Tag Archives: mushrooms

Bacon Wrapped Mushroom Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

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I’m trying to clean out my freezer and do a little experiment in the process. I have this habit of stocking up on food when things go on sale and putting it in the freezer. What makes it a bad habit is that I forget about thawing something out for dinner and wind up buying more items for dinner, even though I have it in the freezer already!

I came up with this after finding a pork tenderloin in the freezer. I had some fresh spinach and bacon in the fridge I needed to use up, and all I needed to buy extra was fresh mushrooms!

I didn’t really spend time measuring this recipe out like I usually do, so adjust where your taste buds see fit.

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  • 2  1 lb pork tenderloins
  • 3.5 oz shitake mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 4 oz baby portabello mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 1 cup tightly packed fresh spinach, chopped
  • 2 tbsp minced garlic
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 3 tbsp heavy cream
  • 1 lb sliced bacon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a medium sized skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Stir in mushrooms and garlic and continue to cook 10 more minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.  Add spinach and cook until wilted. Add heavy cream one tablespoon at a time, you may need a little more or less depending on the moisture in your onions and mushrooms, and cook until mixture forms a paste like consistency. Remove mixture and set aside to cool.

Meanwhile, cut a pocket into both tenderloins making sure you don’t cut through the ends of the tenderloin, it helps to hold in the mixture. On a piece of parchment paper lay out bacon, overlapping each piece, with enough pieces to cover the length of the tenderloin. Stuff the pocket with half of the mushroom mixture and roll the tenderloin up with the bacon. Placed on a greased baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tenderloin.

Bake tenderloins for 30 to 45 minutes until cooked through. Allow to rest 10 minutes before slicing into medallions. Enjoy!

Chicken Sausage And Roasted Vegetable Pasta

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“Pasta?” you say? “I thought you were gluten-free?” you say?

Well yes, I’m still gluten-free! Thankfully, several companies make gluten-free pasta so I don’t have to give up that which I so adore!

Since I now have to read ingredient labels to make sure I’m not unintentionally “glutened”, I’ve noticed more and more all of the un-natural additives that goes into food to preserve it. Italian sausage is no different! So I went from the pork variety to the all-natural chicken and its just as yummy if not more so!

I have to apologize for the photo! I seemed to have misplaced the battery for my good camera and have been using the good old iPhone to take pictures for the blog. Though I really don’t think this dish would photograph well either way!

Just trust me, it’s delicious!

Oh, and I should mention that I used a quality jarred sauce for this, but if you have the time and energy, using homemade would not be frowned upon!

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  • 1  lb bulk Italian chicken sausage
  • 12 oz gluten-free tri-colored vegetable pasta
  • 24 oz tomato basil sauce
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 bell pepper, chopped
  • 1 large or two small zucchini, chopped
  • 8 oz mushrooms, quartered
  • 2 cups fresh spinach
  • 3 tbsp minced garlic
  • 2 beef steak tomatoes, sliced
  • 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella
  • olive oil
  • salt and pepper
  • dash crushed red pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

On a baking sheet lined with foil, add onions, peppers, zucchini, and mushrooms with a few drizzles of olive oil and salt & pepper. Toss to coat. Roast veggies  for about 20 minutes, stirring halfway through cooking time.

Cook sausage in a large skillet over medium heat, breaking it up with a spatula. While sausage browns, cook pasta to package directions. When sausage is cooked through, stir in tomato sauce. Let heat through, for about 10 minutes. Stir in garlic, spinach, and red pepper flakes. Cook until spinach is slightly wilted, then stir in roasted vegetables, and parmesan cheese. Allow to cook 5 more minutes. Add pasta and stir until well incorporated.

Pour pasta mixture into a greased 13 x 9 baking dish. Top with sliced beef steak tomatoes and mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350, for 25 to 30 minutes. Would be great served with a Caesar salad!

