Mushrooms Canada Blog

Guest Post: Linguine with Lemony Mushrooms and Spinach by Strawberries For Supper

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 13:30:00 +0000

We have a guest in the kitchen! We're happy to welcome back the lovely Christina of Strawberries For Supper. Treat your family to the mouthwatering flavours of this simple weeknight meal.

Hi again! This is Christina from Strawberries For Supper back with a quick and delicious recipe packed with my favourite mushroom – the crimini mushroom. Crimini mushrooms are easy to find at your local grocery store and make up the base of this simple pasta dinner.

I love cooking up pasta dishes like this. I often start with a little bit of bacon of some sort. Pancetta is my favourite to use. Pancetta gives the salty hit to start the pasta sauce but doesn’t render much fat nor is it smoked. By starting with a savoury flavour base such as pancetta, it doesn’t take much else to build a delicious sauce.

The mushrooms are sautéed in the fat rendered from the pancetta along with some extra butter. Garlic gives the base a pungent hit and the lemon juice gives the sauce some acidic balance. It is delicious with just these ingredients but I like adding the cream to give the whole dish some richness & a little decadence.

While this is a cream sauce, it isn’t a gloopy one. There is just enough sauce to lightly coat the pasta, mushrooms, and spinach. It takes hardly any time to cook and when you get used to making pasta dishes like this, you will probably start to think of other ingredients to add. Maybe next time you make it you might want to toss in some of those extra cherry tomatoes in your fridge, or maybe swap the lemon juice out for a glug of white wine. However you make this, have fun and enjoy!

Linguine with Lemony Mushrooms and Spinach
Prep Time: 10 mins. | Cook Time: 20 mins. | Serves: 4

Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
4 slices pancetta, chopped
250g crimini or button mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
225g linguine (about ½ a package)
juice and zest of 1 lemon
1/3 cup whipping cream (35% cream)
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan (plus more for serving)
75g (or 2 loosely packed cups) baby spinach
½ cup pasta cooking water – reserved to loosen sauce if needed
Salt and pepper to taste

Method
1. Set a large pot of salted water to boil in readiness for the pasta.
2. In a large frying pan, add olive oil and pancetta and fry pancetta until it is crispy. Meanwhile, slice the mushrooms.
3. When the pancetta is crispy add the butter and sliced mushrooms with a good pinch of salt and pepper. Saute over a medium high heat until the mushrooms are brown. Add the garlic and saute for a few minutes. If you add it earlier, it could burn. After you start sautéing the mushrooms, start cooking the pasta. Boil the pasta according to package directions until al dente (about 7 minutes).
4. When the mushrooms are done add the lemon juice and zest. Stir the lemon juice around to deglaze the pan.
5. Add the cream and Parmesan cheese. If the pasta is close to being done, add the spinach. If you need a bit more time then turn the heat off the frying pan and when the pasta is just about done, turn the heat back on the frying pan and add the spinach then. Stir the spinach around to wilt it over a medium heat.
6. Before draining the pasta, take out about ½ cup of the pasta cooking water.
7. Drain the pasta when it is al dente and add the pasta to the frying pan. Stir it around with the mushrooms, spinach, and lemony cream sauce. Add a few splashes of pasta cooking water until you achieve a light sauce consistency. Add more salt and pepper to your taste if needed.
8. Serve immediately with extra Parmesan cheese.

~~~~~

Weeknights are busy enough without having to stress about dinner. This is a meal that we can whip up in a flash and feel good about servings too! A big thanks to Christina for bringing her skills to our kitchen!!

Follow along with Christina at Strawberries For Supper and on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest!

Guest Post: Stuffed Pizza Balls/Pull Apart Bread in a Skillet by Carmy

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Thu, 16 Feb 2017 13:30:00 +0000

We have a first-time guest in the kitchen! Please join us in welcoming Carmy of Carmyy.com, who is bringing some of our favourite flavours to the table. We have no doubt that this one will be a new favourite, and it's just in time for the weekend!! Enjoy.

Hey there! I’m Carmy, from carmyy.com where I blog about all things food, fitness, and travel! I’m a recent grad from the University of Toronto and have transitioned into recipe development, social media management, and food photography thanks to my little corner of the internet. Today I’m very excited to be sharing this recipe here as pizza is my go-to comfort food.

I just love how versatile mushrooms are - I almost always have some in my fridge as it’s so easy to just throw them into anything you make from one pan breakfast dishes to sneaking them inside burgers! Growing up, one of the only “healthy” foods that my parents could get me to eat were mushrooms. So it’s no surprise that my go-to toppings for pizzas usually includes mushrooms. I mean you can’t feel guilty about eating an entire pizza by yourself if there’s mushrooms on it right?

While in school, one of the places I worked to help pay for tuition was at a pizza place. You could imagine how many mushroom pizzas I made and ate while there. One of the fun things we would do to pass time while hungry was to make fun pizza creations and one of them were pizza balls! They were my favourite and by far the most entertaining to make. Below is a modified version recipe of that so you can make it at home!

Stuffed Pizza Balls/Pull Apart Bread in a Skillet
Pizza balls. Pizza pull apart bread. Pizza in a skillet. Either way, pizza pizza pizza! The perfect game day snack or just a fun way to make your next pizza.

Prep time: 20 mins | Bake time: 30 mins

Ingredients
• 1 tube of biscuit dough (10)
• 1 bag of pepperoni (or 30-40 pepperoni)
• 1 bag of shredded cheese
• ¼ block of mozzarella cheese (70g), cubed
• 1 cup of mushrooms

Method
1. Heat up the oven to 400F
2. Cut in half the biscuits dough.
3. Flatten each piece and wrap up your stuffing of choice in each piece of dough (pepperoni, mushroom, cheese cube).
4. Place each ball into the skillet.
5. Place extra pepperoni, cheese, and mushrooms on top of the pizza balls.
6. Pop it into the oven for 30 minutes. If you want to put in extra cheese/toppings on top, pull it out of the oven after the pizza balls have been cooked and put on the additional toppings.

Notes
Do not over top the pizza balls or it'll prevent the dough from cooking all the way through. Put on additional toppings afterwards.
I set aside one piece of biscuit dough to use to fill after rips when shaping the pizza balls.

~~~~~

Love this recipe? You've got to try these great ideas:
Double Cheese, Bacon, Mushroom, and Egg Hash
Chickpea and Brown Rice Burger
Cheeseburger Pizza

You just can't beat the amazing flavours of this simple appetizer! It'll certainly be a new weekend favourite. A big thanks to Carmy for joining us in the kitchen.

Don't forget to follow along online at Carmyy.com, and on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram!

Guest Post: Mushroom & Thyme Cheddar Tart by Hey Modest Marce

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Tue, 07 Feb 2017 13:30:00 +0000

We have a guest in the kitchen! We're happy to welcome back Marcella of Hey Modest Marce and she's back with another tasty dish. She brings vibrant flavours to a stunning, crowd-pleasing tart.

Marcella here, the creator behind the lifestyle blog Hey Modest Marce. While I work full time as a freelance photographer, the blog is where I share all my latest creations in the kitchen & design projects around the house. We recently left Toronto to move to the country in the town of Fonthill, located in the region of Niagara. While most of our spare time is spent in the kitchen, I love hiking the trails with my dog Buddy Holly. We are fortunate enough to live right next to a beautiful forest full of trails!

This recipe pairs two of my favourite ingredients, mushrooms & thyme! I love hosting gatherings, so this puff pastry tart is one of my go to dishes to serve. Sometimes I make these in a tart form as well when I am creating for of a "finger food" style party. It works well year-round as mushrooms fit with every season. I just love the combination of the earthy mushrooms, caramelized onions & fresh herbs. Feel free to use any cheese you think will go, but I love a strong Irish Cheddar!

Mushroom & Thyme Cheddar Tart
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 medium yellow onion, sliced thin
1-1.5 cups of mushrooms, sliced thin (I used crimini mushrooms)
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 sheet of frozen puff pastry
1 cup Irish cheddar cheese, grated
2-3 sprigs of fresh thyme, for garnish

