Quick Dinner

See those tomatoes? They're from my garden. It's January! I have 1 left, lonely on my counter, to use for a very special dinner. Any ideas on the best use?

I got lentil burgers and homemade wheat rolls out of the freezer before I went to the gym. After I got home I made a salad and guacamole to go with the burgers. Of course, there was wine during the chopping of veggies. I like having it before the meal and then saving a few sips for during dinner.

I didn't use the non-stick pan and then forgot to spray this one, so they stuck a little and fell apart, but they mashed back together easily. My pan was permanently stained (at least to my scrubbing skills) but after dinner the Bup washed it with steel wool and it's as shiny as new now! I'm sure that won't last... :-)

Mmmm guacamole. With my almost last tomato! And blue chips!

Lentil Burgers
slightly adapted from Amy Dacyczyn
Makes 11 patties

2 c cooked lentil-bulgur mixture (see directions below)
2 c homemade whole wheat bread crumbs (or store-bought)
1 c chopped onion
1/2 c chopped green pepper
4 T Italian seasoning
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs (or 2 T soy flour + 2 T water)
1/2 c milk

To make the lentil-bulgur mixture, bring 3 c water, 3/4 c dried lentils, and 3/4 c bulgur to a boil. Simmer mixture for 45 minutes or until moisture is absorbed.* Mix 2 cups of cooked lentil-bulgur mixture with the next 5 ingredients. Add eggs, stir until combined. Add milk and stir again. Chill for 30 minutes. Form into patties. Cook on a non-stick skillet until heated through, about 5 minutes per side. Freeze any additional patties in a gallon baggie by placing them in layers with wax paper in between. They will thaw in about 30 minutes.

*I made twice this amount and froze the rest for future use. I plan to use it to make burritos by adding taco seasonings.