Stuffed Mushrooms and Memories

Only two days left until the beautiful Christmas holiday celebration.  My daughter and I had one last gift wrapping marathon last night and just about completed all our tasks for our long family weekend together, which is definitely overdue for all of us.

In my blog two years ago, I shared some of our special family ornaments that we have collected through our travels and hang on the tree every holiday season.  This year, we took trips to Atlanta, Georgia (for the first time) and also returned to our favorite vacation spot in Sunriver, Oregon...and of course returned with our memories and Christmas tree ornaments to treasure and remember the times with.

The World of Coca-Cola Headquarters and Museum 

and our tour of Atlanta, Georgia in March.

Memories of our Whitewater Rafting excursion

with Ouzel Outfitters in Blue River, Oregon in August.

This week while both girls were out for an evening, my husband and I decided to have one of our infamous "nosh nights".  Instead of just our typical go-to Genoa salami with Vermont sharp white cheddar cheese and rosemary garlic Triscuit crackers, I decided to take it up a notch and go for a little more fancy holidayesque platter...Crab Cakes with Dill Butter sauce, my favorite Stuffed Mushrooms and finished it off with Toasted Baguette slices with Fig Jam, Proscuitto and Cambozola Cheese, (which by the way is now my daughter's new favorite high end lunch...forget the basic grilled cheese sandwich, she is completely addicted to this.

These mushrooms are elegant enough for an 

upcoming New Year's Eve party or 

simply perfect for stay at home date night.

Stuffed Mushrooms

1 pound white, button mushrooms
1 cup Italian seasoned panko breadcrumbs
2 Tbl. butter
1 small onion, finely diced
2 garlic cloves, finely diced
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Wash and dry mushrooms well.  Pull stems from mushroom caps (set caps aside).  Finely chop the mushroom stems.

In a large saute pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat.  Add the chopped stems, onion and garlic.  Saute about 10 minutes until onion starts to turn light golden brown.  Turn heat to medium and add the panko crumbs and saute another 4 minutes.  Remove from heat and add the Parmesean and Mozzarella cheeses.  Stir well until cheeses have melted into the mushroom/onion mixture.

Spoon (about 1 heaping Tablespoon) each mushroom cap with the filling, pressing gently.  Bake on a parchment lined cookie sheet for 20 minutes (check after 10 minutes), until mushrooms are tender and stuffing is gold brown.

One Year Ago: Blueberry-Banana Muffins
Two Years Ago: Rouladen

Goat Cheese, Artichoke, and Olive Bruschetta and Chapel On The Rock

(photo taken before 2011 floods)

One of the great things about having company stay with you for the first time, is you get to play tourist right along with them.  I had been wanting to visit Chapel on the Rock, ever since we moved to Colorado and three years later I finally made it.

We took my husband's sister and her husband there, on our way to Rocky Mountain National Park for the day...the Chapel was everything I had imagined and heard about.  The Chapel on the Rock (officially, Saint Catherine of Sienna Chapel) is a landmark in Allenspark.  

In 1999 Boulder County designated the chapel as a historic site.  Pope Saint John Paul II prayed at the chapel during his visit to Denver in 1993; he blessed the chapel afterwards.  

The grounds and surroundings of the chapel are so peaceful and tranquil.  Unfortunately after the 2011 floods, much of the terrain was destroyed, including the lake surrounding the chapel.  There is a stream, pictured above that is starting to grow and the area is maturing again.

After an incredibly memorable and fun weekend, our finale was their amazing dinner they made for us and completely spoiled the family with. We started with these bruschetta that were out of this world...they were so good that I made them again for us the next week!!  These would be perfect for your upcoming holiday open houses, parties, or pot lucks!!

Goat Cheese, Artichoke, and Olive Bruschetta

Courtesy of Sunset Magazine, October 2015

1 large artichoke or 1/2 cup diced thawed frozen artichoke hearts

1 shallot, finely chopped

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil, divided

about 1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1 small garlic clove, minced, plus 1 whole clove

1 Tbsp. Meyer or regular lemon juice

about 1/4 tsp. pepper

1 Tbsp. .chopped flat leaf parsley, plus small leaves

1/3 cup picholine or Nicoise olives, pitted and coarsely chopped

12 baguette slices (from 3/4 baguette), cut on a diagonal about 1/2 inch thick and 4 to 5 inches long

1/2 cup fresh goat cheese

Cut off and discard artichoke stem and all but 1-1/2" from leafy top.  Pull off leaves down to pale yellow ones.  Cut off all green parts from outside.  Halve artichoke through stem and use a pointed teaspoon to dig out fluffy, fibrous choke.  Cut artichoke into 1/4" dice.

