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Tuesday, May 21, 2013

A Tiny Update (i.e. Veggie Burger Bites)

My darlings, I did not make anything new last week.


Perhaps I was lazy? It is true that we have a resident bird whose 4 a.m. call mimics the tambourine-playing of an exuberant, arhythmic toddler. I am slightly exhausted. But I do love the early light and sound.


It is also true that I've been making lots of old favorites. These rhubarb-crumb bars, for example. And this granola. These eggs. When I'm not out on my hands and knees, sniffing at the lilies of valley. Or stretching up to catch the too-much perfume of the decaying lilacs. Or closing my eyes to daydream about the bleeding hearts and peonies.

Spring is the season of the cigar-tube "vase"
and the world's tiredest cat.
Anyway. All I have to offer you is a miniature tweak of my veggie burger recipe. And it's simply this: make tiny ones for a potluck appetizer! It couldn't be easier. Just use a cookie scoop to portion out the mixture, then use wet hands to flatten them into patties. Chill if you've got time (so they don't fall apart) or go ahead and fry them right away in a nice big slick of oil. Drain them on paper towels on top of cooling racks, and serve hot, warm, or at room temperature. (I didn't have any cilantro, so I actually flavored these with parsley and chives and lime zest. Yum.)


My parting advise: Read One Good Egg, by my new friend* Suzy Becker. It's an illustrated trying-to-get-pregnant memoir that strikes just the loveliest balance between funny and earnest and irritable and kindhearted. I loved it.

* I have never actually met Suzy Becker. But I would like to. And we did exchange some exceedingly pleasant work emails!

Oh, and one last last thing: We are listening to Packing for Mars with the kids, and it is the perfect level of interesting for all four of us. Lots of delightful details about the very human side of space travel (e.g. pooping, peeing, barfing). I recommend it completely for anyone 10 and over. If you've never read anything by Mary Roach, prepare to be blown away by her wonderfully extravagant style of curiosity.

16 comments:

  1. Love Mary Roach! I don't think anyone else could make a whole book about corpses (Stiff) so interesting!

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  2. Emily S12:32 AM

    Catherine, we're watching "Between the Folds" right now and LOVIN' it!! I'd love more recommendations from you for things to watch. Oh, and your veggie burgers are excellent! Made them a few weeks ago, the big ones. Chipotle mayo is so so good!

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    1. Emily, I find family watchables so tricky. Ben loves all the funny shows we love--Arrested Development, 30 Rock, etc--but then Birdy is much more earnest, hates that kind of humor. She loves movies like Apollo 13 or Soul Surfer. Or nature programs or shows about babies. . .

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  3. oooh that cat. I want to pet her vigorously. Happy spring!

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  5. Cool live for this cat, lovely fotos,greeting from Belgium

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  6. If you haven't reached them yet, the pooping parts of PACKING FOR MARS are a real delight!

    I love the little burger bites. So smart.

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    1. The pooping parts were the BEST.

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  7. Love that shot of the bleeding hearts! And your cat is beautiful. Your recommendation of Mary Roach led me to order the GULP audio book for our next car trip. Thanks :-)

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    1. I have Gulp on request at the library! I hope you like it.

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  8. Anonymous8:23 PM

    Love Mary Roach, too! I'd never heard of her until I saw an interview with her recently on Jon Stewart about her new book Gulp, and was instantly hooked. I've since read Stiff and am working my way through Spook. Who would've thought corpses and reincarnation, respectively, could be so hilarious?!

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    1. I read Stiff too, and couldn't stop laughing! At some point, Ben said, "What's so funny, Mama? Still your dead-person book?" And I laughed even harder.

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  9. Catherine, what do you think would be a good substitute for walnuts in the veggie burgers? My whole family loved them, and then we figured out my son had a previously-undiagnosed walnut allergy! He also can't have cashews or pecans. Almonds and peanuts are OK, though. Any ideas of where to start? Or are the walnuts just essential to the whole operation?

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    1. zemily, funny you should ask: I just made these for a nut-free event! I kind of winged it--upping the beans some and adding about 1/2 cup of buttery cracker crumbs. They came out just fine. But if almonds are okay, I suppose I would start there. . . report back, will you please?

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  10. Anonymous11:07 AM

    The recent edition of Smithsonian magazine is all about food, and I read an article and thought "Catherine would love this" but I cannot find it in the online version. It is worth finding. If you don't get this in your house, it is great to have for kids (mine are 8 and 11) and we have some really amazing conversations from this mag. Made your strawberry cream cheese dip over the weekend, except when I showed up with it at the party they said "where are those awesome cheese crackers?" also your recipe.

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