Method
1. In a saucepan over medium heat add the olive oil & garlic. Once the garlic has infused into the oil, add the sliced onions, mushrooms & thyme.
2. Let cook over medium heat for 15 minutes, until the onions begin to caramelize & the mushrooms cook down. Remove from heat & let cool.
3. While the mixture cools, prepare the puff pastry. Roll out frozen puff pastry into a square, trim edges & place on a baking sheet.
4. Brush with olive oil, top with grated cheddar & evenly distribute the mushroom mixture.
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, or until the pastry edges have puffed & turned a golden brown.
6. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs, slice & serve.

~~~~~

If you're getting the girls together this weekend, make sure this fragrant tart is on the menu! It's a fantastic finger food to help feed a crowd. A big thanks to Marce for joining us in the kitchen!! Watch for another tasty recipe from her, coming this summer.

Be sure to follow along with Marcella online at Hey Modest Marce, as well as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram!

Guest Post: Chicken Marsala Pasta Bake by Crumb: A Food Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Tue, 31 Jan 2017 13:30:00 +0000

We have a guest in the kitchen! Isabelle of Crumb: A Food Blog is back with us today sharing her weeknight take on a classic comfort. Cozy up and dig in!!

Hey there! I'm Isabelle, the blogger behind Crumb: A Food Blog, and I’m super-excited to be back on the Mushrooms Canada blog to share another of my favourite recipes.

I don’t know if it’s the weird winter weather we’ve been having or just a serious case of the January blues, but lately all I’ve been craving is hearty warm-your-belly, stick-to-your-ribs comfort food. I’m talking pot roasts, chunky stews, and chowders so thick you can stand your spoon up in them… or, in this case, hearty pasta casseroles with loads of bubbly sauce and gooey cheese (and lots of chunky mushroom pieces, natch).

This recipe is meant to be my lazy weeknight tribute to a classic Italian-American dish: chicken marsala. The traditional version consists of pan-fried chicken cutlets in an earthy mushroom sauce spiked with marsala wine, but here I’ve given it a comfort food makeover by tossing all of those same flavours into a deliciously cheesy pasta casserole.

And since an old school casserole calls for an old school mushroom, this seemed like the perfect place to give the humble white button mushroom a little screen time.

Sure, you could go with a slightly more “gourmet” variety like crimini, but I find that plain old button mushrooms add just the right amount of earthy flavour to the sauce, and soak up all the boozy goodness of the marsala (because the best thing about chicken marsala is those boozy mushrooms).

Speaking of boozy mushrooms, I made sure to put an extra-large helping of them into the casserole, so that there’s a little mushroom in every single bite. To round things out, there’s also some crispy bacon, chopped roast chicken, and al dente pasta all tossed in that signature sauce.

And then, just for the heck of it, I nestled an entire tub of baby bocconcini into the casserole to create pockets of gooey cheesy goodness, and topped it off with a generous sprinkling of Parmesan cheese. Because cheese.

This casserole may not be low-cal, low-carb, paleo or Whole 30 compliant, but it is hearty and flavourful and will warm you right down to your toes.

And, let’s be honest here… isn’t that what all of us are actually craving right about now?

Chicken Marsala Pasta Bake
Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 30 mins | Serves 4-6

Ingredients
1 lb uncooked pasta (preferably a chunky shape like ziti or penne)
1 tbsp olive oil
3 strips bacon, finely chopped
¾ lb fresh button mushrooms, cut into thick slices
½ cup thinly sliced yellow onion
½ tsp salt
½ tsp fresh ground black pepper
½ cup dry marsala wine (or dry sherry, if you prefer)
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
2 tbsp water
2 tbsp flour
2 tbsp heavy cream
2 cups diced cooked chicken
3 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tub (200g) mini bocconcini cheese, drained
½ cup grated parmesan cheese, divided

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 375F.
2. Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook until not quite al dente, about 2 minutes short of the recommended cooking time. Drain and set aside.
3. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the bacon, and cook for 5-7 minutes or until crispy. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a small bowl, and set aside.
4. Add the mushrooms to the pan, and saute for about 5 minutes, or until they start to brown and let off some liquid. Add the onions, salt and pepper and continue cooking for another 7-10 minutes, or until the onions are very soft and all of the liquid from the mushrooms has cooked off. Stir in the Marsala and cook until almost completely evaporated, scraping the edges and bottom of the pan to release any browned bits that are stuck to the bottom.
5. Stir the stock into the pan and bring to a simmer. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and water until smooth, and stir into the sauce as soon as it starts to bubble. Let simmer, stirring frequently, for about 2 minutes or until thick and glossy. Remove pan from heat, and stir in the heavy cream.
6. Stir in the reserved bacon, along with the chicken, parsley, and ¼ cup of parmesan, then add the cooked, drained pasta and the bocconcini cheese. Stir well, making sure that everything gets evenly mixed and the pasta is completely coated with sauce. (Note: if your pot isn’t big enough, you can also use a large mixing bowl for this step).
7. Spoon the mixture into a 2qt oven-safe casserole dish, and sprinkle the top with the remaining ¼ cup parmesan. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until the cheese is golden brown and the sauce is bubbling around the edges. Serve immediately with more chopped parsley for garnish.

~~~~~

Sometimes the weather just calls for comfort! Isabelle brings amazing flavours to a very nostalgic, wintery dish and we can't get enough!! Another big thanks for joining us in our kitchen.

Don't forget to follow along with Isabelle at her blog Crumb: A Food Blog, and on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.

Guest Post: Mushroom Soup Gratinée by Sweetsugarbean

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Tue, 17 Jan 2017 13:30:00 +0000

We have a guest in the kitchen! We welcome back Renee of Sweetsugarbean who is always happy to share her creativity. This time around, she's giving winter a whole new life with a warming, comforting bowl of delicious mushroom soup.

Hi everyone! My name is Renée Kohlman and Sweetsugarbean is my food blog I’ve been writing for over six years. I live in beautiful Saskatoon, Saskatchewan where I happily whip up delicious creations in my little green kitchen. Being a professional pastry chef as well as a food blogger, and recipe developer, I’m lucky to have turned my passion for all things food into a career I love. I’m especially proud of my debut cookbook All the Sweet Things which will be released this spring. Free time (remind me what that is again!) includes gardening, reading and eating too much chocolate.

I’m always excited when Mushrooms Canada asks me to write a guest post for their blog. Mushrooms are a staple in my kitchen and it’s always a thrill to put them in new recipes. For this soup, I’ve used fresh cremini mushrooms and dried porcini. Mushrooms are great to use year-round, but especially in winter because they are the only vegetable that contains vitamin D. Bursting with antioxidants and cancer-fighting compounds, not to mention being low in calories, mushrooms play an important and delicious part of my culinary adventures in the kitchen.

With winter upon us, soup is always on in my kitchen. What a better way to warm up and stay cozy than having a delicious broth of vegetables simmering on the back burner. This mushroom soup is a bit of a twist on the classic French Onion. Instead of simmering onions though, we simmer plenty of mushrooms in red wine and vegetable stock. I’ve stirred in Dijon mustard, for a bit of a bite, and plenty of thyme. You could use fresh, but dried works just as well. The mushrooms soak in all of the lovely flavours, and I think the soup tastes better the next day, after the flavours have mixed and mingled. And, who doesn’t love the giant cheesy crouton on top? I like to make a tray of cheese toast then set them atop individual bowls of soup, though if you have oven-proof bowls, you could place the soup and the crouton under the broiler. I hope you love this soup as much as I do! Stay warm!

Mushroom Soup Gratinée
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 30 minutes | Makes: 6 servings

Ingredients
3 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 red onion, diced
1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (.5 oz/14 g) package dried porcini mushrooms
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 ½ tsp dried thyme
1 tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
4 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup red wine
6 slices sourdough bread at least 3 inches in diameter
1 cup shredded Gruyére

Method
1. Heat the butter in a Dutch oven or large saucepan over medium-high heat.
2. Add the diced onions and sauté for about 5 minutes, until they are translucent.
3. Stir in the garlic and mushrooms and continue cooking for another 8 minutes or so, until the mushrooms have softened.
4. Stir in the mustard, thyme, salt, pepper and cook another minute. Stir in the stock and wine. Bring to a boil, cover and turn the heat to medium-low.
5. Simmer for about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
6. Place the bread on a baking sheet and divide the cheese among the slices.
7. Place the baking sheet under the broiler and toast until the croutons are golden brown.
8. Ladle the soup into bowls and top each with a cheesy crouton.

~~~~~

Warm up and stay cozy! You can't beat the rich, earthy flavours of this tasty soup. It certainly makes winter look good!! As always, a big thank you to Renee for bringing such wonderful mushroom-packed recipes to our table.

Be sure to follow along with Renee on her blog Sweetsugarbean, on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram!

Guest Post: Whole Roasted Mushroom Chili by The Cookie Writer

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Tue, 03 Jan 2017 13:00:00 +0000

We have a guest in the kitchen! Kacey of The Cookie Writer is here and are so excited to have her join us. We're starting off the New Year right with this whole roasted mushroom chili! Healthy, vegan, gluten-free, and just plain delicious, you can always add in extra ingredients to make it your own!!

Hello! Kacey from The Cookie Writer here with my whole roasted mushroom chili recipe! I'm so thankful to be here today as a guest writer for Mushrooms Canada (bragging rights for winning the Appetizer Spotlight Contest last August with my Mushroom and Beef Cheese Balls!)

Mushrooms have always been a part of my life. I remember growing up with my mom making the best breaded mushrooms ever! I still use that recipe to this day, and find no restaurant recipe compares :) That being said, I have fully branched out from breaded mushrooms and learned to incorporate them into every recipe imaginable.

Being vegetarian, I find mushrooms are a great meat substitute. They are, well, meaty in texture, and add a lot of flavour to a dish. My favourite method is roasting mushrooms with thyme, so it is no wonder this whole roasted mushroom chili came to be! Funny enough I had made this totally unhealthy bacon-meat-filled chili for my husband, and this vegan chili the next day for myself. And you know what? My husband had no issue devouring his AND my chili! He suggested whole roasted mushrooms go into his meat chili next time :)

With almost all of my recipe, this one can easily be customized to your liking. Add more veggies, or take away some (my dad hates onions, so his would have none!) Get creative! I used a mix of button and mini portobellos, but any of your favourite mushrooms can work here (though roasting time may vary.) And if spicy meals are not your thing, don't fret. My daughter handled this recipe like a champ, and she is only 5! I wanted the mushroom flavour to pull through, so I reduced my usually chili powder amount significantly.

Whole Roasted Mushroom Chili
Simple and delicious, the whole roasted mushrooms lend a ton of flavour to this meal!

Prep: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes | Total: 1 hour 35 minutes

Ingredients
24 oz button and mini portobello mushrooms, whole
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. dried thyme
Salt and pepper
Chili
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 (19 oz) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 tbsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. cumin
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. Hungarian paprika
Salt and pepper
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 red pepper, diced
1 green pepper, diced
2 medium onions, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 medium carrots, chopped small
1 tsp. granulated sugar
Freshly chopped chives for garnish if desired

Method
1. Preheat oven to 425F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone liner for easy clean up.
2. Add mushrooms, oil, salt, pepper, and thyme to a large mixing bowl. Toss until well combined.
3. Pour onto baking sheet in a single layer and roast for 15 minutes. Flip, and cook for another 5-10 minutes, or until mushrooms are nice and golden.

Chili
1. In a large pot over medium-high heat, add olive oil. When hot, add in onions and carrots. Cook for 5 minutes. Add in the garlic and cook for another minute.
2. Stir in seasonings, making sure to add salt and pepper. Stir in tomato paste and cook for a few more minutes. Add in tomatoes, mushrooms, and beans. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, uncovered, for 30 minutes. Add in your peppers and sugar. Taste for seasoning. Cook for another 30-45 minutes, or until veggies are tender-crisp.
3. Serve as is, or with freshly chopped chives, sour cream, and/or cheese (my favourite topping!)

Note: You can make this meal in the slow cooker (but definitely still want to roast those mushrooms!) Save time by prepping the chili while your mushrooms are in the oven.

