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Gold Potato and Bacon Croquettes with Jackpot Beer Cheese Sauce

September 16, 2014

Gold Potato and Bacon Croquettes with Jackpot Beer Cheese Sauce | Fake Food Free

The challenge? Come up with a potato recipe that can be classified as Potatoes: Vegas-style! We go to Las Vegas every year so I started thinking of all the words I associate with that sparkly, shiny town.

Gamble – Maybe a little too negative and not something you really want to take with a new recipe.
Strip – As in the street, but it still leaves a little too much to the imagination.
Winner – Maybe.
Jackpot – Now you’re talking.

So I started thinking about what I would consider a jackpot of flavors. You can never (and I mean, never) go wrong with potatoes and bacon. And sharp cheddar, of course. Cheddar then makes me think of beer, as in beer cheese. I tossed around ideas of how to put it all together and finally decided on some crispy, crunchy baked croquettes that resembled playing chips with their disk shape. It has to be gold potatoes, by the way, because there are few cities as golden and shiny as Las Vegas.

Continue Reading…

Places Worth Preserving – The Pumpkin Farm

October 7, 2013
 
          Pumpkin Patch | Fake Food Free
 

I can see them before I pull up to the entrance of the farm. They are specs of bright orange sunshine amid a sea of dry, brown brush. The excitement builds as I get closer and begin to make out the endless shapes and sizes. Some perfectly symmetrical, others with an odd bump here or a groove there that only adds to their character.

Picking a pumpkin is unlike any other garden harvest. It takes a good eye and a good bit of strength to find (and haul) the right one. First, I judge by size. I have to get this thing back to the front register to check out, so as tempting as those extra-large beauties may be, I have to leave those in the field for someone a bit stronger.

Next, they must be analyzed from every angle ensuring there is at least one good side to show off to the neighborhood. It may take a while to find one, but there is nothing I enjoy shopping for more than the perfect pumpkin.

Pumpkin Recipes | Fake Food Free

While I have memories of pumpkin hunting from my childhood, the appreciation of the local pumpkin patch is something I associate much more with as an adult. Fall is my favorite season, and there is nothing better than seeing the first signs in the form of a bright pumpkin.

When I was invited to participate in a special project with Frei Brothers Reserve to celebrate a place that I feel is worth preserving, the opportunity hooked me in right away. It was a tough decision. There are so many. But what is the one place that stands out most for me?

The local pumpkin farm.

Pumpkin Recipes | Fake Food Free
 

It’s not a place that is reserved for a lucky few that live in a specific region. It’s not tucked in the wooded hills of the East or along the rugged coastline of the Northwest. From Kentucky to California, and just about every state beyond and in between, when October arrives you can hear the laughter, smell the spiced cider and see the orange specs among the dry brush. It’s pumpkin season, and for me, this feeling and this special place is worth preserving.

As part of my participation in the Frei Brothers Reserve project, I was asked to create a meal around my place to preserve. So I roasted my first winter squash of the season, blended up the beautiful, sweet orange puree and prepared three courses in celebration of pumpkin with the help of Frei Brothers Reserve Chardonnay.

Autumn Salad with Pumpkin-Orange Dressing | Fake Food Free

 Autumn Salad with Pumpkin-Orange Dressing

Serves: 4

6 cups mixed greens
4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup walnut halves
¼ cup dried cranberries
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp fresh orange juice
1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp fresh pumpkin puree
2 cloves garlic, peeled
¼ tsp salt
Pinch ground black pepper

Place the lettuce, cheese, walnuts and cranberries in a large bowl.

Combine the olive oil, orange juice, vinegar, pumpkin and garlic in a small food processor. Pulse until smooth. Stir in the salt and pepper.

Pour the dressing over salad and toss to coat.

Divide into 4 portions and serve.

Pork Scaloppini in White Wine Sauce over Handmade Pumpkin Pasta | Fake Food Free

Pork Scaloppini in White Wine Sauce over Handmade Pumpkin Pasta

Pairing tip: pair with Frei Brothers Reserve Chardonnay

Serves: 4

Pasta
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 eggs
3 ½ tbsp fresh pumpkin puree

Scaloppini
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
1/3 cup almond meal
1 tsp sea salt
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cayenne pepper
¼ tsp ground black pepper
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp unsalted butter
1 pound pork scaloppini (about 8 thin slices)

¼ cup chopped onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
¾ cup Frei Brothers Reserve Chardonnay
1 tbsp unsalted butter
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tbsp chopped fresh chives

Pasta
Combine the flour, 2 eggs and 3 ½ tablespoons of pumpkin puree in a food processor. Pulse until the dough comes together.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and kneaded just until the dough comes together into a smooth ball.

