Mushrooms | Eat Your Heart Out

Light Broccoli and Mushroom Linguine

June 20, 2012 by Stephie 1 Comment

Hey guys, we are half-way through the week! Is anyone else excited about that? I know I am. Not that this week has been bad, it’s just that I am super excited for this weekend and next week! In the next week and a half, I will be attending one friend’s bachelorette party, throwing another’s, getting sucked full-force into pre-wedding mani-pedi land, learning the ins and outs of bridal bouquet making, and watching my childhood best friend walk down the aisle. It is going to be exhausting and glorious all at the same time.

And since I am going to be so mind-bogglingly busy, I have a special treat planned for you next week: Not one, but TWO awesome guest posts from two of my favorite foodie friends! I’ve seen what they have whipped up for you guys and let me tell you, my stomach is rumbling right now just thinking about it.

So about this pasta. I promise I didn’t mean to do two pasta posts in one week; it was purely a coincidence. I guess I was just pasta hungry when I was cooking last week. I’m not apologizing though (sorry I’m not sorry!), because both the pasta salad and this linguine were freaking awesome.

IMG 1741 e1340239650731 Light Broccoli and Mushroom Linguine

This is real life behind the scenes.

I came up with this pasta because I had some broccoli and mushrooms that I desperately needed to use. I was also craving a creamy sauce, but didn’t want anything too terribly heavy – while I love a good cream sauce, I hate that sluggish feeling you get after eating them. And so, after noodling it over (no pun intended), I came up with this sauce – a light white wine cream sauce with no cream in it. Nope, instead, a simple roux thickens a mixture of white wine, chicken (or vegetable) stock, and low-fat milk. In fact, I even used almond milk – it was what I had on hand – and while I was unsure of how it would taste, I really didn’t even notice a difference. In fact, if anything, the slight sweetness of the almond milk probably enhanced the flavor of the sauce, but feel free to use any milk you wish. Paired with crisp broccoli, lightly sautéed mushrooms and some bright, green peas, this pasta felt decadent without feeling heavy. Pair it with some grilled chicken or make it a meal on its own; use the vegetables I suggest or whatever is fresh at your local farmer’s market. It’s versatile, it’s light, it’s summery, it’s everything I need in a pasta this time of year.

On a totally unrelated note…Who else is watching a loving So You Think You Can Dance? right now? Confession: I cry at least once every episode. Every summer it makes me wish God had made me a dancer and not an uncoordinated fool.

That is all.

Light Broccoli and Mushroom Linguine

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

1 13 ounce box whole wheat linguine
1 pound fresh broccoli, cut into bite-size florets
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tablespoons butter, divided
3 tablespoons flour
⅓ cup white wine
¾ cup chicken broth or vegetable stock
¾ cup low-fat milk (I used almond milk because it is what I had on hand and it worked fine)
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
¾ cup frozen peas, thawed
Salt and Pepper

Instructions

Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain, rinse, and set aside.
In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the broccoli, along with a pinch of salt, and cook for 4-5 minutes, or until broccoli is crisp-tender. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in the pan and add the mushrooms, cooking for 2 to 3 minutes or just until they start to soften and take on some color. Remove to a bowl and set aside.
In the same pan, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter. Add the onion, sautéing for 3-4 minutes, or until they begin to turn soft and translucent. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Sprinkle in the flour and cook, stirring well the combine, for another minute. Slowly pour in the wine, stirring constantly, and cook just until most of the wine has cooked off. Now slowly pour in the stock and milk, whisking as needed to break up any lumps. Bring mixture to a simmer, stirring constantly, until thick and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Lower heat to medium-low and stir in the cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Add the broccoli, mushrooms and thawed peas back into the pan, stirring to combine. When vegetables are heated through, add the cooked pasta to the pan, tossing to combine. Toss with the remaining tablespoon of butter until melted. Serve with extra Parmesan as desired.