~~~~~

Love this whole roasted mushroom chili?! Try some of these recipes:

Roasted Mushroom Pot Pie

Roasted Baby Potatoes in a Homemade Mushroom Sauce

Chili Loaded Baked Potatoes

A big thanks to Kacey for bringing such a lovely, vegetarian comfort to our tables! We can't wait to see what she has in store for us next. Stay tuned!!

Be sure to follow along with Kacey online at The Cookie Writer, and on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram!

Guest Post: Cheese-Stuffed Sweet & Spicy Mushroom Meatballs by The Girl on Bloor

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Tue, 20 Dec 2016 13:00:00 +0000

We have a guest in the kitchen! We welcome The Girl on Bloor back into our kitchen and we couldn't be more excited. Just in time for the holidays, Taylor is sharing a drool-worthy party app that will disappear fast! It may call for a double batch...

Hey everyone! Taylor here from The Girl on Bloor blog - I’m a full-time blogger that has lived on and off Bloor Street in downtown Toronto for the past six years. I just graduated with a Master’s degree in Journalism from Ryerson University, and have been developing recipes, taking photos and doing social media marketing for my own blog and other clients for the past year. It’s been an incredible journey so far, and I’m so excited to see what fun projects I’ll get to work on next!

It’s no secret that I’m a GIANT fan of mushrooms. I sneak some into just about every recipe I can, and they are a staple to have on hand in the fridge. I enjoy them year-round in a variety of recipes - anytime I have an excuse to whip up a delicious pasta, pizza, omelet or stir fry with mushrooms is a good day in my books. This mushroom meatballs recipe is a twist on one of my family’s favourite appetizers, and just one of the newest experiments I’ve undergone with my favourite veggie. I hope you love them as much as I do!

Cheese-Stuffed Sweet & Spicy BBQ Mushroom Meatballs
These Cheese-Stuffed Sweet & Spicy BBQ Mushroom Meatballs make the most delicious appetizer for your next potluck or party - just make sure to have plenty of these on hand because you’ll run out quick!

Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 15 mins | Serves: 20 meatballs

Ingredients
1 lb ground beef
1 package button mushrooms, finely chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 small yellow onion, grated
¼ cup parmesan cheese
¼ cup breadcrumbs
2 tsp ketchup
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 egg
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
10 mini buffalo mozzarella or bocconcini balls, sliced in half
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp hot sauce
1 tbsp honey
1 cup sweet and spicy BBQ sauce
20 toothpicks

Method
1. In a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except for cheese, olive oil, hot sauce, honey and BBQ sauce.
2. Take about 1-2 tbsp of meatball mixture and form it around each cheese ball half.
3. Heat olive oil in a large frying pan on med-high heat, then add meatballs. Fry for 10-12 minutes until meatballs are fully cooked and browned on the outside.
4. Meanwhile, mix hot sauce, honey and BBQ sauce together.
5. Remove meatballs from heat, then transfer to a large bowl. Toss in BBQ sauce mixture until fully coated.
6. Serve immediately on a platter with toothpicks inserted. Meatballs can also be prepared ahead of time and reheated in a 375F oven for 15 min.

~~~~~

If you like this recipe, you may also want to try:
-One Pan Creamy Chicken with Mushrooms and Quinoa
-Creamy Portobello Mushroom Soup
-Blended Meatballs with Spicy Sriracha Aioli

As always, thanks to Taylor for sharing her mushroom-love and sending such tasty recipes our way! These mouthwatering mushroom meatballs are going to be a hit at holiday get-togethers.

Follow along with Taylor at The Girl on Bloor, and on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram!

Holiday Appetizer: Goat Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Tue, 13 Dec 2016 13:00:00 +0000

Happy Holidays!

Are you nearly ready for the holiday break? I know I am. I like to tackle the Christmas shopping early in my home to avoid the crowds and crazy shoppers. I've also been having a great time prepping for all of the get-togethers, which always revolve around food, drink and good times with friends.

I've already been to one cookie exchange and that was just the beginning! I've still got a couple of family events and a FriendsMas event to prepare for. Lucky for me, everyone knows me as The Mushroom Girl and I have the honour of sharing my favourite mushroom dish. For me, there's nothing more delicious, and nothing simpler, than a tasty stuffed mushroom appetizer.

This year, I'm passing my secrets on to you and sharing my go-to party favourite. Enjoy!

Goat Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients
8 oz fresh crimini mushrooms
130 g goat cheese
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp basil pesto
1 tsp minced garlic
Panko crumbs to top

Method
1. Remove stems from mushrooms and place them on a baking sheet with the gills facing down. Brush mushrooms with olive oil and bake at 350ºF until the begin to release their juices (approx.10 minutes).
2. Meanwhile, combine goat cheese, pesto and minced garlic in a bowl.
3. Flip mushrooms cap-side up and begin to spoon mixture into the caps, filling each one with all of that delicious goodness.
4. Continue to bake at 350ºF for an additional 5 minutes or so, or until the cheese is gooey.
5. Sprinkle with panko crumbs.
6. Wait a moment to let them cool and dig in!

~~~~~

Stuffed caps are such a versatile treat that allow you to cater to your family's favourite flavours. Play around and have fun with your bite-sized treats. Watch as these disappear! They certainly won't disappoint.

Share your favourite festive appetizer in the comments below!

Guest Post: Ham, Cheddar and Mushroom Muffins by The Brunette Baker

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Tue, 06 Dec 2016 13:46:00 +0000

We have a guest in the kitchen! Jenny of The Brunette Baker is back with another family friendly meal that packs the nutrients in. These on-the-go bites will be a life-saver on those busy nights.

Mealtime with kids can be a stressful feat.

My daughter has loved most vegetables foods since her first bite of proper food - broccoli and spinach being amongst her favourites. She is honestly every parent’s dream at the dinner table. My son, on the other hand, is an entirely different story. His little body runs purely on sugar, carbs, more sugar, and the occasional carrot. Apparently (caramel) apples don’t fall far from the tree.

Lately, when it comes to mushrooms, my daughter refuses to eat them. I’m not sure if it’s become a textural thing, but it is the one vegetable I cannot get down her as is. My husband and I both love them in all forms and I feel they add an integral component to most dishes I make, so I have to get creative and hide them whenever a dish calls for the addition of them.

My latest baking venture proved to be very successful. My daughter enjoyed them packed in her lunchbox with a side of marinara dipping sauce; my son liked them as is. These muffins are packed with delicious goodness and are perfect for snack time, breakfast, or even dinner when they refuse to eat what’s put in front of them.

A parent’s job is hard enough.

Let them eat muffins.

Ham, Cheddar and Mushroom Muffins
Prep Time: 25 minutes | Bake Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients
3 cups all purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 tablespoons ground flax seeds, optional
3 large eggs
1⅓ cups buttermilk 
3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
3 tablespoons butter, melted 
1 cup white onion, finely chopped
1 cup white button mushrooms, finely chopped
1 cup diced ham
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Method
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Coat a 12-cup muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray or use cupcake liners.
2. In a frying pan over medium heat, add in one tablespoon of canola oil. Toss in onions and cook until translucent. Remove from pan and add in chopped mushrooms. Cook only until tender. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
3. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, pepper, salt, cayenne pepper, and flax seeds.
4. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, oil, and butter. Stir in the chives, mushrooms, onions, ham, and cheese.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix using a wooden spoon until moistened.
6. Scoop the batter into prepared muffin pan (heaping ¼ cup each for unlined muffin pan or scant ¼ cup each for lined.
7. Bake the muffins for 20 minutes or until the tops are a golden brown. Let the muffins cool in pan for 15 minutes then loosen the edges with a knife (if necessary). Transfer muffins to cooling rack.
8. Muffins will keep in an airtight container for several days. These also freeze beautifully once baked.

~~~~~

This time of year is busy enough! Quick meals on the go are certainly a time-saving treat. As always, thanks to Jenny for sharing such fun, family favourite ideas.

Be sure to follow along with Jenny at The Brunette Baker, and on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest!

Guest Post: Vegan Mushroom & Butternut Squash Cottage Pie by The Gouda Life

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 13:00:00 +0000

We have a guest in the kitchen! We're so happy to welcome back Kelly of The Gouda Life. Today, she's brought us a drool-worthy pie that is vegan friendly, but will certainly make everyone at the table hungry.

Recently, we had a dear friend return home after months of being on the road in Europe with his band. I wanted to make him something hearty and homey. Something to curb the chill in the air and that he may not have been able to get on the road. This cottage pie is vegan, as is our friend, and the mushrooms make it so meaty and rich. The sweetness of the squash make an amazing companion to the mushrooms and the smokey paprika warms the whole dish. If you're not vegan, feel free to add real butter and even a little sprinkle of cheese in (and over) the mashed potato topping.

Vegan Mushroom & Butternut Squash Cottage Pie
Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Makes: 6 servings

Generally, I don't like to use butter substitutes that aren't olive oil or coconut oil, but these potatoes called for more. A buttery vegan sub-in worked beautifully here but if you aren't worried about dairy, feel free to add the real thing.

Ingredients
4 large russet potatoes, cubed
sea salt
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup butter or non-dairy butter, melted
1/4 cup warm vegetable stock or milk (dairy or non)
2 tbsp olive oil
24oz button mushrooms, rough chopped
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cups cubed butternut squash (fresh or frozen), cubed
1/2 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced carrots
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp tomato paste
sprig of thyme
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp (tiny pinch) ground cinnamon
1 cup dark beer
1/2 - 1 cup vegetable stock
1/4 cup frozen peas
Salt and pepper, to taste
fresh thyme leaves, to garnish

Method
1. Place potatoes in a pot of cold, generously salted water and bring to a boil. Turn down to a simmer and let cook until potatoes are easily pieced with a fork, 10-15 minutes. Add the raw garlic and butter and mash well, Add enough liquid to make them creamy, starting with 2 tbsp and adding the full 1/4 cup if needed. If you want them very creamy, get out your handheld mixer and whip until pillowy.
2. Preheat oven to 375.
3. While your potatoes are boiling, heat up the olive oil in a large oven-safe skillet or dutch oven over med-high heat. Add the mushrooms and let cook untouched for 5-6 minutes. You want the liquid from them to be released so they start to brown and crisp. Mix and let sit for another 5-6 minutes Repeat once more. Add the onions, squash, celery and carrots and cook until onions have softened and are just starting to brown, 5 minutes. Add the garlic, tomato paste, paprika, cumin and cinnamon and cook until tomato paste has browned lightly and everything is very fragrant, 5-6 minutes. Add the beer and peas and bring to a boil, scraping the stuck on bits from the bottom of the pan. Add the 1/2 cup veggie stock and stir everything well. If it seems a bit stodgy, add more stock. Add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Spread or pipe the potatoes over the mushroom mixture, drizzle with olive oil and bake until the top is golden brown. Sprinkle with fresh thyme, fresh ground pepper and serve.

