Healthy Veggie or Chip dip

Judy suggested I post this since I made a batch when I was in Philly last week.  With the new year coming, I have got to lay off the sour cream, so Greek Yogurt is a decent substitute.  Sometimes I have just got to have a creamy dip.  I used Fage 0% Plain Greek Yogurt (You can find it at Trader Joes).

1 container of Fage greek yogurt
1 tsp garlic powder
1 Tbsp dill
1 Tbsp parsley
Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix all together and taste.  Wait a few hours and the flavors are all melded together, but it's pretty good immediately too. 

Claire Yoder

Massaged Kale Salad - sooo Yummy!

Massaged Kale Salad

When Charlie, Amy and the kids came out to Portland for Chistmas 2011, we had this salad with dinner and the kids asked for seconds.  Its a great way to get the greens in! 

4 cups uncooked kale    1 tsp sea salt    1/3 cup sunflower seeds or any nut, toasted      1/4 cup uncooked red onion diced    1/3 cup raisins      3/4 cup fresh apples, diced   2 Tbsp apple cider vinegar    1 cup crumbled feta cheese    ·         Pour salt over Kale and massage with hands for 3 minutes. Kale will become brighter green after massaging. Add remainder of ingredients. Tastes even better the next day once flavors mix!  Adapted from a recipe found in Feeding the Whole Family. In this photo I put almonds in place of sunflower seeds, you can substitute any nuts on hand.  The feta is optional, but turns it into a meal instead of side dish. Claire Yoder

Just Got Home Frittata - or Kitchen Sink Frittata

Hello,
  We just got home from Philly yesterday and had very little food in the house, so for lunch I made a frittata from what was leftover in the fridge and some spinach. 

6 eggs (I did 3 eggs and half a container of egg whites b/c that's all I had)
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 red onion
Olive oil or butter
2 Medium red potatoes (chopped into small pieces)
1 cup spinach
shredded cheese (I had Motzerella) - to sprinkle on top

- you could add whatever you have to this - leftover sausage, bacon or ground beef, any veggies, most recipes I have for this include lots of veggies, you could substitute garlic or shallots for onions, any cheese on hand, or you could go cheese-free too.

1. Whisk the eggs and add salt and pepper
2. Using a cast iron skillet or all metal skillet (you have to put it under the broiler, so a plastic handle won't work), saute the onion and potatoes in olive oil or butter over medium heat.
3.  Once the potatoes are almost done add the egg mixture and spinach stirring to combine in the pan. 
4.  Then let the mixture cook on the stove until the eggs have set up. Sprinkle with cheese and place under the broiler until top is lightly browned.  Allow to cool for 5 minutes, then cut and scoop out of the pan onto your plate!

Note: I immediately scooped the frittata out of the pan and it stuck somewhat.  When I went back 10 minutes later to put the leftovers away, the bottom came cleanly off the pan - so I recommended letting it cool so there is less cleanup. 

Enjoy!

Claire

Learning how to title

This is Uncle Wes learning to blog.

The Jersey Burger

The Jersey Burger is for the daring and courageous.  It is just the best burger.

INGREDIENTS

1 giant brioche bun from LeBus in Philadelphia, PA
1 massive, delicious burger
1 slice American cheese
1 slice pork roll
1 fried egg, sunny-side up
1 healthy slathering of beer mustard, which must have other ingredients in it, too, I reckon.

ALSO RECOMMENDED
1 chef to cook this for you at the Pour House in Westmont, NJ
1 large bib
50 napkins
1 uninterrupted afternoon of lounging and digestion
Most importantly, 1 awesome aunt with whom to enjoy it!

