Saturday dinner

Mushroom burgers w/ provolone cheese
Gazpacho
Mexican beer w/ limeade
Strawberry rhubarb pie

This was such a perfectly balanced dinner -- the mushroom burgers were hearty and filling, the gazpacho was refreshing, the beer & limeade went down easily (and led to some spirited living room karaoke), and the strawberry rhubarb pie was the PERFECT amount of sweet and tart.

Mushroom burgers:



I've made these a few different ways, but I'll just put the recipe I used last night.

About 1-2 cups crimini and portobello mushrooms, washed off and chopped
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 tbsp. soy sauce
2+ tbsp. wheat germ
2 slices provolone cheese
Whole wheat burger buns
Salt and pepper
Olive oil

Combine all of the ingredients, adding as you think is necessary to get the right consistency for forming the burger patties. Fry in olive oil, about 5-7 minutes, then flip and add the slice of cheese, frying for another 5-7 minutes.

We had ours plain, but of course you could add tomatoes, lettuce, onions, mustard, and so on... These are surprisingly filling!

Gazpacho:



1 cucumber
1 green pepper
1 red pepper
1 fresh tomato
2 tbsp. cilantro
2 stalks celery
2-3 cups tomato juice
2-3 cloves garlic
Hot sauce
Salt & pepper

Chop everything, I like to leave my ingredients moderately course. Combine in a bowl, add tomato juice, hot sauce (more or less, to taste), and salt & pepper. I like to let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour, to let all of the flavors marinate. Serve cold.

I also topped mine off with a splash of beer -- yum! So refreshing. My 'fella wasn't into the cold soup idea, so he just decided his was salsa... yeah, I don't know what to say about that.

Mexican beer & limeade:



2-4 bottles Mexican beer (we used San Lucas, the extra bottles will be made into juice glasses for sure!)
Simply Limeade

Easy enough. Use as much beer and limeade as you prefer, I used 2 bottles of beer, and about 3/4 of the bottle of Simply Limeade (this was the ONLY one I found without HFCS - high fructose corn syrup).

The strawberry rhubarb pie recipe is going to have to be posted later in the evening, because its 80-degrees in Chicago, and we're going to the Lake!! :)