Recipe #305: Caramelized Onion, Mushroom, Apple, & Gruyere Bites

Another winner from foodgawker.com.  I knew I had to try these as soon as I saw the picture.  It didn't make enough filling for all of the pastry, though. I would probably add more onion and mushrooms to balance out the apple more, but it was still delicious this way.

Ingredients:

2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
4 oz. baby bella mushrooms, sliced
2 tbsp. unsalted butter
1½ granny smith apples, cubed into ½" cubes
1 tsp. granulated sugar
1½ oz. grated gruyere cheese
2 tbsp. chives, minced
½ tsp. dried thyme
1 package (1 pound) of frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, beaten

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats. Set side.
2. In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil and cook the onions (with 1 tsp. of salt) until they're
golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove and set aside in a large bowl. In the same skillet,
sauté mushrooms until tender, about 5 minutes. Remove and set aside in the bowl with the
onions.
3. In the same skillet, melt the butter and add in the apples with the sugar. Cook until softened,
about 10 minutes. Remove from pan and add to the large bowl with onions and mushrooms.
4. Add the cheese, chives, and thyme to the bowl and stir to combine the mixture well. Season
with salt and pepper, to taste.
5. With a pizza cutter, cut the puff pastry into 2­inch squares and place them on the lined
baking sheets. Using a pastry brush, brush beaten egg on the squares.
6. Using a tablespoon, place filling in the middle of each puff pastry.
7. Bake for 25 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through and switching the baking sheet on
the top rack to the bottom and the bottom to the top, until the pastry is golden brown and
crisp.

Recipe #297: Beef Mushroom Barley Soup

Well, the weather wants to be fall-ish, so I decided to make soup!  Here's a simple delicious recipe that's even better as leftovers.  Copied from Allrecipes.com.

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds beef stew meat, cut into small pieces 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 1/2 onion, chopped 3 stalks celery, chopped

3 carrots, chopped 7 1/2 cups beef stock 8 ounces pearl barley 1 pound mushrooms, sliced

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Cook beef stew meat in a large skillet over medium heat until completely browned, 5 to 7 minutes; transfer to a large soup pot.  (I browned the beef in bacon fat with some garlic salt)
2.	Heat vegetable oil in the same skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion, celery, and carrot in the hot oil until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the vegetable mixture to the beef in the pot.  (I left the fat from the previous step and didn't add any oil)
3.	Pour beef stock into the pot.
4.	Stir pearl barley into the stock.
5.	Place soup over medium-low heat, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the beef is completely tender, about 2 hours.  (I did this for about 1.5 hours and tested occasionally for tenderness.)
6.	Stir mushrooms through the soup; cook 1 hour more.  (45 minutes was enough.)

Farfalle with Creamy Mushroom Sauce

I've been super busy, but last night I finally made something new and blog-worthy!  I had a rare craving for pasta, and this was the result.  This is from Cooking Light magazine.  I had to adapt a little because the mix of wild mushrooms wasn't available, as noted.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 pound uncooked farfalle (bow tie pasta)  (I used a 12oz package)
• 1 tablespoon butter 
• 12 ounces presliced exotic mushroom blend (I used a mix of oyster, shiitake, and crimini)
• 1/2 cup chopped onion 
• 1/3 cup finely chopped shallots
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup dry white wine 
• 2/3 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• Minced fresh parsley (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
2. Melt the butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms, onion, shallots, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, and pepper; cook 12 minutes or until liquid evaporates and mushrooms are tender, stirring occasionally. Add wine; cook 2 minutes or until liquid evaporates, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
3. Add the cooked pasta, whipping cream, cheese, and 2 tablespoons parsley, tossing gently to coat. Stir in remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Garnish with minced fresh parsley, if desired. Serve immediately.

Recipe #284: Mushroom-Barley Soup

Perfect for a cold day like today, and it was nice to come home to it all finished and ready to eat in the crock pot.  I wasn't able to find unsalted vegetable broth, but that's the only thing I'd change.  The cheese complements it perfectly.... I forgot the parsley, but I think that would be good too.

