Stuffed Mushrooms with Sausage and Herbs

Tasty Little Morsels
Man, are you as bored with your appetizer spread as I am? I mean seriously, how many olives and cheese platters can you put out? Or how about chips, salsa and guac? All good stuff, but every weekend? Last night we celebrated a good buddy's birthday and we expanded our horizons a bit. Remember stuffed mushrooms - double yum. These smell unreal and taste even better - Seriously.

Ingredients:

• 12 large mushrooms
• 3-4 T Parmesan
• 1/2 # ground Italian Sausage (I used spicy)
• 3 oz fresh wild mushrooms such as shitake or oyster mushrooms
• 12-14 sprigs fresh tarragon
• 10-12 fresh sprigs chervil
• 7-10 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 3/4 C chopped walnuts
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1/4 C olive oil (you can use much less if you prefer)
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• 6 T heavy cream (you can use fat free half and half if you prefer)
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

• Pull stems from the large mushrooms, leaving the caps whole for stuffing. Wipe the caps with a damp paper towel. Set aside in your baking dish.
• Wipe the wild mushrooms with a damp cloth and trim the stems.
• Finely chop the wild mushrooms
• Set aside 4 sprigs of each herb for garnish. Chop the remaining herbs and combine with Parmesan cheese.
• Coarsely chop the walnuts
• Cook ground sausage in frying pan until done - 5 min
• In another frying pan heat 3-4 T olive oil
• Add the chopped mushrooms, garlic and lemon juice, salt and pepper.
• Cook until all the liquid has evaporated - 3-5 min.
• Stir in the cream and cook until slightly thickened - 1-2 min
• Add the cooked sausage, chopped walnuts, herbs and Parmesan
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees
• Lightly oil your baking dish
• Spoon 1-2 T of mixture into each mushroom cap, mounding it well.
• Set the stuffed mushroom in your prepared baking dish
• Sprinkle about 1t of parmesean over the stuffed mushrooms
• Lightly drizzle olive oil over the stuffed mushrooms
• Place in the over for 15-20 min - until mushrooms are tender when pierced and the filling is very HOT
• Garnish serving dish with remaining sprigs

Roasted Vegetables: Side Dish and then Soup

Man, I had such a lazy weekend and indulged in one of my guilty pleasures, watching the Food Network. Even though it's looking like we are going to get weather in the 70's this week, this recipe for roasted vegetables is fantastic. In fact the Barefoot Contessa first served the roasted vegetables as a side dish to roasted chicken and then made a soup from the leftovers - you know I love that - Two for one!

The kicker in serving the roasted vegetables is the display and finishing touches. For ingredients and directions, please visit the below link.

Roasted Vegetable Display:

• Display each roasted vegetable on a large platter.
• Keep like veggies together, don't mix.
• For garnish, place a large bunch of flat leaf parsley on the edge.
• Top carrots with a pinch of coarse pepper and kosher salt.
• Top sweet potatoes and butternut squash with a pinch of salt and pepper and finely chopped parsley.
• Top parsnips with a splash of real maple syrup.

Barefoot Contessa Roasted Vegetable Soup:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/roasted-vegetable-soup-recipe/index.html

Taco Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday...

Growing up in Southern California, I took making Mexican food for granted. Now married to a 'New Englander' I realize not everyone ate fajitas, enchiladas, tostadas, tacos and tamales on a weekly basis. In fact, from what I hear, there were not even any Mexican restaurants in CT - the horror. Well, now living in Colorado for the last 16+ years, I realize this isn't just an east coast challenge - it's much more widespread. In fact, I was asked recently by a friend who shall remain nameless, how to make Tacos. I was aghast, but then realized, she wasn't alone. So for you foodies, this post won't do it for you. For the rest of you, please don't deprive your families, for the love of God serve Mexican food.

Below you will find instructions and ingredients to make: Soft and hard shell tacos with toppings, quesadillas, recommended side dishes and guacamole.

Tacos
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 # Ground beef (or one package)
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cloves Garlic, pressed
• Salt and Pepper
• 1 tChipotle Tabasco
• 1 T Green taco sauce
• Corn and/or flour tortillas (your preference)
• Vegetable oil (if you like your shells crispy)

Toppings:

• Chopped Tomatoes
• Shredded cheddar cheese
• Chopped cilantro
• Shredded lettuce
• Sour cream
• Various hot sauces

Directions:
Making Taco Meat:

• Pour 1T vegetable oil in skillet over medium heat.
• Add chopped onion and pressed garlic. Cook for a minute.
• Add ground beef. Cook until brown (about 5-7 min ish)
• Season to your taste by adding salt, pepper, Tabasco/Chalulah and green taco sauce.

Frying Hard Shells:

• Heat 1 C vegetable oil in skillet over medium/high heat - it's gotta be HOTUse tongs to place flour or corn tortillas into the oil.
• For tostadas leave the tortilla flat and crisp each side. For tacos place the tortilla in the oil for 15 seconds then using the tongs fold into a shell and brown on each sideOnce the shell is to your liking place upside down on a paper towel. This will allow the excess oil to drip off and the shell to crisp up.
• If you like the tortillas soft, simply place a mixture of tortillas in foil, place in 300 degree oven for 15 min.

Make it to your liking:
Using various bowls display your toppings. The kids may only like cheese, others may like their tacos over loaded.
What else to serve:

Can't go wrong with serving a side of Mexican rice, apple sauce and refried black beans. Sweet, salty and spicy - all my favorites. It should go without saying that chips, salsa and guacamole should be served well ahead of time. And the kids love Quesadillas. Now, I again ASSumed everyone knows how to make these, but when I learned some folks were just 'nuk'n' them to a rubbery, chewy disaster, I knew I needed to set the record straight.

