Poblano and Onion Hash Browns

Part of the reason I hate shopping is that I have no idea where to find what I'm looking for. Yeah, I know they have those signs atop every aisle that are supposed to help morons like me, but they're not specific enough. Think about marinara sauce. There's no sign for marinara: you need to know that it's a pasta affiliate, and you go to the pasta aisle. That's all well and good, but what if you don't know what you're looking for? It's hard to say where you might check for it if you don't know its friends, or even its close acquaintances.

That said, confession time: I have no idea what a poblano pepper is. Well, I know it's a pepper. Got that bit. Check the produce section. I didn't know where it might be, a fact exacerbated by the fact that I don't know if it's rare and/or out of season. After about 10 minutes of intensely scanning two feet of peppers, I decided to give up and grab a lengthy hot pepper. Was it poblano? I have no idea. It seemed to work, though.

Poblano and Onion Hash Browns

2 medium baking potatoes, peeled and shredded
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 poblano pepper, diced
2 Tbsp. oil
1 Tbsp. chili powder, or to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste

•Soak the shredded potatoes in cold water for about 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry with paper towels, removing as much moisture as possible.

•In a large bowl, combine the shredded potatoes, onion, and poblano pepper and stir.

•Place a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Once hot, add the potato mixture, sprinkle with half the chili powder and cook until the bottom begins to brown (about 5 to 7 minutes).

•Flip over, or stir, the hash browns. Add the remaining chili powder and cook for an additional 5 to 7 minutes. Once desired crispiness is achieved, season with salt and pepper, if desired, and serve.

Makes 4 servings

Note: the thinner you cut the potatoes, the easier it is to get them crispy. Again, we got a four star breakfast side here, losing out only because the potatoes take 30 minutes (?!?) to soak. I want to roll out of bed and eat a damn thing. I do not want to have to wait for food to be done.

Black Bean Burgers

This recipe was found at Compassion Over Killing. I had googled something to the effect of "quick vegetarian dinner" and found out that they had a whole page written specifically for me. I don't have time to go and figure out what a wheat gluten is; just tell me how to make something delicious using saltines. I had to double the recipe because who wants to tear up that much bread for just one evening? F that.

Black Bean Burgers
Serves 2

1 15-ounce can black beans, drained
1/4 cup diced and sautéed onions
2 slices multigrain bread, finely crumbled
1/2 teaspoon each of garlic powder, black pepper, and onion powder (optional)
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
1/2 cup cracker crumbs
In a large bowl, mash the drained black beans. Add the sautéed onions, crumbled bread, and spices. Mix thoroughly. Add about 1/4 cup of cracker crumbs (or just enough to be able to form patties from the mixture). Using your hands, form the mixture into 1/2-inch thick patties. For a breaded burger, gently coat each patty with more cracker crumbs.

In a lightly oiled non-stick pan, fry both sides of the patties. Serve with a garnish of lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, and any other condiments on buns or over a bed or rice.

I give it four stars out of five. It was pretty easy to make, but it took a while and the more I ate, the more I tasted the saltines. Maybe more barbecue sauce next time.