Stuffed Mushrooms

I have been slack..yes I know! We have been super busy and I just can't seem to find the time to post new recipes. I am actually have a relaxing saturday right now and am working on supper tonight. I have been asked for some good appetizers so I am going to share this one with you. It is yummy!! Hope you enjoy!! :)

Stuffed Mushrooms
24 ounces white button mushrooms, washed and stems removed and finely chopped
1/3 pound hot breakfast sausage (or Italian sausage)
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
8 ounces cream cheese
1 egg yolk
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
1/3 cup dry white wine
Salt and pepper to taste
Brown and crumble sausage. Set aside on a plate to cool.
Add onions and garlic to the same skillet; cook for 2 minutes over medium low heat.
Pour in wine to deglaze pan, allow liquid to evaporate.
Add in chopped mushroom stems, stir to cook for 2 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set mixture aside on a plate to cool.
In a bowl, combine cream cheese and egg yolk. Stir together with Parmesan cheese.
Add cooled sausage and cooled mushroom stems. Stir mixture together and refrigerate for a short time to firm up.
Smear mixture into the cavity of each mushroom, creating a sizable mound over the top.
Bake at 350 degrees for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool at least ten minutes before serving; the stuffed mushrooms taste better when not piping hot.

Rigatoni with Beefy Mushroom Gorgonzola Sauce

Things have been crazy around here so I'm just getting back to blogging. Here is my newest recipe and of course it's italian. It's a great spin on beef stroganoff. It is courtesy of Emeril. Hope you enjoy!!

Ingredients
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons butter
1 (1 1/4-inch) thick sirloin or rib-eye steak, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 24 ounces)
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 pound cremini mushrooms, stem ends trimmed and sliced
1/3 cup minced shallots
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup beef broth
5 to 6 ounces Gorgonzola, crumbled
2/3 cup heavy cream
1 pound rigatoni, cooked al dente, drained, 1/2 cup cooking liquid reserved
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon snipped chives

Directions
In a large skillet, heat the vegetable oil over high
heat. When hot, add the butter. When the butter begins to sizzle, add the beef and season with 3/4 teaspoon of
the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until browned on all sides, about 3 to 4
minutes. Remove the beef using a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate. Set aside. Add the mushrooms, the
remaining salt and the pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are softened and their liquid
has evaporated. Add the shallots, garlic, rosemary and thyme and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Add the wine
and cook until nearly completely reduced. Sprinkle with the flour and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute. Add
the broth and cook, stirring to release any browned bits on the bottom of the pan, and cook until reduced by
half, about 5 minutes. Add the cheese and cream to the pan and cook until the cheese is melted and the sauce
is creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the rigatoni and enough of the reserved cooking liquid to thin the sauce and
cook just until heated through and creamy. Return the beef to the pan and stir to combine.

Serve immediately, sprinkled with the parsley and chives, for garnish.

Oriental Salad

2 packages of oriental flavor ramen noodles broken up (take out the flavor packets cause you will use the for the dressing)
1 package of broccolli slaw
small package of chopped walnuts or sliced almonds
1/2 package of craisens

Mis all together. Mix up the dressing which is: 1/3 cup sugar, 1/4 cup white vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 1/4 cup olive oil, 2 seasoning packets out of the ramen noodles. Mix together and pour on top of the claw mixture.

Pound Cake

A slice of pound cake is buttery, rich and delicious all by itself, but it takes well to additions, too. Vary this cake’s flavor by omitting the almond extract and stirring in 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest, 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice and 1 Tbs. poppy seeds, or 2 Tbs. minced crystallized ginger. If you like almond, add the optional almond extract and sprinkle sliced almonds on top before baking. You can also top the slices with fresh fruit.

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
12 Tbs. (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract (optional)
2 eggs, at room temperature
1/2 cup sour cream, at room temperature

Directions:
Preheat an oven to 325°F. Lightly grease an 8 1⁄2-by-4 1⁄2-inch loaf pan, preferably glass, and dust with flour. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt until blended. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter, sugar, vanilla and almond extract on medium to medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition until just blended. Sprinkle half of the flour mixture over the egg mixture and stir until both are just incorporated. Stir in the sour cream, then sprinkle with the remaining flour mixture and stir until evenly distributed. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and tap gently on the counter to even out and settle the ingredients. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 70 minutes, or longer if using a metal pan. Transfer the pan to a wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Run a thin knife around the inside of the pan, invert the cake onto the rack and lift off the pan. Place the cake on one of its sides and continue cooling

Homemade Pancakes

Monday nights are always crazy and tonight my daughter had dancing. We love breakfast around our house and eat it for supper every so often. It's usually a fast easy meal. I know most of you probably use pancake mix right out of a box but it's just a easy to mix yours up homemade.

Homemade Pancakes:

1 1/2 to 1 3/4 cup of milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 cups self rising flour

Mix together and then pour onto griddle. So easy!! :)

Roasted Asparagus and Grilled Tomatoes

Saturday night is our usual steak night. Ahhh..I love steak! I had a conference all day today so on the way back into town I stopped and picked up some fresh veggies. We grilled steak and I roasted some asparagus and baked some sweet potatoes. We had some tomatoes ready to eat from our garden so we stuck them on the grill. I sauteed some mushrooms to go with the steak. My husband said it was his favorite meal we've ever cooked. I have to say it was pretty amazing!

Roasted Asparagus:

Lay asparagus on a foil lined cookie sheet

Coat Asparagus in Olive oil

Sprinkle with salt, pepper and lemon juice

Bake on 350 for about 10-15 minutes

Grilled Tomatoes:

Cut ends off tomatoes where they will sit flat on the grill

Cut tomatoes in half, and once opened, drizzle tomatoes with Olive Oil,

sprinkle minced garlic on top and then top with mozzerella cheese

Cook for 5-10 minutes based on heat

Happy Cooking!

Grilled Salmon

It's Friday!! Whoohooo!!! I live for fridays. They cannot come fast enough. Friday nights are either date nights or fish night. Well, no date night tonight. My hubby wants to spend time with the kids so it's fish night! I picked up some salmon from our local seafood market. I do not do much to the salmon. I use ingredients that are usually around my house and then stick it on the grill. You know salmon is ready when it flakes with a fork.

My Salmon Recipe:

Brush the salmon with Olive Oil

Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and a little Rosemary

Sprinkle Lemon Juice on top and then brush with melted butter

That's it! Simple and Easy and Ohhh so yummy! If you want a more in depth salmon recipe just comment on this posting and leave your email address.

Happy cooking!