Cook fresh (or thawed frozen) artichoke, shallot, 1 Tbsp. oil and 1/4 tsp. salt in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, covered, 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add minced garlic; cook until artichoke is tender, 5 minutes more.  Let cool.

To artichoke mixture add 2 Tbsp. oil, the lemon juice, 1/4 tsp. pepper, the chopped parsley and olives.  Stir; let relish sit at least one hour.

Preheat broiler with rack set close to heat.  Broil baguette slices on a baking sheet, turning once, until light golden, 3 to 4 minutes total.  On one side, lightly rub toasts with garlic clove, brush with remaining 1 Tbsp. oil, and sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Spread toasts with goat cheese, leaving a corner uncovered and top with relish.  Set a parsley leaf on each.  

Peace and Blessings be with you...Enjoy!!

Pairs beautifully with white or red wine....we enjoyed Educated Guess for the evening.

After we relaxed with our Bruschetta and Cabernet Sauvignon, 

my sister-in-law's star of the evening was her unforgettable dinner!

Wine-Braised Beef Short Ribs (Sunset Magazine, October 2014) click here.

Kohlrabi, Apple, and Horseradish Remoulade (Sunset Magazine, October 2014) click here.

Roasted Carrots

Spaetzle

One Year Ago:  BLT Sandwiches with Nana Tomatoes

Two Years Ago:  Grannie's Lasagna

Chicken Lettuce Wraps and Wrapping Things Up

My 2 escapees, ready to make a break for it!
Some days I wish I could run away with them.

My week is only halfway there and it has already been some kind of a whirlwind, even as I am heading into the weekend I am continuing with panic attacks!

Tonight we are hosting weekly dinner for the girls' volleyball team at our house. As we are also preparing for our house guests who arriving next week (and then other arrivals the week after that), this includes lots of organizing, cleaning, scheduling carpet shampoo company, volleyball games, menus, tourist planning, and putting the finishing touches on our new guest room makeover. I think at this point not only do I have my lists everywhere, I'm quite certain I now have lists for my lists.  Not to mention my roles in the school Booster Club and my new appointment as a City Commissioner for the Art in Public Places Program, which I am super excited about being a part of.

Needless to say, dinners these days need to be really fast and easy for us right now.  I have tried (and failed) these Chicken Lettuce Wraps on many experimental occasions, but I think this time I finally "crushed it" (as my teens would say).

P.F. Chang's by far is one of my top 5 restaurants.  We absolutely love going there for special nights when we get the chance and always the first order of business is their Chicken Lettuce Wraps and Steamed Shrimp Dumplings (which I will save to experiment on making, for a quieter time in my life).

Chicken Lettuce Wraps
Inspired by P.F. Chang's

1 pound ground chicken
1 (8 ounce) container baby bella mushrooms, chopped
1 can sliced water chestnuts, chopped
3 scallions, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 bottle, "Soy Vay" brand, Veri Veri Teriyaki Sauce (see photo below)
1 head bibb lettuce, washed and dried well

In a large saute pan, add 2 Tablespoons olive oil and set temperature to medium-high heat.  Add the ground chicken and cook until just starting to brown.  Lower temperature to medium and add the chopped mushrooms, water chestnuts, scallions and garlic cloves.  Saute for about 15 minutes.

Add about 1 cup of the Teriyaki Sauce to chicken/veggies, stir well, cover and let simmer on low for about 15 minutes. (You can add more sauce if you prefer).  Uncover and stir until you get the consistency of a thick sauce.

Spoon cooked chicken mixture on individual chilled lettuce leaves.

"Soy Vay" brand, Veri Veri Teriyaki Sauce
My secret sauce!!

One Year Ago: Gorgonzola Grilled Chicken and Spinach Salad
Two Years Ago: Nutella Cookies and Neighbors

Eggplant, Green Olive and Provolone Pizza

It's Friday, which means Pizza, Flatbread or Pizzette for dinner.  I recently signed up with Epicurious.com website and receive daily e-mails and recipes from them.  

This one came across my computer and I changed it up a little to fit our dinner and tastes.  

This pizza definitely did not disappoint.  So incredibly easy to make and really flavorful!  I recommend this for any night of the week for a delicious appetizer or dinner.  We paired it with a Castle Rock Pinot Noir to finish it off.

Eggplant, Green Olive and Provolone Pizza
Adapted from Epicurious

1 garlic clove, minced
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1-1/4 pound eggplant, cut into 3/4 inch thick rounds
1 Stonefire Artisan pre-made pizza crust (original recipe calls for store-bought pizza dough)
5 ounces Fontina cheese, shredded (original recipe calls for 5 ounces sliced Provolone cheese)
18 pitted green olives, coarsely chopped (1/3 cup)
1/4 cup chopped flat leaf parsley
salt
pepper
** I also added 1 (8 ounce) package button mushrooms, sliced (not in original recipe)

Prepare a gas grill for direct-heat cooking over medium heat.