Filed Under: Main dish, Pasta, Side dishes Tagged With: Broccoli, Healthier, Main dish, Mushrooms, Pasta, Side dish, Vegetarian

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Lasagna

June 6, 2012 by Stephie 10 Comments

Yes, you read that right. Lasagna. In the slow cooker.

We’ve already talked about my love for my Crock Pot. No need to bore you with that discussion again. So let’s just cut right to the chase, shall we?

You can make lasagna in your Crock Pot. And by using a few little shortcuts, such as utilizing your favorite jar of marinara sauce (if anyone utters the words “semi-homemade” or “Sandra Lee”, so help me…I will cut you), this really is a one-pot meal.

Plus, making the whole meal in the Crock Pot means that you don’t have to heat up your stove or turn on the oven. Perfect summer solution.

I made this in my 3-ish quart slow cooker (don’t judge me, I just can’t remember exactly how big it is) and it produced 4 hearty servings. Two went straight into our bellies, two went into the freezer for a night in the probably not-too-distant future when I need something comforting without having to actually cook. If you were looking to feed a larger crowd, however, you could easily double the recipe and use a 6-quart slow cooker. This would be a great option for family get-togethers, especially if you have vegetarians in your family (as I do) – the recipe is vegetarian friendly, yet hearty enough to satisfy even the meat-eaters of the group.

On a totally unrelated note…I tweeted earlier that job searching is a soul-sucking experience. If anyone was wondering, my stance on this has not changed in the last several hours. If I continue on this soul-depleting path, I may be needing BOTH of those extra pieces of lasagna earlier than anticipated. (Huh, I guess that wasn’t so unrelated at all…)

{Forgive my crummy photos today…I was really hungry. Don’t judge me…}

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Lasagna

Yield: 4 hearty servings

Adapted quite a bit from Betty Crocker

Ingredients

1 28-ounce jar marinara sauce
7 uncooked lasagna noodles
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese, divided
¼ cup Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Freshly ground black pepper
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 small or medium zucchini, sliced

Instructions

Spray the inside of a 3-quart slow cooker with cooking spray.
In a small bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese, ½ cup of the mozzarella cheese, Parmesan, parsley and several grinds of black pepper. Set aside.
Spread ¼ of the marinara sauce in the bottom of the crock. Place 1½ to 2 lasagna noodles on top, breaking into pieces as needed to make them fit. Spread with ½ of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with half of the vegetables, another ¼ of the sauce and 2 more lasagna noodles. Repeat this layer, ending with the last of the noodles and topping with the remaining ¼ of the sauce.
Cover and cook on high for 2-3 hours or low for 4-6 hours, until noodles and vegetables are cooked through. Turn off heat. Uncover and sprinkle the remaining ½ cup of mozzarella cheese on top; recover and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted.

Filed Under: Main dish Tagged With: Main dish, Mushrooms, Pasta, slow cooker, Vegetables, Vegetarian

Curried Turkey Almondine

May 2, 2012 by Stephie 4 Comments

Today is a very special day – today my parents celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary!

My parents had a somewhat nontraditional courtship. (Whoa, 19th century throwback with that word!)

They met in late October of 1986. At the time, my father was in the Army and stationed at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. During a visit home to Indiana, he decided that, of all things, he needed some carpet for his VW Beetle.

(Let it be known that I have always laughed at him for this, yet realize that it is a good thing he was in search of something so weird as I would not exist otherwise.)

In the search for Jerry-approved car carpet, he entered the family-owned carpet store where my mother worked at the time. She waited on him, thought he was cute, and went on with her day. He called the store the next day in search of her and asked her on a date.

My uncle, always the helpful ray of sunshine, told her that they had better go somewhere public, just in case this guy turned out to be an ax-murderer.

He wasn’t. Just for the record.

He also never bought the carpet he was in search of. Just for the (other) record.