THE STORY
Being an aficionado, I was treated to several burgers over the course of a week this year for my birthday.  Aunt Judy took me to the Pour House where we experienced the Jersey Burger.  It may sound scary, but trust me, it was totally slammin'!  It was by far the best burger of the week, even surpassing the Texas Chili Burger at Propector's and the Caribbean Burger at Copa, which has jerk spices and mango chutney.  I mean, come on, you gotta love a burger when you bite into it and it drips all the way down to your elbow.  But the best part about the Jersey Burger was that it reminded us of Uncle Chuck, who had a fond dream of one day opening a stand on the boardwalk in Ocean City, NJ, and selling pork roll sandwiches!  Something about the tenor of the Jersey Burger also brought to mind the Lava Sandwich--also not for the faint of heart--which was invented by Charlie when he was a kid.  (You can read about it in an earlier post by him; just scroll down a bit.)  Aunt Judy and I had such a fun afternoon sharing family memories like that and just chillin' together.  What a birthday; what a burger.

~Post by Rachel Aline Glover; memory shared by Judy McGloughlin

Best chocolate coconut bars.  Ever.  I'm serious.

I made these for the first time this holiday, I am a terrible baker-- but found this not only unable to fail if you follow the directions-- but the best dessert thing you will ever want to eat ever again.

Ingredients

• 3 cups finely ground cookies (12 ounces), such as graham crackers or chocolate wafers, or a combination

• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup pecan pieces
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips or chunks
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 15-by-10-inch baking pan, or 2 smaller pans are fine too.
2. In a large bowl, stir together cookie crumbs, sugar, and butter until combined. Evenly press onto bottom and up sides of prepared baking sheet. Bake, rotating halfway through, until firm, about 10 minutes. Cool, about 20 minutes.
3. Sprinkle cooled crust evenly with pecans, or chopped walnuts, or anything else you think would taste good-- and chocolate chips. Pour condensed milk over the top, spreading to cover completely. Sprinkle with coconut.
4. Bake until coconut is toasted, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to rack; cool completely. Trim edges, if desired, and cut into equal-size bars.
   
   -Mimi
   
   

Sloppy Daddy

This is when you need a hamburger quick but all you have is frozen meat and you dont want to take 12 hours to defrost it.  No, no, no -- the microwave doesn't work to defrost it -- it cooks it partially and have you ever tried to make a burger if the meat is already cooked?  Fall-apart-sville. And you burn your hand!  Forget it.  I say, just lean into the fact that the beef is going to be all apart and sloppy.  But its not all blecky like a sloppy joe and all complicated.  Its just a disintegrated burger.

2 lbs ground beef
1 onion chopped
onion soup
good buns
cheese
ketchup

1. place frozen meat right in pan and fry it up
2. when meat is half done add onion and onion soup mixture and stir
3. cook until meat is done and onions are al dente
4. take a scoop and plop on bun.  
5. while hot, place cheese on ground beef mountain on bun
6. lightly place bun top on bun.
7. serve this way and the cheese will melt on top of mountain

add ketchup, and or whatever you usually put on a hamburger.  the ketchup kinda holds everything together tho.  enjoy.
-charlie

food related jokes

Why is it the other seedlings in the nursery like to play with one mushroom but not a whole group of them?
Because when a mushroom is on its own its a really fun/gi/ but where there's a group of mushrooms they all act like spoiled/spores/!

-Eli McKay

Charlie's Egg Spread Which is Whipped Too Much

I tried to make "Rita's Egg Salad," named after this person at church who always brings in egg salad.  I always hated egg salad.  Then I heard people rolling their eyes on how good her egg salad was.  So I ate it.  Now I like egg salad.  So I got the recipe. I made it.  She had told me, don't use the food processor, you need to beat the salad for an hour.  I said, you know, pfft.  I'm using the food processer, Rita, get out of the 18th century here.  I used the processor. for waaaaaay too long.  I would have called this "Rita's Egg Paste" but I **know** she would disown -- yes disown -- any such attribution because I used the cockamayme processor.  So poo.  Here is my paste..  Beat it for an hour and it will make a much more standard Egg Salad.

20 Eggs, hard boiled.

4 heaping tablespoons of dill

2 heaping tablespoons of dry onion'

celery seeds to taste if you have them

1/4 cup mustard.  use more than you think

1/2 cup mayo.  More if you want to make egg salad and beat it for a stupid hour.  I mean you know what egg salad looks like for crying out loud.  Jeez.

