Roasted Mushrooms

OK, my hubby loves mushrooms. Loves, loves, loves them. I got the idea of simply roasting them from a pinterest pin. This is so easy & great when you have the oven on for something else. The mushrooms cook so easily "with others". ;)

<3 Lishie

Roasted Mushrooms

• 1/2c sliced white button mushrooms
• 1/2c sliced baby Bella mushrooms
• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 1-2 TBSp olive oil 
• 1 TBSp red wine vinegar
• 1 TBSp minced fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Preheat oven to 375degrees. Combine the mushrooms & shallots onto a lined baking sheet (I used aluminum foil). Sprinkle with the olive oil & vinegar. Bake for about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley & serve. 

Mushroom Stroganoff ~ Meatless Monday

Meatless Monday! Yes, I know this is actually posting on Tuesday but it is truly an any day meal. When some people envision meatless, they think "hunger, light, un-filling", maybe even "bland". With this recipe that is not the case. Ask my hubby! He really loved this mushroom stroganoff & had two heaping bowls full of it. Mushrooms are a great alternative to meat because of their texture & "meaty" woodsy flavor. If you like shrooms, give this a go.

<3 Lishie

Mushroom Stroganoff 

slightly adapted from
Skinnytaste.com

• 1 TBSp butter
• 1/2 c chopped onion
• 2 TBSp unbleached a-p flour
• 2 c fat-free, less-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 TBSp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp tomato paste
• 8 oz sliced white button mushrooms
• 8 oz sliced baby Bella mushrooms
• 1/4 tsp thyme
• s & p, to taste
• 2 TBSp white wine or sherry (I used white wine)
• 1/4 c reduced-fat sour cream
• 8 oz uncooked noodles
• 1 TBSp minced fresh flat-leaf parsley for garnish

Cook noodles in a pot of salted water according to package directions, al dente.

Meanwhile, while the water starts to boil for the noodles, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Melt butter over medium heat and add onions to the pan. Cook 2 - 3 minutes over medium-low heat.Add flour; stir with a wooden spoon for 30 seconds. Gradually add broth, Worcestershire sauce, & tomato paste, stirring constantly. Add mushrooms, thyme, s & p; stir & cook 4-5 minutes or until thickened & bubbly, stirring constantly. 

Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 1 1/2 cups • Old Points: 5 pts • Points+: 7 ptsCalories: 268 • Fat: 3.5 g • Carbs: 52.5 g • Fiber: 7 g • Protein: 12.5 g • Sugar: 4.5 gSodium: 312 (without salt) 

Steak, Peppers & Mushrooms Sandwich

March 21, amongst other things, is National French Bread Day. Who am I to deny celebrating this? So on my menu for the week... Peppered Steak & Mushrooms Sandwiches. Yum. Easy. Contentment.

<3 Lishie

Steak, Peppers & Mushrooms Sandwich

• 2 lb strip loin, trimmed
• olive oil 
• bell peppers (I used red), sliced
• mushrooms (I used white buttons), sliced
• s & p
• rolls (I used French rolls)

Place raw steak in freezer for 30 minutes; this makes it easier to slice the meat. Remove the meat from the freezer and slice very thinly. 

Heat saute pan on medium-high heat... Add olive oil, peppers & mushrooms. Saute, stirring occasionally, until the veg is softer, then add the steak. When steak browns (pretty fast if thin) add S & P, to taste... Top rolls with mixture & serve.

On a more serious note, March 21st is also World Down Syndrome Day to signify the uniqueness of Down syndrome in the triplication (trisomy) of the 21st chromosome and is used synonymously with Down syndrome.

Stuffed Mushrooms

Looking for a great, no fail appetizer for Thanksgiving, or any day? Well here it is. My hubby love, love, loves mushrooms. There are so many variations on stuffed shrooms but this is a great base recipe... add more things anytime. Change it up with bacon or sausage... add carrots. Use shallots. Do as you wish! I make this as a side sometimes too!