INGREDIENTS:

8 oz fresh portobello mushrooms, cut into thirds and sliced
8 oz fresh button mushrooms, sliced
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup regular barley
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried marjoram, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3 14 oz cans vegetable broth
Finely shredded Perorino Romano cheese and/or snipped fresh flat-leaf parsley

DIRECTIONS:

Combine all ingredients in a 4-5 quart slow cooker.  Cook on low 8-10 hours.  Top with cheese and parsley.

Recipe #279: Portabella and Gouda Burger with Garlic Mayo

So simple and delicious!!  The picture doesn't do it justice, especially since you can't see the mayo or the cheese.  I served them on pretzel buns.  This recipe is from food.com.

Ingredients:

2 large portabella mushroom caps, cleaned and stem removed
3 -4 slices gouda cheese (thin slices, smoked is good!)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, sliced
1 teaspoon dried thyme
2 slices fresh ripe Tomatoes (thick slices)
2 good bakery roll or 4 slices French bread, lightly toasted

Garlic Mayo
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons bermuda onions, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
1/2 tablespoon dried parsley or 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced


Directions:

Combine 2 tablespoons olive oil,sliced garlic clove and thyme in a zipper-lock bag.

Add portabella mushroom caps, zip up and marinate for at least 30 to 45 minutes.

In the meantime, combine the Garlic Mayo ingredients and allow to blend in the refrigerator.

When mushroom caps are ready, heat a little olive oil in a skillet (maybe another tablespoon or so) and saute for about 5 minutes, stem side down.

Try to include as much of the sliced garlic and thyme as possible in the skillet.

Turn mushroom caps over and top with cheese.

Cover skillet and cook for about another 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Serve with tomato on toasted rolls or French bread spread with garlic mayo.

Recipe #261: Poulet Poêlé à L'Estragon (Chicken with Tarragon) with Farce Duxelles (Mushroom Stuffing) (Child)

I think I'm going to have to establish a new standard with this blog.

I have to say, first of all, that I am hoping to not scare anyone away with these latest recipes.  They're more advanced, if you want to talk about advanced as meaning using TONS of dishes and also spending 3-4 hours making one recipe.  Advanced does not mean difficult.  It might mean a special pot or a random ingredient you might not be used to, but it does not mean hard, by any means.

To me, "hard" in terms of cooking is ALWAYS baking.  Anything involving flour, expecting things to rise and be baked consistently throughout and get people with a sweet tooth all excited just by the sight of them.... yeah that's not me.  Also, I refuse to make pancakes.  I've cried one too many times over pancakes.

But my blog is meant to be "easy"..... so I will make sure I keep posting relatively simple recipes made with basic ingredients.  However, I can't ignore the good results from my forays into the art of French cooking...... I will still post those.

I think, though, that pages of instructions (which are delightfully easy to follow, if you see her cook books) from Mastering the Art of French Cooking are not really what I feel like re-typing.  I thought about copy/paste from internet sites using the recipes, but they are just adaptations of other people's attempts at Julia's instructions.  Not good enough for me.

I follow them as closely as possible.  My other recipes are all about adaptation and tweaking.  These, not so much, to the point where I won't even make something if I have to change more than one or two things.

So here's my new standard.  Julia recipes will not have instructions posted.  Instead, I will reference where I found them from her book and post pictures of my results.

Poulet Poêlé à L'Estragon (Chicken with Tarragon) - page 249 of volume I.... with Farce Duxelles (Mushroom Stuffing) - page 251.

Mushroom stuffing, pre-stuff.

Chicken, post-roast.  I didn't truss the wings.

Post-roast, removal of the stuffing.

Straining of the sauces from the casserole for gravy.

First time using a gravy boat in.....forever....

So moist, tender, rich, and worth a 9:15pm plating time!

Recipe #260: Poulet au Porto (Child)

I need to give my kitchen a break after tonight.  I used four pots, two cutting boards, one 9x13 roasting dish, tons of utensils...  SO WORTH IT.  Here's another of Julia's recipes.  I had to roast the chicken first, which I will post as a separate blog at another time, but once the chicken is roasted, you get THIS deliciousness.  It is like chicken marsala, but LEAGUES better.  Nick and I ate the ENTIRE almost-four-pound chicken with the one pound of mushrooms and the sauce.... by ourselves.  Yes, it was that good.

