Day of the Mushroom Review

Basket of Picked Mushrooms (Wikipedia)

Mushroom Day, or Day of the Mushroom, is celebrated each year on April 16.  No one appears to know who created Mushroom Day (or why), but it has become quite popular on cooking and recipe websites, 

What is a Mushroom?

Definition per Wikipedia: A mushroom, or toadstool, is the fleshy, spore-bearing fruiting body of a fungus, typically produced above ground on soil or on its food source. 

Many kinds of mushrooms are poisonous. The mushrooms most of us care about are the 'edible mushrooms'.  The most common of these are the white mushrooms or button mushrooms many of us use in cooking. A couple other popular edible mushrooms are the Portobello and the shiitake mushrooms. 

(c) Wednesday Elf

We have always been told that the mushroom is a fungi, but to further classify it, the Department of Agriculture considers mushrooms to be vegetables because they provide many of the same nutritional attributes of vegetables. For a complete history of the edible mushroom, click here.

Celebrating Mushroom Day

There are numerous ways to eat mushrooms and dozens of dishes which use mushrooms as an ingredient. To celebrate Day-of-the-Mushroom you probably should fix a favorite mushroom recipe.

I never ate mushrooms as a child, being a very fussy eater who wouldn't 'try' new things. So it wasn't until I was grown, married and a parent that I was introduced to a mushroom treat that changed the way I thought about mushrooms forever more! 

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms by Small Town Woman

We had moved to the Central Coast of California near San Luis Obispo and a new neighbor invited us over.  There were several appetizers prior to the meal, one of which was a plate of Atascadero Stuffed Mushrooms. Now, Atascadero Mushrooms are well known in the central coast area of California. This was our first introduction to these mushrooms. They look like button mushrooms, but are very large.

Our host had fixed them by cutting off the stems, chopping them and mixing them with crabmeat, bread crumbs & seasonings then stuffing them back into the base of the mushroom cap, sprinkling Parmesan cheese on top and popping them in the oven. The taste ~ unbelievably good. I became a mushroom fan immediately. 

If you want to try your own crab-stuffed mushrooms, this recipe on a blog by Small Town Woman for Quick and Creamy Crab Stuffed Mushrooms sounds fabulous and close to the stuffed mushrooms which won me over to being a mushroom lover.

Mushroom Decor and More…

The mushroom has become so popular over the years, that it is enjoyed in more ways than just as food.  Many home décor items are decorated with scenes of mushrooms and mushrooms appear on wearable items such as T-shirts. 


The mushroom has even become a fun toy item. 

Mushroom Garden Interactive Toy

I love this colorful Mushroom Garden educational interactive toddler toy.  It lights up, has music and fun sounds, and teaches colors and numbers. It also has a memory game. Tots have fun and learn at the same time. 

So enjoy the DAY-OF-THE-MUSHROOM on April 16. 

Related Mushroom Dates:

• Stuffed Mushroom Day – February 4
• National Mushroom Day – October 14

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Batter Deep Fried Mushrooms

 Mushrooms, people either love them or hate them. I happen to be someone who loves mushrooms. Mushrooms are one of the foods I love, no matter how they are prepared. I even love them raw and dipped in ranch dressing. 

Today, I'm reviewing how I made our deep-fried mushrooms. These are a perfect side to any meal or delicious as a snack anytime.

Ingredients for Batter Deep Fried Mushrooms:

12 ounces of fresh white mushrooms ( I used medium size mushrooms)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup of water

2 cups seasoned breadcrumbs ( I used Panko)

Instructions:

1. Rinse the mushrooms in cold water and pat dry.
2. Mix, flour cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a medium size bowl.
3. Add the cup of water, and whisk together until you have a smooth batter.
4. Dip the mushrooms into the batter and let the excess drip off. You can use toothpicks or a fork.
5. Roll the mushrooms in the breadcrumbs until they are coated.
6. Deep fry until golden brown.
7. Place them on a plate lined with a paper towel.

After dipping the mushrooms in the batter, I rolled them in the breadcrumbs.

I coated several mushrooms at a time before placing them in the oil.

I don't have a deep fryer, so I used my 10-inch cast iron skillet. I filled the skillet a little over halfway with vegetable oil, and set the burner to medium heat. The oil needs to be between 325 to 375 degrees for frying. 

I used my ThermoPro TP-18 instant-read thermometer to make sure I had the right temperature. I fried 6 or 7 mushrooms at a time until they were golden brown. I removed them with a slotted spoon and placed them on a plate lined with paper towels.