Stir together garlic and oil.  Brush some of the garlic oil on both sides of eggplant and season with 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.  Grill, covered, turning once, until tender, 6 to 8 minutes total.  Cut into roughly 1 inch pieces.

(From original recipe), stretch dough into about a 12" x 10" rectangle on a large baking sheet and lightly brush with garlic oil.  Oil grill rack, then put dough, oiled side down, on grill.  Brush top with more garlic oil.  Grill covered, until underside is golden brown, 1-1/2 to 3 minutes.

Using tongs, return crust, grilled side up, to baking sheet.  (At this point, I just added my pre-made crust to the baking sheet and brushed some of the garlic oil on it).

Scatter eggplant, cheese, olives, parsley and mushrooms over crust.  Slide pizza from sheet onto grill and grill, covered until underside is golden brown and cheese is melted, about 3 minutes.  Enjoy!

One Year Ago: Strawberry-Blueberry Crunch
Two Years Ago: Hot Chili Mama Salsa

Surf and Turf Crostinis

"Steak?...Did someone say steak?"
Another puppy hour sighting!

Well we survived our first week of school (barely).  Friday came upon us and I wanted to do crostini night on the patio.  These were both new recipes (one I found and the other I just made up)...both were amazing and will definitely see another appearance of them soon with our upcoming guests. They went together very easy, both had incredible flavors and were the perfect end to a very long and much anticipated week.

Lemon-Rosemary Shrimp Crostini (Surf)

Lemon-Rosemary Shrimp Crostinis

Courtesy of The Nibble

Non-stick cooking spray

1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/4 cup olive oil

1 lemon, juiced and zested

2 Tbl. fresh rosemary (1 Tbl optional for garnish), finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

salt and pepper to taste

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled

1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted and finely chopped

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (packed in oil), finely chopped

1 long baguette, cut into 24 thin slices

stainless/metal skewers

Spray grill grate of either a gas grill or charcoal grill with non-stick cooking spray.  Heat grill to medium-high heat.

Place shrimp in resealable plastic bag.  In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice and zest, 1 tablespoon rosemary and garlic.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Pour half of mixture over shrimp and gently toss to coat shrimp.  Set aside for 5-10 minutes.

Add to the remaining oil mixture, the cream cheese, 1/4 cup feta, pine nuts and tomato.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Cover and set aside.

Spray both sides of baguette slices with non-stick cooking spray.  Place on grill for 1-2 minutes per side or until lightly toasted.  Set aside to cool slightly.

Drain excess liquid from shrimp and place on skewers.  Grill 1-2 minutes per side or until pink and cooked through.  To assemble, spread cheese mixture onto bread slices, then place about 2-3 shrimp on top.  Sprinkle remaining feta and rosemary on top.

Blue Cheese Beef Crostini (Turf)

Blue Cheese Beef Crostinis

1/2 pound london broil or prime rib, cooked and sliced thin

1 wedge Cambozola cheese, softened

1 pint yellow grape/cherry tomatoes, sliced in half

1 avocado, sliced thin

1 baguette, cut into 24 thin slices

olive oil

Heat oven to 450 degrees.  Line large cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Place baguette slices on sheet and brush with olive oil one side that is facing up.  Bake approximately 5 minutes, until just starting to become lightly toasted.

Remove baguette slices from oven and spread Cambozola cheese over each slice.  Add a small piece of sliced beef, avocado slice, then top with 2 slices of the tomato.

One Year Ago: Smoked BBQ Chicken Nachos

Two Years Ago: Flatbread Friday

Artichoke (Addiction) Gratin

So my oldest daughter and I have been having artichoke cravings this summer...we cannot get enough of them in any shape or form.  She learned a new hot artichoke dip on Pinterest and has been making us batches of it every week.  We'll have a little nosh on it with some crackers during our family debriefing or she'll warm it up for one of her late Netflix movie night snacks.  (If) there are any leftovers, I have been re-purposing it, warmed up over mini penne pasta or I even tried it out using as the stuffing for my broiled stuffed mushrooms...served them up with a cobb dinner salad - delish!!!

Artichoke Dip Stuffed Mushrooms - oh my!!

I have also been making this gratin for a quick dinner side dish.  It has terrific flavors and goes wonderfully with steak or chicken.

Artichoke Gratin
Serves 4

4 cups canned artichoke quarters with herbs, drained
2 Tbl. shredded Parmesan cheese
2 Tbl. shredded Romano cheese
2 tsp. roughly chopped fresh thyme
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
2 Tbl. extra virgin olive oil

Set an oven rack on the lowest position and preheat the broiler.