Six months later, they were married. To make this even more unbelievable, during that entire six months my father lived in North Carolina, while my mother stayed in Indiana. Remember people, this was the ’80′s, so they were without cell phones, texting, email, Skype, or any of the other thousands of inventions in the last 25 years that have made long-distance communication infinitely easier. They had to rely on things like letters, pay phones and trips to visit one another.

During one of these trips, my father was scheduled to meet my mother’s family over dinner at my great-grandmother’s house.

Keep in mind, now, that my great-grandmother (Ma-Ma) was fiercely southern, fiercely stubborn, and fiercely protective of her grandchildren. She was not pleased that my mother was seriously dating anyone, but especially that she was dating – gasp! – a yankee.

In Ma-Ma’s desire to make this man disappear, she chose to make Curried Turkey Almondine for dinner – one of the stranger-sounding dishes in her repertoire of recipes. Surely feeding this man something so strange for dinner would send him running in the opposite direction as fast as he could go!

What she did not count on, however, was the fact that my father will eat anything that does not eat him first. His dislikes include: liver. And that’s it.

Don’t even think about it, kitten.

So, naturally, Daddy loved the meal and figured that, on the off chance that my mother wasn’t a great cook (and she clearly is), at least by marrying into this family he would be guaranteed excellent meals at family holidays! Ma-Ma’s plan backfired, my father was even more in love, and it was now inevitable that my parents would live happily ever after.

And so, in celebration of my parents’ 25 years together, I made Curried Turkey Almondine for dinner the other night. Enjoy this strangely delicious meal – I know we always do!

Curried Turkey Almondine

Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

3-4 cups diced cooked chicken or turkey
4 tablespoons butter
5 tablespoons flour
2 teaspoons curry powder
2½ cups chicken broth
1 cup thinly sliced button mushrooms
½ cup golden raisins
Toasted sliced or slivered almonds

Instructions

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms; saute until mushrooms just start to soften. Whisk in flour and curry powder. Slowly add broth, whisking until smooth. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thick and bubbly. Stir in raisins and meat. Serve hot on rice. Top with toasted almonds.

Filed Under: Main dish Tagged With: Chicken, Main dish, Mushrooms

Mushroom and Pressed Apple Quinoa Risotto

February 15, 2012 by Stephie 1 Comment

A couple of things before we get to risotto…but we’ll get there, I promise.

1.) This past Saturday, I had the opportunity to volunteer with a program called Young Chefs at Young School. Every couple of Saturdays, an elementary school in one of the less-affluent neighborhoods near mine holds sports, science, reading and (of course) cooking programs for their students to attend. Several other volunteers and I spent the morning working with about twelve 4th and 5th grade students, teaching them about healthy eating habits (this past week’s topic was snacks) and basic cooking skills (we made a couple of healthier dips for veggies, and the kids got to take home what was left over to their families).

Now, I’m not choosing to tell you about this experience so that everyone will see that I got my good-deed card stamped this week. Instead, I’m telling you about this because I absolutely loved it. Not only did I get to work with a group of awesome kids who really seemed to learn a lot (they started out the morning saying how they only liked ice cream; by the time we left I asked them what they had learned and their collective response was, “Vegetables can be awesome!”), but I got to teach them something about which I am passionate. Volunteering doesn’t have to be a drain on your time and energy; there are numerous ways in which you can give your time doing something that you love!

If you are in the Chicago area, I encourage you to check out Chicago Cares. It’s a great site that allows you to browse volunteer opportunities by a number of filters and choose just the right one for you. You even register online, so all you have to do is show up on the date of your project! Getting plugged in to your community has never been easier.

2.) I have mentioned before that I work at a university. Well, for the next five days the school is being inhabited by Tibetan monks. Yep, you read that right. Tibetan monks.

Probably seems totally random, and it did to me, too, at first. But, as it turns out, they are here as part of an interfaith exchange (it is a Catholic university) and will be constructing a sand mandala during their time here. Sand mandalas are intricate pieces of art created out of colored sand. The construction of a sand mandala takes days and is ritualistically destroyed during a ceremony at the end of that time. The destruction symbolizes the temporary nature of life on earth, and the materials used in the mandala are ceremonially returned to nature so that they are never used twice.