~~~~~

There is nothing better in this crisp, cool weather than comfort food! As always, a big thank you to Kelly for joining us in our kitchen and sharing such delicious eats.

Follow along with Kelly over at The Gouda Life and on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram & Pinterest.

Guest Post: Swedish Mushroom Meatballs by The Yum Yum Factor

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 13:30:00 +0000

We have a guest in the kitchen! We have the lovely Carole of The Yum Yum Factor back with us today, sharing a comforting, vegetarian favourite. With a make-at-home recipe this good, you may be able to skip that shopping trip altogether!!

I always feel sorry for my vegetarian friends when we go to Ikea and they have to watch me chow down on a big plate of Swedish Meatballs with lingonberries while they pick at a salad. It’s bad enough that we know we have to try to find our way through the maze of a store and then face 26 hours of assembly time when we get home, but the one thing that makes all of that feel worthwhile IS my plate of Swedish Meatballs. There is something so comforting about a plate of creamy mashed potatoes supporting those spiced little meatballs drowning in a rich, creamy sauce, don’t you think?

I have been blending and extending my meatballs with finely chopped mushrooms for years but this time, I wanted to do a meatball without any meat at all and really let the mushrooms be the star. Using a bit of breadcrumb and bulgar with egg as a binder, they are a little bit delicate to work with but the rewards are worth it and you won’t even miss the meat when you taste this mushroom version.

Swedish Mushroom Meatballs
Prep Time: 25 mins. | Refrigeration Time: 2 hrs. | Cook Time: 25 mins. | Serves 4-6

Ingredients

Mushroom “meatballs”

1 tables olive oil

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 tables butter

1 lb white mushrooms, finely chopped (by hand or pulse to a rough chop in a food processor)

3/4 cup bulgar wheat

1 tsp nutmeg

3/4 tsp allspice

20 grinds of black pepper

1 cup fresh bread crumbs

2 eggs, beaten

1/2 cup finely chopped parsley

cooking spray oil for cooking

Sauce

6 tbls butter (2 for the mushrooms and 4 for the sauce)

100 grams oyster mushrooms, roughly sliced

150 grams brown mushrooms, thinly sliced

pinch kosher salt

4 tbls flour

3 cups mushroom broth (I used Campbell’s but you can use any vegetable stock you have on hand)

1 tbls grainy mustard

1/4 cup 2% evaporated milk

a handful of parsley, chopped

optional garnish: chopped parsley, lingonberry preserves

Method

1. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and sauté the onion until soft. Now melt the butter into the pan and add in the chopped mushrooms. Sauté the mushrooms until they have released almost all of their liquid before you stir in the bulgar and mix well.

2. Remove the mushroom mixture to a large bowl and let it cool to room temperature before you add in the bread crumbs, parsley and spices. Taste for seasoning and add more salt if needed and when it’s the way you like it, add in the beaten egg and mix until well combined.

Put the bowl in the fridge and let it sit for at least 2 hours - all day is even better.

3. When it’s time to cook, preheat the oven to 400F.

4. Remove the mushroom mixture from the fridge and start rolling out meatballs the size of small golfballs. I like to gently squeeze the mixture in my left palm and then move to my other hand, gently squeezing it back and forth until it’s nice and compacted and round. You should get about 27 balls or so.

5. Use spray oil on your baking tray and place the mushroom meatballs on the tray and spray the tops of the meatballs with a bit of the oil and bake them for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, using a spatula, gently roll them over - the odd one might need a gentle nudge if it’s sticking a bit. Put the pan back in the oven for another 5 minutes. When they are done, take them out and set them aside.

6. While the meatballs are baking, melt 2 tbls butter in a sauté pan and cook the mushrooms with a pinch of kosher salt until they are nice and brown and then remove them to a bowl and set aside. Melt the remaining 4 tables butter in the same pan and add the flour, cooking, stirring constantly, until the roux gets nice and brown. Slowly start streaming in the stock, whisking as you go to keep it nice and smooth. Once all of the stock is added in and you are sure there are no lumps, stir in the grainy mustard, let it come to a simmer and let it cook for about 5 minutes. Add in the reserved mushrooms and any juices in the bowl and simmer for another 3 or 4 minutes. By now, it will be nice and thick so turn the heat off, stir in the evaporated milk and parsley, place the mushroom meatballs back in the pan with the sauce and leave it on the hot burner for a couple of minutes. To serve, put the meatballs on a bed of rice, noodles or mashed potatoes and cover in sauce.

7. You can scatter some more fresh parsley on if you like and if you really want the Ikea experience, serve them with some lingonberry preserves.

~~~~~

This is one vegetarian version that even meat-lovers can sink their teeth into! A big thanks to Carole for sharing such a drool-worthy dish.

Be sure to follow along with Carole at The Yum Yum Factor and on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest!

Guest Post: Chicken Roulade Stuffed with Mushrooms, Cheese and Pine Nuts by The Messy Baker

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 12:00:00 +0000

We have a guest in the kitchen! We're always excited when Charmian of The Messy Baker decides to join us, and for good reason. She's always got a creative, mouthwatering recipe up her sleeve and today is no different. Enjoy all of the seasonal flavours she's bringing to the table!

White mushrooms didn’t get one of the catchy names. They don’t sound exotic like Shiitake or Enoki, or cool like King Oyster. There’s no Italian flair to their nomenclature like cremini or portobello. Instead they go by very practical names, like “white”, “cultivated”, and “table”. Or the diminutive label “button”. Sure, they’re cute as a button, but for this recipe I decided to focus on their more elegant French name, “champignon”.

This recipe is a nod to the champignon’s loving relationship with French cuisine. Roulade (roo-LAHD) roughly translates to “roll”. Here, thinly pounded chicken breast wraps around classic French herbs and aromatics. Subtle shallots deliver an onion flavour. Soft, unripened goat cheese provides tang, but won’t overpower. Lemon and thyme team up for a light, bright taste that pairs well with the shallots and cheese. Toasted pine nuts add a sweet unexpected crunch that would be lost with bolder flavours. And of course, the champignons bring a balance of umami. And it’s all wrapped up in spinach-lined chicken breast.

While roulade might look fussy, it’s easy if you start with thin meat and don’t over-stuff. To ensure you pound the chicken breast as thinly as possible without breaking it apart, start at the centre and work out using firm but light strokes. It’s better to go over the chicken breast a few times with a lighter touch than once like a jack hammer.

A bit of kitchen string ensures all that stuffing stays in place and your roulade emerges from the oven looking as chic and casual as anything you’d find at a French bistro.

Chicken Roulade Stuffed with Mushrooms, Cheese & Pine Nuts
Prep Time: 40 mins. | Cook Time: 30 mins.

A roulade is both elegant and rustic at the same time. Its gracious, swirling lines adds style to any plate, but it emerges from the oven with down-to-earth singed string and some inevitable stuffing spillage. To reduce this spillage, resist the urge to overfill the roulade, then spoon any leftover filling over the finished slices.

Ingredients
4 6- to 8-ounce boneless, skinless chicken breasts
300 g package unripened goat cheese
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
zest of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped from the stem
generous grinding fresh black pepper
3 tablespoons oil, divided
3 shallots, finely chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 pound white button mushrooms, halved then sliced
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 small bunch fresh baby spinach

Method
1. Preheat oven to 425°F. Cut eight pieces of kitchen string about a foot long each.
2. Place one chicken breast in a plastic freezer bag. Pound flat to no thicker than 1/4-inch. Place flattened chicken breast on a sheet of plastic wrap or parchment. Repeat with remaining breasts.
3. In a small bowl, place the goat cheese, pine nuts, lemon zest, lemon juice, thyme, and pepper. Stir to combine. Set aside.
4. In a large oven-proof skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook 2 minutes until soft. Add the mushrooms and salt, and cook, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are soft and most of the moisture has evaporated, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove skillet from heat. Transfer mushrooms to a bowl. Wipe out skillet with a paper towel.
5. Place a sheet of chicken on your work surface. Line the breast with a single layer of spinach leaves. Spread 1/4 of the cheese mixture down the length of the breast. Using a slotted spoon, spread some of the mushroom mixture down the length of the breast and no more than an inch from the sides. It's best not to overfill. Any leftover mushrooms can be spooned over the roulade once sliced.
6. Using the parchment or plastic wrap, roll the chicken breast up from the narrow end as you would a jellyroll. Tie in two places with kitchen string. Repeat with remaining breasts.
7. Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the chicken roulades on all sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the skillet to the hot oven and cook until the centre of the largest roulade reaches 165F, about 12 to 15 minutes.
8. Allow to cool a few minutes. Cut and remove the strings, slice chicken in rounds, and top with any leftover mushrooms. Serve hot.

