Mushrooms Canada Blog

Make it with Mushrooms this Long Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Fri, 17 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Heading to a backyard BBQ this long weekend? I'm going to share some of my favourite recent finds for warm weather eats.

Spring Rolls with Radish & Ginger Mushrooms by LORE

Mushroom and Goat Cheese Queso by Yum Sugar

Marinated Grilled Mushrooms by Dine and Dish

Bacon and Veggie Stuffed Mushrooms by Coupon Clipping Cook

Stuffed Jalapeño and Sweet Peppers by FOODjimoto

Have a safe and flavourful long weekend and enjoy that sunshine!

-Shannon

Grow Me, Blog Me: Winner #1

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Thu, 16 May 2013 15:31:00 +0000

I hope you've all been having fun with your mushroom growing kits! I'm seeing a lot of chatter online about the mushrooms- the growing, the waiting, the care and attention and the recipes!

We had set the first of three deadlines for the $50 Visa Gift Cards, for this past Tuesday, May 14th. We know many of you are still growing, or have not had the time to get around to writing a post, so don't worry, two more deadlines will be set very soon. However, we do know that there's some "keeners" in the mix and we wanted to celebrate your mushroom growing accomplishments!

Our first randomly chosen winner of the $50 Visa Gift Card for our Grow Me, Blog Me Giveaway is... *drumroll*

Stephanie of Clockwork Lemon

Even though Clockwork Lemon is a baking blog, Stephanie took to the challenge and made it a family affair by sharing the experience with her parents. The end result was a beautiful Herbed Goat Cheese and Mushroom Tart! I knew these mushrooms looked amazing growing out of the box, but holy moly did they come together nicely in this recipe!!

For her full recipe, visit her blog.

Guest Post: Grilled Portabella and Poblano Tacos by Crumb: A Food Blog

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Tue, 14 May 2013 11:30:00 +0000

We've got a guest in our kitchen today... The very talented Isabelle of Crumb: A Food Blog. Isabelle is back to share another delicious mushroom recipe, this time on the grill. Perfect for warm weather!

Hi there! My name is Isabelle, and I’m the blogger behind Crumb: A Food Blog, and I’m thrilled to be back on the Mushrooms Canada blog to share another recipe you guys.

I don’t know about you, but I’m really excited that warm, sunny weather is finally back again after a rather miserable spring, especially because it means I get to drag out the grill out from its wintertime slumber. I firmly believe that food cooked outdoors tastes better... I mean, how else do you explain why even a box of no-name mac and cheese is the most delicious thing in the world when you’re camping? Exactly.

The problem with most of the summertime barbecue classics, though, is that they have a distinctly carnivorous bent – from steaks and chops, to ribs, to chicken wings, to burgers and dogs, it’s a meat eater’s paradise.

Vegetarians, on the other hand, tend to get the short end of the stick (or rather, the crumbly, tasteless patty). Thankfully, portabella mushroom caps are the perfect solution to this dilemma, since a quick sear on the grill accentuates their meaty flavour and texture. That’s what makes them one of my favourite ingredients when we’re having vegetarian friends over for dinner, or if I’m just in one of my meat-free moods.

In these tacos, strips of meaty grilled portabella join up with grilled onions and poblano peppers, and then get a quick toss with smoky chipotle powder and tangy lime juice to create a taco filling so flavourful and satisfying that even the most devoted of meat eaters won’t complain. Honestly, this just might be one of the best things to come off your grill this season, regardless of whether you’re a meatatarian, a flexitarian, or a vegetarian. So what are you waiting for? Winter’ll be back again before you know it.

Grilled Portabella and Poblano Tacos
Serves 4

Ingredients
Pico de Gallo:
2 roma tomatoes, diced
½ small red onion, finely diced
¼ cup chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, finely minced
Pinch of salt
2 tsp lime juice

Grilled Portabella Filling:
4 medium-sized portabella mushrooms (about 1 pound)
1 small red onion, cut into thick slices
1 tbsp canola oil
Salt and pepper
1 whole poblano chile
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp lime juice
1/2 tsp chipotle powder

Assembly and Toppings:
8 small corn tortillas, warmed
Guacamole
Cilantro sprigs
Lime wedges
Shredded Monterey Jack or cheddar cheese

Method
Preheat a lightly oiled grill on medium-high heat.

While the grill is heating up, prepare the pico de gallo. In a small mixing bowl, combine tomatoes, onion, cilantro, garlic, salt and lime juice. Set aside.

Next, prepare the grilled portabella filling. Remove the stems from the portabellas, and discard. Using a spoon, scrape out the dark gills from the underside of the mushroom caps.

Lightly brush the portabellas and the onions on both sides with canola oil, and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.

Arrange the mushrooms, onion, and poblano on the hot grill, and cook for 5-6 minutes per side or until the mushrooms are softened and the onion is lightly charred. Remove from heat and transfer to a cutting board.

Remove the stem and seeds from the poblano, and discard. Cut the poblano and the portabellas into thin strips, and roughly chop the onion. Transfer to a mixing bowl and toss with lime juice and chipotle powder until well coated.

To assemble, arrange 2 tortillas per plate, and divide the mushroom filling evenly between them. Serve with pico de gallo and bowls of the different toppings so that everyone can garnish their tacos as they please.

