Request Line! Stuffed Mushrooms

I received a request for a stuffed mushroom recipe last week, so I decided to give Stuffed Mushrooms from the December 2004 issue of Everyday Food a try. Dr. O and I rarely order stuffed mushrooms when we go out to eat and I’ve never actually made them before, so this was a new experience. I did a little research online, and it seems like people are divided into two camps: those who appreciate breadcrumbs with their stuffed mushrooms and those who don’t. (I should have asked which side you’re on, Kari – sorry!) This recipe has breadcrumbs and is actually pretty healthy compared to most recipes I’ve seen… I may need to conduct a breadcrumb-free, cream cheese-y experiment next week, though, just for the sake of comparison. 🙂

This is another recipe that isn’t posted online, so here’s what you’ll need:

3 slices whole-wheat sandwich bread (3 ounces)
3/4 cup finely grated Asiago or Parmesan cheese (3 ounces)
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 minced garlic cloves
Coarse salt and ground pepper
40 medium white button mushrooms (about 1 pound), stemmed
4 tablespoons butter, melted

First, I used my food processor to pulse the bread until fine crumbs formed; I needed 1 cup total. In a large bowl, I tossed the breadcrumbs with the cheese, parsley, and garlic and then seasoned with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper.

In preparation for stuffing the mushrooms, I put a rimmed baking sheet on one side of my workspace and my melted butter (in a small, deep bowl) on the other. I used one hand to dip a mushroom in the butter, coating it completely. Next, I dropped the buttered mushroom in the breadcrumb mixture and used a combination of a spoon and my other (non-buttery) hand to stuff the mushroom with filling and pat some crumbs on the bottom and sides. I transferred each mushroom to the baking sheet, stemmed side up.

When all the mushrooms were stuffed, I baked them at 375F until they were golden brown and cooked through, about 20 minutes. I let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a plate.

These were pretty good. They weren’t *amazing*, but they were a nice accompaniment to my main dish (steak). I really liked that they tasted lightly fried even though they were baked. I felt like the bulk of the flavor came from the cheese, so choose a favorite (I actually used Parmigiano-Reggiano) and grate it fresh for best results.

TIPS: I thought it was weird how much the recipe stressed using one hand for the butter and one for the breadcrumbs, but it’s essential. I got lazy towards the end of my mushroom stuffing, tried using both hands, and ended up with buttery crumbs clumped to my fingers. Oops.

Pear and Prosciutto “Carpaccio”

Dr. O and I usually celebrate Valentine’s Day in rather than going out. (Our first date “anniversary” is always the same week, so we avoid the crowds and go out then instead.) I usually try to make something pretty special, though, and this year was no exception. Today, we’ll start with the appetizer: Pear and Prosciutto “Carpaccio” from the January/February 2008 issue of Everyday Food.

The dish is visually impressive and very delicious, but also very quick and simple. I started by boiling 1/2 cup of balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until it was reduced to about 2 tablespoons, stirring occasionally. This took about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, I cored, halved, and thinly sliced one red pear and divided the slices between two plates. I added 1 ounce (2 slices) of paper-thin prosciutto to each plate. When the balsamic vinegar had been sufficiently reduced, I drizzled it over the prosciutto and pear and then seasoned with freshly ground pepper.

Mmmmm. This was really, really good. I had to laugh… Dr. O had no idea what he was eating, but he thought it was “the best apple he’d ever tasted.” The fact that it was actually a pear may have had something to do with it. 🙂 I think this dish would be *perfect* for a dinner party, and I look forward to making it again.

TIPS: You can find prosciutto in the deli case at most grocery stores. It’s basically just dry-cured ham. I went all out and bought some prosciutto di Parma (expensive, but I only needed 2 ounces for the recipe), which was absolutely heavenly. I just asked the deli gal to slice it as thinly as possible.

The recipe doesn’t say anything about covering the balsamic vinegar while you reduce it, but DO. When it really starts to reduce, each little bubble that bursts is like a balsamic vinegar bomb and the mess potential is major. Put a lid on the pot but leave it slightly off-kilter so the steam can escape. Instead of taking the lid off to stir, I periodically picked up my pot by the handle and swirled the mixture with the lid still in place.

