Stuffed Mushrooms

I have had more people ask me for my Stuffed Mushrooms recipe than any other, so I decided to cook it up as a dinner side. Here's the recipe so you can impress your friends with your culinary expertise.



Ingredients
12 open cap mushrooms
4 spring onions - minced
2 tsp. olive oil
3.5 oz. bread crumbs
1 tsp. fresh oregano
3.5 oz. feta cheese

Method

1. Sautee chopped mushroom stalks + onions in oil until browned.
   
2. Mix stalks, onions, bread crumbs, cheese and oregano in a bowl and set aside.
   
3. Pack the stuffing mix in the open caps and bake @ 350deg. F 8-10 minutes.

Notes (important!)

• The mixture should be dry. If it is too dry, and I mean too dry, you may add a small addition of oil.
  
• Resist any temptations to use salt+pepper.. they will not bring anything to this dish.
• Substitutions for this recipe are numerous, for example last time I omitted the oregano by simply using Italian bread crumbs.
• Another idea is replacing feta cheese with Italian sausage.

Beer Bread

This recipe is around for one reason... It is one of the easiest things to prepare, and all of the ingredients are on-hand (except maybe the beer). If you aren't much of a beer drinker, some local shops sell 12oz. bottles as singles for around a buck. Also try mixing up which beer you use, it impacts the taste of the bread.

Ingredients
3 C. flour
3 t. powder
1 1/2 t. salt
3 T sugar
1 can/bottle (12oz.) beer at room temp.

Method

1. Preheat oven to 375 deg. Fahrenheit.
   
2. Mix dry ingredients in a steel bowl.
   
3. Add beer, mix.
4. Coat bread pan with non-stick spray.
5. Pour mix in bread pan, bake 1 hour.

Preference is for microbrews over domestics.

Pancakes

This is bar-none the best pancake recipe I've ever come across. Not only is it easy, but we almost always have all of the ingredients on-hand without planning ahead. Beware -- this makes a big 'ol pancake.

Ingredients
2 eggs
2 cups milk
2 T vinegar
2 C. flour
2 T veg. oil
2 t powder
2 t soda


Method
Prepare this how you'd prepare any pancakes. Mix all ingredients and cook on a skillet (lined with butter, preferably, or non-stick spray if you like).

Garlic-Parsley Creamed Potatoes

I used to get parsley at the local farmer's market in Missoula, but they'd give you a freakin huge handful of it for a buck. I never could find anything aside from the dish I was preparing to use it in, so I found this side-dish to help use some more of the parsley. It always took a lot longer to cook than I expected, but I like thicker sauces than most.

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs. un-peeled new potatoes, quartered.
1/2 stick butter
3 T minced garlic
3 T fresh, chopped parsley
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 cups milk
salt & pepper to taste

Method

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan.
2. Add quartered potatoes and saute over medium heat until slightly browned on outside but not cooked through.
3. Add garlic and parsley and saute for about a minute more.
4. Add milk, water, salt and pepper.
5. If liquid does not cover the potatoes, add more water and milk until potatoes are covered.
6. Bring to a full boil, then reduce heat and simmer lightly until potatoes are tender and sauce is thickened.
7. When finished, sauce should not be at all 'soupy', but just thick enough to cling to potatoes when served. (I like it a bit thicker than that)
   

Homemade Croutons

After making croutons with this recipe about four years ago, I've not gone back to purchasing them in a box at the store. They are much more flavorful and not hard as a rock.


Ingredients
1/4 cup olive oil (We use Bertolli's Extra Light Tasting)
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 loaf/8oz. French bread (or equivalent sliced bread) cut into 3/4 inch cubes.
2 tbsp. Parmesan cheese (optional)

Mixing up the spices is definitely OK for this recipe. Exclude what you don't like, include something not listed if you please.

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 deg. Fahrenheit.
   
2. In a large bowl, mix olive oil and spices.
3. Add bread cubes, toss to coat.
4. Spread cubes on a pan, bake for 8 minutes or until golden brown.
5. Remove and let cool, store in an air-tight container for up to 2 weeks.
   