If you like this recipe, you may also want to try:
Roasted Portabella Fajitas
Spinach and Corn Stuffed Portabellas
Mushroom and Vegetable Tacos

~~~~~

Thanks so much Isabelle for being our guest. I swear she knew that I was craving tacos, of course that's not hard, since they are my favourite food! Check out Isabelle's previous post for Baked Potatoes with Creamy Mushroom Ragout and don't forget to follow her blog Crumb: A Food Blog, and on Twitter and Pinterest.

Grow Me, Blog Me | Giveaway #1

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Tue, 07 May 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Did you attend the 2013 Food Bloggers Conference at Hockley Valley? If you did, you likely received one of these fun Grow Your Own Mushroom kits.

In about 10 days, full Oyster Mushrooms are grown and ready for you to enjoy them. There have already been some fantastic responses from bloggers and some great photos too! As mentioned on the back of the tag, grow the mushrooms, blog about them and send the link to me (shannon@mushrooms.ca) and you will be entered for your chance at one (1) of three (3) $50 Visa Gift Cards.

The first of the 3 deadlines will be next Tuesday May 14th. If you've grown your mushrooms, now is the time to get that post up! Looking forward to all of your great blog posts.

Mushrooms on the Grill

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Mon, 06 May 2013 14:57:00 +0000

I hope you all got to spend the weekend in the sun like I did! What a beautifully warm weekend we finally had. I think this year has hit me particularly hard, with such a long cold snowy winter. Now that sun sun and the heat is here, I'm taking advantage of it! Long walks in the woods, bike rides and of course, grilling.

This past weekend, I pulled everything I could out of the fridge and threw it all on the barbecue. Chicken breasts, peameal bacon on a bun, roasted peppers and mushroom caps stuffed with goat cheese and pesto and some bacon wrapped Enoki mushrooms.

We had enough food to feed an army, and yet it all disappeared with only 4 people. Impressive. My Stuffed Mushroom Caps are always a hit, in fact I can't go to a BBQ without them, but this was the first time I tackled Bacon Wrapped Enoki Mushrooms.

These tightly wrapped appetizers were certainly a hit! Next time I may consider marinating them, but for my first go at them, I just bunched the mushrooms, wrapped the bunch in one thick strip of bacon and secured with a toothpick. Simple and delicious.

What were you grilling up this weekend?

-Shannon

Playoff Snacks

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Wed, 01 May 2013 17:34:00 +0000

I don't know about you, but I am a massive hockey fan and I am all too excited to see my life-long favs back in the NHL playoffs. It's been a rough 9 years, but the Toronto Maple Leafs are making their way back to ice for their first game tonight against the Boston Bruins.

9 years is a long time...a very long time. To put things in perspective, I didn't even have my drivers licence the last time they were in the playoffs. Even weirder, iTunes didn't exist yet, no one has ever Tweeted during a Leafs playoff game and we certainly didn't get to watch the game in HD. These are facts that seem way too scary and make me feel kind of old.

Whether you're a fan or not, I've got some great game-time snacks that will have everybody cheering.

Easy Stuffed Portabella Pizza in a Cashew Basil Cheese Sauce by Oh She Glows

Chili and Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms

Buffalo and Blue Cheese-Stuffed Button Mushrooms by Pithy & Cleaver

Enjoy the game with your family and these kid favourites:

Porcupine Meat Balls
Crunchy Portabella Fingers

Which team are you cheering on during the playoffs?

-Shannon

Guest Post: Fresh Pasta with Crimini and Porcini Mushrooms by Daniele & Nina Polidoro

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

Today we welcome a father-daughter team to our kitchen! Daniele Polidoro shows off his cooking skills, while assisted and photographed by his daughter Nina Polidoro of neen bean photography.

My name is Nina. I recently finished my Bachelor of Education at OISE and have since returned to my full time position as an Employment Facilitator. My evenings and weekends consist largely of dogs, knitting, eating and neen bean photography. Each of these interests are laced with my strong connection to my family, and I’m thrilled to share a bit of our corner of the world through this recipe –

Thank you Mushrooms Canada!

I hated mushrooms. Forever. They were the worst, by my standards, for a very – very – long time. My dad is from Italy, and he’s a world-class chef. He took me to an Italian restaurant in 2006, in Italy, whose entire menu revolved around mushrooms… and he got the kitchen to make me a mushroom-free dish. Yes, I was the worst. For years, my dad weathered my contempt for tomatoes, my aversion for cilantro, my revulsion of olives and my absolute hatred of mushrooms. But then one day, I fell in love – with these deep fried potato-mushroom logs. I don’t remember what they’re actually called, but they were delicious, and it irreversibly altered my palette for mushrooms. Today, I am happy to indulge in any of the wonderfully planned and deliciously executed mushroom-masterpieces he places before me when I’m home for dinner. He knows how much I love pasta, so for our feature dish, Dad decided to make a long-time favourite in our home; I biked over with the ingredients and my camera in my basket to mum and dad’s house, a street over from ours, and let Dad do his thing.

Fresh Pasta with a Crimini and Porcini Mushroom Sauce
My dad has always believed in the importance of using real ingredients in the kitchen, no matter what the dish; so if you want high quality taste, use high quality ingredients. Using real butter and real cream is essential to this dish! The quantities for this recipe are sufficient to feed a group of 6 hungry adults, so you will need to scale it back proportionately for a smaller yield.

Ingredients
• 1 ½ cups of 18% cream
• 150 g (6 0z) butter
• 1 cup chicken (or vegetable) stock
• 3 packages of fresh pasta
• 1 lb fresh crimini mushrooms
• 30 g dried porcini mushrooms
• 1/2 small onion
• fresh parsley, grated parmesan cheese
• salt, pepper (in Italian, this would be accompanied by “QB,” meaning “quanto basta” – “to your taste,” “as much as you like,” or “sufficiently”)

Method
1. Soak the dried porcini mushrooms in warm water for 30 minutes.
2. Clean and dry the crimini mushrooms. Chop mushrooms into large enough pieces that they can be found in the sauce (avoid chopping them too finely). Place into a bowl.
3. Finely chop a handful of fresh parsley.
4. Gently squeeze water from the porcini mushrooms, and collect 4-5 oz of the resulting mushroom juice; don’t use the grit in the bottom of the bowl! (You could also strain with a cheese cloth.)
5. Coarsely chop the soaked porcini mushrooms.
6. Finely chop ½ of a small onion.
7. Put on a big pot of water to boil – add a tablespoon of salt when the water starts simmering.
8. Set the table. Make it look pretty.
9. Melt butter in the pan on medium heat, bringing it to a sizzle.
10. Add onions, frying them until golden in colour – add the mushrooms, and bring the mixture to a high temperature. Allow this to cook for about 8 minutes, stirring regularly.
11. Add 3 pinches of parsley, and the mushroom juice (about 1 cup), chicken stock (1 cup – this could be substituted for vegetable stock, if you prefer), and cream (1 ½ cups).
12. Stir the sauce, and reduce to medium heat.
13. Add pepper to taste (or QB!)
14. Let the sauce simmer for a few minutes once the cream has been added; it may look like a lot of sauce in comparison to the amount of pasta you’re using, but the pasta will soak up some of the sauce.
15. Add pasta to boiling water, stir regularly to ensure it doesn’t stick (for this quantity of fresh pasta, this takes approximately 5-7 minutes to reach el dente).
16. Strain the pasta and add to sauce in a serving bowl. Garnish pasta with fresh parsley, and add grated parmesan to taste.

For best results, enjoy with wine and loved ones, and follow with espresso & a delicious homemade dessert. Buon appetito!

