Chick Pea Burgers

Original Recipe: https://www.blueapron.com/recipes/spiced-chickpea-burgers-with-vadouvan-sweet-potato-fries-lemon-yogurt-sauce

• 2 Whole Wheat Buns
• 1½ Cups Cooked Chickpeas
• ¼ Cup Plain Greek Yogurt
• 2 Cloves Garlic
• 1 Lemon
• 1 Persian Cucumber
• 1 Pound Sweet Potatoes
• 1 Yellow Onion
• 2 Tablespoons Chickpea Flour
• 1 Tablespoon Vadouvan Curry Powder 
• ¼ Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

1Prepare the ingredients:

Preheat the oven to 450°F. Wash and dry the fresh produce. Halve the buns. Drain and rinse the chickpeas. Transfer ⅔ of the chickpeas to a large bowl and smash with a fork; leave the remaining chickpeas whole. Peel and mince the garlic; using the flat side of your knife, smash until it resembles a paste. Quarter and deseed the lemon. Thinly slice the cucumber. Cut the sweet potatoes into ½-inch-thick rounds. Peel and small dice the onion. In a medium bowl, combine theyogurt, the juice of 2 lemon wedges and ¼ of the garlic paste; drizzle with olive oil and stir to thoroughly combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

2Roast the sweet potatoes & chickpeas:

Place the sweet potatoes and whole chickpeas on a sheet pan. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt, pepper and ⅓ of the vadouvan curry powder; toss to thoroughly coat. Arrange in a single, even layer and roast 18 to 20 minutes, or until the sweet potatoes are slightly browned and tender and the chickpeas are slightly crispy. Transfer to a serving dish.

3Cook the aromatics:

While the sweet potatoes and chickpeas roast, in a large pan (nonstick, if you have one), heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add theremaining garlic paste, onion and remaining vadouvan curry powder. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 5 minutes, or until softened and fragrant. Transfer to the bowl of smashed chickpeas. Wipe out the pan.

4Form the patties:

While the sweet potatoes and chickpeas continue to roast, add the chickpea flour and Parmesan cheese to the bowl of smashed chickpeas and cooked aromatics; season with salt and pepper. Mix until thoroughly combined. When cool enough to handle, using your hands, divide the mixture in half; flatten into two 1-inch-thick patties

5Cook the patties:

While the sweet potatoes and chickpeas continue to roast, in the same pan used to cook the aromatics, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Carefully add the patties. Cook 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until browned and heated through. Remove from heat. Set aside in a warm place.

6Toast the buns & plate your dish:

In the pan used to cook the patties, heat 2 teaspoons of olive oil on medium-high until hot. Add the buns, cut sides down. Toast 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden brown. Transfer to a clean work surface. Place the cooked patties on the toasted bun bottoms. Top each with the lemon yogurt sauce, cucumber and the bun tops. Garnish with the remaining lemon wedges. Serve with theroasted sweet potatoes and chickpeas on the side. Enjoy!

 Hot Mama Grade: B

Hot Mama Notes:  This recipe, as I find all blue apron recipes to be, is a lot of work.  It is good.  I don't know that it was GREAT.  I am not sure I would make it again.  Also, it is best when fresh on the first day...

Green Chicken Curry, Blue Apron

Original Recipe at: https://www.blueapron.com/recipes/green-curry-chicken-with-jasmine-rice-and-long-beans
Ingredients:

2 Chicken Breasts

1 Small Can Coconut Milk

1 Ounce Green Curry Paste

2 Cloves Garlic

1 Stalk Lemongrass

1 Bunch Cilantro

1 Lime

½ Cup Jasmine Rice

1 Bunch Chinese Long Beans 

Directions:

1. Peel and finely chop the garlic. Trim the bottom off the lemongrass until you reach the tender, pliable white core, then chop it finely. Next, trim the tops off the long beans and chop them into bite size pieces. Then, roughly chop the cilantro. Lastly, slice the chicken into thin strips. Set everything aside in small bowls.

2. Put 1 cup of water on to boil. Once boiling, add the rice, cover, and turn the heat down to low. Simmer the rice as you continue cooking.

3. Drizzle a little olive oil in a medium pan, and turn the heat to high. Add the chicken and cook until it begins to brown and is cooked through, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

4. Add the garlic and lemongrass to the chicken and cook for another minute. Next add the green curry paste, coconut milk, and long beans. By now the rice should be cooked. Remove the pot from the heat to rest with the lid on.

