Mushroom Medley Burger with Feta and Herbs

Every now and then, while perusing my local grocery store, and usually while feeling totally unispired, I will come across something that totally sets my wheels in motion. What starts out as a mundane venture turns into a sudden surge of possibilities. A furry of ingredients leap into my basket, piling up into precarious positions; bags are flying; produce is being squeezed; and I can hardly keep up with my own train of thought.

I appreciate moments like that because they remind me of why I love cooking so much - that spark of an idea that gets ignited into something I can share with the people I love.

That is exactly what happened when I got the idea for this burger. I came across a package of fresh herbs, diced onions, and cheese intended for topping a steak, and instantly the mushroom medley burger unfolded in mind. I picked up some fresh herbs, two kinds of onions, crimini and oyster mushrooms, and some delicious onion rolls; I couldn't wait to get back and start cooking!

Roasted Herbed Vegetables with Red Wine Sauce and Toasted Garlic Bread

Last night I really wanted to have a date night at home. I love getting dressed up and going out to eat, but sometimes it’s nice to put the extra money into a nice home cooked meal, turn on some music, and relax instead. Needless to say, I wanted to make something a little more special than the average weeknight.

I immediately thought about our first trip together to New Orleans and recalled this amazing French bistro we tried on our first night in the vibrant city. I ordered coq au vin (obviously pre-vegetarian days), which I had never had before, and I simply cannot remember what Dustin ordered…probably because I was too busy focusing on my yummy meal! I wanted to make something reminiscent of that dish, only without the meat. It seemed a difficult challenge!

In the end I decided to brown some potatoes in a little oil and butter (you can’t have a French dish without butter!) and then threw them into a pot with loads of mushrooms, a couple of carrots, pearl onions, garlic, lots of herbs, and a beautiful wine sauce. I served it over toasted sourdough French bread, and it turned out perfect! I think I will definitely make this again, only next time I will use a full cup of wine, and will remember to put candles on the table – ooh la la! (Cheesy, I know!)

Grilled Portobello Mushroom “Steaks”

Is calling them “steaks” going a bit too far? Perhaps, but that’s what I thought of when I was grilling these yummy portobello mushroom slices. I spotted a tidy package of these beauties while perusing the produce department recently. I almost walked right past them, but their gleaming white flesh, dark gills, and perfectly curled edges looked so pretty…how could I not throw them in the basket? My mom had recently told me about a grilled mushroom burger she had seen on the food network, and grilling seemed like the perfect thing to do, so in they went!

Making them was super easy. They were the focus of our meal, but they would also work great as a side, would be perfect for burgers or sandwiches, and would be even more fantastic with some melted cheese on top…darn, now I’m hungry again!

Creamy Potato Soup with Zucchini, Rosemary, and White Wine

I have been on a major soup kick lately. I believe this is partly due to the fact that I adore my little crockpot (even though it’s slowly falling apart), but also because of the wonderful, heartwarming quality a hot bowl of broth and vegetables somehow possesses. Perhaps also because autumn is just around the corner (don’t let this heat wave fool you!); and it’s my way of ushering in the warm sweaters, rosy cheeks, and full bellies I so greatly look forward to!

Recently I made a really great creamy mushroom soup that was a big hit (my brother in-law gave it 3 out of 4 spoons on his rating scale, ha ha), and since I had some leftover cream from the Spaghetti Alfredo I made the other night, I decided to venture into the cream soup world again. This time I decided to leave out the mushrooms and add a little white wine, which gave a hint of acidity that paired really well with the cream.

Cinnamon Rosemary Pancakes with Pear Compote

A few days ago I posted a recipe for a Pear Havarti Panini, which was flavored with rosemary and cinnamon. I loved the pear, rosemary, and cinnamon flavor combination so much that I decided to use them again, this time for pancakes. I was really happy with the results.

Getting Started

Since I don’t often make pancakes, or bake in general, I decided to go off of a recipe I found from allrecipes.com. Of course I made some modifications to fit my liking, which I’ve listed below. However, if you have a pancake recipe that you like, feel free to use it; simply add the cinnamon and rosemary and top with the glazed pears. If you don’t have a favorite recipe and don’t want to make it from scratch, prepackaged pancake mix works just as well.