~~~~~

You can never go wrong with a good pasta dish! Thanks so much to Daniele and Nina for being our guests and taking us on a flavourful little trip to Italy. Don't forget to follow Nina's neen bean photography page on Facebook and on Twitter.

Guest Post: Marinated Mushroom Bruschetta by shamecake

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

We've got a guest in our kitchen today! We are happy to welcome Fabiola of shamecake. She's a first time guest sharing a light recipe perfect for spring. With a recipe this good, we'll have to get her back!

Hi, I'm Fabiola, the awkward personality behind shamecake: a blog dedicated to my baking adventures at home and sometimes at work. I'm addicted to all things sweet, yes...but I can assure you that my taste in the savoury department is trustworthy and dedicated to delicious and mostly health conscious food. I made this take on mushroom bruschetta which can serve as a tasty appetizer or in my case, a tasty lunch when topped with a fried egg and served with some greens.

I don't think I'd be penalized if I made the following statement here between mushroom friends: People who hate mushrooms need to be banished from this earth.

How can you not adore every aspect of their being? How can you have a goat's cheese omelette without feeling the overwhelming need to throw mushrooms in there? (If you don't like goat's cheese either, we really have little more to discuss other than your um....situation) How can you not want mushrooms in your soup, on your pizza or hanging out on your steak?

I find that cooking and marinating criminis, putting them on a slice of homemade focaccia bread with a thoughtful spread of arugula pesto and a love dusting of Parmesan cheese...makes me a very happy camper.

Marinated Mushroom Bruschetta

Marinated Mushrooms
(makes enough for about 6 pieces of bruschetta)
Ingredients
1 box crimini mushrooms, sliced
a dab of butter (1-2 tsp... I never count)
2-3 sprigs fresh thyme
1/2 clove garlic, finely grated (I used a microplane)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

Method
Heat a pan on medium-high heat with the dab of butter, then add the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and let cook for 2-3 minutes to brown a bit before adding the garlic and thyme. Once the mushrooms are cooked remove from heat and add the balsamic vinegar.

Arugula Pesto
Ingredients
1/3 cup raw almonds
1 clove garlic
3 cups arugula
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup olive oil or enough to bring the mixture together

Method
In a food processor, process the garlic and almonds until smooth. Add in all the arugula at once along with the Parmesan cheese (squish down if necessary) and process while drizzling the olive oil until you have a thick smooth paste.

To assemble bruschetta, slice your bread of choice or use (this recipe) and spread on a layer of pesto. Top with mushrooms, then Parmesan cheese. Bake at 400F until the bread is lightly toasted and the cheese is melted and golden brown.