**This holds up well in the fridge. For the three of us, I was able to get two dinners out of one pan.

Sausage And Sweet Potato Scramble

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My husband and I recently went on an impromptu trip to Asheville, North Carolina (in my opinion a dining mecca) and intended on having breakfast at Tupelo Honey Cafe. When we got there, we were told they were closed a few days for some remodeling, and were directed upstairs to The Early Girl Eatery. It didn’t look like much, and I was heartbroken to not be having breakfast at my first chosen location, so imagine my delight when I saw this tasty treat on the menu! I scarfed down every last bit and was hoping that hubby wouldn’t eat all of his so I could finish his plate as well! Sad to say, I only got the portion I ordered! When I came back home, I knew I had to make this, and did several times for breakfast and even once for dinner!photo-2

A family sized meal:

  • 1 lb bulk breakfast sausage (Jimmy Dean and the like)
  • 6 slices cooked, diced bacon
  • 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and roughly diced
  • 3 diced green onions
  • 4 oz sliced mushrooms, shiitake or cremini
  • 10 eggs

Place sweet potatoes in a large sauce pan, cover with water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook and crumble sausage over medium heat. Add mushrooms and onions and cook until mushrooms are soft. (For a more healthful alternative, drain fat from the sausage, remove from skillet and cook mushrooms and onions in a few teaspoons of olive oil, then add sausage back to the skillet.)

When potatoes are soft enough to pierce with a fork, drain and let cool for 2 to 3 minutes then add to skillet with sausage. Stir in bacon. Scramble up eggs in a mixing bowl, season with salt and pepper, and add to skillet. Allow to firm up a bit before stirring or you’ll have minced eggs instead of nice big chunks! Serve with your favorite breakfast sides!

Shrimp And Mushroom Stuffed Flounder

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The seafood counter had some beautiful flounder fillets come in and I knew I wanted some for dinner, but was not wanting to spend the money for lump crabmeat to stuff it with, so I thought “What about stuffing it with shrimp?” $17 for half a pound of crab versus $10 for a full pound of fresh shrimp was a no brainer. Time to come up with something new and here it is!

  • 3 flounder fillets, about a 1/3 a pound each
  • 3/4 lb fresh shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cut in half
  • 4 oz. mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 green onions, sliced
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 slices of bacon, chopped
  • 1/2 cup mayo
  • 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp cajun seasoning
  • a few turns salt and pepper
  • extra cajun seasoning and panko for topping
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Melt the butter over medium heat in a fry pan and add mushrooms, garlic, and onions. When mushrooms start to soften, add shrimp and cook until shrimp start to firm up. Remove shrimp mixture to a mixing bowl. Wipe out fry pan and return to heat with the bacon. When crisp, remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate and pat to remove some of the grease, then add to the mixing bowl with the shrimp. Add mayo, breadcrumbs, seasoning, and salt & pepper, and stir to combine.

Place flounder on a piece of wax paper or foil and pat dry. Spoon 1/3 of mixture across the center of one piece of flounder and roll up to resemble picture above. Place on a greased baking sheet and top with a sprinkle of cajun seasoning and panko. Repeat with remaining flounder fillets.

Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve with a salad and your favorite oven-roasted veggie.

Blackened Mahi Over Mashed Potatoes With Mushroom Wine Sauce

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So many fish dishes, so little time! I had planned on adding a bunch of fish dishes for Lent, but I’m such a painfully slow typist, I’m afraid they won’t make it on here before Easter! But I think Fish on Friday is a good idea all year round anyway!

This is my tribute to The Metro Diner’s Wednesday lunch special. It’s two of my favorite things all rolled into one dish, fish and mashed potatoes! I cheated and used prepared, refrigerated mashed potatoes in this, but you can always use homemade, or substitute red beans and rice if you don’t care for the potatoes. Serve it with a salad and you’re good to go!

For the mahi:

  • 4 6oz portions mahi mahi *
  • 4 tbsp blackening spice (I used Emeril’s Essence)
  • 1 tsp dried thyme
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp olive oil

For the sauce:

  • 4 tbsp butter
  • 1 half medium onion, chopped
  • 8 oz mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 4 tbsp flour
  • 3 tbsp white wine
  • 1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
  • 1/2 tsp blackening spice
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • dash cayenne (Optional)
  • Mashed potatoes or red beans and rice for serving

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Remove the mahi portions from the fridge and pat dry. Sprinkle the top of each piece evenly with 1 tbsp blackening spice and 1/4 tsp thyme.

Melt butter and olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. When skillet is hot, place mahi in the skillet , seasoned side down, and sear 5 minutes. Remove mahi to a foil lined baking sheet (seasoned side up) that’s been sprayed with light coating of cooking spray. Place in preheated oven for 15 minutes while preparing the sauce.