~~~~~

Once again, The Messy Baker brings us an umami-packed treat! These impressive roulades will dress up any meal time. Thanks again to Charmian for joining us in our kitchen!!

Be sure to follow along with Charmian at The Messy Baker, as well as on Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest.

Guest Post: Roasted Garlic, Mushroom and White Bean Stew by Living Lou

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Tue, 04 Oct 2016 12:30:00 +0000

We have a guest in the kitchen! I'm so excited to welcome Louisa of Living Lou back into our kitchen. She's with us today, sharing a warming dish that brings fall comfort to life in a flavourful, steamy stew.

I’m so glad to be back on the Mushrooms Canada blog today with a flavourful, comforting and healthy roasted garlic, mushroom and white bean stew! I’m Louisa from Living Lou and I am passionate about leading a healthy lifestyle and inspiring others to follow suit with the simple, fresh and flavourful recipes.

October is without a doubt one of my favourite months of the year for cooking. I love hearty soups and stews, braises and roasts. I find that food develops such intense flavour when it’s simmered on the stove-top or roasted in the oven. For this vegetarian stew, I combined roasting and simmering for a vegetarian stew that is loaded with so many levels of flavour.

It all starts with a hot oven. A head of garlic is wrapped in foil and roasted for 30 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. Roasted garlic is one of the most delicious ingredients on the planet; roasting mellows the pungency of the bulb as the sugars caramelize. Once you know the magic of roasted garlic, you will be adding it to everything. Along with the roasted garlic, this stew gets some creaminess from white beans and is flavoured with white wine and rosemary. All of these ingredients pair so beautifully with the white button mushrooms, but you could definitely use crimini mushrooms in this recipe as well.

This stew is a favourite Sunday meal because it isn’t a dish that cooks up in 20 minutes, it’s a little bit more time consuming, but it also makes a pretty big batch which means you can bring leftovers for lunches throughout the week. Any dish that I can make that will last for more than one meal is a winner in my eyes!

Roasted Garlic, Mushroom and White Bean Stew
Prep Time: 30 mins. | Cook Time: 35 mins. | Serves 6

Ingredients
1 head of garlic
7 tsp olive oil, divided
½ tsp salt, divided
1 onion, chopped
2 carrots, diced
2 lbs (907g) white button mushrooms, quartered
½ cup white wine
2 19-oz cans white beans, drained and rinsed
1 900mL carton of vegetable broth (4 cups)
2 springs rosemary

Method
1. Preheat oven to 400F. Slice the top off the head of garlic (keeping the root intact), drizzle with 1 tsp of olive oil and sprinkle with ¼ tsp of salt. Wrap in foil and roast for 30 minutes, carefully remove from oven and let cool completely.

2. Meanwhile, heat a large pot over medium heat. Add remaining 2 tbsp of olive oil. Add onion, cook, stirring frequently for 3 minutes. Add carrots and cook another 5 minutes. Add mushrooms and remaining salt, cook, stirring occasionally for another 5 minutes. Add white wine, cook another minute, scraping any brown bits off the bottom of the pan. Add white beans, vegetable broth and rosemary, squeeze roasted garlic directly into the pot (be careful not to include any of the peel).

3. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered for 20 minutes. Beans will begin to break down, but to help thicken the stew, press the beans against the side of the pot using a wooden spoon. Remove rosemary stems and serve.

~~~~~

With cooler fall weather on its way, this is a wonderful recipe to have on hand, especially when planning for a busy week. Another big thank you to Lou for sharing her inspired recipes!!

Be sure to follow along with Louisa over on her blog Living Lou, as well as on Twitter and Pinterest!

Guest Post: Halloumi Stacks with Mushrooms by The Online Grill

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 12:30:00 +0000

We have a guest in the kitchen! We're thrilled to welcome Ben of The Online Grill who's sharing a wonderfully healthy and delicious meal idea.

Hi! My name’s Ben and I cycle. I cycle a lot. And I guess that this means I eat a lot too. I thought I’d turn my love of food into something useful by writing over at The Online Grill. Since starting the blog I’ve learned so much about food and nutrition, and grown my cooking repertoire hugely.

I’ve always had problems with iron deficiencies, and since discovering the iron-rich health benefits of mushrooms I’ve never looked back. The versatility of it means I can throw it in liberally with almost any meal which, thanks to my Italian heritage, I do… a lot.

Halloumi stacks is a fantastically simple recipe that goes down a treat in the summer months. Its light vegetables match perfectly with the salty flavors of the halloumi to give a sensationally addictive taste. In fact, I have to be strict on myself and use a very finite amount of cheese as I often just can’t get enough of these!

Perfect as an appetizer, or a very light brunch meal, this dish is brilliant as a template. If you don’t have one ingredient, then it’s easy to substitute it with another. It’s open to interpretation and that’s what I love about it!

Halloumi Stacks with Mushrooms

Ingredients
250g halloumi cheese
1 zucchini/courgette
6 white button mushrooms
2 large tomatoes

Method
1. A lot of Mediterranean dishes feature a heavy use of olive oil, and you’ll find most interpretations of this one are no different. However, to help it feel relatively light I’ve decided to skip this. I find that the salt and moisture from the tomatoes and halloumi do wonders at packing in a lot of flavor, however if you do want to brush your vegetables in oil prior to grilling them then go for it!
2. If you don’t have a griddle pan then one way around it is to preheat your oven grill with the grill bars in to help give you those lovely seared grill marks in the tomatoes and zucchinis.
3. Start heating up your pan to a medium-high heat, or if you’re using your oven then preheat it to 180C/350F/gas 4.
4. While your oven is preheating, cut your tomatoes horizontally, zucchinis diagonally, and mushrooms vertically (got that?) into thick slices.
5. Add the zucchini to the pan and season with salt and black pepper. Griddle for a couple of minutes on each side, and really try to work in those beautiful sear marks!
6. Remove the zucchini and now add the tomato, repeating the process but for nearer one minute on each side instead of two. Repeat again, but this time with the mushrooms.
7. Now for the fun part! Heat up a frying pan to a medium-high heat, and throw in the halloumi. Turn every minute until both sides have browned then remove.
8. Now time to stack these bad boys! This part is wildly open to artistic license, so order as you wish, but I organize mine as: Tomato at the bottom, then zucchini, mushroom, and the beautifully browned halloumi at the top.
9. Drizzle a little balsamic vinegar on top, and you’re done!

If you like this recipe, you might also enjoy:
• Portabello and Halloumi Burgers by Fuss Free Cooking
• Chicken and Mushroom Spring Rolls by The Online Grill

~~~~~

These stacks are a great way to use up the last of your garden produce! A huge thanks to Ben for joining us in our kitchen with such a drool-worthy and nutritious dish.

Make sure you follow along with Ben's blog The Online Grill and on Facebook and Twitter.

Guest Post: Basil Beef & Mushroom Rice Bowls by Kiwi & Bean

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Tue, 20 Sep 2016 12:30:00 +0000

We have a guest in the kitchen! We have Sarah of (Cooking for) Kiwi & Bean back today, to share a comforting dish that still makes use of those summer flavours. I have no doubt it'll be a hit with your family, as it was with hers!!

Hello mushroom-lovers! Sarah here from (Cooking for) Kiwi & Bean, a food blog where I share no-sweat, super simple, family-friendly recipes that anyone (repeat: ANYONE) can make!

You might remember me from my guest post last winter—Penne with Sausage, Caramelized Mushrooms and Winter Greens. It was a perfect way to enjoy mushrooms on the coldest and dreariest of winter days.

I’m excited to be back today sharing a recipe that combines mushrooms with one my favourite summer herbs—basil! If you’ve got a garden, you might have some fresh basil in full (and fragrant) bloom. Otherwise, the grocery stores and farmers markets are full of the stuff.

Mushrooms and basil might seem like unlikely bedfellows, but they pair beautifully in these Thai-inspired Basil Beef & Mushroom Rice Bowls. The mushrooms are diced and sautéed with ground beef, and when fully cooked they almost disappear—a win if you’ve got any mushroom skeptics in your family, as I do.

While this dish has a rich and layered flavour, it’s surprisingly fast and easy to prepare. If you chop the onions, garlic and mushrooms the night before, you can throw the recipe together in about 20 minutes.

I like to serve these rice bowls “build-your-own” style at the dinner table. Set out the basil beef, a pot of cooked rice or quinoa, some chopped red chillies, extra fresh basil, julienned carrots, cucumber rounds, and thinly sliced green onions, and let everyone in the family build a bowl to their liking. And, if you are feeling a little indulgent or want to make this dish weekend-dinner-guest-worthy, top each rice bowl with an egg, sunny-side up. Now we’re talking.

Basil Beef & Mushroom Rice Bowls
Prep Time: 20 mins. | Cook Time: 10 mins.