I promise I had a reason for sharing this, too, other than the fact that I think it is super cool. Getting the chance to encounter other cultures – whether it be through chance, such as this encounter, or through travel – always causes me to stop and think about what we, as an American culture, consider to be important and, in fact, beautiful. According to our culture, which values speed, efficiency and permanence, taking days to create a piece of art that will simply be destroyed immediately probably seems like an enormous waste of time. But to these Tibetan Buddhists, the art symbolizes something much bigger, something that is intricately tied to their worldview. Our life on earth is indeed temporal and fleeting and, like the sand used in the mandalas, can be brushed away with the blink of an eye. But that does not mean that its creation is any less beautiful, that the work it takes for us to become the people we end up as is a waste of time. Rather, life’s ephemerality makes it that much more important for us to recognize its beauty while it is here, and to remember not to take anything beautiful for granted.

Whoa.

Things just got a little deep there, didn’t they?

I hope that got you to think a little bit, but if you need a bit of a brain break, I think I have just the thing for you: quinoa risotto.

Again, you read that right. Quinoa risotto.

I know, I know, how is it possible? Isn’t risotto made from arborio rice? Well, yes, traditionally it is. But, as it turns out, you can also make it – through essentially the same process – out of quinoa. The result is a little nuttier, and full of more essential nutrients than you would get out of a traditional risotto. Not that I have anything against traditional risotto – we are totally best friends – but if you are looking for a healthier twist, this might just be it.

In this version, I also changed things up a little by cooking the risotto with half stock and half pressed apple juice. Now, I’m going to get a little naggy here and insist that you pony up and by the pressed stuff for this. You can find it in the refrigerated section with the orange juice. I promise I wouldn’t insist on this if I didn’t feel it makes a difference, but the flavor of the pressed apple juice is akin to that of apple cider (which would be more than acceptable here, as well) and will really round out the flavor of the quinoa. It gives you a hint of fruity sweetness that makes your taste buds sit up and take notice.

And we all want our taste buds to sit up and take notice. Obviously.

Mushroom and Pressed Apple Quinoa Risotto

Yield: 2 main dish servings or 4 side dish servings

Ingredients

8 ounces baby portobello mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups vegetable or chicken stock
2 cups pressed apple juice or apple cider
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed according to package directions
⅓ cup dry white wine
½ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

In a saucepan, combine stock and apple juice. Bring to a low boil; reduce heat and maintain at a simmer.
Heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in a dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the sliced mushrooms, sauteeing until softened. Remove from pan.
Turn heat to medium and add the other tablespoon of oil. Add the quinoa, cooking for 1 to 2 minutes. Add the white wine, stirring constantly until the liquid has cooked off.
Add 1-2 ladles of your warmed stock and juice mixture to the quinoa. Allow to simmer, stirring constantly, until the liquid has evaporated. Repeat this step until all of the liquid has been added. Taste the risotto to make sure that the quinoa is cooked through. If not, you may add more stock, juice, or warm water – just a bit at a time – until the quinoa is cooked.
Stir in cooked mushrooms and Parmesan cheese. Taste for seasoning; add salt and pepper as needed (make sure to taste before seasoning, as using a salty cheese will lessen the need for added salt!).

Filed Under: Main dish, Side dishes Tagged With: Gluten-free, Main dish, Mushrooms, Quinoa, Side dish, Vegetarian

Mushroom Ravioli with Sundried Tomato Cream Sauce

November 8, 2011 by Stephie 9 Comments

Ok, I know what you’re thinking.

“Oh, heck no, girl did NOT make her own pasta!”

Well, you’re right. I didn’t. And you know why? Because I have a life to live outside of my kitchen (shocking, I know).

Now, if you are someone who miraculously has 2 extra hours in each day and approximately 14 times more patience than I have, please feel free to make this recipe with homemade pasta. Make homemade pasta until your little heart is as content as can be.

