Mushroom Soup

8 oz Oyster mushrooms
8 oz crimini muhrooms
(Use the variety pack if it is available)
Beef (lamb or chicken) stock (water and bullion if that's what you have)
carrots,  onion,  herbs ,  garlic

In a 2 qt. sauce pot make about 3 cups of stock.  Simmer carrots and onions until they get soft.  Add it to the blender to puree until smooth.  This is the fast and easy way to make soup that tastes like it simmered all day long!  In a skillet, saute your sliced mushrooms, add garlic just before they are finished.
You can make the soup two ways:


1.  Add mushrooms to the blender, add enough broth to get them to puree down into a smooth mud colored paste.  Add mushroom puree to stock.  If you think it is too watery, simmer until enough water evaporates.  If you want cream of mushroom soup, add a splash of milk or whatever.  Add salt, pepper, herbs last.  I like to use garlic powder and thyme.


2. Add mushrooms to the blender, add enough broth the mushrooms get chopped evenly.  process the mushrooms into rough chunks and add to the soup. This gives it a hearty feel and is a great side dish for meat dishes.  Add salt, pepper and herbs last.

If I had a Vitamix blender, I bet I could make the soup in there!

Spinach Pie

a drizzle of olive oil

1 medium shallot, minced

1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach - thawed, drained and squeezed dry 

1/2 tsp chopped fresh dill 

1 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

1 (4 ounce) packages feta cheese, crumbled 

2 eggs, lightly beaten 

salt and pepper to taste 

1 (16 ounce) package phyllo dough 

1/2 stick butter, melted  

 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).  Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Slowly cook and stir onions until softened.Mix in spinach, dill and flour.  Cook approximately 10 minutes, or until most of the moisture has been absorbed.  Remove from heat.  Mix in feta cheese, eggs, salt and pepper.  Lay phyllo dough flat and brush with butter. Place a small amount of spinach mixture onto each piece of dough.  Fold phyllo into triangles around the mixture. Brush with butter.  Place filled phyllo dough triangles on a large baking sheet.  Bake in the preheated oven 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until golden brown. Or if your philo dough had a failure like mine, you can roll it out with a rolling pin as best as you can, and smash it all into a pie tin. Brush top crust only with butter. (actually, this probably saves you a TON of calories).

Dinosaur Blanket

Coriander

We grew cilantro this summer.  Last month after reaching its peak, we allowed it to flower and harvested the coriander pods.  They have been drying on my counter, so I finally winnowed them and placed them in a jar.  Although coriander is a tiny herb, it is actually full of vitamins and minerals. It is particularly rich in Vitamins A and K, but also contains plenty of Vitamins B, C and E.   As for the mineral content, coriander has a phenomenal amount of potassium and is also a good source of calcium, magnesium and phosphorous. Coriander is predominantly used to flavor curries and soups. I am considering making mine into garam masala.

Bourbon Spiced Pork

1 pkg McCormic bourbon spiced pork seasoning mix
1/3 C. brown sugar
some pork (it called for tenderloin, but I got a roast)
1/3 C. orange juice
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
2 fuji apples, cored and sliced

Rub down pork with a little oil so the seasoning mix will stick.  Combine seasoning with brown sugar. Reserve 1/3 C. Rub down pork with remaining seasoning/sugar mix.  In a large bowl, combine reserved seasoning, OJ, sweet potatoes, and apples. Toss to combine. Arrange apples and sweet potatoes around the pork. Roast 425* 35 minutes for tenderloin.

Graduation Cake

Congratulations on Law School Graduation, Pat. I know you passed the bar. A WINNER IS YOU!

Pasta

Elbow macaroni combines with white wine, garlic, feta, and tomatoes and is served with asparagus.