Let rest under a damp paper towel for 15 minutes. Follow your pasta maker instructions for rolling and cutting the pasta, or you can follow my guide for Beginner Homemade Pasta Making.

To cook the pasta, boil for 3 to 4 minutes in salted water, drain and set aside.

Pork

In a shallow dish, combine the bread crumbs, almond meal, salt, nutmeg, cayenne and black pepper. In a separate shallow dish whisk together the milk and the 1 egg.

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large cast iron skillet or a similar skillet over medium-high heat. Dip each piece of pork in the egg and milk, and then into the bread crumbs, turning to coat it evenly.

Working in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan, add the pork to the hot skillet and cook 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until browned and cooked through.

Transfer to a paper towel to drain.

Once all the pork is cooked, add the onion and garlic to the skillet and carefully pour in the wine to deglaze the pan. Scrape the bottom of the pan well as the wine boils and reduces for about 30 seconds.

Reduce the heat to medium. Add the butter and continue to scrape the pan until the butter melts. Salt and pepper the sauce to your taste.

Add the cooked pasta to the skillet and toss to coat in the sauce.

To serve, add ¼ of the pasta to each serving plate. Top with 1 to 2 pieces of the scaloppini and garnish with ½ tablespoon of the chopped chives.

Pork Scaloppini in White Wine Sauce over Handmade Pumpkin Pasta | Fake Food Free
Homemade Pumpkin Ice Cream | Fake Food Free

Homemade Pumpkin Ice Cream

Serves: 4 to 6

2 cups 2% milk
1 cup heavy cream
¾ cup raw sugar
5 tbsp fresh pumpkin puree
2 egg yolks
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt

Combine the milk, cream, sugar and 3 tablespoons of pumpkin puree in a heavy sauce pan. Turn the heat to medium and gently scald the milk, stirring often. The milk should begin to foam on the top, but it should not come to a full boil. Remove from the heat.

In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining pumpkin puree, egg yolks, vanilla, cinnamon and salt. Temper the mixture by slowing pouring in ½ cup of the warm milk, while whisking vigorously.

Transfer the tempered egg mixture back to the pan of warm milk by pouring slowly and whisking constantly.
Return the pan to medium-low heat. Cook stirring often for about 5 minutes, until the milk begins to foam again, but do not allow it to come to a boil.

Pour the mixture through a fine mesh strainer into a heat and freezer safe bowl (such as Pyrex). Place the bowl over a larger bowl filled with ice and stir the mixture until cool.

Refrigerate until cold, at least 1 hour. (I sometimes put it in the freezer to speed up the process.)

Freeze in a counter-top ice cream maker per the manufacturer’s instructions.

Homemade Pumpkin Ice Cream | Fake Food Free
Pumpkin Recipes | Fake Food Free
Pumpkin Recipes | Fake Food Free

What is your Place Worth Preserving? Frei Brothers Reserve is currently hosting a photo competition on Facebook for Places Worth Preserving in association with National Geographic Traveler. Every month between now and November, they are giving away prizes for photo entries including a grand prize trip to visit their winery at Frei Ranch in Sonoma County plus a stay in Yosemite National Park.

You can also check out a round-up of all the delicious Places Worth Preserving and wine inspired recipes at Kitchen PLAY.

Discloser: I was invited to participate in the Frei Brothers Reserve Places Worth Preserving project by Kitchen PLAY. This is a sponsored post. I received monetary compensation for this post and a bottle of wine to pair with my meal.

