost fell out of my chair and haven't stopped laughing yet! Just had to share :-)

A big thank you to Cholula for the wonderful collection of hot sauces. I'm looking forward to creating more recipes with them to share!
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Pasta with Pesto and Chickpeas

Last week I was craving pasta with pesto and craving chickpeas as well. I wanted to throw it all together but wondered if it would all go together. I decided to Google it and see if there were any recipes out there with that combo. I found exactly the recipe I wanted over at Family Fun - Angel Hair Pasta with Pesto and Chickpeas. It was delicious and very likely a new addiction for me!

Of course if you are pressed for time or just want to do it the easy way you don't have to follow a recipe at all - just cook a pound of pasta, add a can of rinsed chickpeas during the last minute of boiling, drain. Pop the top on a jar of store bought pesto, mix, top with fresh Parmesan and enjoy.

Another time saver is to prepare large batches of homemade pesto and freeze for those quick weeknight meals instead of store bought.

I hope everyone is having a great weekend and wishing you weather as beautiful as we are having here in Florida today - 75 degrees and sunny, perfection!
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