Happy Thanksgiving Eve!
<3 Lishie




Stuffed Mushrooms

• 16 large or 32 small white button mushrooms
• Olive Oil
• 1 medium onion, diced small
• 4 celery stalks, diced small
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• S & P
• 1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

With a slightly damp cloth, wipe the mushrooms clean. Pull the stalks from them carefully (reserve). Finely dice the stalks. 


In the olive oil, saute the onion, celery & diced mushroom stalks until the onion is translucent & the celery is soft. Mixing, add the garlic & the S & P.  Add the bread crumbs & combine, take off heat.


Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.


Take the mushroom tops & using a small spoon (I like my Tablespoon measure for this) over-fill/stuff them with the onion mixture. Place flat-side/non-stuffed side down on a sprayed baking sheet. Top the stuffed mushrooms with the parmesan & bake for 20 minutes, until the cheese is browned & the mushrooms are softened. Enjoy!

Look at these HUGE, "button" mushrooms we got!

Check out my post: Thank you for Thanksgiving Crafts ideas for the kids.

Shrooms!

OK, that one item must exist for everyone... you know, the one thing that you must order at any given place? For my hubby, at Outback, it is the Shrooms. (Yes, we also get the Bloomin' Onion!) He is obsessed with mushrooms to begin with, but add steak & it is a must have side. A long while back I had done a search & came up with this copycat recipe.... such a simple recipe yet my hubby says it tastes just like the restaurant's!

Outback Steakhouse Shrooms 

from Food.com

• 1 (10 1/2 ounce) can beef broth
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 2 (16 ounce) cans small button mushrooms (plus the juice of one can)
• 1/3 cup dry red wine

Place beef broth in a saucepan and simmer onion for 15 minutes.

Add mushrooms, along with juice from 1 can or jar and wine.

Simmer another 15 minutes.

Chicken, Pepper & Mushroom Tikka Kebabs & Cous Cous

We have a new grill at our home & I am ecstatic... My hubby has been grilling pretty well with it! I prep the food then he cooks it. I do the sides. Oh and desserts (But not in this post!) It was a teensy bit rainy tonight but that did not stop us. Oh no! And why? I also got a new cookbook- "Entice with Spice" by Shubhra Ramineni & I am in love!!! Tonight's dinner was inspired by one of Shubhra's recipes called Chicken & Bell Pepper Tikka Kebabs. This was delicious & a nice change from bbq sauce :)

I make my kabobs, so similar to hers but I add mushrooms for my hubby... And used Shubhra's marinade (with extra reserved for dipping):

Chicken, Pepper & Mushroom Tikka Kebabs 

• Grill Spray
• Package of skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes
• 1 lb. boneless Chicken breast or tenders, cut into 2" cubes
• 2-3 bell Peppers, sliced into 2" pieces (I used green, red & yellow)
• 1 Onion, sliced into 2" pieces
•  Handful white, button Mushrooms

Place the items on the skewers, alternating... I do onion/chicken/onion/pepper/onion/chicken/onion/mushroom/onion/chicken/onion/pepper...

Brush with the marinade (recipe below) & grill till the chicken is cooked well, turning the kabobs... about 8 minutes on each side.



Tikka Marinade

• 1 TBSp Garlic, minced
• Zest & juice 1 Lemon
• 1/2 tsp Coriander
• 1/4 tsp Tumeric
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp fresh cracked Pepper
• 3 TBSp Plain Yogurt

Whisk together all of the above ingredients.


*Lishie tip- Place a small amount of the marinade aside to use to dip the skewers!


As a side, I decided to make a quick cous cous:
Sauteed Pepper Cous Cous
2 TBSp Canola Oil
1/2 of a Bell Pepper, chopped, set aside from above (I used 1/4 yellow & 1/4 red)
1/4 of an Onion, chopped, also set aside from above
1 & 1/2 cups Cous Cous
2 cups Water


Heat the oil in a small sauce pan on Medium heat. Add the onion & pepper & saute until the onion is translucent & the pepper is soft but with some "bite" left. With a slotted spoon, remove it from the pan then drain the oil. Add the water into the pan & bring to a boil. Add the cous cous, shut off the heat & fluff/mix. Cover & set aside for 5 minutes to rest. Add in the sauteed pepper & onion & fluff the cous cous before serving.