Using a deep fryer would be much easier for sure. Read my friend Cynthia's review here: of The Presto GranPappy Electric Deep Fryer. This would be the perfect kitchen tool for deep frying these mushrooms.

You can serve your mushrooms with cocktail sauce, or ranch dressing, or eat them plain. 

If you like mushrooms here are some more of my favorite recipes:

Baked Stuffed Portobello Mushroom CapsGrilled Stacked VeggiesItalian Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

 

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Stuffed Mushroom Day Review

Image Source: Pixabay

Stuffed Mushroom Day is celebrated on February 4th each year.  As the name implies, it is a day set aside to enjoy this tasty treat by everyone who loves mushrooms.

Stuffed mushrooms can most likely be credited to the Italians, as mushroom recipes resemble the Italian stuffed zucchini.

Crab Stuffed Mushrooms: Allrecipes

A favorite recipe for stuffed mushrooms most often includes breadcrumbs, parsley, olive oil and garlic. Other favorite ingredients are crabmeat (my favorite) or sausage, and other vegetables to your liking. Topped with parmesan cheese and baked, they make a very tasty appetizer you won't be able to stop eating. Check out a variety of stuffed mushroom recipes here on Allrecipes.

Crafty Stuffed Mushrooms

In addition to being interested in Stuffed Mushroom Day because I love how they taste, I was just as drawn to it because I am a crafter.  Being an Etsy seller, I have seen so many adorable hand-crafted mushrooms by my fellow shop owners that I just had to show off some of them. And Stuffed Mushroom Day seemed like a good day to do so. 

Amigurumi Mushroom

Crochet Amigurumi Mushroom

Adorable stuffed mushroom handmade by Ashlyn from Texas for her Etsy Shop Smiley Bee Crafts

Stuffed Mushroom Set in Crochet

Set of Stuffed Mushrooms

This is a set of 10 plush stuffed mushrooms handmade by Tatyana of Ukraine for her Etsy Shop TsvitanaLove.

Mario Mushrooms

Mario Mushrooms in Handmade Crochet

These adorable Mario Mushrooms are handmade in crochet by Bessy for her Etsy Shop Sontara's World. 

Make Your Own Stuffed Mushroom in Crochet

Stuffed Mushroom Crochet Pattern

If you are a crochet crafter and would like to create your own stuffed mushroom, check out this cute mushroom pattern by Sara. It's available in her Etsy Shop Saras Stuffies.

The Summing Up of Stuffed Mushroom Day 

Stuffed Mushroom Day is also known as National Stuffed Mushroom Day.  It may be one of those made-up unofficial holidays, but I, for one, am glad someone decided to designate a day that clearly encourages people to make and consume lots and lots of stuffed mushrooms. 

And for the times you are not able to make your own edible stuffed mushrooms, or go out to a restaurant that features these yummy appetizers, you can remember your favorite mushrooms with one or more of these adorable handmade 'pretend' stuffed mushrooms featured here. 

National Stuffed Mushroom Day

February 4

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For More Mushroom Reviews & Recipes

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More Mushroom Days:

• April 16 - Day of the Mushroom
• October 15 - National Mushroom Day

National Stuffed Mushroom Day written by (c) Wednesday Elf

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Garlic Butter Noodles with Mushrooms

 This is one of my absolute favorite pasta dishes. Garlic butter noodles with mushrooms are so easy to make and you can have them on the table in 30 minutes or less.

Garlic Butter Noodles with Mushrooms - Recipe Reviewed

When looking for something quick, tasty, and easy to make this is one of our go-to meals. The butter garlic flavor really stands out. If you like mushrooms as I do, and pasta this is a perfect combination. The recipe below is enough for two people. If you're serving a crowd just add to it accordingly.

Ingredients: 

• 12 oz. sliced mushrooms (washed and pat dry)
• 4 tablespoons butter (2 for the mushrooms and 2 for the noodles)
• 3 cloves of garlic finely chopped
• 1/2 bag of noodles (or your favorite pasts)
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon chopped parsley or basil for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Begin cooking the mushrooms in a skillet over medium to high heat.
2. Stir and turn the mushrooms until you see moisture in the pan.
3. Add 2 tablespoons of butter and chopped garlic and continue to stir and turn until the mushrooms are golden brown.
4. Lower the heat to simmer and cook your noodles.
5. Drain the cooked noodles and return them to the pot or a bowl, add the other 2 tablespoons of butter and stir.
6. Pour the cooked mushrooms over the noodles and stir. Add the garnish and serve.