So here's my kitchen, mid-ordeal.  Trying to keep it neat.

This is a little involved as far as steps and dishes go, and I promise the recipes I post from here on out won't all be like this, but I have to share.

INGREDIENTS:

1 3-4 lb roasting or frying chicken
1 lb fresh mushrooms (I used baby bellas)
Water
Butter
Lemon juice
Salt
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon whipping cream (this turned out to be exactly one of those tiny cartons...)
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
Pepper
1/2 tablespoon minced shallots or green onions (I used more like a half of a cup of minced shallots!)
1/3 cup medium-dry port
1/4 cup cognac

DIRECTIONS:

Roast the chicken.  Be sure to not overcook it.  (I WILL POST THESE DIRECTIONS LATER!  But otherwise, just do a basic roast.  I stuffed mine with apple and onion slices and basted with a mixture of rosemary-infused olive oil and butter).

Meanwhile, trim and wash the mushrooms.  Quarter them if large, leave them whole if small.

Bring the water to boil in a saucepan with the butter, lemon, and salt.  Toss in the mushrooms,cover, and boil slowly for 8 minutes.  Pour out the cooking liquid and reserve.

Mix the cornstarch with 1 tablespoon of whipping cream.  Add the rest of the cream.  Pour the mixture into the mushrooms.  Simmer for 2 minutes.  Correct seasoning to taste with salt and pepper, and set aside.

When the chicken is done, remove it to a carving board and let it rest at room temperature while completing the sauce.

Remove all but 2 tablespoons of fat from the roasting pan.  Put the 2 tablespoons into a small sauce pan.  Stir in the shallots or onions and cook slowly for 1 minute.  Add the port and mushroom juice, and boil down rapidly, until the liquid has reduced to about 1/4 cup.  Add the mushrooms and cream and simmer for 2-3 minutes, allowing the liquid to thicken slightly.  Correct seasoning and add lemon juice to taste.

Smear the inside of a fireproof casserole or chafing dish with butter.  Rapidly carve the chicken into serving pieces.  Sprinkle lightly with salt, and arrange in the dish.

Set over moderate heat until you hear the chicken begin to sizzle.  Pour the cognac over it.  Ignite the cognac with a match or lighter.  Shake the casserole slowly until the flames have subsided.  Pour the mushroom mixture over the chicken, coating it.  Cover and steep for 5 minutes without allowing the sauce to boil.  Serve.

Recipe #250: Oyako Donburi

I've been fretting for awhile about recipe 250.  I wanted something unique, but nothing was catching my attention.  I also couldn't decide what to make for dinner today, so I sat in the parking lot at my little grocery store and used my Allrecipes Dinner Spinner app to help me decide.  I picked "main dish" "chicken" "ready in 45 minutes or less"..... and scrolled through the results.

This one caught my eye immediately for the unrecognizable name, and then I knew when I saw the ingredients that this would be the meal.  According to the poster of this recipe, it is a Japanese dish very popular in Hawaii.  It's simple to make and very hearty.  I used a full pound of chicken and skipped the salt.  I also used fresh shiitake mushrooms instead of dried.

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon vegetable oil 3/4 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cut into strips 1/2 onion, thinly sliced 1 cup chicken broth 6 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked until soft, then sliced into strips

1 carrot, julienned 2 tablespoons white sugar 4 tablespoons soy sauce 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup chopped green onions 5 eggs, beaten

DIRECTIONS:

1.	Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute chicken strips and onion until the chicken is cooked through, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain off as much liquid as possible.
2.	Stir in the chicken broth, and simmer for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and carrot, and let simmer for a few minutes before stirring in the sugar, soy sauce and salt. Simmer for 3 more minutes. Sprinkle in half of the green onions, stirring gently. Pour beaten eggs over the chicken mixture, and simmer until the eggs are cooked through, about 10 minutes. Serve over Japanese sticky rice.