For the rest of us, allow me to introduce you to a little guy I like to call the wonton wrapper.

Turns out, wonton wrappers are not only perfect for making potstickers/dumplings (another post for another time), they are the perfect vehicle for ravioli filling.

Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I must tell you that the wonton wrappers will not taste exactly the same as fresh pasta sheets. The egg content is significantly lower and so they don’t taste as…well…eggy. But if you’re looking for an easy way to get creative with stuffed pastas at home, this is the way to go.

I filled my little wonton friends with a simple mixture of cooked mushrooms, ricotta and Parmesan cheese. Easy peasy.

I made myself a little ravioli assembly line, turned on some Maroon 5 and, next thing I knew…

…I had myself a whole tray of new little ravioli friends!

These new little friends got served up with a sundried tomato cream sauce. Now, I rarely cook with cream. But every once in a while, ya gotta do what ya gotta do. (Ironically enough, I ~~say~~ type this as I watch The Biggest Loser. Bob Harper – with whom I am in love, the fact that he is old enough to be my father notwithstanding – would be disappointed, I’m sure.) And in this case, I’m going to encourage you to allow yourself this one little indulgence. Show yourself a little love.

Mushroom Ravioli with Sundried Tomato Cream Sauce

Yield: About 24 ravioli and 1 cup of sauce

Ingredients

For the ravioli:

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove, minced
⅓ cup ricotta cheese
¼ cup shredded Parmesan cheese
½ teaspoon dried parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 egg
Wonton wrappers

Make the Sundried Tomato Cream Sauce:

2 tablespoons butter, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
1 scant tablespoon flour
¼ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons finely chopped sundried tomatoes (the oil-packed variety)
½ cup heavy whipping cream
¼ teaspoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper, to taste

Instructions

To make the ravioli:

In a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add garlic and mushrooms; saute for 8-10 minutes or until mushrooms are fragrant and softened, and most of the water has been cooked out of them.
Transfer mushrooms to a food processor (try to avoid transferring too much of the liquid that will have cooked out the mushrooms). Pulse until mushrooms are very finely chopped.
In a bowl, combine slightly cooled mushroom mixture with ricotta and Parmesan cheeses and dried parsley. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper (be cautious with the salt, as the Parmesan cheese adds most of the salt needed). Set aside filling.
In a small bowl, create an egg wash by beating the egg with a small amount of water. Set aside.
Cover a cookie sheet with parchment paper. To make ravioli, place a teaspoon of filling in the middle of one of the wonton wrappers. Using a small brush or your finger (my method of choice), brush the egg wash along two edges of the wonton wrapper. Fold the wrapper in half over the filling, gently pressing out any air bubbles and sealing the edges. Place on the prepared cookie sheet and cover with a clean towel.
If making ahead of time, keep chilled until ready to use. To freeze, place entire cookie sheet in freezer and allow individual ravioli to freeze before bagging and tagging for later use (I would recommend using within three months).
To cook, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Gently drop in ravioli a few at a time – do not overcrowd the pot or they will stick together. (I also suggest giving them a little nudge once they’re in the water to make sure they don’t stick to each other or the bottom of the pot) Cook until they float – 2-3 minutes if fresh, 3-4 minutes if frozen. Gently remove from water – they will be fragile! – and tent with foil to keep warm if preparing multiple batches.
Serve warm with sundried tomato cream sauce, your favorite pesto or simply with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil, a touch of freshly ground pepper and some shaved Parmesan cheese.

To make the sauce:

In a small saucepan, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add garlic, cook for 1 minute. Whisk in flour, cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Whisk in wine and sundried tomatoes, cooking until thickened, another 1-2 minutes.
Turn heat to low and slowly add cream. Return heat to medium-low, cooking until heated through. Add oregano and second tablespoon of butter. Salt and pepper to taste.
Drizzle over ravioli or toss with your favorite pasta. Add some shaved Parmesan cheese. Celebrate life.