Dill Dip (Very Easy)

Whenever we need a universal dip that we can agree upon, it usually ends up being this dill dip. It's easy to make, it goes with pretty much anything, and it helps to enhance other flavors rather than mask them. But wait.. there's more! It only takes a few ingredients and 2 minutes to make. Don't skip the chilling step at the end, though, those flavors need time to get to know each other (and the dip gets much thicker, too).

Ingredients
1 cup sour cream
1/4 to 1/2 cup mayo
2 tablespoons fresh chopped green onions (optional)
1+ tablespoon dill weed (add more to taste)
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Method

1. Pick out a smaller tupperware bowl with lid
2. Add sour cream, then mayo and lemon juice and stir
   
3. Add green onions (optional)
4. Add dill weed, taste, repeat
5. Stir dip until well blended
6. Seal the bowl and place in the fridge for at least one hour (2 is better)
7. Dip will thicken and flavors will meld during the chilling process

This dip has been tasted with:

• Veggies
  
• Potato chips
• Gyros

Gazpacho With Garbanzo Beans

Perfect for those hot, summer days when you can't stand the thought of using the oven. And at only 191 calories per serving, you can eat it guilt-free.



Ingredients
1 can (15 ounces) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
6 cups unsalted vegetable juice
1 cup cherry tomatoes, quartered
1/2 cup cucumber, chopped and seeded
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1-3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup lime juice

Method

1. In a large bowl, add all ingredients. Stir well.
2. Cover and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour or until well chilled.

Bread Stuffing

When I was younger, at least once a year we ventured to Berlin, New Hampshire and the food was always delicious and plentiful. This stuffing side dish is superb if you're looking for a homemade alternative to Stove Top. Also, it's a little crunchy in the end :)

Ingredients
1 loaf white bread, toasted and put through a grinder
Salt & pepper
Bell's seasoning
A little bit of melted butter
A little bit of water
Chopped onion

Method

1. Mix all ingredients and add to a glass baking dish
2. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes

Easy Beef Wellington

This dish is very simple and very heavy. Experience has shown us that finely chopping the onions is quite important.

Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1 pint sour cream
2 cups mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup onion, finely chopped
1 teaspoon oregano
3 packages crescent rolls

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Brown the onion and the ground beef. Drain.
3. Add the sour cream, mozzarella, and oregano to the beef. Mix together and simmer.
4. Lightly grease a 13x9 inch glass dish.
5. Spread 2 of the packages of the crescent rolls around the base and sides of the dish.
6. Spoon beef mixture into dish.
7. Spread remaining crescent rolls over the top of the beef.
8. Cook 20-25 minutes.
   

Authentic Guacamole

I ran across this diamond in the rough on a Spanish newsgroup a while back. People were raving, so I translated it, prepped it and ay dios mio!!

FYI -- This treat rarely makes its way to the refrigerator, but keep in mind that avocado doesn't last much longer than a couple days after it has been prepared. Another note -- if you're sensitive to heat, the jalapeño pepper(s) doesn't add heat as much as it adds flavor, so I'd suggest at least adding 1/2 to 1 pepper.

Ingredients

1 large avocado (or 2 medium)
1 large tomato, chopped (or 2 Roma)
Cilantro, finely chopped, to taste
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1-2 jalepeño peppers, minced (optional)
juice from a small lemon (or 1 teaspoon lemon juice)
salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Peel the avocado and remove the core
2. Crush it with a fork until desired consistency
3. Add the chopped ingredients
4. Add the lemon juice
5. Lastly, add the salt and pepper to taste

Carrot and Feta Risotto

This is a good dish when you're in the mood for a meal that's rich and flavorful.