Recipe #231: Coq au Vin

I don't post any recipes on here that I don't think are worthy.... the boring ones, the non-special or unique ones, the ones that turn out not quite to my expectations.... But some of the recipes are a step above the others, and this definitely is one of them.  There are many variations to this recipe, but this one uses all common ingredients for a very un-ordinary, awesomely delicious result.   If you want to impress guests, try this one.  It's not difficult at all; it just takes some time.  I found this recipe (and copied it from) www.simplyrecipes.com with my notes in parenthesis.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 lb bacon slices (I got thick bacon slices from the deli)
• 20 pearl onions, peeled, or 1 large yellow onion, sliced (I used the pearl onions.  To save time on peeling buy the frozen ones)
• 3 lbs chicken thighs and legs, excess fat trimmed, skin ON (I used 2lbs, which was 4 each of thighs and drumsticks)
• 6 garlic cloves, peeled
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups red wine (pinot noir, burgundy, or zinfandel)  (I used pinot noir)
• 2 bay leaves
• Several fresh thyme sprigs
• Several fresh parsley sprigs
• 1/2 lb button mushrooms, trimmed and roughly chopped (I used closer to 1lb.  Quarter these instead of chopping them)
• 2 Tbsp butter
• Chopped fresh parsley for garnish (I forgot this because I was so excited about serving it up)

METHOD

1 Blanch the bacon to remove some of its saltiness. Drop the bacon into a saucepan of cold water, covered by a couple of inches. Bring to a boil, simmer for 5 minutes, drain. Rinse in cold water, pat dry with paper towels. Cut the bacon into 1 inch by 1/4 inch pieces.

2 Brown bacon on medium high heat in a dutch oven big enough to hold the chicken, about 10 minutes. Remove the cooked bacon, set aside. Keep the bacon fat in the pan. Working in batches if necessary, add onions and chicken, skin side down. Brown the chicken well, on all sides, about 10 minutes. Halfway through the browning, add the garlic and sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper. (Note: it is best to add salt while cooking, not just at the very end. It brings out the flavor of the chicken.)

3 Spoon off any excess fat. Add the chicken stock, wine, and herbs. Add back the bacon. Lower heat to a simmer. Cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until chicken is tender and cooked through. Remove chicken and onions to a separate platter. Remove the bay leaves, herb sprigs, garlic, and discard.

4 Add mushrooms to the remaining liquid and turn the heat to high. Boil quickly and reduce the liquid by three fourths until it becomes thick and saucy. Lower the heat, stir in the butter. Return the chicken and onions to the pan to reheat and coat with sauce. Adjust seasoning. Garnish with parsley and serve.  (NOTE:  reducing takes quite awhile, so plan ahead.  I would have reduced even more, but I was growing impatient and hungry.)

I served this over egg noodles.

Recipe #215: Beef and Ale Pie

Fantastic English dish!  I didn't make it look all that pretty (since I get in fights with anything involving dough), but it was delicious!!!  Can't wait to have the leftovers.  I am pasting this recipe with its European measurements, with my comments and changes.

Ingredients

900g (about 2lbs) good quality stewing beef, diced
25g (enough for coating the meat) flour, seasoned with salt and pepper, plus extra for dusting
100g (6-7tbsp) butter (I ended up skipping the butter completely)
olive oil
2 onions, peeled and roughly chopped (I used one large one)
2 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
250g (8oz) chestnut mushrooms, trimmed and sliced (I used crimini)
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
400ml ale (a bottle)
500ml stock (1 beef stock cube)
1tsp tomato puree
3tbsp Worcester sauce
1tbsp Dijon mustard
2tbsp Balsamic vinegar
1 egg and 1 extra yolk, beaten
300g ready-made rolled puff pastry (I used a 2-sheet pack, approx)


Directions

Toss the meat in the seasoned flour. Shake off any excess flour.

Heat a large pan and add ½ (50g) the butter and a drizzle of olive oil (Shockingly, I skipped the butter). Add the meat and cook, turning frequently until golden brown and sealed. This will take around 10 minutes.

Next add the onions, garlic, mushrooms and herbs, then pour in the ale and stock. Add the tomato puree,
Dijon mustard, Worcester sauce and balsamic vinegar and stir well.