I always begin cooking my mushrooms in a dry pan first over medium to high heat. Mushrooms contain a lot of water, and this method allows the liquids to slowly evaporate and the mushrooms to caramelize. 

You will also want a skillet large enough so the mushrooms are not piled high on top of each other. After they burn off some of their liquids and turn golden brown it is time to add the butter and any seasoning you're using.

This is such a versatile meal, you can use whatever pasta you like instead of noodles. You can also season the mushrooms with your favorite seasonings or add a little lemon juice to the mushrooms as they are cooking.

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Review of Stouffer's Escalloped Chicken and Noodles

I remember being introduced to Stouffer's Frozen Foods as a teenager in the 1950s when my Uncle Pete went to work for them in Cleveland (the home base of the company).  Frozen foods were fairly new to us at the time and my parents found them to be very handy for quick dinners after working all day.

I found the Stouffer's meals delicious and, as a result, I have been a fan of them ever since. I have tried a large variety of frozen dinners over the years, but none as good as Stouffer's. 

My very favorite is Stouffer's Escalloped Chicken and Noodles, a hearty combination of white meat chicken, egg noodles, mushrooms, celery, carrots and peas in a creamy sauce

Old-Fashioned Home-Cooked Escalloped Chicken Recipe

(c) Elf

An old-fashioned 'from-scratch' recipe for Escalloped Chicken comes from the Garden City Cookbook (Centennial Edition) published in 1979 by The Community Church

My in-laws lived in Garden City, Kansas and this cookbook was compiled by church members to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of the first church in Garden City and dedicated to all of the brave pioneers who in 1879 organized the First Congregational Church in town. First published in 1908 and revised and re-published in 1930, this cookbook is the 1979 edition.

The recipes contained in this Garden City Cookbook were favorites of current church members, many of which were passed down from generation to generation. 

Aunt Alta's Escalloped Chicken

INGREDIENTS:

1 can mushrooms
1 (4-5 lb.) stewing hen or large fryer
Salt
Celery Salt
Paprika
2 c. fine cracker crumbs
1 recipe of white sauce

WHITE SAUCE:

4 T. chicken fat or butter or oleo
3 heaping T. flour
Broth from chicken and juice from mushrooms
1 c. milk or cream

INSTRUCTIONS:

Boil and then simmer hen until tender and done.  Take meat from the bone and cut in small pieces about ¾-inch long. 

Make medium white sauce.  Put layer of cracker crumbs in flat pan and then a layer of chicken and mushrooms. Season to taste with salt, red pepper and celery salt. Pour almost half the sauce over this and make another layer of each. Pour remaining sauce over this and sprinkle cracker crumbs on top and a little paprika. Bake 450◦ for 30 to 60 minutes, depending on the depth of the pan.

*Author's Note: This 'from-scratch' Escalloped Chicken recipe does not call for noodles, but I imagine noodles could be added or even served on the side or spoon the dish over cooked  noodles.  If you choose to use cream instead of milk, you will find that the dish is very rich. Yum.

Additional Notes:

Source: Pixabay

This long-ago 'from-scratch recipe is a bit amusing to read, especially the parts about the 'chicken fat' and referring to the chicken as a 'stewing hen'. These are terms we don't use much today. Garden City, Kansas, back in the day, was primarily a farm-based small town in western Kansas, so I can imagine many of the 'stewing hens' were raised by the farmers for their own use. If you were to ask today's 'kids' about where chickens come from, they'd no doubt say “the grocery store” (unless they are farm kids). 

Summary

If you want to make your own homemade escalloped chicken, try the old-fashioned recipe I've featured in this article.  

Or try the one I found online on the Go, Go, Go Gourmet blog for a homemade recipe that duplicates the Stouffer's dish called Stouffers Copycat Escalloped Chicken and Noodles.

When you want the same as a quick, and delicious, dish, use Stouffer's  Escalloped Chicken and Noodles.

For quick, yet tasty, dishes with a wide variety of choices, give Stouffer's Frozen Meals a try.

Happy Eating

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Review & Recipe by (c) Wednesday Elf 3/23/2019

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Site Review ~ Dinner, then Dessert, a Recipe Website

Source:  Pixabay & Fotojet

The other night I decided I wanted to fix Egg Foo Young for my dinner, as I had some leftover ham to put in it.  I almost always order Egg Foo Young at a Chinese restaurant, as it is my favorite. Since one doesn't often 'eat out', I sometimes fix restaurant favorites at home.  