Ingredients
5 cups vegetable stock
4 carrots, shredded
1 small onion, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
1 teaspoon dry dill or 1 tablespoon fresh dill
juice of 1 lemon
200 grams feta chesse
2 tablespoons parsley, chopped (optional)

Method

1. Bring the stock to a boil.
2. Put the carrots in the stock, lower the heat, and simmer gently.
3. In large wok or saucepan, add the olive oil and onion. Saute the onion until soft but not brown.
4. Carefully add the rice and stir until the grains are coated evenly in oil.
5. Add the dill to the rice mixture.
6. Add 1 cup of the stock to the rice and stir.
7. When the previous cup of stock is absorbed by the rice, add another cup.
8. Continue adding the stock to the rice like this until all of the stock has been absorbed and the rice is tender but al dente.
9. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice, feta cheese, and parsley.
10. Serve immediately.
    

Skillet Lasagna

Meatloaf mix is a combination of ground beef, pork, and veal. If you can't find it, ground beef (or whatever other ground meat you may have on hand) works just fine.

Ingredients
1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes
water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, minced
1/2 teaspoon table salt
3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound meatloaf mix
10 curly-edged lasagna noodles, broken into 2 inch pieces
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese (plus 2 more tablespoons)
ground black pepper
1 cup ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons fresh basil, chopped

Method

1. Pour tomatoes with their juices into 1-quart liquid measuring cup. Add water until mixture measures 1 quart.
2. Heat oil in large, nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering.
3. Add onion and salt and cook until onion begins to brown (about 5 minutes).
4. Stir in garlic and pepper flakes and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
5. Add meat and cook, breaking apart meat until no longer pink (about 4 minutes).
6. Scatter pasta over meat but do not stir.
   
7. Pour diced tomatoes with juices and tomato sauce over pasta.
8. Cover and bring to simmer.
9. Reduce heat to medium-low and summer, stirring occasionally, until pasta is tender (about 20 minutes).
10. Remove skillet from heat and stir in 1/2 cup parmesan.
11. Season with salt and pepper.
12. Dot with heaping tablespoons ricotta. Cover and let stand off heat for 5 minutes.
13. Sprinkle with basil and remaining 2 tablespoons of parmesan.
    

Cheesy White Sauce

This is Craig's favorite crepe filling.



Ingredients
1 cup cold milk
2 tablespoons Wondra
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
1/2 cup American cheese

Method

1. In 1-quart saucepan, stir together milk, Wondra, butter or margarine, salt, and pepper
2. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until sauce boils.
3. Boil and stir for 1 minute.
4. Add ground mustard and cheese.
5. Continue heating until cheese has melted.
   

Cherry Crepe Filling

This is Jessie's favorite crepe filling. It's excellent served with whipped topping.



Ingredients
1 can (17 oz.) pitted dark sweet cherries
2 tablespoons sugar
1/8 teaspoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons corn starch
2 tablespoons cold water

Method

1. Drain juice from cherries into a small saucepan. Set cherries aside.
2. Add sugar and lemon juice to cherry juice.
3. Cook over low heat until the sugar dissolves.
4. Mix cornstarch with water and add to juice.
5. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce boils and thickens.
6. Remove from heat.
7. Add cherries.

Parisian Anniversary Crepes

This tasty crepe recipe is straight from the Paris hotel in Las Vegas! Any non-stick cooking surface should do just fine, but the novelty of a sleek, slim specialty crepe pan for about ten bucks made this pan a good buy.

crepes



finished crepe


Ingredients
2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons salt
6 eggs
6 tablespoons butter; melted and cooled
2 cups milk
2/3 cup water

Method

1. In a food processor set with a metal blade, place the flour, sugar, and salt.
2. Add the eggs and process with pulsing action.
3. Add the butter, milk and water.
4. Pulse to combine.
5. Pour batter into container and refridgerate for 1 hour
6. Spray frying pan or crepe pan with a non-stick spray. Heat pan.
7. When hot, ladle enough batter to thinly coat the surface of the pan.
8. Cook on 1 side and flip. Cook on the other side.
9. Remove from pan and let cool.
10. Continue making crepes, spraying pan prior to making each one.