I love me a good juicy meat burger, but if I’m in my vegetarian mood (which I have been lately) then I’m looking for a good fix to satisfy my “burger” craving.  There are a lot of pre-made vegetarian burgers in the stores, and let’s just say I don’t tend to seek them out.  This time I’m turning to my kitchen and going the homemade route.  Black beans are notorious in Mexican cuisine and since it’s Cinco de Mayo today, it only seems fitting to make my veggie burger out of those hearty beans. These black bean burgers are loaded …

When I was younger my parents required that the entire family be together at dinner time.  We talked about our day or chatted about whatever we wanted.  As a kid, I just saw it as family time, but now I realize how important that time was to connect with one another.  Now as a married woman, I’ve kept the same tradition going.  No matter how busy we may get, my husband and I always know that we have dinnertime to together and that makes us happy.  We may have deep philosophical conversations or talk about the weather or anything in between.  There’s something …

I love to try new food but sometimes I get into a rut and I end up eating the same thing over and over again.  There’s something to be said for a routine.  It’s easy and familiar and comfortable.  Who’s with me?  I can get my grocery shopping done quickly because I know where every item is located.  Plus, I can whip up the meals like Speedy Gonzales with my eyes closed.  (My inner lawyer says “Please don’t attempt to cook with your eyes closed.”) However, sometimes it’s refreshing to step away from my ordinary food patterns.  Over the weekend I tried mascarpone for the first time.  Since …