Cheese stuffed mushrooms, two ways

Let me start by saying I loooove mushrooms.  Love.  Them.  Let me also say that this photograph is not doing the deliciousness in that pan justice.  Someday, perhaps I'll upgrade from my iPhone camera, but for now, you'll just have to take my word for it.

I made these mushrooms for a potluck with my rockin' book club, and I think they turned out pretty tasty.  What I love about them for a potluck dish is that they can be stuffed a day ahead and baked in the oven right before serving, or can be stuffed in a hurry when you get back late from shopping, in about 10 minutes so that you still make it on time.

I have made the cheddar/bacon bit variety for years, just like I learned from my mom, but decided to make a second variation out of what I had on hand.  It was nice to have a vegetarian mushroom option, and both were tasty.

Stuffed Mushrooms

16 ounces mushrooms
1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
1 tbsp bacon bits
2 tbsp feta cheese, crumbled
2 sprigs fresh mint, finely chopped
1/4 cup spinach, finely chopped
4 tbsp plain breadcrumbs

Wipe mushrooms with damp paper towel to clean.  Remove stems and chop finely in small chopper or processor.  Saute chopped stems in oil 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Split sauteed stems into two bowls.  Add 2 tbsp breadcrumbs to each bowl, stirring to incorporate.  Add cheddar and bacon bits to one bowl and all other ingredients to the other.  Mix to incorporate all ingredients and add salt and pepper to taste. Use less salt than usual because both the feta and bacon bits tend to be a little salty.

Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes until mushrooms are cooked through.

Swai? Swai not! (and greens)

I came across a friend of mine on facebook that cooked swai recently, which was a fish I had never heard of, so my curiosity was peaked.  I found some at "Gucci Brookshire's" on Line Avenue and bought some.  I was feeling pretty adventurous, since I didn't have a plan for cooking it, or know anything about it.  Turns out, swai is just catfish from Vietnam, so not really all that fancy, or intimidating. Color me humbled.

Typically I like to oven fry or blacken catfish, but I was hungry and in a hurry, so I used lemon pepper seasoning and baked in the oven at 350 for 15 minutes.  It was flaky, mild, and yum and at $4.24 for two large fillets, it was quite a bargain.

For sides I went with my standard collard greens recipe, via Food Network's Sunny Anderson (I leave out the tomato and find that chicken stock tastes best), roasted mushrooms, and yes, that is kraft macaroni and cheese.  Sometimes, you just need to go old school.

My Thanksgiving Traditions: Peas with Roux & Spinach Madeline

My concept of Thanksgiving has changed a lot over the years.  My earliest and most frequent Thanksgiving memories involve a gathering of my immediate family, and my dad's side of the family in Gretna.  Thanksgiving worked like clockwork: we'd eat in the early afternoon, my brother would hog all the rolls, I would stuff myself with my grandmother's mirliton casserole, we'd watch football, wait an hour, and have dessert.  You could set your clock by it and it was a delicious and comforting time, and a cherished memory.

Thanksgiving is about spending time with family, but due to my crazy life, I've spent many Thanksgivings away from my family: college in Shreveport, abroad in Germany, working at Cracker Barrel in Texarkana, grad school in Michigan, with boyfriends and friends.  Because of this, I don't really have a consistent family tradition but I've found a way to bring my family with me wherever I go by making dishes that remind me of home.

The first (not pictured) is peas with roux.  This is a dish my grandmother has been making as long as I can remember and it reminds me of home.  It takes about 5 minutes to cook, and has been known to convert a pea hater into a pea lover, so if peas aren't your thing, give it a whirl: you may be surprised.

Peas with Roux
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp flour
1/2 tbsp dehydrated onions
1 can le sueur very young small sweet peas

Heat oil over medium for 5 minutes until almost smoking.  Add flour and stir constantly until the color of peanut butter.  Rehydrate onions and add, stir for about 30 seconds.  Add can of peas, and liquid and reduce heat to simmer.  Cover and cook for 6-8 minutes until peas have thickened.

The next recipe is spinach madeline which my mother made every year to bring to my grandmother's house.  It is cheesy, delicious, and a taste of home.  Add it to your Thanksgiving rotation and you won't be sorry.  Also, it actually tastes better if you make it the day ahead, which is a bonus for your Thanksgiving planning.

Spinach Madeline
2 packs frozen chopped spinach
4 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup reserved spinach liquid
1/2 tsp black pepper
3/4 tsp salt (optional)
1 (6 ounce) box of velveeta cheese
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp worcestershire sauce

Cook spinach according to package directions - drain and reserve liquid.  Melt butter in sauce pan over low heat.  Add flour stirring until blended and smooth but not browned.  Add onion and cook until soft but not browned.  Add liquid slowly stirring constantly to avoid lumps.  Cook until smooth and thick.  Add seasonings and cheese and stir until melted.

Remove from heat.  Add spinach and mix well.

May be served immediately or put into a casserole dish and refrigerated over night.  Flavor improves if kept over night: may be frozen.

Easy Peasy: Stuffed chicken, mashed cauliflower, and rosemary peas.

If you are looking for something healthy and flavorful to impress your guests, look no further than this dish.  Pretend the camera angle is different and you can see that the chicken breast is stuffed with feta and mint!  This is the kind of dish that looks like you worked a lot harder than you did, but I won't tell if you won't.

Stuffed Chicken Breast


1. Cut boneless, skinless chicken breasts in half and slice a pocket in the side.  Depending on the size of the chicken, you may want to pound it out a little to have a more even cooking time. Salt and pepper both sides of the chicken.

2. Mix together whatever cheese and herbs you have on hand.  My favorite combinations are feta and mint or basil and goat cheese, but feel free to experiment.  You can also do this step ahead and put the mixture in the freezer, wrapped in saran wrap and rolled into a tube.  This will make for much easier stuffing.

3. Stuff chicken breasts with cheese/herb mixture.  Be careful not to overstuff or cheese will spill out during cooking process.

4. Heat 2 tsps of olive oil in an oven-safe skillet to medium high on the stove.  Sear chicken on both sides because as Anne Burell says, "brown food tastes good!"

5. Place chicken in a 350 degree oven until cooked through and enjoy!

And what's better than mashed potatoes?  Oh, I know, MASHED CAULIFLOWER!  Don't knock it 'til you've tried it.  If you're hesitant, substitute in a little bit of potato: baby steps.

Mashed Cauliflower


Ingredients
1 head cauliflower                          4 cloves garlic, crushed/peeled
1/3 cup nonfat buttermilk*             2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp butter                                     1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp reduced fat cream cheese    Pepper to taste

1. Place cauliflower florets and garlic in a steamer basket over boiling water, cover and steam until very tender, 12-15 minutes.

2. Place cooked cauliflower/garlic in a food processor.  Add all other ingredients and process until smooth and creamy.  Enjoy!

*Note: No buttermilk?  Make "sour milk" by mixing 1 tbsp lemon juice to 1 cup of milk

Rosemary Peas


1. Cook frozen peas according to package directions and add rosemary, salt, and pepper.  Easy peasy!  (Get it...peasy?  Clever girl.)

And now you have a complete meal, from start to finish.  It can come together pretty quickly, but for more make-ahead ease, cook the cauliflower the day before and save the processing until day two.