Seriously. Put an egg on it and make it a meal.

~~~~~

Wow, this meal looks so light and fresh! Thanks so much to Fabiola for being our guest. Don't forget to follow her blog shamecake and on Twitter for a little bit of savoury and a LOT of sweet.

Mushrooms Canada Raises $45,204 for Breast Cancer

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

This past October, Canadian mushroom growers joined forces with the Breast Cancer Society of Canada to support research for the prevention, early detection and treatment of breast cancer. For every kilogram of fresh mushrooms sold in the PINK packages from September 24 to November 10, Canadian Mushroom Farmers made a contribution to the Breast Cancer Society of Canada.

Again, Canadian mushroom farmers far exceeded their fundraising goal of $25,000, raising a grand total of $45,204.13.

We "Liked" your help!

Try these delicious mushroom recipes:

For more information on the link between Mushrooms & Breast Cancer visit www.MushroomsGoPINK.ca.
_______________________________________________________

"Canadian mushroom growers and their employees are justifiably proud of their donation of $45,204.13 to the Breast Cancer Society of Canada. The farm-gate price they received from retailers for PINK mushrooms in October was the same as they get for non-PINK mushrooms year-round. There were no premiums because the mushrooms were PINK. And consumers paid the same price for PINK as they did for non-PINK. Mushroom growers made these donations out of their own pockets and the Beast Cancer Society was overwhelmed by their generosity."

Participating Mushroom Farms:
Mushrooms Canada
All Seasons Mushrooms Inc.
Carleton Mushroom Farms Ltd.
Champ's Mushrooms Inc.
Champag Inc.
Continental Mushroom
Farmers' Fresh Mushroom Inc.
Highline Produce Limited
Loveday Mushroom Farms Ltd.
Monaghan Mushrooms
Peeters Mushroom Farm
Piccioni Bros. Mushroom Ltd.
Prairie Mushrooms (2010) Ltd.
Ravine Mushroom Farms Inc.
Rol-land Farms Mushrooms Inc.
Windmill Farms

Teriyaki Chicken Stir-Fry Stuffed Mushrooms

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 17:02:00 +0000

Deciding on a dinner recipe is always a bit of a task. I love using up what I have on hand and forcing myself to be creative with the ingredients. Last night I was riffling through my fridge looking at all of the wonderful veggies I had on hand and how little meat there was. I've been accused of eating too much chicken, but I just find chicken to be so simple and so versatile!

This recipe came together around the large, beautiful Portabella mushrooms. Portabella mushrooms have as much Potassium as a small banana and are packed full of essential nutrients. I wanted to stuff the caps as our meal, as opposed to a side, so I really did not want them full of cheese. Instead, I pulled out a boneless chicken breast, red pepper, onion, and asparagus and created a stir-fry with some delicious prepared teriyaki sauce. I brushed the caps with the sauce as well before placing them in the oven for 10 minutes.

While the caps were in the oven, I pan fried the diced chicken cubes, then added the veggies, stirring in the teriyaki sauce. Use as little or as much of the sauce as suits you. Once the mixture was cooked and smelling great, I pulled the caps from the oven and piled in the stir-fry filling, topping it all off with some sesame seeds.

Which ingredients do you love to use when stuffing mushrooms?

-Shannon

FBC Appetizer: Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 11:00:00 +0000

The Food Bloggers of Canada Conference featured some of the most delicious recipes! There was so much food to enjoy and never once did I hear complaining. During the cocktail reception, sponsors had the opportunity to offer tasty treats to the hungry foodies.

These little mushroom caps had a big flavour and were some of the first things to disappear. So many of you were asking for the recipe, and we deliver. The ones sampled at the reception were the vegetarian variation. Enjoy these Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms in your own home.

Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients
8 large jumbo or stuffer fresh Mushrooms
2/3 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/3 cup shredded Swiss or old Cheddar cheese
1/2 cup chopped, well drained, cooked spinach*
2 tbsp crisp cooked bacon bits or diced sundried tomatoes
2 finely minced, cloves garlic
1 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp light mayonnaise
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Method
Remove the stems from the mushrooms and finely chop. In a medium bowl, combine chopped stems, bread crumbs, Swiss cheese, spinach, bacon, garlic, basil, salt and mayonnaise; mix well. Brush oil on outside of mushroom caps. Spoon filling evenly into caps, mounding as necessary and place in shallow baking pan. Sprinkle Parmesan on top. Bake in 425°F (220°C) oven for 15-20 minutes or until mushrooms are heated through.

Makes 4 main course or 8 appetizer servings

* Use frozen, thawed chopped spinach or cook fresh in microwave; be sure to press out the moisture.

Tip: Mushrooms could be cooked on a rack or in a pan on the barbecue

Variation: Substitute about 16-20 large mushrooms for jumbos or stuffers.

Guest Post: Roasted Mushroom Tart with Herbed Goat Cheese and Onion Jam by Sweetsugarbean

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 11:30:00 +0000

We've got a guest in our kitchen today! We are happy to welcome Renée of Sweetsugarbean. She's back sharing another fabulous mushroomy recipe!

Hi everyone! My name is Renée Kohlman and Sweetsugarbean is my food blog I've been writing now for over two years. I live in beautiful Saskatoon, Saskatchewan where I happily whip up delicious creations in my little green kitchen. Being a professional chef as well as a food blogger, I’m lucky to have turned my passion for all things food into a career I love. When not busy with the pots and pans, I can be found outside, busy in my garden, growing a lot of the food that is featured on the blog. Except in winter of course, then I cocoon with good books, Downton Abbey, and eat 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 today’s tart, I roasted two varieties - portabella and cremini. I love the meatiness of the former and the earthiness of the latter. Roasting them first enhances the flavour and reduces the juices - a trick I did before when I stuffed mushrooms. Tossed in balsamic vinegar and olive oil, they are so darn tasty, it’s a challenge to save some for the tart!

Frozen puff pastry is one of my kitchen staples. The pre-rolled stuff makes whipping up tarts like this so simple. A savoury onion jam is slow-cooked and spread onto the bottom of the pastry. Top with the balsamic-roasted mushrooms and goat cheese enhanced with herbs and lemon. Bake for 20 minutes, until it’s golden brown around the edges. I love pea-shoots and they make such a pretty garnish, as well as enhance the flavours of the tart. The earthy mushrooms play so well with the sweet jam, creamy goat cheese and crispy pastry. A hit all around - I even licked the last few crumbs from the plate, and I can’t wait to make it again.

Roasted Mushroom Tart with Herbed Goat Cheese and Onion Jam
Ingredients
2 tbsp olive oil
2 onions diced good pinch of salt
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar

2 portabella mushrooms, stem removed, thickly sliced
8 cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
coarse salt and pepper
a few sprigs of fresh thyme, or 1 tsp dried

140 grams (about 1/2 cup) goat cheese, softened at room temp
zest of 1 lemon
2 tsp fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp dried
1/2 tsp salt

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed (I used the kind already pre-rolled. If not, roll yours out to about 8 inches by 11)
fresh pea shoots, for garnish

Method
To make onion jam, heat olive oil over medium/high heat in medium size sauce pan. Add onions, stirring well, reduce heat to medium/low and stir in salt. Cook until translucent, stirring often. Reduce heat to low and cook for 20 minutes, scraping up brown bits every so often. You may need to add a bit more olive oil if it seems too dry. Add the balsamic vinegar and brown sugar and cook about 20 minutes longer, over low heat, stirring often. Once soft and jammy, let cool and set aside.

Meanwhile, toss the sliced mushrooms in a large bowl with olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt, pepper and thyme. Place on a parchment-lined bake sheet and roast in a preheated 400*F oven for about 20 minutes, until golden. Remove from oven and set aside. Mix the goat cheese with lemon zest, thyme and salt.

Lay the sheet of puff pastry onto a parchment-lined bake sheet. With a sharp knife, score the perimeter of the pastry about 1 inch all around. Using a fork, poke holes all around inside the border - this will ensure the pastry doesn’t rise in the inside, but it does around the edges. Spread the onion jam evenly in the middle. Top with roasted mushrooms and goat cheese.

Bake at 400*F for about 20 -25 minutes. Garnish with pea shoots. Serves 2 for main or 4 for appetizer.

~~~~~

Thanks so much Renee for being our guest and sharing the most beautiful photos! Don't forget to follow Renee on her blog Sweetsugarbean, on Twitter and on Facebook.

If you like this recipe, you may also want to try:
Mushroom Walnut Pesto Tart
Indian Spiced Mushroom Puff Pastry Braid with Plum Churtney
Double Mushroom Pizza with Bacon & Balsamic Drizzle

Food Bloggers of Canada Conference: Part 2

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 02:51:00 +0000

After chronicling the Friday night at the first ever FBC Conference, I'm back to share a little bit about the speakers and their chats. The panels and sessions at the Food Bloggers of Canada Conference left attendees in awe.

