Mad about Mushrooms . . .

September, 2021's Recipe of the Month: Roasted Chicken and Mushroom Autumn Crepes

Here it is Fall, and my arms are opened wide to greet the return of this beloved season of special smells and hugs.  What better way to celebrate the arrival of my favorite time of year than with a crepe luncheon for family and friends.  What?  You think it is too much trouble?  I beg your pardon because nothing could be easier or finer, especially if you like a no-fuss event with a 5 star rating.

Here's my suggestion.  Prepare the filling, topping and crepes the day before the event.  On the day when guests arrive, gently warm everything, fill the crepes with the chicken and mushroom mixture and roll them, top with sauce and place crepes on a dinner plate.  Present the crepe accompanied with a side of spring greens tossed with a blend of lemon, basil and olive oil, and finish the plate with slices of pears and apples fresh from Hood River.  Now, tell me, do you really think that is too much trouble for those you love?

Becky Hawley's amazing painting reveals Fall
at its dazzling best!

August, 2021's Recipe of the Month: Erica Kastner's Homemade Condensed Cream Mushroom Soup

It's been a hot and dry couple of months, and I'm looking forward to fall rains and the fruiting of fungi.   Yes, I am dreaming, but I am also planning and developing a strategy for how to handle all the harvesting that should come with the upcoming moister season. 

How will I deal with the abundant crop that I am forecasting?  Here's one idea for any surplus mushrooms that end up in my kitchen.  And, many thanks to my friend Lynn, who lead me to this particular recipe.

Lynn is crazy about Pioneer Woman and even watched it while we were on a short coastal holiday recently.  "Come and look at what she's cooking now" was heard several times as Lynn watched her TV program.  Of course, I dutifully walked into the rented condo's living room to see what new masterpiece was on display, silently vowing that when I returned home that I would check out the Pioneer Woman website.  After all, a blog that attracts more than 20 million page views a month should certainly hold some cool mushroom recipes to try this fall.

 

And, it does.  I was particularly fascinated with one which originated with Erica Kastner of Buttered Side Up.  We have to share it with you because it really is a treasure.  Imagine stocking your freezer with a homemade condensed cream mushroom soup that is not only simple and quick to prepare but also fulfills expectations.  That's this recipe.  The mixture is great reconstituted for a quick and satisfying lunch or supper, and equally rewarding as a substitute for that canned version that never quite measures up as an ingredient.

 

 

 

July, 2021's Recipe of the Month: Timberine Lodge Cookbook's Walla Walla Sweet Onion & HamTart

Such a pretty cookbook!  And, the recipes can be elegant solutions to the dilemma of what to serve when a bottle of wine is uncorked for special friends.  I love the Walla Walla Sweet Onion & Ham Tart for these occasions and for very good reasons, such as the incorporation of the Washington State Vegetable (Walla Walla Sweet Onions) and the beauty of the presentation.

 

June, 2021's Recipe of the Month: Bon Appetit's Coconut, Ginger and Mushroom Noodles

This month's recipe was submitted by a follower who wanted to share this hearty dish which was full of flavor and generous in quantity.  In fact, she stated that it provided many tasty lunches for the following days when she was too busy to stop and prepare a proper mid-day meal.  Her recommendation: give it a try and you will soon have another favorite to add to your vegetarian repertoire.

May, 2021's Recipe of the Month: Renata Stanko's Shiitake and Hedgehog Mushroom Puffs

Without question, we excitedly look forward to January 31st for that is the deadline to enter our annual recipe contest.   Nonetheless, reviewing and scrutinizing the recipes does come with some challenge:   it is always difficult to select just one as the first place winner. 

Case in point is Renata Stanko's contribution of Shiitake and Hedgehog Mushroom Puffs.   These delightful morsels tempted and teased the judges.  Thus, we are presenting these lovely savory bites as our May Recipe of the Month because we just have to share them with you.  They are too good to keep to ourselves.  Enjoy!

