Black Bean Burger + Foreign Fries..

I’m pretty sure I’m living on a different planet today.. While I should be opening a can of soup + studying my face off— I’m making a fun fun dinner + listening to music.. 

On tonight’s menu:

Homemade Black Bean Pimento Cheese Burgers + Edamame French Fries 

The key to amazing pimento cheese is freshly grated cheese.. Well actually the key to any recipe that calls for cheese is freshly grated cheese.. Once you try it you’ll never go back— I swear  (Once I’ve even ruined a guy’s simplistic cooking habits by introducing him to it— He is probably cursing my name, but savoring tacos with freshly grated sharp cheddar!.. )

In the Pimento Cheese bowl:

INGREDIENTS

-6 oz shredded cheese (4 oz aged white vermont cheddar + 2 oz mild young cheddar— both from Trader Joe’s)

-2 T pimentos

-3 spoonfuls of Cabot Light Sour Cream

-Quite a few grinds of Fresh Black Pepper

-A pinch of Red Pepper Flakes

-Juice of 3 Lemon Slices

(I know salt is in the picture here, but I didn’t end up using it…. it was perfectly salty on its own..)

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DIRECTIONS

-Mix all ingredients together!

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** and YES there is leftover pimento cheese.. a little over a cup!!

In the Black Bean Burger Bowl:

**This makes 2 black bean burgers

INGREDIENTS

-1 C Black Beans (rinsed + drained from Trader Joes— left over from last night’s dinner)

-1 T Double Roasted Salsa from Trader joes

-1 t Extra Virgin Olive Oil

-2 T Wondra Flour

-A few dashes of Zataran’s Blackening Seasoning

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DIRECTIONS

-Place your skillet on medium heat with a touch of oil or non-stick cooking spray

-Mash all of the ingredients together

-Form into patties 

-Sear on the heated skillet until slightly brown and crisp on both sides (approximately 2 minutes each side)

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Now let’s make it fancy!!..

In the fancy bowl— burger side:

INGREDIENTS

-1/2 english muffin (ever so slightly toasted)

-baby spinach

-seared black bean burger

-pimento cheese

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DIRECTIONS

-Place a few layers of baby spinach on the ever so slightly toasted english muffin half

-add seared black bean burger

-top with pimento cheese

-toss in a toaster oven @ 400* + cook until the cheese is melted

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In the fancy bowl— fries side:

INGREDIENTS

-Edamame in the shell

-Ketchup

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DIRECTIONS

-heat the edamame according to directions

-top with your favorite ketchup

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OH MY G!!!!!!!!!

This dinner far exceeded my expectations…. It was so much fun to eat + very filling..!  I’m not sure what inspired me to “invent“ edamame fries (I’ve never seen them before, but I’m pretty sure I can’t be the first to have done it..) but I am SOOOO glad that I did Yummmm!