I have made Egg Foo Young often over the years, but, while good, it just never tasted the same as my favorite at a Chinese restaurant or Chinese Take-out. And I never knew why. So I decided to look online for a new recipe to see if I could duplicate my favorite. Much to my surprise, I discovered that I have been 'cooking' my version incorrectly.  I would beat the eggs and add the ingredients (vegetables, and  sometimes meat or seafood) and cook it all at once like an omelet.  Aha ~ THAT was my mistake.  I discovered you cook individual helpings like a pancake! 

When I did a Google search for a new Egg Foo Young recipe, I accidentally came across a recipe blog called Dinner, then Dessert, and I am SO glad I did.  The author is a trained professional cook who worked as a Private Chef for 10 years, and all the recipes on her site are her own. Not only are her recipes delicious, but her presentation is attractive and easy to follow and her writing is delightful. Her name is Sabrina Snyder. 

Meet Sabrina Snyder

Sabrina Snyder, Professional Chef
Author of Dinner, then Dessert

Sabrina Snyder is a professionally trained personal and private chef of over 10 years. 

She started Dinner, then Dessert as a business in her office as a lunch service for her coworkers who admired her lunches, before going to culinary school and becoming a full time personal chef and private chef. 

As a personal chef Sabrina would cook a family's entire week of dinners one day a week, including all grocery shopping, cooking and cleaning up, and leave them with instructions on reheating each meal.

As a private chef, she cooked for private parties in family homes in the evenings.

Sabrina enjoyed this lifestyle for 10 years, until her life and kids became her priority and  she stepped away from other people's kitchens to stay in her own kitchen.

In  2015, Dinner, then Dessert became an online recipe website where Sabrina began posting recipes she had shared with clients over the years. 

In addition, she still has private chef clients she cooks for.  Sabrina treasures her distinction of being a trained professional  chef. 

Sabrina's Egg Foo Young Recipe

Sabrina Snyder's Egg Foo Young Recipe
Sabrina's Photo from Dinner, then Dessert

Egg Foo Young is a Chinese egg omelet dish made with  vegetables with an easy gravy topping. I share her recipe here:

Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Chinese

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total  Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

8 eggs
½ onion, chopped
½ cut carrots (chopped and steamed)
¼ cup green peas
½ cut green bell pepper, chopped
¼ cup bean sprouts, cut in half
½ cup mushrooms
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
3 tablespoons sesame oil, divided

Instructions:

1. Add the eggs, onion, mushrooms, bell pepper,  bean sprouts and soy sauce together in a bowl and whisk to combine.
2. In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon sesame oil at a time for each pancake you cook on medium heat.
3. Add about 1/3 cup of mixture per pancake and cook for 3-4 minutes on the first side and 1-2 minutes on the second side.

Egg Foo Young Gravy

1 cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons light soy sauce
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Add everything to a small sauce pan and whisk well before the liquid heats up.  Cook and whisk until thickened. 

Recipe Notes from Sabrina about this Egg Foo Young Dish:

Egg Foo Young is sort of the classic leftovers meal made into a restaurant favorite. At our local Chinese restaurant the classic egg version of the dish comes out with a different assortment of ingredients mixed in almost every time we go.

I’ve asked our favorite waiter (who puts up with our circus of a family) why the fillings change and he explained to me that Egg Foo Young is a leftovers recipe and that when they have more or less of certain vegetables they just adjust the filling to what they have.

My Recipe Notes:

Cooking my version of Egg Foo Young
from Sabrina's Dinner, then Dessert site
Photos by Wednesday Elf, using a Fotojet collage

Following what Sabrina learned  about this Egg Foo Young recipe filling being adjusted, I made my recent version using only fresh mushrooms, diced onions and ham diced up from a leftover ham slice. I briefly sauteed the ham, onions and mushrooms in butter prior to adding them to the egg mixture.

I used only 3 eggs and cooked my pancakes one at a time in a small pan, as I was only making enough for myself. I chose NOT to make the gravy, as I like my Egg Foo Young plain. 

I then served the Egg Foo Young pancakes on rice. The  image below is of my result. YUM!

My Egg Foo Young Dinner

PS: In addition to learning the proper way to COOK this dish as pancakes, I think the other secret to getting homemade Egg Foo Young to taste more like a Chinese restaurant version is using sesame oil to cook it in. 

