Mad about Mushrooms . . .

4,000 miles and where were the mushrooms?

We've recently completed another marathon driving trip in our quest to visit all 50 states as well as all of the Canadian provinces and territories.  Our goal for this 4,000 mile trip was to traverse British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba, and then head south and tick North and South Dakota (the last of the 50 states) off the bucket list. 

We primarily targeted the national parks:  Yoho, Jasper, Elk Island, Prince Albert, and Riding Mountain in Canada.  In the States, we focused on the South Dakota landmarks of the Badlands and Mt. Rushmore along with the Black Hills National Forest and Custer State Park.  It was in this last park that we found more wildlife than we'd seen in all the other parks combined:  herds of bison, antelope, mountain goats and sheep filled the landscape.  What an amazing journey!

A quick foray on Mt. Hood with a delightful finale

There are times when the mushroom gods truly overwhelm us with their generosity!  Such was the case when we recently spent a couple of days on Mt. Hood.

What a lovely site - mushrooms surrounded by fall colors.

We're back and waiting for more mushrooms!

We've arrived back in Port Orford after a month long absence, and only a few mushrooms were here to greet us, in spite of some substantial rains over the past weeks. 

This mushroom is poised to burst thru the duff with new rains.

September 2015's Recipe of the Month: Mini Pumpkin Dinner Bowls

Can one of those cute little pumpkins really hold a delectable dinner?  And, steal the show?  Yes, in this case it certainly can!

We're unaware of where this idea or recipe originated, so our apologies to the creative chef who will for the time being have to remain anonymous.  Sadly, the chef will not receive the accolades that should be forthcoming for stuffing a tasty mushroom filling into a mini pumpkin. 

Can you imagine what a conversation starter this would be if a grouping of them were included on a Thanksgiving potluck table?  Or, how about featuring them at a holiday luncheon accompanied by a mixed green salad followed by a generous portion of lemon mousse or lemon ice for the dessert.  Hmm, I think that we're on our way to being crowned the "Hostess with the Mostest".