Country Living Blue Ribbon Blogger Awards

August 31, 2012
Every month I hope that my issue of Country Living arrives on a day that coincides with an eventless evening so I can sit down and dig in. First, I turn right to the Letters section to see the Reader Pet Profile. This month it was Sir William the sheep who’s favorite snack happens to be raw pumpkin. I like mine cooked, but Sir William and I have a lot in common. 
After a good laugh, I start the search for rustic, homey decorating ideas, and then on to the recipes. By the time I’m through, the corner of almost every page is neatly folded over. 
From there, it’s straight to my laptop where I start searching the Country Living site for all those favorites in the magazine so I can put them on Pinterest. It’s my way of sharing these favorite things with others, and bookmarking them for myself. 
I like this magazine…a lot. 
Considering how much I look forward to receiving Country Living each month, you can imagine my excitement when I learned that Fake Food Free has been selected as a finalist in the cooking category for the 2012 Country Living Blue Ribbon Blogger Awards
As a finalist, the blog is also in the running for the Reader’s Choice award, where you, the reader, get to pick your favorite blog. Voting opened August 31st and you can vote every day until September 17. 
Click on the link below to vote! There is no account registration, or log in necessary to vote. You can simply click, check your favorite blog (I hope it’s Fake Food Free!), and submit. I appreciate each and every vote you might send my way. 

Cast your vote here! 

Gardens, Markets and Pure Beef

June 3, 2012

 

Happy June! 
 
 I was not a fan of summer until I started gardening and exploring Farmer’s Markets. Now summer rates as high on my list as autumn, at least until we get to the hot and humid Augusts we often experience in Kentucky. Until then I will be enjoying all the things of the season.
 
I thought I’d use this post to spread some of the beauty of June through garden and market photos, and to reveal the winner of the Pure Beef cookbook!
 
 
Our garden is coming along nicely except for the extra bugs that are around due to the mild winter. The Roma tomatoes are just now beginning to turn pink on their way to red. The blue potatoes are blooming, and although I’m sad that the strawberries are done, we have picked a few blueberries, and raspberries aren’t far behind!
 
Roma on its way to red!
 

 

Eggplant blooms
Blue potato blooms
 
 
Blackberries-to-be

 

Raspberries
Guard Pug – every garden should have one.

 

I stopped by our small (but sufficient) Farmer’s Market this weekend for onions and tomatoes. Some of our farmer’s here grow tomatoes in high tunnels so there are already some heirlooms ripe and ready.
 

 

 

 

 
 
All of this produce will go perfectly with some Pure Beef.  By random draw, the winner of the cookbook is LouAnn at Oyster Food and Culture! Congratulations!
 
I’ve been reading LouAnn’s blog for a few years now, and had the opportunity to meet up with her for lunch a few years back when I was visiting California. Do stop by and check out her blog. It is full of so much information on food and culture. I learn something new with each post!
 
Thank you for your comments! I hope you’ll consider getting your own copy of Pure Beef. I’ve been enjoying it so much.

Pastured Sausage and Shrimp Rice

March 16, 2011

I’ve only had jambalaya a couple times in my life and I’m certain I’ve never had what could be considered the real thing. So I have no idea why I was craving it earlier this week. There was just something about shrimp, sausage and rice with a slight tomato-y flavor that sounded really good. Not to mention our temps dropped back to mild winter status so some warm comfort food was necessary.

Since my version follows no authentic recipe, I decided it really should be called by the official name. We’ll just say it is similar to some of the versions I’ve had before. Regardless of its authenticity, it did fulfill the comfort food craving.

I used local, pastured Italian sausage so that added a lot of the flavor to the dish. Except for the onion and garlic, all my veggies were thawed from frozen. I had a variety of frozen peppers from last summer so I used sweet banana and one red jalapeno for a kick. My tomatoes were Romas from last year’s garden as well. You can use raw or cooked shrimp. If you use cooked, just throw it in at the end and heat it through.

Pastured Sausage and Shrimp Rice

¾ lb pastured Italian sausage
20 – 25 shrimp, peeled and deveined, chopped into pieces
5-6 small peppers (any variety), sliced
½ large onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
6 small tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped
1 ½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp garlic powder
1 ½ tsp chili powder
¼ tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt
4 cups cooked long grain rice

In a large, deep skillet brown the sausage over medium-high heat until fully cooked. If using raw shrimp, add and cook until just barely cooked through. Drain, rinse if needed, and remove from the skillet to set aside leaving a small amount of fat in the skillet for the veggies.

Add the onion, garlic and peppers. Cook over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook 5 to 7 minutes or until all vegetables are slightly browned and tender and the tomatoes begin to soften and break up.

Add the paprika, garlic powder, chili powder, pepper and salt. Stir to coat all of the vegetables. Add the rice, stirring to incorporate it and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through. Stir in the sausage and shrimp and cook for another minute. Serves 6.