Beat it in a processor until you realize you went waaay to far.  Look at it, nonplussed, with some slumped shoulders, and then get out some good rye, toast it, eat it and realize that its still pretty darn good.  then spill half of it on the floor, clean it up.  wait dont do that.  i did that.  didnt make it taste any better.

charlie

Hi Kids! Welcome to the Vaporized Roast Cooking Club.  I am happy to see you made it here to talk to me and the rest of the club.  Did you look at the recipe in your cookbook yet? Which one are you going to try out first?  Is there a new recipe you would like to see in the book?  I can't wait to hear your ideas.
                                                                            Grandmom/Aunt  Judy

Can any of you blog experts move the white words in the above picture over to the "About Me" section?  I can't figure it out!  Thanks,  Mimi

Mimi's Balsamic Vinaigrette

1 cup olive oil

5 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 teaspoon salt

1-2 cloves of garlic , minced

Mix together and leave overnight. Serve over tossed salad with a base of dark leafy greens.

Mimi McKay's favorite salad dressing recipe that she found in the Moosewood Cookbook

Bill's Mom's Cole Slaw

Shred desired amount of raw cabbage. Shred a small amount of carrrots. Combine the two. Mix the following dressing adjusting for personal taste: Miracle Whip, white vinegar, sugar, celery seed, salt and pepper. Pour over cabbage mixture.

Bill Berger's recipe

Cranberry Salad

1 pound cranberries

2 cups water

Cook until berries pop.

½ cup sugar

2 packages lemon Jello

Pour hot cranberries and water onto sugar and Jello in large bowl and stir it. Add:

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 ½ cups halved grapes

1 cup crushed pineapple

Kathryn (Tat) Resovsky Baine's recipe

Gommer's Pickle Juice Cole Slaw

1 head cabbage
Pickle juice (what's left when you eat the last pickle in the jar)
Hellman's mayo

Grate the cabbage. (Remove knuckle shavings.) Put the cabbage in a big bowl and pour the pickle juice over it. Marinate the cabbage in the pickle juice for a couple of hours if you have that much time. (I usually don't, and it isn't as good that way, but it is still good. ) Add about ¾ cup of Hellman's mayo or less and mix it all up. It's a quick way to make slaw and a great way to recycle pickle juice.*

Georgia Pebley Glover as told by Judy
* Other ways to recycle pickle juice include using it in potato salad, deviled eggs, and tuna salad.

Aunt Marilyn's Traditional Jello Mold

Mix desired amount of orange Jell-O according to directions on box. Fold in desired amount of grated carrots and crushed pineapple. Chill in a mold. Serve with mayo or Miracle Whip.

Marilyn McGloughlin Berger's recipe

Judy's Spinach Salad

1 pound spinach

6 strips bacon

Small purple onion

1 box mushrooms

¼ cup vinegar

½ cup oil

¼ cup sugar

1/3 cup catsup

1 teaspoon salt

Garlic salt to taste

Pepper

Wash and dry spinach. Cut up bacon, mushrooms and onion and sprinkle over spinach. Combine vinegar, oil, sugar, catsup, salt, garlic salt, and pepper and mix thoroughly. Pour over spinach.*

Judy's recipe with thanks to Judi Palmer

* Judi suggested that the dressing be added up to 30 minutes in advance. One time when I did this, the salad was too limp. Other times, it was just right. This is a tasty salad.

Reba's Milkshake Recipe

3 scoops of ice cream

1 tiny spoon of milk

Take a spoon and start mixing the milkshake after you put it in a cup or a bowl. Then mix until it is creamy. Then pour into a cup if you put it in a cup, you do not have to remove. Then you may drink. This was a simple recipe.

by Reba McGloughlin

Russian Tea

2 cups sugar

2 cups Tang

¾ cup instant tea

½ teaspoon cloves

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Mix and store in an airtight container. Add 2-3 teaspoons to a cup of boiling water.

Judy

* In college I warded off colds with this high-sugar brew.

-Judy

Mulled Cider

Mulled Cider

1 gallon apple cider (You may substitute apple juice or cranapple juice.)

1 package Raven's Original Mulling Spices (which contain cloves, cinnamon, and nutmeg.)