And everything was cooked, cleaned & eaten with enough time for some after dinner crafting with G!

Happy Flag Day! 6*14*11
<3 Lish

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burgers

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Burgers

• 4 TBSp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 TBSp Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 TBSp chopped Basil
• 1 tsp Oregano
• S & P
• 2  Portobello caps
• Cooking Spray

Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, basil, oregano & S &P. Place the cleaned portobello caps in a large ziploc bag with the oil/vinegar mixture. Allow it to marinate for 10-15 minutes at room temperature.

When ready, heat the grill pan on Medium-high & spray it with cooking spray.  Grill each portobello side about 10 minutes. (If using cheese, when you flip the portobello cap, place cheese on the already-grilled side.)

I served them on rolls with sliced roasted red pepper, lettuce & tomato. If you want cheese, provolone or mozzarella would be delicious on these!

*Lishie tip- to clean mushrooms, take a damp towel & simply pat off any dirt. Do not immerse fungi ;) in water because they absorb like sponges. This is also the reason why you should not marinate for a long period of time! Only 15 minutes or less or the caps will be inundated with liquid.

Grilled Flank Steak w/ Mushrooms

This is the first thing I made for my hubby, Michael years ago on my stove-top, grill pan, when we began dating. It was a hit because 1) he found out I could cook & 2) he lovesssss mushrooms- "shrooms"! So despite the fact I had not blogged this recipe yet, I chose to exchange it for the grilling recipe swap. My friend Harriet was the recipient- And Harriet is so sweet, she said she'd guest blog! She does a wonderful job too- love her descriptions- see below recipe... Oh & I got Gianna's DELISH Marinated Flank Steak. Funny a flank steak for a... flank steak!  Grilled Flank Steak w/ Mushrooms 1 1/2 to 2 lbs. flank steak S & P 2 portobello mushrooms 1/4 lb. cremini mushrooms  1/4 lb. button mushrooms 3 large shallots, chopped 1/4 cup butter 2 scallions, chopped- greens only 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar 4 TBSp low sodium soy sauce 3 TBSp sugar  Marinade: Cut the steak into 4 equal pieces. Season w/ S & P. Combine 2 shallots, 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar, 1 TBSp sugar and 1 TBSp soy sauce in a resealable bag. Mix well. Marinate the steaks in the bag/mixture for 2 hours or more- overnight's best.  Cut all of the mushrooms into 1/4 inch slices. In a skillet melt 1/2 of the butter & add 1/2 of the remaining chopped shallot. Heat over medium for 1 minute. Add portobellos and season with S & P. Simmer for 15 minutes and transfer to a bowl and keep warm. Repeat process with the cremini mushrooms except reduce the cooking time to 10 minutes. Add cooked portobellos back into the skillet... In a small bowl mix 2 TBSp of sugar, 3 TBSp of soy sauce and 1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar. Add to mushroom skillet & boil for 3 minutes or until the liquid is slightly reduced. Add chopped scallions.  Preheat grill. Remove steaks from bag and dispose of marinade. Grill steaks until done, about 6-7 minutes per side. Remove from grill and cut into strips cross grain. Serve with mushrooms. Harriet's Take: I joined in on a recipe exchange on one of my message boards. The recipe theme was "grilling". I received Elisha's recipe for Grilled Flank Steak with Mushrooms. Normally, I'm not a big mushroom fan and don't cook with them too often (save for the Cream of Mushroom soup I make in my pressure cooker), so I was a bit hesitant with a recipe that was so full of mushrooms. Well, it was GREAT! The mushrooms were creamy in a balsamic and soy based sauce. It had a great tang. I'm a huge vinegar fan and really enjoy when it appears in recipes, especially in sauces. The flank steak (or in my case london broil) was marinated overnight and was very tender after grilling. I did make a few changes. I don't typically change a recipe the first time I make it, but I only did it because of the ingredient availability at my local supermarket.  I used porcini and shitake mushrooms as well as the portobellos. And I did substitute a london broil for the flank steak, because I never have luck finding flank steak at my market (I'm probably not looking hard enough). I'm going to keep this recipe on file. I'm sure I'll be making it soon since grilling season is afoot. Thanks Elisha!!!! Regards, Harriet Thank you, Harriet!!!!