Cover the pan with a lid and simmer gently for around 2 hours until the beef is meltingly tender (I cooked it for 1.5 hours and it was very soft). Taste and season the stew if necessary (it wasn't!). If you have too much liquid left, drain some off and thicken the remaining gravy with a little cornflour mixed with water (I didn't do this- I liked the sauce!).

Transfer the mixture to an ovenproof pie dish and cool.  (I had a casserole dish and no time to let it cool.)

Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured work surface. Cut a strip of pastry roughly the width of the rim of the pie dish long enough to fit all the way around the dish. Firmly place the pastry strip along the edge of the pie dish and brush with beaten egg.

Roll out the remaining pastry until you have a piece roughly the size and shape of the top of the pie dish. Lay
the pastry over the top of the filling, pressing the edges firmly together.

Pinch and flute the edges of the pastry, then trim off any remaining from around the edge. Make 2-3 small
slashes in the centre of the pie to allow the steam to escape. Cut out a few decorative leaves if you like, and
stick them into position with a little of the beaten egg around the steam vents.

Brush the pie top with beaten egg and place in the oven for approximately 25 minutes at 220C/Gas mark 7 (425 degrees), until the pastry is golden brown.

Recipe #200: Beef Wellington (Individual)

Welcome to recipe 200!  I've been searching for the perfect recipe for such an event... something different, special, and a little more involved than usual.  Wow, what rich amazing flavors!!  I found this recipe on allrecipes.com... it seems that beef wellingtons are often a larger tenderloin that is cut up, but I liked how this one used individual steaks.  I am posting the recipe exactly as allrecipes.com has it listed, with my comments in red (as I did a bit of adapting and changes).

INGREDIENTS:

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste
6 (6oz) beef tenderloin filets (I just used two 6oz filet mignons!)
1 cup chopped fresh mushrooms (Cut them pretty small...)
3/4 cup red wine
2 cups beef consomme (less than 2 cans)
1 (3oz) jar foie gras pate (I completely skipped this- see my changes how I made up for it)
1 (17.25 oz) package frozen puff pastry, thawed (Thawing takes 30-40 minutes, keep this in mind)
1 egg, beaten
3 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons all-purpose flour (More if you skip the foie gras- read on)
2 tablespoons chopped green onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Season the filets with salt and pepper, then fry on each side until browned to lock in the juices.  Remove from the skillet and set aside to cool slightly.

Add the mushrooms, wine and 1c beef consomme to the skillet; cook and stir over medium heat until mushrooms are tender.  Use a slotted spoon to transfer the mushrooms to a small bowl, reserving the consomme.  Mix the pate with the mushrooms, adding a little consomme if needed to achieve a spreadable texture.  Divide the mushrooms among the filets and spread on the top.  Refrigerate about 30 minutes.  (MY CHANGES!!  Instead of adding pate, I left the mushrooms and consomme in the pan, and added flour slowly, stirring, until the sauce thickened enough to hold somewhat of a form that I could top on the filets.  I covered both filets with this topping and put them in the fridge, then added the rest of the can of consomme to the pan.)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.  Lay the puff pastry out on a clean surface and cut out two 5-6 inch rounds for each steak.  Place a steak with its topping onto a round and bring the edges up around the sides.  Cover the top with a second piece of dough, overlapping the edges and pressing to seal into a package.  Repeat for other steak(s).  Place the Wellingtons onto a baking sheet, and brush the tops with beaten egg.  (NOTE:  The Pepperidge Farm puff pastry sheets I bought came as a package of two.  I finagled them to fit around the steaks with enough left over to drape some over the top.  I don't see how one box of this stuff could cover 6 6-oz steaks, so keep that in mind.)

Make for about 12 minutes, for rare, 16 minutes for medium, or 20 minutes for well done.  Remove from the oven and allow to rest for about 5 minutes.

While the steaks are cooking, make the sauce.  Melt 3tbsp butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until browned.  Stir in the green onions, and cook for about a minute.  Gradually stir in another cup of consomme; continue to cook and stir until the sauce thickens.  Reduce heat and stir in the wine.  Continue to simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.  Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and parsley.  Season with pepper to taste.

To serve, cut each Wellington in half and spoon some sauce onto the plate.  (I probably overdid the sauce, since I kept the same sauce amount for 1/3 of the steaks, but it's too good to not pile it on!)