Ingredients
2 tablespoons avocado oil (or another vegetable oil of choice)
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 large cloves of garlic, minced or crushed
½ pound white button or cremini mushrooms, diced
1 pound lean ground beef
2 tablespoons tamari (gluten free) or soy sauce
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 cups fresh basil leaves, plus extra for garnish
Juice of half a lime

To serve: cooked rice or quinoa, chopped red chillies, additional fresh basil, julienned carrots, cucumber rounds, thinly sliced green onions, fried eggs, lime wedges

Method
1. Heat the oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Soften and lightly brown the onions, then add the garlic, mushrooms and ground beef, breaking up the beef with the back of your spoon.
2. Let the mixture cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are very soft and the beef is browned and cooked through.
3. Combine the tamari, fish sauce, sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Pour over the beef and mushroom mixture, bring to a boil, then turn the heat down and let the mixture simmer for a minute or two, or just until the sauce has thickened slightly. Stir in the basil and lime juice. Remove from the heat, and serve immediately over rice or quinoa with desired garnishes.

~~~~~

Be sure to follow along with Sarah online at Kiwi & Bean, and on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest!

FBC2016 Appetizer Spotlight Winner Is...

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Fri, 09 Sep 2016 12:30:00 +0000

We were lucky to have another fantastic group of submissions for this year's, incredibly competitive, Appetizer Spotlight contest! We had a very, very tough decision on our hands. The Mushrooms Canada staff and the good folks at the Food Bloggers of Canada came together to pick our winner!

Congratulations to...
Mushroom and Beef Cheese Balls (Mini Style!) by Kacey of The Cookie Writer

Kacey has won the opportunity to be our featured appetizer at this year's Food Bloggers of Canada Conference at Delta Toronto! Our Mushrooms Canada table at the Friday night reception of FBC2016 will feature these mouthwatering cheese balls, so be sure to come by and try one (or three!) for yourself. Not only that, but Kacey will be in attendance to see her recipe enjoyed, having won a full conference pass and 2 nights accommodation to the sold out event!

Once again, congrats to Kacey, as well, a special thank you to all of the talented bloggers who submitted their amazing mushroom-meat blended appetizers! We can't wait to see you everyone at FBC2016!!

Blend your way into FBC2016: Moussaka Mini Pies by True Sustenance

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Wed, 07 Sep 2016 12:30:00 +0000

It's our final day sharing the entries of our Appetizer Spotlight contest, featuring so many mouthwatering blended appetizers. Our winner will be announced Friday September 9th!!

Do you have a winner picked out?

Maybe today's recipe will change your mind. Our final entry, submitted only hours before the deadline, comes from Lesli of True Sustenance. Her Moussaka Mini Pies feature a juicy blend of ground beef, ground pork and mushrooms! This is certainly an exciting entry to finish off another fun year of this contest.

Moussaka Mini Pies

Ingredients
Filling:
½ lb. ground beef
½ lb. ground pork
8 oz. finely chopped mushrooms
1 finely chopped onion
1 finely chopped zucchini
2 garlic cloves
1 – 5.5 oz. can tomato paste
1 c. of white wine
3 T. chopped parsley
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper

Béchamel Sauce:
4 T. butter
4 T. flour
2 c. milk
2 egg yolks
½ c. feta

Method
1. Brown beef and pork, add mushrooms and onions. Cook until onions are translucent. Add the remaining ingredients. Set Aside.
2. Melt butter in a pan. Add flour, blend well with a whisk. Whisk in milk, until mixture thickens. Whisk in egg yolks. Mix in feta.
3. Meanwhile, heat oven to 375 degrees and bake 24 mini pie shells. Cook as directed on box. Remove from oven.
4. Put oven on broil.
5. Place 1 T. of filling and 1-2 tsp. of Béchamel sauce in each mini pie shell. Arrange on tray. Place tray under the broiler for 3-5 minutes, Béchamel should not turn brown.
6. Arrange on your appetizer table with tiny spoons. Enjoy!

~~~~~

A HUGE thank you goes out to all of the FBC Members who joined the Appetizer Spotlight competition with their own blended recipe!

Guest Post: Gnocchi in a Mushroom Cream Sauce by Strawberries for Supper

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Tue, 06 Sep 2016 11:30:00 +0000

We have a guest in the kitchen! We're thrilled to have the wonderful Christina of Strawberries for Supper back with us again. She's sharing a dish that seems fancy, but is easy enough to tackle for an average weeknight dinner.

I’m Christina from Strawberries for Supper, and I’m happy to be guest blogging again for Mushrooms Canada. I never tire of coming up with new ways to use one of my favourite ingredients. This time I’ve gone for simple comfort in the form of a creamy sauce loaded with mushrooms to go with some store-bought gnocchi.

The super simple sauce starts with a few slices of pancetta and butter to build flavour. I like using a mix of crimini mushrooms and shiitake just to add a little style to a rather simple dish but classic button mushrooms would work just as well.

Once the mushrooms and garlic get cozy with some white wine and cream they only need to simmer for a few minutes with the lid on the pan. Once everything has had time to simmer, you can start on the gnocchi since it only takes three minutes.

I highly recommend indulging in this as a very filling meal for two greedy people but you can serve it as a side dish for a larger family meal. It would go really well with a roasted chicken, or some pork chops. Simply toss together a garden salad and you have yourself winning meal.

Gnocchi in a Mushroom Cream Sauce
Prep 10 mins | Cooking Time: 25 mins | Serves: 4