To find Raven's Original Mulling Spices:

1-888-372 8367 or www.ravensoriginal.com

Sally Glover's recipe

Broccoli Salad

2 large bunches of broccoli cut up (peel and dice thick stems, too)
2 cups finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 pound of bacon, fried and crumbled
1 red onion
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 cup mayonnaise
¼ to ½ cup sugar
Mix shredded cheddar, mayonnaise, vinegar, and sugar. Add that mixture to the broccoli and onions. Sprinkle bacon on the top. Can be made a day ahead.

-Judy

Anna's Fancy Green Salad

Caramelized walnuts*
Dried cranberries
Mandarin oranges
Mixed greens
Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing
Mix together the walnuts, cranberries, and oranges with the washed and dried greens. Pour on the commercially prepared raspberry vinaigrette dressing.
*Carmelized walnuts:
Butter for baking sheet
2/3 cup sugar
¼ cup water
1 cup walnut halves
Lightly butter a small, rimmed baking sheet. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and water. Stir over medium heat until the golden brown. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the walnuts. Spread the walnuts in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Allow to cool.

Judy's recipe with thanks to Anna ,a friend from the Tree House Coffee Shop
Anna, a professional caterer, dictated this recipe to me out of the goodness of her heart before Katie Kafka McDaniel's wedding shower . This happened over a cup of coffee at the Tree House when it was in Collingswood. It is very fancy.

Killed Salad (aka Kilt Salat)

Head of lettuce
Scallions
Bacon
Pickle Juice
Hard boiled eggs, sliced
Fry bacon and crumble it. Add pickle juice to warm bacon grease and pour over the prepared lettuce and scallions. Sprinkle bacon on top.

Georgia Glover's recipe

This recipe is a combination of my memory and a recipe found in Mountain Foodways: Flavors of Old Europe on the Southern Frontier, written and published by Patricia B. Mitchell.

Luke's Smoothie Recipe

How to Make a Smoothie

We need pineapple and apples and we taste it and it tastes delicious.

Luke McGloughlin's recipe

Aaron's Peanut Butter Hot Chocolate

For each cup:
1 serving of hot cocoa mix
1 cup boiling water
1 heaping tablespoon of peanut butter
Whipped cream
Put the hot cocoa mix in a mug. Mix in the boiling water. Add the peanut butter and stir in well. Add whipped cream to the top. Aaron's note: Keep stirring the peanut butter between sips.
Aaron McKay

Steve's Pancakes

1 ¼ c. milk

1 egg

3 T melted butter

a dash of vanilla

1 ½ c. flour

3 ½ t. baking powder

1 t. salt

1 T. white sugar

Combine wet ingredients, set aside. Sift together dry ingredients, make a well in center. Pour in wet ingredients. Mix until the flour is wet but do not over mix. Pour batter onto skillet preheated to 325 degrees. Flip when pancakes begin to bubble

Steve McDaniel's recipe

French Toast Casserole

1 long French bread loaf or Challah bread (available on Fridays at some
stores)
8 eggs
3 cups of milk
4 tablespoons sugar ( we omit this)
1 tablespoon vanilla
2 tablespoons butter
Optional: 1 teaspoon cinnamon, cardamom, and/or nutmeg, sprinkled in the liquid or on the top layer when the casserole is assembled .

Slice the bread into 1-inch thick slices. Layer bread into a buttered 9 X 13 inch casserole. Combine the other ingredients, except for the butter. Pour over the bread. Dot the top of the casserole with the butter. (This can be prepared up to two days ahead.) Put in a cold oven. Bake uncovered at
350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes. Serves 8.

Julie DeMotte's recipe with thanks to Doug Beattie

White Gravy

2 Tablespoons butter (or canola oil)
1 ½ - 2 tablespoonns plain white flour
Blend flour with 1 cup milk and
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Heat butter or canola in fry pan. Pour in blended milk, salt, pepper, flour.
Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat when mixture is smooth, no lumps.(It is usually enough to just bring it to a boil.) The southern way is to use bacon grease (not healthy, but tasty). You may substitute part stock for some of the milk. You may also use cream.