Recipe #193: Coquilles St. Jacques

I was interested in this dish that I found in a cookbook thanks to the picture... And it something new to do with scallops instead of just sauteing them.  Because of the wine and mushrooms, this reminded me of a sort of scallops-version of chicken Marsala   The flavor is very rich thanks to the wine and cheese, and it was a hit with Nick, who particularly loves scallops.

I got distracted and burned the bread crumbs in the 

broiler a little, but nothing was ruined, thankfully!

The goods!

INGREDIENTS:

3 tbsp butter

1/2 c fresh breadcrumbs 

1 medium yellow onion, sliced then halved

1 lb large sea scallops (NOTE:  The store didn't have these, so I had to settle for the much-smaller bay ones)

8 oz mushrooms, sliced

3 tbs all-purpose flour

1/2 c dry white wine

1/2 c water

3/4 c half-and-half

2 oz Swiss or Jarlsberg (which is what I used) cheese, coarsely grated

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat the broiler.  Grease four individual 8-10oz broiler-safe baking dishes (I used 2 larger ramekin dishes).  In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over moderate heat.  Pour the butter into a small bowl; stir in bread crumbs.  Set the buttered crumbs aside.

In the skillet, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over low heat.  Add onion; saute until soft, 5 minutes.  Increase the heat to moderate.  Stir in scallops and mushrooms; saute for 5 minutes.

Add flour to the scallops and mix well.  Gradually stir in wine and water.  Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly, until the sauce thickens, 2-3 minutes.  Stir in half-and-half; heat the mixture until it is hot but not boiling.  Remove the skillet from the heat.

Divide the scallop mixture among the baking dishes.  Sprinkle each serving with an equal amount of cheese and top the cheese with the buttered bread crumbs.  Broil 4 inches from heat until lightly browned on top, 1-2 minutes.  Serve immediately.

Recipe #185: Chicken A La King

This was cheap, easy, and kinda fun to make, definitely delicious, very filling, and I got to use pimentos for the first time!

By the way, this is probably the LEAST photogenic recipe I've made so far, so don't let the picture fool you.  It IS really good.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 cups cooked, cubed chicken breast meat
• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 pimento, chopped
• 4 teaspoons cooking sherry
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Saute bell pepper and mushrooms until tender, then stir in broth and flour and cook, stirring, until thickened. Add chicken, heat through and remove from heat.
2. In a small bowl combine sour cream, egg yolks, pimento, sherry, salt and pepper and mix together. Add this mixture to chicken mixture in skillet and heat thoroughly, stirring. Serve hot.

Recipe #161: Earthen Grilled Cheese

This is the kind of food that you want to keep eating knowing fully well that your more than content. Kid tested, Buddha approved, vegetarian delight! Gooey fresh mozzarella grilled cheese filled with caramelized onions and portabella mushrooms.
Ingredients

2 Large Portabella Mushroom Caps
4 Large Spanish Onions
2 Cloves of Garlic

Pesto -Enough to spread one piece of bread for each sandwich)
Goat Cheese - Enough to spread one piece of bread for each sandwich)
2 oz Fresh Mozzarella Cheese - Per Sandwich
1 oz Sun-dried Tomatoes - Per Sandwich
Rosemary and Oregano
2 Slices of Bread - Per Sandwich (Rye is my preference for grilled cheese)
Directions
Slaughter the onions into 1 inch ribbons. Place the onions in a pan with a lid and cook covered over medium-low heat until onions have reduced and liquid pools in the bottom of the pan. Remove the lid and, while stirring, allow the liquid to evaporate. Replace the lid and repeat the procedure until the onions have been caramelized and have turned a deep brown. Deglaze the pan with cooking booze if needed to loosen the yummy bits that cling to the pan--I used rice wine.
Slaughter the mushrooms into strips and add them to the pan with the onions. Add 5 oz of water to the pan and replace the lid. Allow the mushrooms to steam and soften. After mushrooms have softened remove the lid and allow excess water to evaporate. Rosemary, Oregano, Salt, and Pepper to taste.Slice up the mozzarella cheese and sun-dried tomatoes to to decorate the sandwich. Butter a one side of two pieces of bread (like grilled cheese).