Site Review Summary

Having now discovered this delightful online recipe website by Sabrina Snyder, I will be visiting Dinner, then Dessert frequently to try out several of her other delicious-looking recipes  from her Main Dish, Desserts, Appetizers and Slow Cooker lists. Her 'Easy Chicken Parmesan' recipe is already calling my name! 

Quick Link:

Dinner, then Dessert Recipe Website

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(c) Dinner, then Dessert Website Review by Wednesday Elf, written on 2/15/2020

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Taste of Home Instant Pot Cookbook Review

The "Taste of Home Instant Pot Cookbook" is an absolute must for anyone seeking recipes for their Instant Pot.

A few years ago, my parents gave me an Instant Pot.  I really wanted the Instant Pot and was most grateful for the gift.  However, it has taken time for me to find and perfect recipes cooked in the Instant Pot. 

There is a talent for cooking in the Instant Pot that must be developed through experience.  Or, I guess some just cook by faith.  Unlike the stove top or oven, you can't see what is happening.  Therefore, you are cooking "blind" and trusting the pot to get it right for you.

I love to cook, but I don't like wasting my time and food on a recipe that my family cannot eat.  When testing a new recipe, I am careful to choose the timing.  I want to make sure there are dinner alternatives available for us should the recipe end in disaster.

I also love cookbooks!  Some might even say I enjoy collecting cookbooks.  Let's face it, not all recipes in any cookbook are wonderfully perfect for every family.  If I see a few recipes in a cookbook that I want to try, I'll buy it.  Therefore, I do have a very nice collection of cookbooks.

One of my most recent cookbook acquisitions was another gift from my parents.  They gave me two new cookbooks for Christmas this year.  One of them was the "Taste of Home Instant Pot Cookbook".  My son also gave me two new cookbooks.  Christmas night I was sitting on the couch with my mom pouring over my new cookbooks and getting really excited about testing new recipes.  I have tiny post-its poking out in all of them that mark recipes I want to try, but I started with a recipe from my Taste of Home Instant Pot Cookbook .

Recipes in the Taste of Home Instant Pot Cookbook 

 Taste of Home Instant Pot Cookbook:
Over 100 Recipes Made Easy in the Instant PotCheck PriceThe first meal I cooked was a Cranberry-Mustard Pork Loin.  It was delicious!  We will be having that meal again.  It took less than an hour to prepare and cook the pork loin.  The sauce was quite unique and one I would expect a professional chef to devise.

The second recipe I tried was a little more risky in my opinion.  I've never been keen on mushrooms and the recipe for the Beef Tips called for Portobello mushrooms.  After reading the ingredients and instructions several times, I decided to try it.  After all, I could shove all of mushrooms onto my husband's plate since they are cut into slices.  It just sounded too delicious to pass up.  The Beef Tip recipe is the best new recipe I have cooked in decades!  

The savory beef tips are served over, or alongside, mashed potatoes with the thickened sauce they cooked in.  This meal is so easy to prepare, and again, in an hour.

Both of these meals taste like you spent hours cooking and years to perfect.  They were both fabulous on the first try.  No wasted time or food.  And no need for multiple tests and trials before I got them right.  They were excellent prepared exactly the way the cookbook recipe instructed.

The only concern or challenge I have had with this cookbook is choosing what to cook next!

Beef Tips Instant Pot RecipeCreamy & Delicious Mashed Potatoes Recipe

Using the Taste of Home Instant Pot Cookbook 

The inside cover of this cookbook has "flaps" that can be used as bookmarks. I find them extremely helpful, especially when cooking a specific recipe and referring back to the page for more directions.

This cookbook, like all of the Instant Pot cookbooks I have, uses generic terms like "select manual setting".  I don't have a manual on my Instant Pot, but I have learned that means "PressureCook" on my cooker's settings.  I can only assume this varies by brand, model, or age of manufacturing. 

I recommend reading through the recipe completely before you begin cooking so you know what to expect.

I also recommend pre-measuring ingredients and setting them around your pot.  It would be easy to overlook an ingredient in a recipe, but if you have it already sitting out, you will notice it before you close and lock your lid.  Keep in mind, Instant Pot cooking is not like simmering a pot of stew all day.  You can't add a forgotten ingredient an hour into cooking and it not matter.

 

For additional Instant Pot tips, click here and read the section entitled "Instant Pot Use Tips".  
For the Beef Tips Recipe and Preparation Tips mentioned above, click here.

---

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