The early wake up (after a late night) was fueled by excitement for the day, especially since my Mushroom partner Brittany was on the first panel.

The opening panel was the Bloggers and Brands session featuring Brittany Stager, Heather Travis, Mary Luz Mejia and Mardi Michels. This was a fantastic panel, sharing key ingredients brands look for in their bloggers and taping into what bloggers can expect from these partnerships.

The second panel was The Chef and the Critic with Alexa Clark and Chef Jason Bangerter. This panel looked at restaurant blogging from both ends of the spectrum. They shared their views on reviews and on meal photography. They had the best tip for all of you who take photos of your meals- turn the flash off!

Following a brief coffee break, our heads were filled with coding and SEO chat with Melissa Hartfiel and Dave Zille in the session, Tech for your Blog. This had to be one of my favorites of the day, providing so much insight into the world of web, leaving bloggers with a list of tips.

The following panel had everyone perked up in their chairs. As if these foodies could get anymore excited, panelists Aimee Wimbush-Bourque, Dan Clapson and Jan Scott, revealed their stories of success. Making Dough-Earning a Living with your Words shared the bloggers own perceptions through their journeys and broke down their avenues of income. Attendees were furiously taking notes.

A wonderful photography session, led by Adele Hagan and Robin Sharp, taught lighting, compositions and styling for food photography. Having not brought a fancy-shmancy camera, I took this opportunity to get my experiences from the night before posted. Check out Part 1 of this post here.

Rejoining the sessions, I listened as Dianne Jacob stressed the importance of commenting and responding to comments in her Hey, Is There Anybody Out There? session. As someone who reads and comments on multiple blogs daily, her view on commenting and building relationships online certainly resonated with me. It'll be great to see how many more conversations get started because of her wise words.

Keynote, David Leite was a very welcome guest on Canadian soil, having travelled from NYC. He was the perfect selection for this conference, bringing a wealth of knowledge, experience and humour to the stage.

Sunday morning we were able to dive into the numbers with Brian Baas. The numbers game always scares me, but he broke everything down, clearly outlining how bloggers need to file their taxes. He also chatted about expenses and the importance of documenting and saving all receipts.

At that, we said our goodbyes and cut out to make our way to the Hamilton Food & Drink Fest to pack up the booth. PHEW what a busy weekend! I can't stress enough how impressive it is that Ethan, Mardi and Melissa were able to pull this conference together. Online fascinations turned to friendships at this conference. It'll be so wonderful to be reading blogs and hearing the bloggers true voice in my head.

Brittany chronicled her learnings over the weekend in a helpful cheat sheet of tips. Read Brittany's notes on her blog My Daily Randomness.

Looking forward to FBC2014!

-Shannon

Food Bloggers of Canada Conference: Part 1

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 19:30:00 +0000

Yesterday was an interesting day. Beyond thrilled to be spending the weekend at the first Food Bloggers of Canada Conference, we were running around picking up last minute supplies. Just as we were ready to finally leave for Hockley Valley Resort, the icy weather had another idea for us. My tip for the day? Avoid falling ice. A chunk of ice fell from a hydro wire, landing on my windshield, cracking it and giving Brittany a near-heart attack as she threw hot coffee all over herself. Luckily, Speedy Glass lived up to their name and had us in and out with my windshield repaired in 30 minutes and we were back on the road.

Upon arriving at Hockley, we were greeted with darkness, thanks again to the ice storm. Even with the lack of light, Melissa and Ethan of Food Bloggers of Canada appeared unfazed and ready to go! Seeing the hard efforts of these two dedicated bloggers, along with FBC co-creator Mardi, pay off was unbelievably impressive. The three of them deserve a sea of high fives.

The night started with a fun registration, playing spot the blogger. We came across so many familiar faces of bloggers we have worked with and bloggers we continuously speak with online- it was more of a oh my gosh it's so nice to finally see you in person rather than a "nice to meet you". All of these bloggers are already friends and this conference has made that abundantly clear. So much excitement and enthusiasm filled the room, and we were excited to hand out our fun mushroom growing kits!

Following registration, the room filled with food, of course, and we all greeted each other with our mouths full. The Spinach Stuffed Mushrooms went very quickly and the Easy Mushroom Pate recipe was a hot topic, some bloggers were threatening to run away with the bowl! You know who you are!!

We all moved to our seats for dinner, yes, more food and I found myself seated with a wonderful group of ladies, both bloggers and brands. Table 10 was full of laughs and great conversation from Jenny of The Brunette Baker, Kelly of The Gouda Life, Sarah of Burnbrae Farms, Michelle of The Tiffin Box, Bridget of Crosby Molasses, Alexa of Cheap Eats, Linda of Wine Country Ontario, Maya of Maya's Kitchen and FBC Co-Creator Melissa. It was especially fun getting a pat on the back from Kelly and Jenny when they saw the lovely Yorkshire with Sautéed Mushrooms as part of the main course. All of these laughs and friends were well worth a late night!

More to come from me on the panels and sessions. Wow, what an informative conference this is shaping up to be!

What is your most memorable moment so far?

-Shannon

Contest Winners: Hamilton Food & Drink Fest

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 13:15:00 +0000

Friday is the opening day of the Hamilton Food & Drink Fest at the Careport Expo Centre!

You can find Mushrooms Canada at booth 112, come by for a delicious FREE sample of Simple Sauteed Mushrooms.

Now onto the goods! We had a ticket giveaway and the winners have been chosen! Congratulations to:
Carla D
Shannon C

Each of you have won 2 passes for the show and can be used any of the three days this weekend. Tickets will be available at will-call (show office window) after 5pm Friday. Please comment with your full name or email shannon@mushrooms.ca. Tickets will not be mailed.

Legal Stuffs
Mushrooms Canada will provide no compensation for additional expenses related to you attending the event. Prize must be accepted as awarded. Must be 19 years of age or older. Value of the tickets is $30. Two (2) tickets will be awarded to each of the two (2) winners.

As our thanks, print off this $2.00 Off Coupon! Hope to see you there!