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp butter
4 slices of pancetta, chopped
200 grams crimini mushrooms, sliced
100 grams shiitake mushrooms, sliced
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ cup white wine
¾ cup whipping cream
500 gram package gnocchi (found in pasta section of the grocery store)
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Method
1. In a large sauté pan that has a lid, heat the olive oil and butter on medium high. Add the chopped pancetta and spread it out in the pan so it crisps up evenly. Cook until the pancetta is crispy, about 3-4 minutes. Remove the pancetta and set it aside to be put back in later.
2. Add all the sliced mushrooms and the salt and pepper. You may need to another tablespoon of oil if the pan seems really dry. Move the mushrooms around frequently with a spatula. After they release the liquid they hold in them, the mushrooms will brown nicely. It will take about 8-10 minutes to fully brown the mushrooms.
3. Once the mushrooms are browned, add the garlic and sautee the garlic for about 1 minute with the mushrooms. Then add the white wine and use your spatula to scrape up and brown bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the wine simmer for a minute and then add in the cream.
4. Stir the cream sauce and mushrooms together. Put the lid on the pan and turn the heat down to low.
5. While the mushrooms simmer, bring a large pot of water to the boil. Once it is boiling, add in all the gnocchi from the package and stir them around so they don’t stick to the bottom. Once the gnocchi float to the top, transfer them to the pan with the mushroom sauce using a slotted spoon. Do not over boil the gnocchi or they will get gluey.
6. Toss the gnocchi in the sauce along with the crispy pancetta that had been set aside earlier. Sprinkle some chopped fresh parsley over the dish if you have it. Serve immediately.

~~~~~

With back-to-school season upon us again, we're all going to need to have quick, easy meals on hand. Thank you, as always, to Christina for showing us how easy it is to impress with a simple meal!

Follow along with Christina at Strawberries For Supper and on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest!

Blend your way into FBC2016: Mini Tomates Farcies (Sausage and Mushroom Stuffed Cherry Tomatoes) by eat. live. travel. write.

noreply@blogger.com (Christian Kristalyn) — Fri, 02 Sep 2016 12:30:00 +0000

Our Appetizer Spotlight contest is officially closed! It has been a pleasure receiving so many unique and original entries, fighting to win their way into the SOLD OUT FBC2016 conference. Today, we have Mardi of eat. live. travel. write. sharing her Mini Tomates Farcies.

I’m Mardi from eat. live. travel. write. and I’m here to share a dish I’ve created as my entry in the Mushrooms Canada “Win your way to FBC2016” contest. I’ve just spent the best part of my summer in France and one of the things I always try to do when I return home is re-create some of the meals I’ve enjoyed on my travels to make that holiday feeling extend into my real life.

A simple, yet tasty classic French dish I love to make in the summer is tomates farcies – to take advantage of the gorgeous tomatoes available (you can make these year-round but in the summer the colours are so vibrant they look so much prettier!). Sounds fancy but it’s really just tomatoes hollowed out and filled with seasoned ground meat (usually sausage meat or pork but sometimes beef) and baked. It’s a pretty hands-off dish (and one that kids love, hence there will be a version in my upcoming kids’ French food cookbook!) and it’s very versatile – you can use whatever ground meat you like (or even make a vegetarian version as I’ve made before for Mushrooms Canada) and the technique extends to other vegetables as well, like peppers or even zucchini!

Today, though, since the brief was “Blend & Extend your favourite appetizer recipe for the chance to win the Mushrooms Canada “Appetizer Spotlight” at FBC2016” I’ve chosen to stick with the classic tomatoes – using cherry tomatoes to make an hors d’oeuvre and lightening up the filling with mushrooms.

These are the perfect party appetizer since they are best enjoyed just warm or even room temperature – you can make them ahead of time so you’re not fussing with food prep when your guests arrive!

Mini tomates farcies (Sausage and mushroom stuffed cherry tomatoes)

Ingredients
32 cherry tomatoes with their stems still attached*
200g mushrooms (I used white), roughly chopped
2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 sausages (approx. 200g) – I chose a classic “French country” sausage made with pork
¼ cup panko breadcrumbs plus more for sprinkling
1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence seasoning
freshly ground pepper (if your sausage meat is not seasoned you might want a pinch or two of salt too)
olive oil for drizzling

Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 400˚F.
2. Cut the tops off the cherry tomatoes (about ¾ of the way up the tomato from the bottom) being careful to keep the stems intact.
3. Use a small, curved paring knife, carefully cut the flesh out of the inside of each tomato. Place the “lid” with the bottom half of the tomato upside down on a paper towel to drain. Repeat for all tomatoes.
4. While the tomatoes are draining begin the filling.
5. In a food processor fitted with the metal blade, blitz the mushrooms and garlic cloves until finely chopped.
6. Slit the skin of each sausage and remove the meat from the casings. Discard the casings and place the meat in a small bowl with the mushrooms/ garlic, panko, Herbes de Provence and pepper. Use your hands to mix until all ingredients are well-combined.
7. Make sure you are using a baking dish that will fit the tomatoes in snugly.
8. Place the tomatoes in the baking dish (making sure to keep track of which lid belongs to which tomato) and use a tablespoon measure to scoop out the sausage/ mushroom mixture. Roll the scoops lightly between your hands and place in the tomatoes. Continue until all tomatoes are filled.
9. Place the lids on each tomato, drizzle the tops with olive oil and sprinkle over a little more panko so each lid had a sprinkling.
10. Bake at 400˚F for 30 minutes or until the filling has reached a temperature of 160˚F (use a meat thermometer to check).
11. Remove from oven and allow to cool to just warm or room temperature then serve (when they are hot, they are a bit difficult to handle, unless they are secured with a pick - see below).

Makes 32, so approx. 16 servings

Bon appétit!

* Note that for presentation the stems are very pretty but for a party, I would remove the stems and pierce each tomato with a long bamboo pick to make for easier eating (one bite) and no worrying about accidentally eating the stem!

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Thanks to all the FBC Members who joined the Appetizer Spotlight competition with their own blended recipe!

Blend your way into FBC2016: Beef and Mushroom Crepe Rolls by Compelled to Cook

noreply@blogger.com (Christian Kristalyn) — Thu, 01 Sep 2016 12:30:00 +0000

Our Appetizer Spotlight contest is officially closed! We are honoured to have received so many amazing entries, fighting to win their way into the SOLD OUT FBC2016 conference. Today, we have Nicole of Compelled to Cook sharing her Beef and Mushroom Crepe Rolls.

Earthy mushrooms, ground beef and smoked cheddar nestled in a light crepe. Great for dipping and sharing!

Beef and Mushroom Crepe Rolls
Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 50 minutes | Yield: 20 rolls

Ingredients
Crepes
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup water
4 tbsp butter, melted and divided
2 large eggs
1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp white pepper
1 cup marinara sauce
Beef and Mushroom Filling
4 tbsp canola oil, divided
3/4 pound lean or extra lean ground beef
1 cup white onion, finely chopped
6 ounces mixed cremini and shiitake, thinly sliced
2 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced
1/2 tsp salt
3/4 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp course black pepper
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
6 ounces smoked white cheddar, grated

Method
Crepes
1. Combine all ingredients, using 2 tbsp of the butter in a blender and blend until smooth and frothy, approximately 1 minute. Allow to rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes prior to using.
2. Heat 8” non stick pan over medium heat. Once hot, brush with melted butter and add 2 Tbsp of crepe batter, swirl pan to create an approximate 6” crepe. Cook for 1 - 1 1/2 minutes and flip using a rubber spatula, cook for an additional 30 seconds. Slide crepe out of pan onto a plate. Repeat with remaining crepe batter and stack in 2 piles of 10. Crepes can be made two days ahead, kept covered and chilled until ready to use.

Beef and Mushroom Filling
1. While cooking crepes, heat large skillet over medium high heat, add 1tbsp oil. When oil is hot add ground beef, chopping with a spatula to break into small chunks. When ground beef starts to brown, add onions and salt, continue to cook until onions are soft and beef is browned. Remove from heat and drain well on a paper towel lined plate. Set aside.
2. In same skillet over high heat, heat 1 tbsp of oil and when hot add mushrooms. Cook until soft, add garlic, Worcestershire sauce, oregano and pepper. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally until moisture has evaporated from mushrooms. Remove from heat and add ground beef and onion back into pan and stir to combine. Filling can be made one day ahead, cover and chill until ready to use.

Assembly
1. Set one crepe on a flat surface and place 1 tbsp of cheese in a horizontal line in the center of the crepe leaving at least a half inch space on each end. Place 2 tbsp beef filling atop cheese in the same horizontal line. Bring the bottom of the crepe up and over the filling. Fold in sides and tightly roll crepe until an approximate 4” log is formed. Repeat with remaining crepes and filling. Crepe rolls can be made one day ahead, cover and chill until ready to fry.
2. Preheat oven to 200℉. Heat medium/large non stick skillet over medium heat, add 1 tbsp of oil. When hot add approximately 10 crepe rolls and cook until browned on all sides, 8-10 minutes from a cold state. Remove from pan and drain briefly on paper towel to absorb any excess fat. Place in oven to keep warm. Repeat with remaining crepe rolls. Serve immediately with warm marinara sauce.

Enjoy!

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Thanks to all the FBC Members who joined the Appetizer Spotlight competition with their own blended recipe!

Blend your way into FBC2016: Lamb and Mushroom Dolmades by Joybilee Farm

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Wed, 31 Aug 2016 12:30:00 +0000

Despite the contest coming to a close, we still have some submissions to share that made it in under the wire. These tasty appetizers are all contenders to for our Appetizer Spotlight at the sold out 2016 Food Bloggers of Canada Conference. Today is the last day to get entries in. Follow along this week as we share the final entries.

Today, Chris of Joybilee Farm shares these tasty flavour packets; Lamb and Mushroom Dolmades.

An Appy with History

Alexander the Great is credited with the invention of the dolma, an easy make-ahead journey food for his troops. Dolmades are little meat packets rolled up in grape leaves. Traditionally made with lamb and rice, this recipe borrows the flavours of everyone’s favourite fair food – the gyro, and captures it in a tiny packet, that’s just 3 bites of amazing flavour.

The lamb is blended with mushrooms which add moisture, flavour, and nutrition while cutting some of the fat. Mushrooms make these better than traditional dolmades.

These are gluten-free, paleo, and can be used as an appetizer or a main course.

Lamb and Mushroom Dolmades

Yield 3 ½ dozen dolmades; Serves 15 for appetizers or 4 for main course

Ingredients

I pint jar of fermented grape leaves (about 50 to 60 leaves)

500 grams of ground lamb

300 grams of mushrooms

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 large sweet onion

½ sweet pepper

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1 preserved lemon, finely chopped

¼ cup hazelnuts, chopped, toasted

2 tbsp. mint leaves, finely chopped

1 jalapeno pepper, cored and finely chopped

¼ cup of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped

2 preserved lemons, thinly sliced

To make fermented grape leaves:

Pickled grape leaves can be found at Mediterranean markets, but you can also make them easily at home if you have access to unsprayed grape vines. They take only minutes to prepare and two or three days before they are ready.

Fermented grape leaves will keep stored in glass jars in the fridge for 12 months, without further processing. To make fermented grape leaves, harvest the tender fresh grape leaves from the vines, anytime during the summer months. Grape vines continue growing all season long so it does not damage the plant to remove part of the vines. Take the largest leaves that grow near the tendrils, about the 4th to 8th leaves from the end of the vine. You’ll need 50 to 60 leaves for one pint jar.

Remove the stem with a sharp knife, without cutting into the leaf. Wash the leaves well in cold water. Drain.

Stack the leaves, one on top of the other, back side down, in stacks of 10 to 12 leaves. Roll each stack in a bundle, rolling the leaves from right to left. Tie each bundle with undyed, unbleached, cotton, linen, or hemp string.

Place each roll of leaves in a wide mouth, pint jar. Pour brined water (2 tsp. sea salt plus 1 ½ cups of cold, filtered water) over the top of the grape leaves. Add 2 tbsp. of whey or starter culture from a successful ferment.

Fold up two to 4 grape leaves and place them in the mouth of the jar, over top of the rolled grape leaves. Place a fermentation weight over this, ensuring that the liquid comes up over the top of the glass weight in the jar. Place a fermentation lock in place, if desired. If you don’t have a fermentation lock, place a screw band lid on the jar, but only loosely attach it.

Grape leaves ferment quickly. Sometimes they are done in 24 to 48 hours, depending on ambient temperatures. The leaves are ready to use as soon as the leaves turn from bright green to olive green. The brine will have a slightly sour taste, like fresh pickles.

Fermented grape leaves will keep in the fridge for up to a year.

Filling for the lamb dolmades:

