Rachael Ray Book of Burgers-Stretch a Buck Beef and Bean Burrito Burgers

Hello everyone! Its been awhile since I posted and I really wanted to get a post up this week. It has been quite a week and tons of things of happened. Some good and some bad, but I have to keep moving on and reach for my goals and stay positive.

Life is so short and we have to remember to enjoy the simple things in life. One of my many simple pleasures is cooking and baking. My next simple pleasure is cooking Rachael Ray meals. I remember when I first started to cook and my friend told me about her. I started watching her back in 2005 and I was hooked.

I have meet her in person and was on her show for a kitchen call. I posted about that about two years ago when it happened. I am so grateful for that opportunity. Last week she released a new book called "Book Of Burgers." She is the self proclaimed "Queen of Burgers," and I was super excited about this book because who doesn't lover a good burger? This book is a collection of her burgers with some new ones thrown in also. It also has fries in it too, which is my favorite side for any burger.

I decided to show one of my favorite burgers from her called Stretch a Buck Turkey and Bean Burrito Burgers. It is so simple and kind of healthy for you too. I used lean turkey meat and whole wheat buns. On the side I made homemade Refried black beans and a Tex-Mex rice.

I couldn't find just a picture of the burger, so here is the burger and the sides. Delish!

Here's how to do it:


Ingredients/recipe. 

Adapted from Rachael Ray

1 cup cold leftover brown rice
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 (15-ounce) can pinto beans, rinsed and drained
Palmful chili powder
1 1/2 teaspoons, half a palmful, cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons coriander, half a palmful
1 tablespoon grill seasoning, I used Montreal Seasoning by McCormick my favorite
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 ripe avocado
1 clove garlic, grated or finely chopped
1 lime, zested and juiced
1 jalapeno seeded and finely chopped
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
4  lettuce leaves
1 ripe tomato, sliced
4 whole wheat burger buns

Combine rice, meat and beans with spices and grill seasoning. Form 4 big patties from the meat and bean mixture then heat 1 tablespoon oil, a turn of the pan, in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook patties 7 to 8 minutes on each side.

While burgers cook, combine avocado with garlic, lime zest and juice, jalapeno and red onion. Mash to roughly combine, then stir in the sour cream.

Place burgers on buns with lettuce and tomato and top with sour cream guacamole.

Cupcake of the Month-Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes

Hello everyone! Life has been very busy, and it is going to continue for the next few weeks. I will be posting but just slightly less than I like.

If you know me than you know I love sweets. I believe I mentioned it millions of times before. My all time favorite is cakes or cupcakes. I don't know why, but I love the texture of cake and than the frosting. Frosting is my favorite. I love it. I could eat a tub of it, but I prefer to make homemade frosting.  Is it bad that I am typing this and craving frosting?!

Today I decided to show you guys my cupcake of the month a little early. These cupcakes are amazing! I found them online and I adapted them to make it a little easier, but when I bring these to work, or my roommate brings my sweets to work they always say that they are very rich. I really don't try to make them rich, they just come out that way.

The cupcakes were very light so I am glad I didn't add a filling. I was a little worried that the cupcakes wouldn't hold the frosting, but it did just fine. I also didn't pipe the frosting because I really wanted the cookie dough frosting to look, well like cookie dough. I left it and hoped it would look a little chunky. It turned out great. You could pipe the frosting, just don't add the chocolate chips to the frosting because they will get stuck in your frosting tips.

I really hope you guys try these they are so good!

Here's how to do it:

Ingredients/recipe

Cupcakes adapted from The Cake Doctor

1 (18.25 ounce) package of plain white cake mix
3 tbs vanilla instant pudding mix
1 cup of sour cream
1/2 cup of vegetable oil
1/2 cup of milk
 3 large eggs
1 ts vanilla extract

Preheat your oven to 350. Line your cupcake pan with liners.

Place the cake mix, pudding, sour cream oil water, eggs and extract in a mixing bowl, and beat on  low speed until the ingredients are mixed. Stop the mixer, scrape down the bowl and increase the speed to medium and beat for 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. The batter should be blended.

Scoop 1/4 cup of batter into your cupcake tin. Bake the cupcakes until the tops are golden and spring back about 18-22 minutes. Let the cupcakes cool for 5 minutes and take the cupcakes out of the pan and cool on a wire rack until cool,before frosting.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough frosting, adapted from Annie Eats 

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
2 1/3 cups confectioners’ sugar
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp. salt
2 tbsp. milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 bag of chocolate chips chopped (or you could use mini)

Beat together the butter and brown sugar in the bowl of a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment until smooth and creamy. Add the confectioners’ sugar until smooth, than beat in the flour and salt. Mix in the milk and vanilla extract until smooth and well blended. Frost Cupcakes.

I really hope you guys try these they are delish and out of this world good.

Enjoy!