-Shannon

Slow Cooker Roast with Mushrooms

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:42:00 +0000

I dream of the days where I can come home from work and do nothing. I imagine coming home, running a bath and reading a book. Needless to say, this never happens. Some dinner recipes, however, have made weeknight mealtimes super simple and free from post-work stress.

My favourite solution to dinnertime woes is the slow cooker. It's so easy to prepare meals the night before and simply throw everything in on my way our the door in the morning. For this recipe, I used a beef roast, a whole red onion, 4 celery stalks, a clove of garlic and an 8oz till of Crimini mushrooms.

For the spices, I added Spicy Mesquite, cloves, and Garlic Plus and I marinated it overnight in a garden vegetable cocktail juice.

In the morning, the whole container got dumped into the slow cooker and was left on low to cook for 8 hours. The result? Delicious, moist, fall apart beef with flavourful cooked veggies. I mashed some potatoes and made a gravy from the juices to complete the dinner dish. A stress-free meal, with few dishes afterwards.

Here's some more quick, tasty favourites:
Beef and Mushroom Spaghetti
Chicken with Mushrooms and Black Bean Sauce
Mushroom and Chicken Fajitas

What are your favourite stress-free meals?

-Shannon

Guest Post: Apple Mushroom Pad Thai by Nutrition Meets Life

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 11:30:00 +0000

We've got a guest in our kitchen today! We are happy to be welcoming Allie of Nutrition Meets Life. You may recognize her from last October's Mushrooms Go PINK Twitter Party and now she's back and sharing a nutritious and delicious recipe!

Sawasdee Ka! This is how you say ‘hello!’ in Thai. My name is Allie McLaughlin and I am a Registered Dietitian of Canada and the creator of Nutrition Meets Life. I am originally from Markham, Ontario, and I have been living overseas (currently based in Singapore, previously in Dubai) for a few years. I have traveled to over 10 countries experiencing the different cultural aspects and meanings of food. While on my travels, I blog about restaurants, food culture, and new foods that I discover along the way. I also take this knowledge and create healthy recipes. I am excited to share a recipe that I recently developed after taking a cooking class in Thailand. Thank you Mushrooms Canada for allowing me to share this recipe with you!

Living in Asia has exposed me to many new varieties of mushrooms; my favourite being the tree ears mushroom, also known as the jelly mushrooms. A tree ears mushroom is a fungus which looks like an ear growing out of a tree, hence the name. Ultimately flavourless, tree ear mushrooms are added to hot soups, stuffing for spring rolls, and stir-fried dishes because of their crunchy texture. Even after they are cooked for longer periods of time, they are known to still retain a bite. As a Registered Dietitian, I’m always keen to know the health benefits that foods offer. Not only do mushrooms make speedy and nourishing meals, they also have medicinal properties. Tree ears mushrooms are added to many dishes in Asia because they are believed to cleanse blood, improve circulation, fight against various diseases, and enhance overall well-being. Very impressive!

Apple Mushroom Pad Thai
Ingredients (Serves 4)
• 100 g Rice Noodles
• 2 chicken breasts (thinly sliced into squares)
• 50 g firm tofu (cut into small cubes) - optional
• 2 garlic cloves (chopped)
• 5 tree ears (jelly) mushrooms OR ½ box of white button mushrooms
• 1 beaten egg
• 1 apple of your choice (cut into cubes)
• 2 Tbsp canola oil
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 1 ½ Tbsp oyster sauce
• Handful (60 g) of bean sprouts or thinly sliced cabbage
• ¼ cup water
• 10g green onion (about 1 green onion) cut into 1-inch pieces.

Method
1. In a small bowl, mix water, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and sugar. Mix well.
2. Cook rice noodles as per package instructions and set aside.
3. Add oil to wok. On medium heat, fry garlic and tofu until golden brown in colour (about 1 minute).
4. Add sliced mushrooms and apple. Cook for about 2 minutes.
5. Add chicken and cook until the chicken is no longer pink in colour and then add beaten egg.
6. Add sauce mixture (from step 1). Stir well.
7. Add cooked noodles.
8. Finally add bean sprouts and green onions. Stir well.
Optional: Sprinkle the final dish with ground peanuts and juice from a lime.
Note: When making a Pad Thai you have to be fast. Prepare all ingredients ahead of time before cooking this recipe.

~~~~~

This recipe sounds amazing! I love hearing all about foods from around the world. Thanks to Allie for being our guest, and watch for more nutritious recipes coming from Allie this summer! Don't forget to follow her on her blog Nutrition Meets Life, on Twitter, Facebook and on Pinterest.

Simple Weeknight Dinner: Baked Chicken Breasts with Pesto, Tomato, Mushrooms and Mozzarella

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 11:30:00 +0000

We all lead busy lives, at least everyone I talk to lately has been living in fast-forward it seems. This week though, has been an exceptionally busy week. Busy with work, busy with sports, busy with life.

During one of my free moments, with my stomach making those unflattering noises, I decided it was time to whip something together for dinner. Staring at the clock, I thought, sandwich? Frozen pizza? Then I opened the freezer and found a package of frozen, boneless chicken breasts, looked in the fridge for some veggies and came across a jar of pesto. Suddenly, a quick, delicious meal was coming to life!

Simply lay the chicken breast in a pan and place in the oven on 350F and bake for approximately 20 minutes*. Remove chicken, top with pesto and put back into the oven for another 10 minutes. *Be sure to adjust time to ensure chicken is fully cooked.

Add slices of tomato and crimini mushrooms, bake for 5 minutes, then add your shredded mozzarella cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted.

This is a simple meal that you can throw in the oven and walk away from! To use up my leftovers, I cooked some pasta, mixed it with pesto and laid the leftover chicken over it. It tasted great re-heated and the pasta kept me full until the work day was over.

A flavourful recipe I definitely recommend for those busy weeknights!

What are your favourite recipes for quick, nutritious meals?

-Shannon

Guest Post: Roasted Goat Cheese and Balsamic Drizzled Veggies by Samantha Bentley

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 12:00:00 +0000

We have a guest in our kitchen today! Please welcome my good friend Samantha Bentley. Sam is an emergency room registered nurse working 12 hour shifts. Being a busy woman, she is often whipping up fast, delicious meals. She's always happy to share her tasty, time-friendly recipes with her friends and today we're sharing this gem with you!

I am a young professional who is a shift worker. This recipe is designed for one. If making this for a group of people double or triple the measurements! I created this dish when I was trying to get ready for a night shift and needed a quick, light lunch. This veggie dish is filling as a meal, or can be a side dish to chicken or beef. The fast prep time is useful for busy individuals who can do other activities during the cooking phase.

Roasted Goat Cheese and Balsamic Drizzled Veggies

5 minute prep time for a flavourful fresh dish!

Ingredients
1 portabella mushroom
Handful of cherry tomatoes
1 medium sized zucchini
½ cup of goat cheese
Balsamic vinegar
Olive oil
Salt

Method
Pre heat oven to 325. Cut portabella mushrooms length wise, cherry tomatoes in half, and zucchini in chunks. Drizzle olive oil and sprinkle salt on veggies and place in a casserole dish. Place in the oven without a cover. Bake veggies for 20 mins or when veggies are almost fully cooked. Drizzle balsamic vinegar on veggies and sprinkle crumbled goat cheese on top of veggies. Place in oven for another 10-15 mins or until goat cheese becomes slightly brown. Remove from oven and let stand for a few minutes until cool enough to eat.

ENJOY!!