What tasty little treats ... puffs filled with a creamy
mushroom mixture elevate the hors d'oeuvres tray.

April, 2021's Recipe of the Month: Bolete Mushroom Powder Cheese Wafers

If you are looking for quick and easy and delicious, look no further.  These tasty treats will match your specifications.

First, a word of caution.  You and your guests will definitely find these wafers to be highly addictive.  You may want to squirrel some away in the cupboard until everyone has left, just for that midnight snack!

Oh, and why stop at bolete powder?  I'm inclined to believe that hedgehogs and other mushrooms will prove to be equally scrumptious!

  

March, 2021's Recipe of the Month: Our 2021 Recipe Contest Winner Susan Mason's Secret Garden Breakfast

Susan's recipe, submitted in September of 202, was the first one that we arrived in our email basket, and, as it turned out, received the first place award in our recipe contest this year.  The tasters found it exceptional, with a unique taste and undeniably creamy texture.  "I'd like another sample please" was the unanimous comment heard around the table, followed by remarks such as "I could see this becoming a standard on my dinner table."  

Of course, the versatility of the dish was a persistent refrain.  Some advocated serving this rich sauce over mashed potatoes or cooked veggies such as green beans, or simply stirring it into a stew or soup.  Others suggested using it as the basis for a flavorful pasta sauce or casserole.  Whatever the dish, we are all convinced that this is a recipe to use and to share without reservation.

Congratulations to Susan for developing this
awesome dish that incorporates cashews and white miso.

February, 2021's Recipe of the Month: Andy Baraghani's One-Skillet Mushroom Cornbread

Friends helping friends:  that is the way it should be.  So it is that I offer many thanks to one of our dear readers for offering the following recipe.  I agree with her that this recipe is a real keeper and destined to be family favorite not only during the holidays but throughout the year!

January, 2021's Recipe of the Month: Hank Shaw's Hen of the Woods Steak

When you first discover Hank Shaw, you realize that he may be best described as a renaissance man.  He's a writer, forager, hunter, fisherman, restaurant cook, political reporter ... and I am sure that there is a lot more that can be added to his list of accomplishments.  I personally have come to his fan base rather late but nonetheless am an enthusiastic admirer, smitten by his reverence and commitment to "honest" foods. 

Sure I could go on and describe him in more detail, but I suspect that this following quote really sums up who he is:

"I write. I fish. I dig earth, forage, raise plants, live for food and hunt anything that tastes good. I’ll drink fancy Scotch, craft beer, Pabst Blue Ribbon, a fine Barolo or hell, even kombucha, depending on my mood or who’s offering. I spend my days thinking about new ways to cook and eat anything that walks, flies, swims, crawls, skitters, jumps – or grows."

December, 2020's Recipe of the Month: Chef Lucas Sin's Golden Fried Rice with Salmon and Furikake

Over the past month it felt as if I kept bumping into Hong Kong raised Chef Sin.  There was a photograph of his Golden Fried Rice on the cover of Bon Appétit, followed up by a two page introduction to the recipe before we even found the list of ingredients and instructions 24 pages later.   And, if that were not enough, he and his recipe popped up my public radio station, Oregon Public Broadcasting, the other day when I turned on The Splendid Table.  It didn't take much to convince me that there must be more than meets the eye with this simple-sounding recipe.  I suspected straight away that it wasn't going to be another version of my mother's soy sauced fried rice, and it wasn't.  In fact, for me, the recipe turned out to be somewhat of a trellis upon which I could hang other ingredients such as wild mushrooms.

Oh,  yes, surely you noticed that the recipe doesn't include mushrooms.  Well, when I served the dish to a friend, his first comment was:  You really need to add some fresh boletes to this or white chanterelles ... perhaps matsutake, a great suggestion that you, dear reader, may also wish to consider.  

We considered adding slices of   
wild mushrooms to this entrée.