Vegetable Stuffed Portobello’s

I’ve been trying to cook lighter lately, and sometimes that can be challenging when cooking for a man too.  Both John and I love mushrooms, but they are usually “in” something.  This time, I decided to make them the star.  This dish is incredibly simple, with fresh, clean ingredients.  The meaty mushrooms are hearty and filling, and the fact that this dish is primarily vegetables is pleasing to the health-conscious individual.
I’ve included directions for a simple garlic pasta, but there are many things that would pair well with these mushrooms, or even use younger crimini mushrooms and serve as an appetizer.
By the way, these are delicious for lunch the next day!  🙂

Ingredients:

Mushrooms:
●10 (or so) 3-inch portobello mushrooms, wiped clean, stems removed
●1 zucchini, chopped
●1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
●1 6-oz jar of artichokes in brine, drained and chopped
●1/2 cup onion, chopped
●5 cloves of garlic, minced
●1 ½ cups mozzarella
●1 tsp dried oregano
●sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste

Garlic Pasta:
●Angel Hair Pasta (about 4-5 servings)
●3 cloves of garlic, minced
●3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375.

Arrange mushroom caps upside down on a lightly sprayed baking sheet.
In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients, adding salt and pepper to taste.    

Mound the filling into the mushroom caps, distributing evenly.  Try to use all the filling, it will cook down quite a bit.

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until heated through and golden brown.

Meanwhile…

Cook angel hair pasta according to package directions.  In a saute pan, cook garlic in olive oil on medium heat until golden brown.  Toss pasta and garlic oil together and salt to taste.  Serve immediately with hot mushrooms.

Simply Elevated BLT

I’m always looking for new variations on classic foods, I enjoy putting a twist on something original.  This one is a basic BLT, but this time I added flavored sea salt from Old City Salts.  You may question adding salt, since the bacon is pretty salty in itself, but I, for one, love salt and it really brings out the flavor of the tomato.  It also lends a slightly spiciness to the sandwich.   Let me tell you, these salts are amazing and I LOVE their mission, to “simply elevate whole, fresh ingredients.”  So here it goes, my simply elevated BLT!!!  ~Janna

Ingredients:

2 slices of good, hearty bread (My favorite is sourdough but in this case I used whole wheat)
1 Tbs mayonnaise
4 strips of cooked bacon
4 slices of a fresh, ripe tomato
2 leaves of lettuce, any variety
A pinch or two of smoked Serrano sea salt from Old City Salt

Directions:

Fry your bacon until brown and crispy.  Let it drain on paper towels and set aside.  Toast your bread and spread each slice with mayo.  Add your lettuce to one slice of the bread, making pieces about the same size as your bread.  I use lettuce first because it provides a barrier between tomato and bread, preventing sogginess.  Add your sliced tomatoes on top of the lettuce and sprinkle with your sea salt to taste.  Stack your bacon on top of the tomato, I usually cut my bacon in half so it fits nicely on the bread.  Top with other slice of bread and cut sandwich in half.  Enjoy!!

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Salsa de Sophia Roja

What’s in a name?  There’s a 2-part story as to how this recipe got its name.  Fresh, homemade salsa is one of the first foods that I started experimenting with.  I thought my original recipe was pretty good, using fresh (un-roasted) tomatoes.  Then my niece, Sophia, came back from almost a year in Guatemala and introduced me to their way of making salsa: roasting it.  Since then, I have roasted my salsa ingredients, both in the oven and on the grill, and it tastes amazing.

The second part of my story is this:  A couple years ago, Sophie and I were making salsa together.  Actually, I was making it, and she was hanging out.  =)  Once it was finished, we had about ½ gallon of red, spicy salsa.  It was beautiful.  After the salsa chilled for a bit, Sophie decided she wanted to have some with tortilla chips.  She pulled that big bowl out of the fridge….and dropped it on the floor.  NOOO!  All of that time, energy, and those beautiful tomatoes and peppers all over the floor!  Here’s the best part…I’m not sure if I’m allowed to tell you this, but she actually scooped a lot of it off the floor and ate it.  Don’t kill me, Sophie!

Since Sophie improved my salsa and provided me with a cringe-worthy story, she will be forever associated with this recipe, hence the name.

Ingredients:
(Think of these ingredients as more of a guideline and feel free to experiment.)

6 large Roma Tomatoes (or similar vine ripened tomato)
9 mini or about 2 regular bell peppers – Red, Orange, or Yellow
2 green chili peppers
2 jalapeños (optional)
2 cloves (pieces) garlic
2 stalks of green onion, chopped
1 cup cilantro, rough chopped
1 tbs lime juice
1 tbs white vinegar
1 tsp kosher salt + salt to taste

Directions:

Preheat your roasting appliance of choice:  Grill=low flame, Oven=400 degrees

Wash tomatoes and peppers.  If grilling, arrange them directly on the grill rack.  Oven users, arrange on a cookie sheet or other oven safe vessel.  Make sure they have plenty of room to roast and do not stack.

Allow to roast 15-30 minutes or until skin is blistered, TURNING THEM ABOUT EVERY 5 MINUTES.  The turning is especially imperative for grill users.  A little char is okay, but you don’t want blackened produce.  You may want to rotate them to get an even roast, but be careful not to squeeze any of the juice out of the tomatoes!  

Once roasting is finished, ALLOW PRODUCE TO COOL COMPLETELY before handling. When they are cool, carefully peel off the outer membrane.  For the peppers:  cut them open and scrape out all the seeds.  You may choose to use rubber gloves for this step. Cut into large chunks, toss them all into the blender with the garlic, and pulse until your desired consistency is reached.

Dump the tomato mixture into a bowl, add remaining ingredients, salt to taste, and devour.

Makes about 5 cups of salsa.

Cheddar Rosemary Savory Scones

Recently, I’ve become a little obsessed with fresh scones. My friend Danielle shared her recipe with me, and since then I’ve made several delicious variations using her basic recipe. In this particular creation, I’ve made a savory scone with rosemary, sharp cheddar and red onion. This recipe is quick and simple…only half hour to delicious homemade scones! I hope you enjoy it as much as I have!

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt, + a pinch
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
5 tablespoons butter
1 egg, separated
8 oz plain greek yogurt
½ cup finely chopped red onion
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400.
Mix all dry ingredients together (including rosemary). Add butter in chunks.

Add egg yolk, yogurt, and onions. Combine all ingredients thoroughly using a pastry blender. Stir in shredded cheddar.

Flour your countertop and form the dough into a long rectangle. Cut dough into 10 even triangles, then brush with egg white and sprinkle with kosher salt.

Arrange scone triangles on a baking stone. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Allow to cool directly on the stone. Enjoy!