Sally Glover's recipe

Very Easy Cranberry Nut Bread

1 package Pillsbury Cranberry Quick Bread

1 cup water

2 tablespoons oil

2 eggs

½ cup chopped walnuts or other nuts of choice

Follow directions on the box for mixing cranberry quick bread. Add chopped nuts. Put in a loaf pan whixh has been prepared as stated on the box. Bake at 375 degrees for about 45 to 50 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before turning out of pan.

Marilyn Berger McGloughlin

Lava Sandwaich

Charlie's note: To the general public, this recipe is absolutely disgusting. Nevertheless, for a few fragile years in the 15- to 18- year-old range, male youths consider this the height of culinary art. Do not attempt this recipe if you are NOT a teenage male, with many years of life ahead of you. I invented this sandwich at age 16. This sandwich--indeed, a wantonly bastardized version of the Philly Cheesesteak--was given its volcanic moniker by an accomplice, who noted with wonder its steaming, glowing (and most disturbingly) pinkish hue. It was a genuine hit among my friends, and (especially) my enemies. Yes, we were all idiots, weren't we?

Long Amoroso roll
Cheddar cheese, grated
American cheese, grated
Ricotta cheese, not grated, thoughI did try to
2 Boxes of Steak-umm
1 lb. Ground Beef
Onions, diced (in a half-hearted, ramble-on sort of way)
Miracle-Whip
Barbecue sauce
Mushrooms, diced (really halved)
Pepper
Horseradish sauce, prepared

In skillet, fry all vegetables until…whenever. Then, fry all Steak-umms, breaking up as per a cheesesteak. Add ground beef and brown. Add approximately 2 Tbsp of all condiments except Miracle Whip. Add liberal amounts of all cheeses, stirring constantly. Stop adding cheese when the cheese/meat mixture can do a Gillette Foamy "thick and rich enough" test off the stirring spoon indefinitely. Think intestinal glue. At this point, begin adding Miracle-Whip to the skillet mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the entire mixture achieves a slightly day-glo pinkish hue. Add pepper in liberal amounts, usually "I dare you to add this much pepper" sort of thing. Spoon the meat/cheese/condiment mixture onto a long roll. I recall garnishing this sandwich with ¼ cup parsley as a joke.
Enjoy with a sugary soft drink while playing Space Invaders. Serves 3-4

Charles McGloughlin, Jr.'s recipe

Zucchini bread

Zucchini Bread

1 cup coarsely shredded zucchini
2/3 cup sugar
½ cup skim milk
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 cup whole wheat flour
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
¼ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp vanilla
Vegetable spray
Spray loaf pan with vegetable spray. Preheat oven to 350 (325 convection).
Combine first 5 ingredients in mixing bowl. Add dry ingredients & mix. Mix in vanilla.Pour batter into an 8 ½ X 4 ½ X 3 inch loafpan coated with vegetable spray. Bake for 55 minutes.
Carole Edwards

Quick Casserole Bread

1 ½ cup biscuit mix

1 egg

½ cup milk

1/3 cup finely chopped pickles

1 ½ cup grated sharp cheese

3 teaspoons sesame seeds

3 tablespoons melted butter

Combine biscuit mix, egg and milk. Stir until moistened. Add pickles and ¾ cup of cheese. Spread in a greased 1 quart casserole. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and sesame seeds. Pour butter over everything. Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes. Serves 6.

Georgia Pebley Glover's recipe

Golden Corn Bread

¼ cup vegetable oil or drippings
1 cup corn meal
1 cup flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
1 egg, beaten
Heat oven to 400 degrees. In 8 or 9 inch square baking pan or10-inch
iron skillet (which is preferable), heat oil (It should sizzle when contacted by a drop of oil). Combine dry ingredients ( I usually sift them together, especially if I have a sifter). Add milk and egg. Mix until blended. Pour mixture into hot oil. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. 9-10 servings.

