As you know, we try to always keep bringing in new merchandise to keep your shopping experience with us interesting and enjoyable.  Usually this means new food items, but this week we'd like to draw your attention to housewares.

Frequent customers know that we retired our old cheese cooler a few months ago.  (Actually it retired itself by breaking down for the umpteenth time.)  In its place we have installed new shelving and a slew of new housewares products - placemats, utensils, candles and more.

To entice you to have a good look at all this great new merchandise, this week we are offering it all to you at

 

Summer is grilling season.  But what to do for your vegetarian guests?  Meat, after all, usually dominates the grill.  Sure, grilled vegetables and the like are an option, but for a more hearty main dish, try home made bean burgers.

The following recipe is quick, easy, and uses ingredients that most cooks generally have on hand in the fridge and pantry.

1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained and rinsed 
          (other large starchy beans, like canellinni will also work nicely)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup grated parmesan or romano cheese
          (nutritional yeast flakes are a tasty and healthful alternative)
1/4 - 1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1 squeeze of lemon juice
dash of salt and pepper
3/4 - 1 cup bread crumbs

1.  Begin by mashing the beans in a bowl or chopping them coarsely in a food processor.
2.  Add all of the other ingredients except the breadcrumbs and mix together.
3.  Add about 3/4 cup of the breadcrumbs.  If the mixture is dry enough to make into patties, stop - otherwise add a few more crumbs until the mixture is not too moist.
4.  Allow the mixture to sit for at least 10 minutes so that the bread crumbs absorb some moisture.  (If making ahead of time, the mixture can remain in the fridge, covered.)
5.  Form the mixture into patties - this recipe will make about 4 nice size burgers or 8 sliders.
6.  Grill until hot.

These burgers can be a little more delicate than beef burgers, so if grilling them we recommend using a grill tray of some sort (like what you might use for fish).  Alternatively, you could always toss them into a pan with a little olive oil on the stove.

These burgers are substantial and filling, too - processed carbohydrate watchers can even skip the bun!

Perhaps it's because we are a little exhausted from the long busy holiday weekend and we aren't thinking too clearly - but we couldn't resist bringing you this odd little tidbit.

Forget cookbooks.  Forget recipe cards.  Forget computer cooking programs and google searches.  Now you need not look any further than your forearm to find your favorite recipe.

We aren't even going to try to explain it... learn more here.

 

We are fortunate in NY to have access to the services of the Cornell Cooperative Extension (the Sullivan County chapter is located right down the road from us on Ferndale-Loomis Road.)

Whether it's forestry management advice you are looking for, or soil testing, or plant disease diagnosis, the Extension can be an invaluable resource. 

Learn more on their website.