~~~~~

Thanks Sam for sharing this flavourful dish! Perfect for a quick, delicious meal.

Guest Post: Miso Mushroom Noodle Bowl by eat. live. travel. write.

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 12:00:00 +0000

We've got a guest in our kitchen today! We are happy to be welcoming back the oh-so-talented Mardi of eat.live.travel.write.

Over the holidays, I spent a couple of weeks in Burma and the food we enjoyed on that trip is the inspiration for this dish. Although we ate a lot of rice/ curry meals, we also enjoyed many a noodle bowl. As I tend to eat less meat when I travel, I would quite often order the vegetarian option and couldn’t help but think a few times how much I’d have loved a handful of mushrooms in my noodles. Mushrooms, especially if you use a few different kinds in the one dish, provide a meaty texture, not to mention umami and make a dish truly satisfying.

This bowl of noodles is quick and simple to prepare and only requires a few ingredients, making it an ideal choice for a weeknight or a quick weekend lunch. Nowadays it’s much easier to find fresh soba noodles in the supermarket and these are what I prefer, although you could use any type of noodle.

A simple dish that brings a little exotic to the everyday - who could ask for more?

Miso Mushroom Noodle Bowl
Ingredients (Serves 4)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 shallots, finely sliced
2 small hot chili peppers, finely sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1x 1-inch piece ginger, grated
3 tablespoons yellow miso paste
2 tablespoons soy sauce
4 cups mushroom or vegetable broth
2 cups mixed mushrooms (I used white, crimini and shiitake and left the shiitake intact, quartered the white and finely sliced the crimini)
200g fresh soba noodles handful cilantro, roughly chopped