Meatless Monday- Balsamic Portbello & Radicchio

So staying on the "even healthier than before" kick, I decided to switch red meat/steak in a favorite recipe of ours for portobello mushrooms & make a few adjustments. They are a great alternative as the main ingredient because the "meatiness" of the portobello is substantial.

Very purple-ly!

Balsamic Portbello & Radicchio

• 2 TBSp Canola Oil
• 4 Portobello Mushroom Caps, sliced
• 1/2 Radicchio head, shredded
• 1 TBSp Sugar
• 1 tsp dried Basil
• 1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
• 1/4 cup Vegetable Stock

Heat 1 TBSp canola oil on medium-high heat. Add the sliced portobello to the saute pan. Cook until the mushrooms are darker and cooked down (smaller), continuously mixing. Add the shredded radicchio & stir together with the mushrooms. Keep mixing & sauteing until the radicchio is wilted. Add the sugar & basil & stir/saute for another minute. Add in the balsamic vinegar & allow it to cook down (become half it's amount & thicker). Then carefully add the vegetable stock & simmer for 5 more minutes. 

I served the portobello & radicchio with roasted broccoli to add some green to our meal. This is a great way for vegetarians or anyone who would like to cut some meat out of their diet to be satisfied for dinner. Enjoy!

*Lishie tip- Do not wash mushrooms- just dampen a paper towel & wipe any dirt off of the cap. Shrooms soak up water (& flavor) like a sponge!

Chicken Kabobs & Honey-Mustard Dip

Kabobs! Such an easy indoor or outdoor, healthy dish. I make mine all of the time on the grill pan but of course, as the weather gets nicer & nicer, outdoor grilling is wonderful. All you need is kabob sticks! These are so versatile- get your favorite veggies, ones that will grill nicely, & you can make these with chicken, beef or just veggie. An easy & quick meal!

Can you see the 1 piece of zucchini I slipped in? ;)

Chicken Kabobs

• 2 lbs.boneless, skinless Chicken, cubed
• 1 large Red Pepper, chopped in huge pieces
• 1 large, Onion, hopped in huge pieces
• Handful White, Button Mushrooms
• Cooking Spray
• Skewer Sticks

Alternately place onion/chicken/onion/peppper/mushrooms on the skewer stick (as much as can fit). Spray the grill pan... On Medium-high, grill each side for about 5-7 minutes, making sure the chicken is cooked. (To be safe, I finish the kabobs off in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes.)

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce! Mine:

Honey-Mustard Dip

• 1/4 cup Plain Yogurt
• 1/4 cup Dijon Mustard
• 2 TBSp Honey
• 1 tsp Lemon Zest
• 1/4 cup Lemon Juice
• Freash Dill or Chives, finely chopped
• Salt

Whisk all together, chill before serving.


*Lishie tips- Soak the skewer sticks in water for at least an hour before preparation to prevent them from burning. Also, I place the onion next to the meat for extra taste.

The "course before dessert" (Mushroom Side with a Vinaigrette)

I'm use to eating salad as an appetizer but have slightly revised this course of meal since meeting my husband & the DeMaria clan. They eat salad LAST or "Il contorno" (meaning side dish or salad) before dessert.

Tonight I made Balsamic Steak with Ridicchio (this is a keeper & will recur in our home) & il contorni di funghi which sounds so good in Italian but is simply, a Mushroom Side with a Vinaigrette. My hubby's family serves it more at room temperature so it is like a salad.

