Hillstone's Veggie Burger

When it comes to veggie burgers, flavorful isn’t usually the first adjective that comes to mind. Hillstone's (formerly Houston's) has long been the exception to this.

Photo Credit: DishBlogger.com

While meatless burgers have come a long way, they have yet to catch up to the chain's long-standing signature (the first time I tried it was 15 years ago). So mouthwatering an experience, it never occurred to me to try and replicate it myself. But thanks to my culinarily curious and talented fiancé Steve, I'm discovering the fun of broadening my home cooking horizons. What better way to do so than by attempting to recreate a favorite restaurant dish?

A quick Google search and I found a recipe on Food.com. At first glance, the main ingredients don’t seem like they would form a tasty mixture – brown rice, oat bran, beans, beets. Rest assured the whole is more delicious than the sum of its parts. What brings it all together and gives it the zing noticeably absent from most veggie burgers -- hickory barbecue sauce. I used Newman’s Own.

The recipe is rated four of five stars by users. It falls short in two areas – preparation time and execution. Food.com recommends egg whites for binding, and grilling burgers for only 2 minutes per side. I found that you really need the yolk to hold the patties together. It takes 10-12 minutes to sufficiently brown each side and give the patties a burger-like consistency. Definitely plan for more time in the kitchen than the stated 30 minutes. Between the longer grilling time and cooking the rice, it took me closer to an hour. Well worth it, though, for a delicious, guilt-free burger that does Hillstone’s proud.

A New Chapter Begins

When I last posted here in 2011, I was a typical New Yorker – single in my mid-thirties and more intimately acquainted with Gotham’s restaurant scene and dizzying array of delivery options than I was with my (tiny) kitchen.

Alot happens in eight years.

Along with a much-needed kitchen makeover, I undertook some significant, long overdue work on myself. As I discovered a new recipe for happiness, life – like dessert – saved the best for last, sending me my two greatest loves.

All smiles with my two main squeezes

Like me, my dream guy Steve and my beloved pup Benji appreciate the pleasures of good food -- especially when it’s shared. Steve also happens to be a fantastic cook. In the 11 months we’ve been together, he’s whipped up several delicious dinners including one-pot Spaghetti Bolognese, a pre-Thanksgiving feast I'll never forget and perfectly grilled steaks rivaling the best steakhouses.

Steak & potatoes à la Steve

My soulmate both in and out of the kitchen, Steve has made me fall in love with cooking all over again as we explore new flavors and dishes together. Last night, we reminisced fondly about the greatest meal (so far!) that we’ve prepared together: breaded chicken cutlets and spiralized zucchini ‘pasta’ with mushrooms, olive oil and truffle salt. Simple yet simply divine. I smile every time I land on the picture of it in my phone.

Chicken cutlet & zucchini pasta...delish!!

Thankfully, my own culinary repertoire has expanded since I first discovered a kitchen could be used for more than microwaving. DNA may have something to do with it. I come from a long line of incredible cooks, most memorably my beloved maternal grandparents. They never knew from recipes. Their generous hearts and Ecuadorian and Puerto Rican roots gave them all the ingredients necessary to make enduring magic in the kitchen.

Grandpa and Abuelita  ♥♥

I’m excited to continue this beautiful family tradition of home cooking that has been passed down generation after generation. And to continue sharing what I learn along the way.

Bon appétit!

--Melissa