Cheese Quesadillas (No you cannot microwave these)
Ingredients:

• Shredded cheddar cheese (Shredding it yourself will result in better flavor)
• Flour Tortillas
• Butter

Directions:

• Heat 1 T butter in skillet over medium heat
• Butter one-side of the flour tortilla and place in skillet
• Cover tortilla with shredded cheddar cheese
• Butter another tortilla and place on top
• Flip the quesadilla when bottom tortilla is brown and do the same for the other side
• When both tortillas are brown and the cheese is melted, place on cutting board
• Slice into triangles and serve

Guacamole
Ingredients:
Four large, ripe avocados (not hard and not too soft)

• 1/2 lemon
• 1/2 T Worcestershire sauce
• 1 clove garlic
• Cholulah (or whatever hot sauce you like)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 bag tortilla chips

Directions:

• Remove skin and seed from avocados and place in mixing bowl
• Using a fork press the avocado into a chunky paste (if you like your guac smooth, press away
• Squeeze the juice from 1/2 lemon
• Add remaining ingredients (minus the chips!)
• Mix and season to taste - dice a jalepeno for extra spice
• Serve with chips and top the guac with cilantro, shredded cheese and tomato for garnish.

Adios mi amigos!

The New Freezer Pantry

Our resident pastry chef, Rob Palmer sent a link to a recent blog post from Michael Ruhlman - Notes from the Food World. This post briefly discusses the concept of the 'new pantry', a reflection on how our staple items might be changing or should be, because of our focus on cooking great food sensibly and efficiently. No more bullion cubes, canned stocks and a great idea on how you can actually make the most of a can of tomato paste after you open it. Short, sweet and helpful. Hope you enjoy as much as I did. Thanks for sharing Rob.

Get more tips: http://blog.ruhlman.com/ruhlmancom/2009/01/the-freezer-pan.html

Chicken Piccata

Tender, Tangy and Tasty
So my mom is the first to admit that in the early days she was a woman with limited culinary talents. However, there were a few things she always rocked in the kitchen and still does. Her scrambled eggs are still the best on the planet. Chocolate chip cookies are to DIE for. Fried chicken is a gut bomb, but perfectly crunchy, salty and delicious. And her Chicken Piccata is melt in your mouth, holy cow, FABULOUS.

Perfect Piccata (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

• 4 Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (or two whole chicken breasts)
• 1 extra large egg
• 1 T water
• 1 C flour
• Kosher salt and coarse pepper
• 3 T unsalted butter (divided)
• 1 T good olive oil
• 1/2 C white wine
• 1/2 C chicken stock
• 1/3 C fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
• 2 Lemons sliced (for serving)
• 1/2 C Italian parsley, chopped (for serving)

Directions:

• Place each boneless, skinless chicken breast between two pieces of parchment paper or plastic wrap
• Using a kitchen mallet, pound chicken until thin
• Beat egg and water in small bowl
• Mix flour, salt and pepper in a shallow bowl or plate
• In a large sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium heat
• Place egg/floured chicken breasts in pan
• Cook 5 min. per side (or until cooked through and brown)
• Remove chicken from the pan and place on a side plate (until you finish making the sauce)
• Over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the butter
• Add the lemon juice, wine, chicken stock, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.
• Boil over high heat until reduced, about 2 minutes.
• Turn off the burner and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter - stir.
• Return the chicken breasts to the pan
• Place sliced lemon round and chopped parsley on top of the chicken
• Simmer for 3 min and serve!

Herbed new potatoes and steamed asparagus are always a lovely accompaniment to this family favorite. Enjoy!

Jill's Peanut Butter Buckeye Balls

If you like Reece's Peanut Butter cups, you are going to LOVE these babies. This fantastic little recipe comes to you from my dear friend and co-worker Jill Huselton. In fact, the infamous pastry chef Rob Palmer even refered these gems as 'truffles'. This recipe is done in steps, but the end result is a smooth, savory ball of heaven.

Peanut Butter Buckeye Balls - 60 pieces

Ingredients:

• 1 pound powdered sugar
• 1 stick butter
• 1 t vanilla
• 12 oz jar creamy peanut butter
• 12 oz chocolate chips
• 2 T Crisco (yep, I said Crisco)

Directions:

• Combine powdered sugar, butter, vanilla and peanut butter
• Form small balls with the mixture
• Place balls in freezer (dang, that doesn't read well) for two hours
• Once the peanut butter balls are frozen, melt chocolate chips and Crisco in a slow cooker or double boiler.
• Using a toothpick, dip each peanut butter ball into the melted chocolate mixture.
• Once dipped, use another toothpick to place the dipped ball on wax paper.
• Refreeze the dipped peanut butter balls
• Serve chilled or at room temperature

Magic Bars

This decadent little treat goes by many names...Magic Bars, Stack Cookies, Hello Dollies, etc. No matter what name you use, they all deliver the same over the top, fantastically decadent taste. These are quick, easy and amazing.

Magic Bars
Ingredients

• 1 Cube butter
• 1 C Graham crackers
• 1 C Chocolate chips
• 1 C Coconut
• 1 C Chopped walnuts
• 1 C Sweetened condensed milk

Directions

• Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees
• Using a casserole or Pyrex dish, place ingredients in order
• Bake 20 min
• Cool 10-15 min
• Cut into small squares - a little goes a long way.