5. Cook the green curry mixture for another 6-7 minutes, adding water if it gets too thick. Plate the rice in a deep bowl and spoon the green curry on top. Garnish with some fresh lime juice and chopped cilantro. Enjoy!

Hot Mama Notes:  This recipe was very good.  But, a bit laborious.  Not the quick and easy dinner meal that I favor, since I am always late and running behind.  Tasty.  I am not sure if I will make it again any time soon.  Maybe when I have more ... time!  I used fresh green beans in place of chinese long beans, since that is what they had available at the grocery store.

Hot Mama Grade: A

Peanutbutter Graham Cracker Sandwiches

I made my own recipe adapted from these two:

http://sprinklesomesunshine.blogspot.com/2012/08/peanut-butter-sandwich-treat-party.html

and

http://picky-palate.com/2011/06/30/chocolate-peanut-butter-sandwiches-from-disneyland/print/

I used:

1c milk chocolate chips melted with 1 T shortening.
1 c creamy peanutbutter 
1 c powdered sugar
Graham Crackers, halved

I used as many graham crackers as were needed to use up the filling.  I cannot recall if I used 3c or 2c of peanutbutter, but whatever I used it was too much.  I also skipped also the refrigeration steps because I was in a rush, which is also a mistake.  So, my sandwiches were a sloppy mess, but tasty!  ;)  I put them in the freezer to harden them up.  I am not sure I would make these again.  They are a bit of work and very messy.  Plus, they are super rich.  I would almost rather just have chocolate covered PB balls or chocolate PB Bars.  

Hot Mama Grade: B

Chocolate Peanut Butter Sandwich…Picky Palate’s Version

• 3 cups good quality chopped milk chocolate
• 4 tablespoons shortening
• 12 halved graham crackers
• 2 cups creamy peanut butter

Directions

1. Melt chocolate and shortening over a double boiler, stirring to melt.  I use a small saucepan, boil water, reduce heat to low and place a heat proof bowl over the saucepan then add my chocolate, stirring until melted.
2. Dip each graham cracker into chocolate and let set up on wax or parchment paper.  Stick in the freezer for a few minutes to speed this up.  Spread 2 tablespoons (or a cookie scoopful) of peanut butter over the top of each dipped graham cracker then place in the freezer for 10 more minutes.  This step is important.   While the peanut butter is freezing, remove chocolate from heat and stir, so it cools slightly and thickens up a touch. Slowly and carefully spoon melted chocolate over tops and sides of peanut butter.  This is where the patience and work comes in.  Use a small spoon working the chocolate around the edges and sides.  You’ll then use a little plastic knife to run the chocolate around the edges and clean it up a little.  Let set up, (stick back in the freezer for another 10 minutes) then with a spoon, drizzle chocolate over top to get the “lines” you see in the pictures above.  (If your chocolate is too thick at this point, set it back over the double boiler so it melts a little bit).
3. My reviews…Definitely keep these chilled just like Disneyland does, they melt rather quickly once your fingers get on them.  It was tricky to get mine to look quite as pretty as the Disneyland ones, but with a little patience you can do it!  Have fun and keep them chilled!

Makes 12 sandwiches

Peanut Butter Sandwich Treat

makes 6 treats

6 graham crackers

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chocolate for dipping (I used chocolate Candiquik today) but you could also use the chocolate chip/shortening combo (12 oz. semi sweet chocolate chips & 2 tablespoons shortening, melted together).

1.  Mix peanut butter, powdered sugar & vanilla with a fork in a bowl & stick it in the freezer to firm up a bit.

2. Melt chocolate (Candiquik melts beautifully in the microwave) & brush one side of the graham crackers with melted chocolate using a pastry brush. 

3. Scoop peanut butter mixture on top of chocolate side of the graham crackers. I used about 2 tablespoons of pb mixture per cracker. Spread pb evenly to edges of cracker.

4. Place crackers in freezer for a bit to firm up the pb.

5. Reheat the chocolate if needed. Dip the pb graham crackers into chocolate. I set them in the bowl of melted chocolate, one at a time, & spooned the melted chocolate over the top. Then lift the cracker out of chocolate with a fork & tapped the fork on the side of the bowl so extra chocolate drips off into the bowl. 

6. Place on waxed paper or parchment paper & allow chocolate to set up. I drizzled extra melted chocolate over the top. Store in refrigerator & serve very cold.