oooo bean eaters, i believe we will eat some beans tonight

The downside to having a Verizon MiFi card is that it has a pretty small monthly data allowance. And when you go over that allowance? They come to your house and take all the money you’d carefully stashed under your mattress. I tell you this to say: I’m woefully close to exceeding the bandwidth limit this month. Hence the quietude around here.

I’m only breaking my radio silence — and typing on my cell phone — to tell you about tonight’s dinner. It was bean griddle cakes, and it was marvelous. The original recipe is from Mark Bittman’s “how to cook everything.” It was just Pete and me eating tonight, so I cut the recipe in half. And it still made far more bean pancakes than we could eat. (And yes. They’re basically pancakes made out of beans. But trust me on this: delicious.)

The Bittman recipe calls for whatever beans you’d like to use. Here’s what we had:

black bean griddle cakes
1 can black beans, drained
1/2 cup 2% milk
1 egg
1 tablespoon corn oil
1/2 cup flour
Taco seasoning to taste

Use a stick blender to mash beans. Add everything else and blend some more. Cook in skillet over medium-high heat, just like pancakes. When small bubbles form on top, flip ’em and cook a few more minutes. Serve with shredded cheese and salsa.

My internet machine resets next Wednesday. I hope to see you again then. In the meantine, go make yourself some bean pancakes!

I shouldn’t operate a shopping cart while taking cold medicine

menubuttonStrange things tend to happen when I go to the grocery store with a cold. Things like this: I bought Hamburger Helper this week. Not that there’s anything wrong with Hamburger Helper. My mom made it a lot when I was growing up. My mom was also a single mother who worked full time and didn’t especially like to cook, though, and I’m a stay-at-home mom who usually does enjoy cooking. But there I was, sniffly and tired, dragging two small people around the store, and there was the HH on the shelf, looking all easy and on sale. And before I knew it, I was planning to have boxed beef stroganoff tonight for dinner. That kind of seems appropriate, though, as the only meal I’m actually making from scratch this week will be Wednesday night’s omelets.

Monday: Hamburger Helper beef stroganoff.

It’s from their whole wheat line. I’m hoping it’ll be delicious.

Tuesday: Enchilada soup.

The mix I’m using calls for shredded chicken, but I’m leaving it out.

Wednesday: Omelets.

If the cold hasn’t gone away, I probably won’t be going to church on Wednesday night. Omelets are quick enough to make beforehand if I do go, though.

Thursday: Wild rice soup.

This is from the same company as the enchilada soup mix.

Friday: In-laws’ house, probably.