Wash and thinly slice the mushrooms. Chop them to the same consistency as your ground meat, using the chopper blade of a food processor. Set aside.

Chop the onion, finely. Deseed the sweet pepper and chop finely. Press the garlic cloves.

Sauté the mushrooms, onion, sweet pepper, and garlic cloves in olive oil in a heavy skillet, until the mushrooms are dry and fragrant.

Drain the preserved lemon. Chop finely, saving the brine and lemon juice. Set aside.

Chop the hazelnuts coarsely. Briefly toast the hazelnuts in a dry skillet to bring out the flavour. Set aside.

In a bowl, add the lamb, mint leaves, jalapeno pepper, and parsley. Mix well. Stir in the preserved lemon, hazelnuts, and mushroom mixture. Mix to thoroughly combine.

To assemble the dolmades:

Remove the grape leaves from the jar. Remove the string and unroll a bundle of grape leaves.

Lay a grape leaf, vein side up on a board. Place a small amount of the lamb mixture in the centre of the grape leaf. Tuck the bottom and sides of the leaf over the filling. Roll the leaf from the stem end to the tip, making a tight packet.

Repeat for the other leaves.

Place lemon slices in the bottom of a dutch oven or casserole dish. Lay the assembled dolmades, seam side down in the dish. Dolmades can overlap in the dish. Cover with more lemon slices and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.

Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until the juices in the pan begin to bubble.

Dolmades can be served hot, at room temperature, or chilled.

How to Serve Dolmades:

Serve dolmades chilled or warm, with a tzatziki dipping sauce, peach salsa, or honey mustard.

Dolmades can be made ahead and frozen. To use remove the number that you need from the freezer, and allow them to thaw at room temperature for 2 hours.

Serves 4 as a main course or 12 as an appetizer

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Thanks to all the FBC Members who joined the Appetizer Spotlight competition with their own blended recipe!

Guest Post: Creamy Mushroom and Thyme Tart by eat. live. travel. write.

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Tue, 30 Aug 2016 12:30:00 +0000

We have a guest in the kitchen! We have Mardi of eat. live. travel. write. joining us again, with a mushroom-filled dish that has a French flair. This scrumptious tart brings impressive European flavours to a simple, weeknight meal.

I’m Mardi from eat. live. travel. write. and I’m excited to be here sharing a dish inspired by my recent travels to France. Travelling around the wine-growing regions surrounding Bordeaux, we stopped into a small town in search of lunch. The only thing that seemed to be open was a “Maison du Vin” which had a tiny restaurant with just a handful of tables attached to it. The menu looked promising with everything “fait maison” (made in-house) and some regional specialties on offer. We were travelling with a vegetarian friend so were excited to see an actual vegetarian offering on the menu – a “Croustillant de Champignons à la Crème de Thym” which we figured was some sort of pastry filled with mushrooms and cream. What could possibly be bad about that, right? When it came out, it was a little fancier – a kind of deconstructed tartlet which was absolutely scrumptious. I made a note to try to recreate this at home and it’s one of the first dishes I set to making once I was back in my kitchen!

I’ve gone the traditional tart route with this recipe as it makes it very do-able even for a weeknight. It comes together in no time and makes a lovely light dinner paired with a green salad or you could cut it into smaller pieces and serve as an hors d’oeuvre at a party. Either way, it’s so very good!

Creamy mushroom and thyme tart
Prep time: 20 minutes | Cook time: 30-35 minutes

Ingredients
1 roll puff pastry (mine was 25cm x 25cm), thawed but still cool
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 shallots, minced
1 clove garlic, minced
approx. 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves plus more for garnish
100g white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
100g cream cheese, softened
1 egg, lightly beaten

Method
1. Pre-heat the oven to 400˚F.
2. Heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium-high heat.
3. Add the shallots and garlic and cook over medium heat until fragrant and translucent (you don’t want them to colour at all), approximately 5 minutes.
4. Add the thyme and mushrooms and cook down until the mushrooms have released most of their liquid.
5. turn the heat down to low and add the cream cheese. Use a wooden spoon to stir until it’s fully melted and the mixture looks like a creamy sauce. Remove from the heat and set aside.
5. Roll the puff pastry out and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Fold in the edges of the pastry approximately 3cm and press them down all along the edges with the tines of a fork.
6. Brush the edges with the egg wash them pile the mushroom mixture on top of the pastry, making sure to keep inside the borders.
7. Bake at 400˚F for 30-35 minutes until the edges are golden brown and the mixture has puffed up in the middle.
8. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly before slicing and serving.

Serves 2 as a main course or can be cut up into smaller squares to make 16 hors d’oeuvres

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Such an impressive tart is great to have on hand! Whether you're entertaining, or simply entertaining your own cravings, this light treat is one recipe you won't want to forget. A big thanks to Mardi for sharing her travel-inspired meal.

Don't forget to follow along with Mardi online at eat. live. travel. write. and on Twitter, Instagram and Google+.

Blend your way to FBC2016: Chicken Souvlaki Meatballs by The Yum Yum Factor

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 12:30:00 +0000

Even with the contest closed, we're sharing entries that made it in under the wire and will be considered in our decision. Today, we're thrilled to share a blended recipe that utilized ground chicken. Carole of The Yum Yum Factor is here, sharing these mouthwatering Chicken Souvlaki Meatballs.

Depending on the size of meatball you roll, you will get between 40 and 60 meatballs. This makes a large batch of meatballs so if you aren't feeding a crowd, you can just throw them straight into the freezer in the bag you cooked them in

Chicken Souvlaki Meatballs

Ingredients
900g skinless, boneless chicken thighs OR ground chicken
225g white button mushrooms, minced by hand or ground roughly in a food processor
1 onion, minced
5 cloves finely chopped garlic
2 eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup panko
1 cup crumbled feta
juice of 1 large lemon
zest from 1 lemon
1 big handful of Italian parsley, finely chopped
2 tbls dried greek oregano
1/4 cup chopped, fresh mint
2 tsp kosher salt (or to taste)
freshly ground black pepper

Serve with Tzatziki

Method
If you are grinding your own chicken, do that however you do that - I use my kitchen aid with the meat grinder attachment.

Heat a glug of olive oil in a frying pan and brown the ground mushrooms until they release some liquid and start to colour before adding the minced onion and garlic and fry for a couple more minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool to room temperature.

When the onions and mushrooms are cooled add them, along with all of the remaining ingredients in the bowl of your kitchen aid and stir on low, using the paddle, for about 45 seconds or until well mixed. You can also mix it all by hand. For the best results, refrigerate the chicken mixture overnight to really let the flavours blend.

Before you pop the bowl in the fridge, taste for seasoning by frying a small pinch of the mixture, taste it, adjust as needed. It will depend on how salty your feta is as well as your personal taste.

Conventional baking:
Roll the meatballs and bake for about 15-20 minutes in a preheated 400F oven on parchment lined baking sheets, giving the pan a shake from time to time to roll the meatballs around.

Serve each meatball on a toothpick or other decorative small skewer along with tzatziki for dipping OR place a dollop of tzatziki in a small bowl or Chinese soup spoon with a meatball places on top and some chopped parsley.

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Thanks to all the FBC Members who joined the Appetizer Spotlight competition with their own blended recipe!

Blend your way into FBC2016: Mushroom & Ground Beef Bites by Love Good Food

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Fri, 26 Aug 2016 11:30:00 +0000

Our Appetizer Spotlight contest is now closed, but that doesn't mean we're done sharing all of the tasty entries. For today's post, Kristin of Love Good Food shares her bite-size Mushroom & Ground Beef Bites. Try them yourself at home!

You'll love these Mushroom & Ground Beef Bites! Each bite has a burst of flavour combining finely chopped mushrooms and ground beef in a mini tortilla shell topped with a lime sriracha mayo, cherry tomatoes and fresh green onions. It's reminiscent of a taco salad, but different, and it's all packed into one bite! The big flavour kick comes from the Lime Sriracha Mayo. If you're like me you just might want to double the mayo recipe! It tastes great with sweet potato fries, French fries, and spread on sandwiches and wraps... just be warned, I've been known to find excuses to dip just about any food into it. You can make the Lime Sriracha Mayo ahead and cover it, it will keep in the refrigerator for several days. I like the mayo a bit spicy, so if you aren't a lover of spicy food start off with just one teaspoon of sriracha and taste, adding one more teaspoon at a time until you find the right level of heat. Same goes for you spicy lovers, add as much heat as you want, just be courteous to your guests, not everyone may appreciate the extra hot mayo! Put some jalapeño peppers on the side for your friends who like it extra hot!

I like recipes that are flexible, so go ahead and use your favourite ground meat. You can easily substitute ground turkey, ground chicken or ground sausage in this recipe. You will love this easy to make balanced appetizer with veggies, protein and tortilla chips! With Blend and Extend you'll add extra vitamins and minerals.

Each scoop has only 35 calories and 2.6 grams of fat.

Mushroom & Ground Beef Bites
Prep time: 15 minutes | Total time: 30 minutes

Ingredients
1 cup finely chopped mushrooms
1/2 lb ground beef
1 bag of mini tortilla bowls (like Tostitos Scoops)
1/2 pint of cherry tomatoes or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
green onions, sliced
jalapeño peppers, sliced (optional)

Lime Sriracha Mayo
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 tbsp sriracha sauce
1 tsp lime juice
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp granulated sugar

Method
1. In a pan cook the mushrooms until they are soft and transfer them to a bowl
2. Brown the ground beef in the frying pan over medium heat until fully cooked and drain off the fat
3. While the beef is browning make the Lime Sriracha Mayo: combine the mayonnaise, sriracha sauce, lime juice, chilli powder and sugar in a bowl and stir until well mixed and taste, add more sriracha sauce as desired to achieve the desired level of "heat", if you don't like "hot", start of with 1/2 tbsp and taste
4. Add the mushrooms to the ground beef and stir
5. Place the tortilla scoops on a serving platter, spoon the mushrooms and beef into each one, add a dollop of lime sriracha mayo on top and garnish with cherry tomato half and green onions and enjoy!

Notes:
* you can substitute ground turkey or ground chicken, just add 1 tbsp of vegetable oil to add moisture while browning the meet
* the sriracha mayonnaise can be made ahead, covered and refrigerated
* leftover sriracha mayo can be covered and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days, it makes a great dip for sweet potato fries or spread on sandwiches and wraps

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Thanks to all the FBC Members who joined the Appetizer Spotlight competition with their own blended recipe!

Blend your way into FBC2016: Beef, Spinach and Mushroom Strudel by Bake. Eat. Repeat.

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 12:30:00 +0000

Hungry yet? Each day we've got a great new submission to share with you, which is really making our job of choosing a winner this year very - very - difficult. Today, we're welcoming Stacey of Bake. Eat. Repeat. back to this contest with a Beef, Spinach and Mushroom Strudel.

Beef, Spinach and Mushroom Strudel
Prep time: 30 minutes | Cook time: 25 minutes | Yield: 3 - 12 inch pastries

Ingredients
For the pastries:
1/2 pound (227g) ground beef
1/2 medium onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup finely diced mushrooms
1/2 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 package (10oz/300g pkg) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
6 ounces (150g) feta cheese, crumbled
1 package (450g) puff pastry
For the tzatziki sauce:
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
1 cup plain Greek yogurt
3/4 cup chopped cucumber
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried dill

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a large, non-stick skillet over medium heat, brown the ground beef. Drain the grease and add the onion, garlic, mushroom, oregano, pepper and salt. Cook, stirring for 2-3 minutes until the vegetables have softened. Stir in the spinach and feta and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3. On a lightly floured surface, unroll the two sheets of puff pastry. Cut each piece into three long, equal strips. Lightly roll each out a bit thinner with a rolling pin. Place three of the pieces onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Divide the filling between the pieces of pastry, leaving a half inch space around the edges. Place another strip of pastry over top of the filling and press the edges to seal them. Crimp the edges with a lightly floured fork and cut slits into the top of the pastry to vent it.
4. In a small bowl, whisk together the egg and water and lightly brush the three pastries with the egg wash. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the pastry is golden. Serve warm with tzatziki sauce.
5. To make the tzatziki sauce, stir together the yogurt, cucumber, garlic and dill until combined and refrigerate until ready to use.

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Thanks to all the FBC Members who joined the Appetizer Spotlight competition with their own blended recipe!