****************************************************************

I know I’m a bit behind schedule and I apologize for the delay, but I finally selected the winners of my new book – The Everything Guide to Food Remedies. I stole a fun idea from Deb at Kahakai Kitchen and copied everyone’s name taken from the comments. I put them all in my cute cupcake bowl, shook it, closed my eyes and drew.

So here you go.

The three people who will receive a copy of my book are Joanne at Eats Well with Others, Aoife of The Daily Spud and Pearl! Please email me your address at lori (at) fakefoodfree (dot) com and I will send you a copy.

I will email you if you provided me an address and will give everyone one a week to respond, so by next Wednesday. After that I will select another winner.

Thank you for all the congrats and the thoughtful comments! I really enjoyed reading your philosophies on health and food.

Holiday Baking – Oh Nuts Giveaway

December 5, 2010

Remember back in the summer when I received that great package of nuts and dried cherries from Oh Nuts?

I used them to make Cherry Lemon Pistachio Scones and Chocolate Cashew Shortbread. Both are great for the holiday season.

Well, Oh Nuts has given me the opportunity to share the love so I’m giving away a $25 gift certificate to a lucky winner.

There are 3 ways you can enter. Please leave a comment for each of the things you do so that your efforts will be counted when I select the random winner.

Entries (via comments) will be accepted through midnight EST on December 14, 2010. I’ll announce the winner by December 15, 2010. I’ll need to reach you if you win, so only entries with a valid email address so will be counted.

3 Ways to Enter

Go to the Oh Nuts Christmas Gift Baskets or Hanukkah Gifts page. Let me know in the comments which you like most by leaving the name of the item along with the url.

Check out the Oh Nuts Facebook Page. Post the url and name of your fave gift from the pages above. Please post “I am here via Fake Food Free” for the comment to qualify.

Follow @ohnuts on Twitter. Tweet about the contest using “Win a free Hanukkah Gift from http://bit.ly/6nIsCi Follow @ohnuts & Retweet to enter” or “Win a free Christmas Gift from http://bit.ly/dUpizt Follow @ohnuts & Retweet to enter “

Remember: Leave a comment for each of the 3 things that you do.

Disclosure: Oh Nuts is providing this gift certificate to one winner at random, free of charge. I was under no obligation to blog about this contest. By offering this to my readers, I also received a gift certificate from Oh Nuts.

Maker’s Mark International Mixology Competition

November 13, 2010
It all started early in the week. My husband got an email from his Maker’s Mark Ambassador program that an exciting event would be held in Lexington on Thursday night. It was a first come, first serve type of emailed. Seventy-five tickets, you snooze, you lose.
We were notified that if we responded to the email quickly enough and were in, we’d get an email Thursday morning. We spent Thursday morning a little disappointed, assuming we’d been beaten to the punch. Well, you know what happens when you assume…
About 1:30pm we found out we were in and enjoyed a night of bourbon, snacks and cocktail judging!The event was held at the Bluegrass Aviation Museum which is pretty much an airplane hangar so it had a nice wide open atmosphere with warehouse character.

Once we arrived we were told there would be two rounds with a total of 15 bartenders, or mixologists, rather. We were given two Maker’s Mark wax tokens. Try all the drinks in round one, vote, try all the drinks in round two, vote. A winner overall would be awarded in the end.
The bartenders were from around the world and we later learned after talking to a few that they had won national competitions in their respective country and Maker’s Mark had brought them to the US to compete. It was nice to hear that this was the first trip to the US for some. We had a nice conversation with a French-born, now Australia-living competitor who was thoroughly enjoying Kentucky and planned to stop by NYC before flying back.
Each had a story with the cocktail and some had done some serious research on KY history, such as Chase Bickerton of New Zealand with his “The Perryville Cobbler.” The drink included Maker’s Mark, Luxardo Marachino Liquer, Sugar syrup, Homemade Musket Balls Reduction (black beer reduction) raspberries and an orange slice.
Ginger was a popular ingredient of the night. It seemed to overpower much of the bourbon in many of the drinks, but our favorite ginger-infused drink was the Cowboy 66 from Jordi Otero of Spain. This drink included Maker’s Mark, Mandarin Boiron and Top Ginger Beer.
I had a tie for my second place. The KFC Sazerac from Robert Montgomery of Canada was the perfect holiday drink. He was quick to tell us the KFC stood for – Kentucky bourbon, fig and caramel. This drink mixed Maker’s Mark, Caramel Liqueur, Fig Jam, Peychaud’s Bitters, Absinthe, Water and an Orange Twist. The caramel and fig had the power to really put one in the Christmas spirit!

