creamy harvest mushrooms

It's finally winter! I miss the white, snowy winters of my childhood filled with lake effect snow. I don't know if it's global warming or living on an island in the Atlantic that makes New York winter weather so different from Michigan, but winters since I've moved here have just been icky. Warming up, cooling off, snow and then rain. Not pleasant at all.

As I looked up from my computer, thinking of lunch, I saw huge, fat snowball sized snowflakes bombarding fifth avenue with purpose I was glad I had some comfort food for lunch. A little dish of warm, creamy, mushroomy deliciousness.

Last more than one fellow blogger was bitten by the mushroom bug. I understand it's mushroom season, obviously not here in The City, although there is an impressive red shelf fungus growing on a tree near the elementary school park. I was inspired by Bea's mushroom risotto and spent a few days trying to figure out how I could make something similar, without rice or fresh cream. I trolled Whole Foods looking for the best mushrooms I could find and made my own version.

I am so pleased with how this turned out. Fresh out of the pan it was just plain creamy goodness. Eating it today with a seasoned hamburger it reminded be of stroganoff base. With a little more broth and some blending it would make a perfect cream of mushroom soup or gravy. But best of all, if I tweak the seasonings a little, I will get something similar to Pork Chop Surprise, one of the few 'specialties' that Dad used to cook once in a blue moon.

Creamy Harvest Mushrooms

2 tbsp olive oil
3 sprigs fresh thyme
1 shallot, finely diced
1 1/2 Lb assorted mushrooms; crimini, trumpet and portobello, cut as desired
3 tbsp yogurt or cream, I used yogurt made from half and half
2 tbsp chopped parsley
1/4 c. grated pecorino romano
1/4 c. grated parmesan regiano

In a large skillet slowly heat the olive oil and thyme while cutting the shallot and mushrooms. Brown the shallot in the olive oil and then add the mushrooms and cook on high heat for 5 or 6 minutes. Turn down the heat and stir in the yogurt, parsley and grated cheese. Turn off the heat and pick out the thyme sprigs.

cranberry sauce

Thanksgiving is drawing near and all my favorite bloggers are sharing all their tips for a happy, healthy celebration. Somehow I imagine that they have all the time in the world to perfect these recipes and formulate these tips. I had visions of posts like these as well. But, whatever it is my fellows do for a living, I doubt any of them work as the personal assistant to Chicken Little.

Last year I prepared my first complete Thanksgiving meal for the Trainer and his family, who never had a traditional turkey and fixings before. It was a big hit, but I was left with a bird full of gluten free stuffing to eat by myself, along with the gravy, cranberry sauce and green vegetables. This year I'm only doing the bird, and cranberry sauce for myself.

Cranberries may have been one of the foods that the native Americans shared with the settlers in New England, where they are native. Some of the best cranberry bogs are in New Jersey. It's no wonder they have become a traditional Thanksgiving food.

I love cranberries and cranberry sauce. We are not a fancy cranberry relish or cranberry chutney family. We like our fresh cranberry sauce, and non of that canned stuff. This is our family's good old stand-by. I've tweaked it to be sugar free, and I venture to say it is just as good, if not better than the version we used to make with white sugar.

Cranberry Sauce

1 cup water
1/2 cup honey
1 bag cranberries

In a large sauce pan heat water and honey, stirring until honey is dissolved. Add cranberries and bring to a boil. Turn down heat and boil until all the cranberries pop. Stir and simmer for several more minutes. Pour into a heat proof serving dish or container. Let stand to cool, then place in refrigerator over night.