Recipe link: Pear and Prosciutto “Carpaccio”

Super Bowl Snacks: Annie’s Artichoke Dip

Several years ago during my wedding festivities, my maid of honor (Annie) made this absolutely amazing artichoke dip. It rivals any dip I’ve ever had in a restaurant. She was kind enough to share the recipe with me, and now she’s agreed to let me share it with all of you. You’ll love it!

Ingredients:

1 block (8 ounces) cream cheese (light is fine)
12 ounces shredded mozzarella
1 cup mayonnaise (light is fine)
1 cup grated Parmesan (Annie subs Asiago)
1/4 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped (or more, to taste)
2 jars marinated artichokes

Drain artichokes well and tear them apart with your fingers. Combine all ingredients and mash. Bake uncovered in a casserole dish at 350 F for 30 minutes of until center is bubbling and top is golden brown. Serve with bread, crackers, or veggies.

I had to scoop out a bit for the photo so you could see the creamy goodness under the crusty top. My mom and I have made this for numerous family functions and people just go crazy for it. Thanks, Annie! 🙂

Super Bowl Snacks: Pigs in Blankets

Since the Super Bowl is rapidly approaching and many of us will be attending or hosting parties, I thought it would be fun to dedicate the rest of the week to great game day snacks. There are tons of tasty little snacks in the freezer section of the grocery store – taquitos and mini quiche, anyone? – but I just can’t bring myself to serve processed convenience food to guests. I’m making it harder than it needs to be, I know. I just really enjoy the thrill of creating something delicious.

I decided to start with a popular game day snack – Pigs in Blankets – using a recipe from the September 2007 issue of Everyday Food. I will admit to taking advantage of a convenience ingredient here: frozen puff pastry. Since it takes about 3 days to make puff pastry from scratch, though, I think this one is OK. 🙂

Frozen puff pastry needs about 40 minutes to thaw before it can be used; thawing one sheet (1/2 package) was step one. Once the pastry had thawed, I unrolled the sheet, cut it lengthwise into 10 equal strips, and then cut each strip into equal thirds to yield 30 1-by-3-inch pieces. (This was actually pretty easy because my puff pastry had been rolled into thirds and then frozen; there were creases right at the 1/3 and 2/3 marks.)

I took 30 cocktail franks, patted them dry, and the rolled each one in a strip of pastry. I placed them seam-side down on rimmed baking sheet. Next, I brushed the top of each pastry with some lightly beaten egg and the sprinkled the batch with poppy seeds.

The recipe said to bake the pigs at 400F for 25 – 30 minutes. Good thing I was watching… Mine were puffed, golden and heated through at 17 minutes.

These were really yummy little snacks! I served them with ketchup. They’re best consumed in one bite, though… Puff pastry’s delicate, flaky layers can produce some major crumbs.

TIPS: If you wanted to add cheese to the mix, you could probably put a strip of cheese on top of the pastry strip before rolling the franks (or just use cheese franks, if you can find them).

Recipe link: Pigs in Blankets (it’s the first recipe listed in the article)

Fresh Salsa

This is a short one but a good one. I get rave reviews every time I make Fresh Salsa from Pampered Chef’s All the Best (except from my friends who don’t like raw tomatoes – I have a few!). The recipe is quick, easy, and flavorful.

I started by seeding and finely dicing 6 plum tomatoes (1 1/2 cups). I put that in a bowl and added 1/4 cup of finely chopped onion, 1/4 cup of snipped fresh cilantro, 1 1/2 tablespoons of fresh lime juice, 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of ground red pepper. The recipe says to let the salsa stand for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to blend. I usually end up covering and refrigerating mine for anywhere from 30 minutes to several hours before serving.

If you’re looking for zippy salsa, this isn’t it; I suppose you could seed and chop a jalapeño and add it to the mixture for heat. I’m a bit of a wimp when it comes to super spicy foods, though, so this recipe suits me just fine. 🙂