The other second place favorite was the Loretto Dram from Ricard Enell of Sweden. This strong drink included Maker’s Mark, Grande Marnier, Pedro Ximenez, Sherry, Bitter Truth Pimento Dram, Xcoclat Mole Bitters and Orange Zest. The best part of the cocktail story was that the competitor bought the chocolate bitters online from a store in NYC, had them shipped to Sweden, and then ended up bringing them to KY for the competition. This was a chocolaty, spicy, bourbon treat.

So you are probably wondering at this point, which was our favorite. Amidst the ginger, caramel, licorice and even pumpernickel-infused bourbon flavors, our first place was a refreshing blend of cucumber and bourbon. Completely unexpected that those two would go together, right?

Alain da Silva of France made the MMcc with Maker’s Mark, Cucumber Syrup, Fresh Lemon Juice and a Cucumber Slice. It was the one drink that wasn’t all bourbon, but also didn’t lose the bourbon. It was the perfect balance and the best use of the bourbon in our opinion.

Not surprisingly, our pick was not the majority vote. The trophy went to Kenji Nakamura of Japan for the Beautiful Dream. It combined Maker’s Mark, Lejay peach liqueur, Monin Peach syrup, Fresh Lemon Juice and Acerola juice. (Remember acerola? I used to get it in Brazil.)

This cocktail came with a funny story as well. The bartender’s translator told the audience that he had mixed the drink earlier in the day. Why? Because cocktail making isn’t such a quick process in Japan. I love cultural differences! And I have to say, while I don’t think this drink was the best use of bourbon, it was one darn good fruity drink that I’d take by the pool any day.

Of course, as we tasted we had to eat. These are a few of the fun appetizers we sampled.

A spring roll filled with soba and a peanut sauce, a mini-bean taco dipped in salsa and guacamole, chicken salad filled quiche-cups, pretzel rolls and a make your own bruschetta station.

What a fun night! It has me ready to do a little holiday mixology myself.

Updates and Mushroom Recipe Challenge!

October 18, 2010

First of all, thanks to everyone for the kind birthday wishes last week. It was a wonderful day! I couldn’t feel more blessed by all the celebrations and acknowledgements.

Yesterday was supposed to be the date of my 2nd half marathon. Yes, I said supposed to be.

I’ve been very sick lately. It’s been going on about 2 weeks now. After a couple bugs, I had a bad reaction to my antibiotic so it has been slow getting over.

I was in bed all weekend and after my second trip to the doctor last Friday I had to make the final decision that I would pull out of the race. I was incredibly disappointed because I had plans to meet up with Andrea of Off Her Cork. There was just no way I could run, though, so now I’m looking ahead to the half in Cincinnati next May.

So now you know where I’ve been. Why I haven’t commented on many of your blogs or posted many recipes of my own.

Until I’m back up and running around here I hope you’ll check out Friday’s post about the International Blogger Holiday Cookie Recipe Exchange I am co- hosting with Adrienne of Gastroanthropology. We are hoping this will be a fun way to get some new cookie recipes this season!

Finally, I’m excited to announce that the Mushroom Recipe Challenge from Marx Foods will be open for voting today. I entered my Acorn Squash Soup with Porcini Mushroom Cream and Wild Mushroom Goat Cheese Toasts.

Apparently all the entries were so delicious that 10 prizes will be awarded instead of just one! If you liked my recipe, I’d greatly appreciate your vote.

Fresh Wild Mushroom Recipe Challenge

Acorn Squash Soup with Porcini Mushroom Cream and Wild Mushroom Goat Cheese Toasts

October 7, 2010

A Blogger Mushroom Recipe Challenge? I’d love to participate!

That sums up my response when I received an email from Justin of Marx Foods a couple weeks ago. I was invited to participate, and after accepting the offer, a box soon followed in the mail.

In this box were five – ½ oz sample packs of dried mushrooms – Porcini, Lobster, Morel, Matsutake, and Black Trumpet. To conclude the note that accompanied them, Justin wrote:

One of my own personal pet peeves is when restaurant menus say that a dish is made of wild mushrooms when it is only portabellas, shitakes, or other cultivated varieties. This box contains only mushrooms that are actually hand-foraged from the forests of the Pacific Northwest.

As you can imagine, I was even more thrilled I had accepted the challenge.