In a medium sauce pan, melt butter then add onion and garlic. Cook and stir for 5 minutes, then stir in mushrooms. Cook for 7 minutes or until mushrooms are soft. Stir in flour, and cook for 1 minute before stirring in the wine. Cook and stir for 1 minute more, then slowly stir in the vegetable broth. Season with the blackening spice, thyme, pepper, and cayenne, if desired.

Place a portion of fish over 1/2 to 3/4 cup of mashed potatoes or red beans and rice, and pour 1/2 cup of mushroom sauce over top!

*If mahi isn’t available, tilapia or swai is a good substitute.

 

“Crab” And Broccoli Bake

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This is an oldie but goodie! I’ve been making this for years and it never gets old. I love imitation crab meat, I guess that comes from eating so many California Rolls as a kid! This is an easy make-ahead dinner that doesn’t cost a lot, but looks like a fancy gourmet meal!

  • 3/4 lb imitation crab meat
  • 1  12 oz package frozen broccoli florets
  • 1 cup sliced mushrooms
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 2 tbsp flour
  • 1 cup milk
  • 3 tbsp shredded cheddar
  • shredded parmesan cheese
  • crushed buttery crackers

On the day before you plan to serve, place crab meat evenly in 4 oven safe ramekins. Prepare broccoli according to package directions, and distribute evenly on top of the crab in the ramekins.

In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add mushrooms and garlic, and cook until mushrooms are soft. Stir in flour and cook, stirring, for about 2 minutes. Stir in milk. Continue to cook and stir until mixture becomes thick and starts to bubble. Remove from heat and stir in cheddar cheese. Pour evenly over ramekins. Cover ramekins with foil and refrigerate over night.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Bake the covered ramekins on a baking sheet for 25 minutes. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese, and crushed crackers. Serve with pasta or a salad. Enjoy!

Easy Beef Wellington

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A Christmas Eve tradition, (and whenever else I feel like it! ) I’ve tried making traditional Beef Wellington, and I wasn’t very happy with the outcome or the time and effort it took. This recipe uses steaks so everyone gets their own little bundle of goodness, and the internal temperature can be adjusted for those that like their steaks well done, AND it’s easy!

  • 3 tenderloin steaks, cut 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch thick
  • 2 sheets frozen puff pastry, thawed
  • 8 oz cremini mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 3.5 oz shiitake mushrooms, finely chopped
  • 1/2 medium onion, finely chopped
  • 4 tbsp butter, divided
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp pepper
  • 2 tbsp heavy cream
  • 1 large egg, beaten

Bring the steaks to room temperature and preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet over medium high heat. Sear the steaks on all sides, about 45 seconds per side (for medium doneness. Adjust searing time for internal temperature preference). Remove from the skillet to a plate. Cover the steaks with foil and set aside.

In the same skillet, melt remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add onions to the skillet and cook until soft. Stir in mushrooms, and cook, stirring occasionally about 15 minutes, until any liquid has been cooked out of the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Add heavy cream, and cook until mushroom mixture forms a paste. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool while preparing puff pastry.

On a lightly floured suface, roll out a sheet of the thawed puff pastry. Cut away one- third of the puff pastry sheet and set aside. You should have a sheet of pastry in the shape of a rectangle. Place one of the steaks, centered, about 2 inches from the bottom of the puff pastry sheet. Cover the top and sides of the steak with 1/3 of the mushroom mixture. Pull the top of the pastry sheet down firmly so it covers the steak, and cut away any excess dough so it will take the shape of a circle. Press ends together to seal. Place on a greased baking sheet. Repeat with second sheet of puff pastry. Lay the 2 remaining 1/3 pieces of dough together, and press edges together to form another piece of pastry for the remaining steak.

Brush the tops of the “wellingtons” with the beaten egg. Bake in the 400 degree oven for 15 minutes, until pastry is golden brown. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy with roasted asparagus and a glass of red!

“Man Approved” Quiche

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Real men do eat quiche! Especially when it’s loaded with bacon, onions, mushrooms, asparagus, and cheese! Since it was the day before Thanksgiving, I wanted to cook something light, and not spend too long in the kitchen since I would be cooking for hours the next day. This recipe uses refrigerated pie crust, so it’s very easy to prepare. Just serve with a pre-washed salad blend from the store, and you’ve got tasty meal!