Wes Glover's recipe



____________________________________________________________
NetZero now offers 4G mobile broadband. Sign up now.
http://www.netzero.net/?refcd=NZINTISP0512T4GOUT1

Mama Hatcher's Riz Biscuits

Mama Hatcher's Riz Biscuits

4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons sugar

¾ cup shortening

½ cup sweet milk

¾ cup butter milk

1 cake yeast

2 tablesoons warm water

Mix yeast in water. Add shortening. Mix dry ingredients and sift to mix. Mix like biscuits. Roll and cut out. Place one on top of another with butter between. Pinch edges together. Let rise and bake.

Lola Hatcher

Irish Potato Bread

Irish Potato Bread
Put any amount of cooked, leftover mashed potatoes made with real Idaho potatoes, milk and butter. Add handfuls of flour and knead until you get the consistency of pie dough. Roll out a handful on floured board until ¼ inch thick and about 9 inches in diameter. Cut into quarters. Repeat until all the potato mixture is used.
On hot flat griddle or pan, bake pieces on top of stove until small brown spots appear on the bottom of the potato bread. Turn over and do the same to the other side. Cool, then refrigerate overnight or freeze. (Then defrost when needed).
To eat, fry in margarine, butter, or bacon fat. Serve for breakfast with eggs, etc.
Susan Kennedy McGloughlin as preserved by Marilyn Lee McGloughlin Berger
*Aunt Marilyn's annual Potato Bread Breakfast is a very important tradition in tthe McGloughlin Family. It is one of the few times in the year that we are all together. In addition to potato bread, lovingly made by Aunt Marilyn, this breakfast feast features eggs -any way you like them, bacon, scrapple, sausage, doughnuts, danish, fresh fruit, juice and coffee. After consuming this, we stagger to the living room and exchange gifts.

I just went to a great restaurant called 25 Burgers.  These are AMAZING burgers and are not too pricey. They also play my music from the 50's alot. I think it might be a chain in early infancy. Look for one to come near you.---Judy

Two muffins are baking in an oven.  One muffin turns to the other muffin and asks, "Is it just me, or is it getting very hot in here?"

The other muffin, horrified, turns back towards the first and yells "OH MY GOSH! A TALKING MUFFIN!"

    The website address for this blog relates to a story about my first microwave oven, an Amana RadarRange.  My husband gave me this ginormous appliance for Valentine's Day one year.  It came with a special crockery cooking pot called a Country Cooker and a cookbook which had recipes for its use with my new microwave. It was to have the effect of slow cooker but at a fraction of the time.  We all loved pot roast, so I put my roast in the Country Cooker, put the Cooker into my humongous microwave and set the timer for 90 minutes as per  the recipe.

    The family went out to buy paint I remember. Upon our return, as we walked through the front door, we became aware of a horrible stench.  "Oh, no!" thought I, "I've burned the roast!"  So I dashed into the kitchen and threw open the RadarRange.  The smell was definitely coming from the Country Cooker.   I removed the lid to the cooker and saw something I will never forget.  There was only a thin dark ring around the inside of the pot. No burned meat!  No charred bones!  Nothing!  Only that shadow.

     Upon rechecking the recipe, I saw that the meat was supposed to have been cooked on Low instead of HIGH for 90 minutes. This fact explains how things went wrong, but it does not explain everything.

It does not explain the total loss of the roast. Didn't I learn in high school physics that matter can neither be created nor destroyed. So where did my roast go?  Was it not vaporized?  Is it still lingering in the walls of that house only wating for the conditions to be right to reappear ? I think the new residents of the house are going to be in for a big surprise one day when my roast condenses in their fancy new kitchen.                                                                

-- Judy

   

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

INGREDIENTS

• 24 large whole fresh mushrooms
• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage
• 2 bunches scallions, chopped, green parts reserved
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan, plus more for topping

• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• One 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened

DIRECTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a sheet tray or line with parchment paper.

Clean the mushroom caps with a damp paper towel. Carefully break off the stems and, using the tip of a spoon, hollow out the center of the mushrooms.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the sausage, breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon. Transfer the cooked sausage to a paper towel-lined plate to cool.

Add the white chopped scallions to the skillet and cook until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the scallions to the sausage and cool.