In a shallow oven-proof baking dish, arrange the artichokes in a single layer.

Combine the cheeses, thyme, and red pepper flakes and scatter over the artichokes.

Drizzle the oil over the cheeses.

Broil until the cheese is melted and the edges of the artichokes are lightly browned, 15 to 18 minutes.
(Keep an eye on it, as it can brown fast under the broiler, even on the lowest rack),

Served over grilled chicken and rice pilaf.

One Year Ago:  Grilled Vegetable Salad

The Hobbit's Famous French Sandwich

A few years ago, I was fortunate to first have this "sandwich" at a company event and experience  The Hobbit Restaurant in Orange County, California.

ACT I Begins in the wine cellar

All guests are invited into the wine cellar to begin the evening. You are handed the evening’s menu and a flute of Hobbit Champagne, which is truly amazing. Hot and cold hors d’oeuvres are placed throughout the cellar for you to enjoy while selecting your wine for dinner. (This is where I ever so enjoyed their French Sandwich)

ACT II Guests are invited upstairs to their own table.

Act II includes a shellfish or fish course, followed by a fowl or light meat, and then a salad course. You are then invited to enjoy “intermission” – take a walk, relax on the patios or visit the kitchen to speak with the chefs (Of course, I loved visiting the chefs in their kitchen, while they prepared dinners).

ACT III A return to the table

Ten to fifteen minutes later you are invited to return to your reset table for Act III. A flavorful sorbet is next as a palate-cleanser. The main entrée is served complete with accompanying vegetables. Dessert arrives next, always available with an after dinner list of coffee drinks, liqueurs and fine cognacs.

I had been wanting to recreate this for years, but was just too intimidated.  I am so glad I did because it brought back wonderful memories of The Hobbit experience and was actually very easy to make.

Before our fall frost hit, I made this for lunch and we enjoyed it out on our patio one sunny weekend. This sandwich makes a wonderful lunch for guests or equally great to cut it up in small diamond shapes and serve as an appetizer for your upcoming holiday events.

The Hobbit's Famous French Sandwich

Adapted from The Hobbit Restaurant

1 package puff pastry dough (Pepperidge Farm)

Dijon Mustard

1/2 lb., Monterrey Jack shredded cheese (or Swiss cheese)

4 ounces, deli Salami or Ham slices

(1) egg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Thaw pastry by leaving it out at room temperature for about 20 minutes.

Cover baking sheet with parchment paper.

Roll out thawed puff pastry sheet.
Spread mustard over pastry, leaving about 1/2" border around edges.

Add ham or salami slices on top of the mustard.

Cover with shredded monterey jack or swiss cheese.

Cover with second sheet of pastry and seal the edges.
Brush with egg wash (1 egg beaten with 1 Tbl. water)
Score top of pastry lightly with a sharp knife, careful not to
pierce the to layer.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes,
or until golden brown.
Once baked, serve warm.

Grilled Halloumi Cheese and Tomato Sandwich

Tonight we come upon two years to the day that we arrived here in Colorado to start our new life with the girls and puppies.  It was quite a journey to get here to say the least, and has been full of so many adventures and growth ever since.

As I took our girls and their friends to the ever anticipated high school homecoming football game tonight, all spirited out in their glitter, beads and hair bows (coordinated in their school colors of course), I realized once again how quickly time is going by, right before our eyes.

As part of our home alone date night, I tried out this new cheese that I have been hearing and reading about everywhere..and I can never get enough of cheese.  It is Halloumi, a Greek cheese which I found at our specialty Cheese Importers store.

Grilled Halloumi Cheese and Tomatoes - Perfect as a sandwich,
appetizer or accompaniment to a salad.

Grilled Halloumi Cheese and Tomato Sandwich

Halloumi Cheese (found in specialty cheese case)
1 Roma Tomato, thinly sliced
Canola Oil
Balsamic Vinegar
Olive Oil
1 loaf of your favorite rustic bread ( I really like a kalamato olive loaf)
Fresh Parsley, chopped
Salt
Pepper

Cut bread in 1/2" slices and lightly toast in toaster or on a grill pan.

Heat 2 teaspoons canola oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add thinly sliced halloumi cheese and sear 2 minutes on each side or until browned.

Add one slice of the grilled halloumi cheese on toasted bread.  Add 2 slices of tomatoes and top with another layer of grilled cheese.  Season with a small bit of salt and pepper.

Drizzle the "sandwich" with a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Finish off with a sprinkle of the chopped fresh parsley.

Get a knife and fork and your're ready to enjoy!

* I served this little piece of deliciousness as a side dish with my Bourbon Glazed Grilled Salmon, carmelized onions and Butter Dill Sauce.