  • 1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
  • 3/4 cup asparagus, cut into 1 inch pieces, rough ends removed
  • 4 oz mushrooms, sliced
  • 5 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • pepper
  • 1 9 inch refrigerated pie crust
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup half & half
  • 1 1/2 cup shredded swiss cheese
  • dash nutmeg (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are nicely browned, about 20 minutes.

While onions cook, unroll pie crust into a greased 9 inch pie plate or flan dish. Pierce dough with a fork in several places in the bottom and sides to keep crust from bubbling up while baking. Place in oven and bake 10 minutes.

Stir in asparagus and mushrooms with onions, and cook until asparagus is slightly softened, then stir in bacon, and simmer 5 minutes. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk eggs until well beaten, then whisk in half & half. Add a sprinkle of salt, about 2 turns of a pepper grinder, and nutmeg (if desired).

Sprinkle half of the cheese on top of the baked crust, then spoon veggies evenly on top, the sprinkle with remaining cheese. Pour egg mixture evenly over cheese and veggies. Bake for 30 minutes, until browned, and center is set. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Enjoy! (We sure did! :))

Beef, Lentil, And Noodle Stew

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I had some celery, carrots, and mushrooms in the fridge I needed to use up, and had some stew beef in the freezer, so I came up with this tasty concoction. I was going to serve it over egg noodles, then decided I didn’t feel like dirtying up any more pots to wash, so I threw the egg noodles in with the stew and it came out great! This is one instance where laziness paid off! 😉

  • 1 lb beef tenderloin or top sirloin, cut into 1 inch cubes
  • 2 carrots, chopped
  • 2 stalks celery, chopped
  • 4 oz cremini (baby Portobello) mushrooms, sliced
  • 1/2 large onion, chopped
  • 4 tbsp butter, divided
  • 4 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 1 tsp rosemary
  • 1 tsp oregano
  • 1 15 oz can lentils
  • 1 cup Pinot Noir or Zinfandel
  • 1 15 oz can beef broth
  • 6 oz egg noodles
  • salt
  • pepper

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in large sauce pan or stock pot over medium-high heat, and sear beef, stirring constantly, for about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove beef from pan, and place in an oven safe bowl. Cover and keep warm in unheated oven.

Reduce heat to medium and melt remaining butter in the same pan. Add carrots, celery, onion, and mushrooms, and cook about 10 minutes. Stir in wine, and cook until reduced by half. Stir in broth, thyme sprigs, rosemary, and oregano. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. ( I use grinders, so I used 3 turns of the salt, and 2 turns pepper.) Stir in lentils. Heat until mixture starts to bubble.

Return beef to the pot; cover, and reduce heat to low. Cook, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes. Remove thyme sprigs, and stir in egg noodles. Cook, covered 20 minutes more, until noodles are soft.

Enjoy!

Wine Party Stuffed Mushrooms

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Had the girls over last night and opened one bottle of white and one bottle of red. The white, Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling, I served with Wesleydale with apricots and crackers. ( Almost like dessert first!) The red was Acacia Pinot Noir and made these tasty little morsels to enjoy with it! The filling can be made a few days in advance, and even freezes well, so it’s a no hassle appetizer!

  • 1 lb Italian chicken sausage, casings removed
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1/4 cup pecorino romano
  • 1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
  • 3 tbsp sherry
  • a few drops hot sauce
  • 12 large mushroom caps, stems removed
  • melted butter or olive oil for drizzling

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Crumble and cook sausage and chopped onion in skillet until cooked through. Drain any fat from the sausage, then melt the butter with the sausage. Add cheese and breadcrumbs and mix well. Sprinkle sherry and hot sauce over the sausage mixture, and stir to combine. Remove from heat to cool.

Grease a casserole pan. When mixture is cool enough to touch, fill mushroom caps with heaping spoonfuls and use fingers to press the filling into the mushrooms. Drizzle melted butter or olive oil over mushrooms and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until mushrooms are cooked through.

Optional: I sometimes add an extra sprinkle of parmesan cheese on the top of mushrooms before baking.