My mission? To create a recipe using any or all of the mushrooms in the box.

This recipe will be put up for a vote on the Marx Foods blog.

What could I win if my recipe is voted the favorite? Three shipments of fresh wild mushrooms, one of which can be Oregon Truffles instead of mushrooms!!

I knew right away that I wanted to draw on the flavors of fall and having bought an acorn squash just before the mushrooms arrived, I decided this winter squash would be the mushroom partner. I also decided I wanted to work with the three mushroom types I had received which I’d never cooked with before – Porcini, Lobster and Matsutake.

Having chosen soup as the main attraction, I needed some type of sandwich on the side. A simple toast with herbed goat cheese topped with caramelized onions and wild mushrooms seemed the perfect solution.

Just as I was hoping, the earthy flavor of the Porcini mushrooms in a rich cream sauce paired nicely with the slightly sweet acorn squash. It went together even better than I expected, if I do say so myself.

I think Lobster mushrooms may be my new favorite. The combination of the tart goat cheese with the mushrooms goes so well with the soup.

So here you have my entry to the Blogger Mushroom Recipe Challenge by Marx Foods. If you like it too, I’ll let you know where to vote around October 18!

Acorn Squash Soup with Porcini Mushroom Cream

Porcini Cream

½ oz dried porcini mushrooms
½ tbsp olive oil
2 tsp onion, diced
1 clove garlic, diced
1 tbsp butter
1 tbsp white whole wheat flour
1 cup milk or cream (I used a half and half and 2% milk combo)
¼ cup fresh parmesan, grated
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp black pepper

Acorn Squash Soup

1 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ large onion, chopped
2 tbsp apple, diced
1 pinch dried sage
1 teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 acorn squash, roasted, flesh removed and mashed
2 cups of mushroom soaking liquid

Make the Cream:

Submerge the dried mushrooms in 2 cups of hot water for at least 20 minutes. Remove the mushrooms and pat dry, reserve the soaking liquid.

Dice the mushrooms. Heat ½ tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onions, mushrooms and garlic. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes until the onions and mushrooms are tender. Set aside.

In a sauce pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the flour and whisk until incorporated. Add the milk or cream a little at a time whisking vigorously to prevent clumps. Continue to whisk as the sauce thickens. Once it reaches desired consistency, preferably when it coats the back of a spoon, remove from heat. Stir in the parmesan, salt, pepper and cooked mushrooms and onions.

Set aside, but stir occasionally to prevent a film from forming on the top.

Make the Soup:

Heat the olive oil in a small soup pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the onions are soft. Add the apple, sage, salt and pepper, and cook about 3 minutes more.

Stir in the acorn squash and slowly add the mushroom soaking liquid. Heat through and allow to simmer for 2 to 3 minutes. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth.

Divide the soup into bowls and garnish generously with the mushroom cream. Makes about 4 appetizer-sized servings.

Wild Mushroom Goat Cheese Toasts

½ oz mixed dried wild mushrooms (I used Lobster and Matsutake)
½ tbsp olive oil
¼ onion, thinly sliced
2 oz herbed goat cheese
8 slices toasted bread or baguette

Soak the mushrooms in hot water for at least 20 minutes. Dry on a paper towel and finely chop.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-heat. Add the mushrooms and onion. Reduce the heat to medium and cook until onions are browned and mushrooms are tender.

Spread an even amount of goat cheese on each toast. Top with the onions and mushrooms. Makes 8 toasts, two for each person.

Disclaimer: These mushrooms were sent to me free of charge for the Marx Foods Mushroom Recipe Challenge. I was not required to participate and received no compensation for doing so. 

Thinkfood Cookbook Winner and Where I’ve Been

September 2, 2010

In hindsight it probably wasn’t the best decision to plan to announce the winner of the cookbook on the first day of my new job! Sorry for the delay!

My husband and I took a last minute trip to Las Vegas last weekend and had another wonderful time. With the trip and the new job, that’s why you haven’t seen me around lately. More posts will be up soon! I can’t wait to share a little food from our trip as well as details of a great run at Red Rock Canyon. I’m also looking forward to this holiday weekend and returning to my kitchen for a while.

Okay, finally, the news you want. The winner of the Thinkfood cookbook is #8 as generated by random.org, Melissa from My McDonald Meal!

Thanks for all your comments and for sharing your favorite brain food and recipes with me!

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