Southwest Brown Rice and Black Bean Burgers

Oh, it's been a busy week. They're all busy weeks, but some are just frenetically busy. Keep reading for one of my new favorite recipes, inspired by a post from Cookie Madness. On Sunday evening, we got a phone call that the Quiet Man's grandpa was in the hospital and wouldn't be around for much longer. We hopped in the car and drove 4 and 1/2 hours, straight to his bedside.
Grandpa is a 90 year old South Dakota farmer and cowboy. I met Grandpa for the first time the summer the Quiet Man and I married when we drove by his farm on our cross country/ honeymoon/ road trip to Nantucket. Since we were visiting in the summer, we thought we could help Grandpa out with his farm chores for a couple days. Grandpa has only one functioning hand, due to an accident about 50ish years ago when he fell down a well in the winter. Well, Quiet Man and I were supposed to help him toss bales of hay into the back of his truck. Grandpa at age 75 was faster and stronger than Quiet Man and I in our young 20s. We were out of breath and useless, and Grandpa kept right on working, and cracking jokes in between. We were ashamed of our college-educated wimpiness, but even more amazed at Grandpas gritty strength. This week, I'm amazed again at Grandpa's gritty strength. And tenacity. And wit. As he lay on his hospital bed, earmarked for death and white as a sheet, he continued to slowly toss out his clever one-liners, all the while quietly assuring us that he'd be home in a couple of days. The nurse took us aside and explained that he would surely be gone in a couple of days. But this is True Grit Grandpa we're dealing with. So sure enough, a few days later, he has amazed doctors and nurses and family and cheated death yet again. Grandpa, please stick around a little longer so you can continue to amaze the next generation, too. This is a great healthy "burger: to have in your arsenal for your frenetically busy weeks, but it's also delicious enough for a family barbecue. It's about as uncowboy as you can get-but I bet even Grandpa Bud would love it. You can use mostly pantry staple, like canned beans or even minute rice. I made these for a family get together last week, and they were a huge hit with vegetarians and meat eaters alike. The vegetarians were having to fend off the supply from the scavaging carnivores. (Party goers have been chomping at the bit for me to get them posted-sorry- and here they are at last.) I like them bunless, with some guacamole, but my dad loved his on a bun, as if it were a real hamburger. Enjoy your weekend! Money Saving Tips: These burgers are cheap to make, no matter what you do. When you cook brown rice, make extra and freeze it in 2 cup portions. You can use any bean you have on hand, but you may want to mash them down if they are large. Use canned jalapenos or green chilies, if you don't have fresh.
Southwest Brown Rice and Black Bean Burgers
Estimated Cost: $2.50 for five patties
2 cups brown rice, cooked
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
scant 1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1-3 tablespoons minced jalapeno or green chilies, (canned is fine)
1/4 cup salsa
1 egg white
1/4 cup to 1/2 cup flour (I used whole wheat)
2 tablespoons olive oil
cheese, if desired
Mix rice, beans, chili powder, cumin, salt, garlic, onion, cilantro, chilies, salsa, and egg white in large bowl. Mixture will be very moist. Add flour, using only enough so that you can shape the mixture into patties. Dust the outside of the patties lightly with flour. Heat a medium skillet over medium high heat. Add olive oil and warm. Add patties and cook until nicely browned, about 3-4 minutes per side. Sprinkle with cheese, reduce heat to low and cover with lid to melt cheese. Serve with guacamole, if desired. Coming Tomorrow:
Whole Wheat Hamburger Buns