These Bean Burgers are Good!

By Sandy Hu

I love a juicy hamburger and until recently, the idea of a bean burger left me cold. However, recently, I came across a recipe that intrigued me so I had to try it.

I’m pretty good at anticipating the outcome of a recipe by reading the ingredients and method. This one, with its combination of flavors and textures, really appealed to me. I thought it would be delicious – and it was! It’s healthful, too.

So I’m sharing this recipe with you and if you’ve never had a bean burger before, or had one you didn’t like, give this one a try. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

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Dim Sum with a Twitter Friend

By Sandy Hu

Joining Twitter is like being the new kid at school. Everyone else already has friends, everyone is chattering away in their little cliques, and you are standing alone on the sidelines, trying to find a way to break in.

You begin to follow people and start commenting – tentatively, at first – looking for common ground. Like any in-person conversation, you try to engage in the conversation going on around you. Someone tweets that they are cooking a certain dish. You tweet back, “How do you make it?” Someone is back from vacation. You ask, “How was your trip?” And you hope these strangers will respond and follow you back.

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Sweets for the Sweet on Valentine’s Day

By Sandy Hu

Years ago, when Steve and I were newly married and money was tight, we’d spend an occasional Saturday making a fancy dinner for ourselves (Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking was our favorite resource.). We’d set the table with our good wedding china, arrange flowers, light candles and enjoy a special meal together. Before dessert, we’d get up from the table and do all the dishes, so they weren’t waiting for us when the meal was done. Once the kitchen was cleaned, we’d sit back again and enjoy dessert and coffee, feeling as pampered as if we had dined at an expensive New York restaurant.

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Couscous Makes an Easy, Go-To Meal

By Sandy Hu

I’m on Twitter every weekday afternoon as @specialforksndy trying to help people with their most pressing need of the evening: what to cook for dinner. One of my favorite ideas for cooks in a hurry is couscous salad.

Here’s the couscous recipe in a tweet, under the 140 character limit: “Boil 1 ½ c broth; add 1c couscous. Off heat, cover & stand 5 mins. Fluff w/fork; add chick peas+g onions+feta cheese+olives+Ital dressing.”

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How to Blanch Almonds for Super Snacks

By Sandy Hu

Almonds make tasty, healthful snacks, great for nibbling during the big game this Sunday. So why not make your own seasoned almonds? They’re easy to make and totally addictive.

You’ll need whole blanched almonds – almonds without their skin. You can buy them that way but it’s simple to blanch them yourself in three easy steps.

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