Instructions
Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot (big enough to hold all the broth and other ingredients).
Over a medium-high heat sauté the shallots, chili peppers, garlic and ginger until they are just starting to soften, but don’t let them colour.
Add the miso paste and soy sauce and stir to thoroughly coat the shallot mixture.
Add the broth, increase the heat and bring to a boil.
Add the mushrooms and bring back to the boil.
Add the noodles and cook for a remaining 4-5 minutes – the noodles and the mushrooms should be “al dente”.
Divide amongst four bowls and serve with a scattering of cilantro.

~~~~~

I love the simplicity of this flavourful Miso Mushroom Noodle Bowl. Try some more of Mardi's recipes...

Rustric Mushroom Quiche
Quick, Light Mushroom-Cashew Curry
Mini-Mushroom Tomato Galettes

Thanks to Mardi for being our guest again and sharing another fabulous dish. Don't forget to follow her on her blog eat.live.travel.write. and on Twitter.

Behind the Scenes at Mushrooms Canada: Foodland Ontario Retailer Awards

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 16:13:00 +0000

This past Friday, Brittany and I were able to get away from our computers for the day to attend the 25th Annual Foodland Ontario Retailer Awards. This beautiful event recognizes retailers in Ontario who take pride in their product, proudly displaying the good things that grow in Ontario.

Upon arriving, we were greeted by some of our friends at Foodland, while introducing ourselves to the less-familiar faces around the reception room. The room quickly filled with attendees and with the fabulous aromas of the tasty appetizers! One of my favourites, of course, was this dish made with King Oyster Mushrooms- they were cooked perfectly too!

All of the appetizers were fabulous and were made with Ontario's finest!

Moving into the ballroom, we were seated and the awards began!! So many proud faces in the room, retailers, Foodland Ontario staff and even PA Grant Crack.

Once the awards wrapped, it was mealtime! After sampling dishes in the reception hall earlier, we knew this meal would be a treat. First course was a creamy Coliflower and Celery Root Bisque with Pancetta, followed by this mouthwatering entree:

...and for dessert:

After all of this food, I'm quite sure I rolled out of building...and I definitely didn't need to eat again that entire day.

Thanks for Foodland Ontario for putting on such a wonderful event in honor of the retailers and the great work that they do. Congratulations to all of the winners and to the proud district reps that were seen smiling throughout the room.

-Shannon

Giveaway: Tickets to the Hamilton Food & Drink Fest

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 19:02:00 +0000

The Hamilton Food & Drink Fest is only two weekends away! Have you made plans to attend?

Mushrooms Canada exhibited at this show last year and it was a blast! Once again, mushroom farmer, Paola Piccioni will join us in the booth to answer all of your mushroom questions. Start writing them down!

Come and experience an exciting variety of local and international wines & spirits, craft beers, and culinary treats created by some of the Hamilton, Burlington & Niagara Regions' most popular restaurants, breweries and wineries.... and guess what? I just so happen to have 2 pairs of passes to giveaway!

How to Enter
Simply tell me your favourite mushroom recipe. Easy huh?

The Rules

Answer must be left in the comments section of this post. One answer per person.
You must be a resident of Hamilton, Ontario (or surrounding area).
Provide an email address/blog link by which I can contact you if you win.
You have until Monday April 8th @ 11:59pm to submit you answers. A random draw from all the entries will be held Tuesday April 9th. Winners will be contacted/posted shortly thereafter.
Tickets are for 1 (one) day of the winners choice during the weekend of April 12-14, 2013 and will be available at will-call (show office window) after 5pm on Friday April 12th. Tickets will not be mailed.

For bonus entries

Follow Mushrooms Canada on Twitter. Come back to this post and leave another comment letting me know you have done so. Include your Twitter address.
Re-tweet my contest announcement. Find it here.

Legal Stuffs
Mushrooms Canada will provide no compensation for additional expenses related to you attending the event. Prize must be accepted as awarded. Must be 19 years of age or older. Value of the tickets is $30. Two (2) tickets, plus Four (4) $2 off coupons for friends will be awarded to the two (2) winners.

Good Luck!
-Shannon

Vegetable Consumption at Home

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 17:20:00 +0000

Incorporating mushrooms in your diet not only helps your meals taste great, but also adds a lot of nutritional value! A half-cup serving of cooked sliced mushrooms has a mere 14 calories, virtually no fat, 1 gram of fibre and is a source of phosphorus, potassium, copper, selenium, niacin and pantothenic acid. Mushrooms are also a good source of riboflavin, and are the only vegetable in the produce section with natural Vitamin D. All that goodness with little calories and fat.

In the March edition of the horticulture publication, The Grower, consumers were asked which vegetables had been served in their homes in the past 2 weeks. We were very pleased to see Mushrooms at #7 on the list!

How often do you serve mushrooms at home?

-Shannon

Green Themed Treats

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 17:55:00 +0000

Who's excited for this weekend's festivities?! With my father's side being Irish, I've always had a love for everything green and as I've gotten older green beer is just second nature when March 17th rolls around each year. Other than planning the green drinks, I'm also searching for the best green themed treats for St.Paddy's snacking. Here's a full day of mushroomy-green goodness!

Breakfast: Broccoli and Mushroom Quiche by Simmer & Shoot

Lunch: Coconut Oil Mushroom Green Beans by FoodLve

Dinner: Mushroom, Bulgur, Spinach and Turkey Fritters With Yogurt Sauce by NYTimes

Appetizers: Oyster Mushrooms Rockefeller by Bitter Sweet Blog

Mushroom and Spinach Tartlettes by Eclectic Recipes

Spinach Avocado Stuffed Portabellas by Vegan Yumminess

Morel, Pork & Asparagus Fresh Rolls by Guilty Kitchen

What are you making for St.Patrick's Day?

-Shannon

Guest Post: Mushroom & Pine Nut Risotto Cakes by Jennifer of The Best Thing I Ever Ate...and Then Some

noreply@blogger.com (Shannon Bryan) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 11:30:00 +0000

We've got a guest in our kitchen today... The very talented Jennifer of The Best Thing I Ever Ate...and Then Some. You may remember Jennifer from her wildly informative post on Incorporating Mushrooms into your Diet. Now she's back with a tasty and super healthy recipe!

Hi! My name is Jennifer and I write about my favourite recipes, dishes and ingredients on my blog, The best thing I ever ate...and then some. In my professional life I am a nutritional scientist working in marketing for a natural health consulting firm, but outside work I spend the majority of my time reading about food, developing recipes and cooking up a storm. Oh yes – and eating!

I have a somewhat unconventional relationship with mushrooms. Unlike most other food bloggers, my love for mushrooms is not of a culinary nature; rather, I have been collecting, researching and writing about fungi from a biological and nutritional standpoint for years, simply as a hobby. (For example, did you know that mushrooms contain compounds called proteoglycans which have anti-cancer properties?) It was only until recently that I actually started eating and cooking with mushrooms. I now enjoy milder varieties like enoki and white button mushrooms in salads and crimini mushrooms with pastas and other grain dishes.

I’m so happy to have had the opportunity to write a guest post for the Mushrooms Canada blog! It provides the perfect excuse to experiment with mushrooms and incorporate them into my cooking even more.

Mushroom & Pine Nut Risotto Cakes
Ingredients for the risotto:
1 cup arborio rice
1 cup crimini mushrooms, sliced
¼ cup dried porcini mushrooms, rehydrated in 1 cup boiling water for 15 minutes then coarsely chopped
1 medium-sized onion, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup pine nuts
1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
2 tbsp butter
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmegiano-Reggiano
4 cups hot water or chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method
Heat the oil and half the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and crimini mushrooms and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms are lightly browned. Next, add the porcini mushrooms and pine nuts and cook for about a minute. Add the rice and cook, stirring, for about a minute.

Add about a cup of the liquid and stir constantly until the rice has absorbed the liquid. Begin adding more liquid, roughly half a cup at a time while stirring constantly, ensuring that each cupful of liquid has been absorbed before adding more. Continue adding liquid in this way until the rice is al dente, about 25 minutes (the grains should be soft and creamy but still have a slight bite to them). Remove from heat and stir in the remaining butter, cheese and parsley; season with salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer the cooked risotto to a bowl or plate and refrigerate until cold.

Ingredients for the risotto cakes:
1 cup breadcrumbs
4 tbsp canola oil

Method
In a large cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Using your hands, carefully shape the risotto into 12 cakes about 1 cm thick. Dredge cakes in the breadcrumbs and shake off excess. Fry in batches of 3 or 4 at a time, flipping once halfway through cooking, until golden brown and crisp on both sides, about 4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels and serve immediately.

If you liked this recipe, you may also like:
Sweet Potato Latkes with Paprika
Mushroom & Brussels Sprouts Wontons
Wild Mushroom & Asiago Risotto Cakes

~~~~~

Thanks so much Jennifer for joining us as a guest blogger. For those of you who missed Jennifer's post on How to Incorporate Mushrooms into your Diet, you can find it here. Don't forget to follow Jennifer over on her blog The best thing I ever ate...and then some, on Twitter and on Facebook.