Vinaigrette
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp oregano or fresh parsley

Whisk all ingredients together. Pour over salad or side.

Hubby's family like this on sliced mushrooms or on fresh green beans.

A "meaty" vegetarian feast- Portobello Parmesan

Looking for a hearty vegetarian dinner? I'd love to suggest Portobello Parmesan. It's filling & even a crowd pleaser for the meat-lovers in your life! It was the perfect meal for my veggie sister Perrie & for my hubby... no leftovers! I've made this many times for my hubby alone:

Portobello Parmesan

• 8 small OR 4 large portobello mushrooms (damp wiped, stems removed)
• olive oil
• salt & pepper
• 3-4 cups Marinara Sauce
• 1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded
• 1/4 cup shredded parmesan (as topper)

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Brush the portobello mushroom caps with the olive oil on both sides. Salt & pepper each cap. Grill each side about 5 minutes on medium-high.

In an oiled (I use olive oil spray) baking dish or dishes (I used 2, 9" X 13" glass pyrex dishes for 8 caps), spread 1 cup marinara sauce. Place the mushroom caps, bottom facing up, on the sauce. ladle more sauce into each cap. Place shredded mozzarella onto each cap, then top with shredded parmesan cheese.

Bake for 15-20 minutes or until cheese is melted, bubbling & browned.

AND, my sister is taking home the sauce from the baking dishes to use as a mushroom sauce on pasta. Win, win! Good thing, since there are no leftover ports!

Sunday= Food for the Mind, Body & Soul= Chicken Stir Fry

Sundays are wonderful, especially book club Sundays... They begin with food for my family's soul (Church/Mass), then food for my mind (book club choice was GOOD, go Stacey L.: The Wednesday Sisters by Meg Waite Clayton ) & a diner brunch with the "World's Best Pancakes", then onto the supermarket for the week's necessities. I create my list around a weekly menu & go from there. The rest of the day is food prep for the week! Being a full-time, working mom, this part is really important. Heck, just being a commuting, working woman, it's important!  It provides me with ample time to cook a real dinner for my family which can be difficult during the week especially with my schedule.

For this part, I have to stress how much I love my rice-maker/steamer! It's wonderful.
My toddler, Gabriel is 21 months & loves his vegetables so besides prep for the week, I also prepare go to veggies for him since he's not the average eater (won't eat pizza or chicken nuggets!) Today's steaming was: cauliflower, potatoes & carrots... Then onto rice for another meal.

Meanwhile, I was cleaning other produce & chop, chop, chopping for dinner. What's quicker & healthier  & least demanding on a prep day like this? Stir fry! Now some have said to me they are afraid to stir fry because they do not have a wok BUT that is OK! You can use a stainless steel saute pan and a flat wooden paddle spoon. I actually have a Stainless Steel Wok (Stir Fry Pan). Stir fries are so versatile but the one I made tonight is a combination my husband Michael loves.

All of the following amounts are approximate:



Chicken Stir Fry

• 1 & 1/2 pounds of boneless chicken, cut into pieces
• 1 Tablespoon corn starch
• Chinese Five Spice (Star anise, cloves, cinnamon, pepper & fennel)
• Soy Sauce (we use low sodium)
• sliced scallions (green onions)
• white, button mushrooms
• Sugar snap peas or the flat pea pods
• S & P to taste

I place the chicken pieces in a bowl, add the corn starch & Chinese five spice and some soy sauce & mix it up with tongs...

I use a little canola oil in the wok on medium-high heat... add the white part of the scallions for a moment then add the chicken pieces. Cook chicken halfway through, then add the mushrooms... cook some more till the chicken is almost done, add some more soy sauce, & then, near the end, add the sugar snap peas... Stir, make sure the chicken is cooked & it's done! 


I serve with white rice or rice noodles.

Did I mention that cleaning & chopping produce is therapeutic for me? I love Sundays...
Have a great week everyone!