1. Spread goat cheese on the other side of One slice of bread.
2. Spread pesto on the other side of One slice of bread

Build a Sandwich and cook it!
Glad to be finally sharing and cataloging the creations. Thanks for having me Heather!

Recipe #160: Chicken Lettuce Wraps

I am SO FAT right now from stuffing these in my pie-hole.  So fresh tasting, full of flavor, and fun to eat.  Definitely messy too, but that's worth it.  This is another from the same friend who gave me yesterday's recipe... I think I'm going to make whatever she suggests from now on :)

Ingredients


1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed  (I used 1lb)

1 tablespoon plus 1-1/2 teaspoons peanut oil, divided
3/4 cup chopped fresh mushrooms
1 can (8 ounces) water chestnuts, drained and diced  (I skipped these because we don't like them)
1 tablespoon minced fresh gingerroot
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium teriyaki sauce
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1-1/2 cups shredded carrots
1/2 cup julienned green onions
12 Bibb or Boston lettuce leaves (I only needed 7)
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted  (I skipped the toasting part)

Directions

In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook chicken in 1 tablespoon oil for 3 minutes; drain. Add the mushrooms, water chestnuts and ginger; cook 4-6 minutes longer or until chicken is no longer pink. Drain and set aside.
In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar, teriyaki sauce, soy sauce, garlic powder, red pepper flakes and remaining oil. Stir in the carrots, onions and chicken mixture.
Spoon onto lettuce leaves; sprinkle with almonds. If desired, fold sides of lettuce over filling and roll up

Recipe #156: Mushroom Risotto

Absolutely perfect.  That's all I have to say about this creamy, delicious dish.  Thank you again, allrecipes.com, for another winner!  I can't wait for the leftovers...

Ingredients

• 6 cups chicken broth, divided
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/2 pound portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced and coarsely chopped
• 1/2 pound white mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 2 shallots, diced
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• sea salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped chives
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. In a saucepan, warm the broth over low heat.
2. Warm 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Stir in the mushrooms, and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Remove mushrooms and their liquid, and set aside.
3. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to skillet, and stir in the shallots. Cook 1 minute. Add rice, stirring to coat with oil, about 2 minutes. When the rice has taken on a pale, golden color, pour in wine, stirring constantly until the wine is fully absorbed. Add 1/2 cup broth to the rice, and stir until the broth is absorbed. Continue adding broth 1/2 cup at a time, stirring continuously, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is al dente.  
4. Remove from heat, and stir in mushrooms with their liquid, butter, chives, and parmesan. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Recipe #150: Stuffed Mushrooms

I saw some tempting-looking stuffing mushrooms at the store the other day, so I picked them up (and no other ingredients) to make for a snack at some point.  Luckily, I found a highly-rated recipe on allrecipes.com that included ingredients I already had.  These were delicious and creamy, and definitely had a kick (I accidentally added more cayenne than I meant, so they were a little spicy).  It was also a relief that they were super easy to throw together too.  My changes are noted in red.

Ingredients

• 12 whole fresh mushrooms (I had 15)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (I used olive oil)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened (I used a little less than 8oz)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Carefully break off stems. Chop stems extremely fine, discarding tough end of stems.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and chopped mushroom stems to the skillet. Fry until any moisture has disappeared, taking care not to burn garlic. Set aside to cool. (Mine were still moist and hot, and it turned out fine.  I didn't feel like waiting for dry and cool.)
3. When garlic and mushroom mixture is no longer hot, stir in cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, black pepper, onion powder and cayenne pepper. Mixture should be very thick. Using a little spoon (I filled a ziplock bag with the mixture and cut the corner off to pipe the filling in:  MUCH EASIER!), fill each mushroom cap with a generous amount of stuffing. Arrange the mushroom caps on prepared cookie sheet.  (I also sprinkled some cheddar cheese on top of each mushroom)
4. Bake for 20 minutes in the preheated oven (I did 15 minutes bake, 5 minutes broil, I think that is necessary), or until the mushrooms are piping hot and liquid starts to form under caps.