When the sausage and scallion mixture is no longer hot, stir in the Parmesan, breadcrumbs, salt, pepper and softened cream cheese. The mixture should be very thick. Using a small spoon, fill each mushroom cap with a generous amount of the stuffing. Top with additional Parmesan if desired. Arrange the mushroom caps evenly on the prepared sheet tray.

Place in the oven and bake until the mushrooms are piping hot and liquid starts to form under the caps, 20 minutes. Garnish with the reserved green scallions

Wild Salmon with Miso Glaze

Wild Salmon with Miso Glaze

Recipe from Camilla Lombard

Serves 4.

Ingredients:

1 T white miso paste (available from Asian and health food markets)

2 T white vinegar (any kind)

1 T soy sauce

1 ½ T minced or grated, peeled fresh ginger

4 6-ounce salmon filets (preferably fresh-caught local salmon)

1 T sesame seeds, lightly toasted

2-3 scallions, finely sliced

3 T chopped cilantro, stems removed

Method:

- To toast sesame seeds: Put them in a thin layer in a small frying pan and heat on medium until they turn color.  When slightly browned, remove from heat and put into a bowl to stop cooking.

- Preheat broiler and spray broiler pan with cooking spray. Alternatively fish can be grilled on an outdoor barbeque.

- In a small bowl combine the miso, vinegar, soy sauce and ginger, whisking until smooth.  Liberally brush cleaned, deboned salmon filets with the glaze.  Put the salmon, skin side down, on the broiler pan and broil it about 8 minutes until it is golden on top and opaque in the middle.  Note: Do not turn over the fish.  Check the salmon for doneness while cooking so it’s not overcooked.  Salmon can also be grilled, following the same approach.

- Before serving, sprinkle sesame seeds, scallions and chopped cilantro on the cooked salmon.  Excellent accompanied with brown rice and stir-fried bok choy.

Beer Can Grilled Chicken

Ingredients

Beer Can Chicken Rub:

• 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons dried thyme
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 2 teaspoons black pepper
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder

For the Chicken:

• 4 pounds chicken, washed and dried
• Vegetable oil
• Beer Can Chicken Rub
• 1 (12-ounce) can beer

Directions

For the chicken rub:

In a small bowl mix all the ingredients together and use for the grilled chicken. You can store extra rub mixture in an airtight container for up to 6 months.

For the chicken:

Preheat your grill to medium-high heat.

Rub the chicken and its cavity down with the vegetable oil. Season the chicken with rub mixture, remembering to season the cavity. Pour out 1/4 of the beer and sit the chicken on top of the beer can. Place the chicken in the center of the hot grill and cover. Cook the chicken for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 165 degrees F. Once cooked, cover loosely with foil and let rest for 10 minutes before carving.

Cottage Cheese and Egg Breakfast Muffins with Ham and Cheddar

Cottage Cheese and Egg Breakfast Muffins with Ham and Cheddar
(Makes 6 large or 12 small muffins, recipe adapted fromCottage Cheese Muffins at 101 Cookbooks, original recipe byRose Elliot. You can see step-by-step photos of making cottage cheese and egg muffins if you'd like.)

Ingredients:
2/3 cup cottage cheese (I used low-fat cottage cheese)
1/4 cup grated parmesan
1/4 cup white whole wheat flour
2/3 cup almond meal (I used Bob's Red Mill almond meal)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
4 eggs, beaten
3 T water
1/4 cup finely diced ham (could use turkey ham)
1/2 cup sharp cheddar (I used low-fat sharp cheddar)
2 T sliced green onions

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 400 F.

In mixing bowl, combine cottage cheese, parmesan, white whole wheat flour, almond meal, baking powder, salt, eggs, and water. Mix until well combined, then gently stir in ham, sharp cheddar, and green onions.

Spray silicone muffin cups with non-stick spray or olive oil, or use foil muffin cups. (I would spray those too.) Divide batter between six muffin cups. Bake muffins 25-30 minutes or until lightly browned on top and set. (If you're going to be microwaving, I would bake about 25 minutes, for eating immediately I would use closer to 30 minutes.)

Muffins can be refrigerated and reheated in microwave. Be careful not to microwave too long or they will get tough. (Still have not tried freezing them, I eat them too fast!)