Blue Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

I have to admit that these little stuffed gems came as a nice surprise to my usually mushroom hating tastebuds - okay, 'hating' might be too harsh a word as I do like mushrooms in very small quantities mixed in with other things (I think it's the sometimes 'slimy' texture that I've always been adverse to.)  I made these for my hubby though, as he is a HUGE mushroom lover and they looked soooo good that I had to try some myself - delish!!!

Apologies that there isn't a final 'baked' photo - I was so excited how they turned out and couldn't wait to try them that I completely forgot - oops!!!  Next time I make them I'll try to remember and add it back here :o)

Blue Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms
makes about 12-15

12-15 large mushrooms (our local store actually had ones called 'stuffers' because there's a large cavity when you take the stems out)
4 oz garlic and herb cream cheese, softened
2 oz blue cheese
6 drops Tabasco hot sauce
pinch salt & pepper
6-8 slices of thick cut bacon

• using a damp cloth clean the tops of the mushrooms and remove the stems.
• in a medium bowl crumble the blue cheese, add the garlic and herbs cream cheese and mix to combine thoroughly.
• add the Tabasco, salt and pepper and mix again.
• divide the cheese mixture evenly amongst the mushrooms to fill each cavity.
• cut each slice of bacon in half and wrap each half around a mushroom, securing it using a toothpick through the sides.
• place in a high sided dish (I used a disposable foil tray) and either bake in a 400 degree oven or in a covered BBQ for 15-17 minutes or until the bacon is cooked and the filling has melted.

 Stuffed Mushrooms ingredients.

clean the tops of the mushrooms with a damp cloth and remove the stems.

crumble the blue cheese into a medium bowl...

add the garlic and herb cream cheese, Tabasco, salt and pepper and mix well.

divide the mixture between the mushrooms, stuffing the cavities well.

wrap 1/2 a slice of bacon around each mushroom and secure with a toothpick through the sides.

Then bake or BBQ for 15-17 minutes until the bacon is cooked....photo to hopefully follow shortly - we ate them before I could get a shot :o)

Crab Cakes

One of the wonderful things about living on the west coast of Canada is the abundance of seafood that we have here, and the abundance of wonderful people that are more than happy to share their freshly caught seafood with us :o)

Dean came home from work yesterday with a bag full of freshly caught and cooked crabs that a customer had very kindly given to him.  Now, I've seen crab alive in the ocean, I've seen them alive in tanks, I've eaten it in restaurants already shelled and prepared in scrumptious dishes, but in all my 42 years I've never 'cracked' a whole crab to get the meat out.  Google and my very helpful and knowledgeable friend and neighbour Alana to the rescue - Alana more so than Google because she also gave me this delicious crab cake recipe to try!!! (I was debating whether to do a photo montage of the shelling of the crab to begin with but quite honestly it was such a messy procedure that there was no way I was getting my hands anywhere near my camera at the time - just go to YouTube and you'll find plenty of videos to help you.)

Crab Cakes
8-10 depending on size

7 oz  fresh (or frozen) crabmeat
1/4 cup sweet red bell pepper, finely diced
1/4 cup sweet green bell pepper, finely diced
1/4 cup green onions, chopped
1/4 cup seafood dressing (either homemade or any brand you prefer) + more for dipping
1 egg, beaten
1 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs, divided
2 Tbsp vegetable oil

• line a rimmed baking sheet with wax paper and set aside.
• in a large bowl combine the crabmeat, peppers, onion, seafood dressing, egg and 1/4 cup of the breadcrumbs; mix gently so as not to break up the crabmeat too much.
• put the remaining 1 cup of breadcrumbs into a shallow dish.
• press small handfuls of the mixture into balls (about the size of a golf ball) and gently roll around in the breadcrumbs to coat all over.
• place the balls onto the prepared baking sheet and gently press down to make patties.
• refrigerate the crab cakes on the baking sheet for about an hour to allow them to firm up slightly before frying.
• once you're ready to cook them, heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium to high heat and fry the crab cakes for a couple of minutes each side until golden brown.

 before....

 ....after :o)

the remaining Crab Cake ingredients.

mix everything except a cup of breadcrumbs and the vegetable oil in a large bowl.

try not to break up the wonderful chunks of crab too much though.

form the mixture into balls...

...and roll around in the breadcrumbs to coat.

flatten them on the prepared baking sheet to make patties.

I forgot to take a photo of them frying, but they'll come out golden brown after a couple of minutes each side.

we just had ours with a simple salad and some more of the dressing.

Bacon Pinwheels

Quite frankly is there anything better on a lazy Sunday morning than bacon?  Being originally from England there's a very fond place in my heart for the simple 'bacon buttie' - that thick cut back bacon nestled between two slices of thick, crusty, buttered white bread, with maybe a smear of tomato ketchup or, as my brother would always have, HP brown sauce :o)

This morning though I thought I would make something with at least a little veggie appearance so that we don't feel so bad about eating the bacon!!  The original recipe from Pillsbury actually classes it as an appetizer but honestly you could eat these little guys any time of the day....all day. 

Bacon Pinwheels
(adapted from this Pillsbury recipe)
makes 18 pinwheels

1 tube of Pillsbury Grand Crescent Rolls
2 Tbs Ranch dressing
5 rashers of bacon
5 green onions
1-2 tomatoes
1/2 cup cheese, grated (I had some nacho mix left over)

• preheat the oven to 350 F.
• cut the bacon into small bite size pieces and in a small frying pan or saucepan, saute until beginning to crisp; drain on a plate covered in kitchen towel and set aside.
• meanwhile, chop the green onions and de-seed and chop the tomatoes.
• open the tube of crescent rolls carefully and lay out the dough cutting it to make two rectangles approximately 5" x 9"; pinch the perforated seams together so they don't tear while rolling up.
• spread each piece dough with a tablespoon of ranch dressing.
• sprinkle the bacon, onions, tomato and cheese evenly over each rectangle.
• starting from a short side, roll the dough to make a 'sausage'; repeat with the other piece.
• using a sharp knife, cut each 'sausage' into nine pinwheels and place onto ungreased cookie sheets, an inch or so apart.
• bake for 12-14 minutes until puffed and golden brown.
• remove from the cookie sheets immediately and serve warm.

 Bacon Pinwheel ingredients.

saute the bacon until just beginning to crisp.

chop the onions and de-seed and chop the tomato.

unroll the dough and cut into two rectangles.

spread with the ranch dressing.

sprinkle the bacon, onion, tomato and cheese evenly over the dough.

starting at a short side roll up to make 'sausages'.

cut into pinwheels using a sharp knife and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.

isn't that just a little puffed piece of perfection!!! :o)

sorry about the pink plate - we were so hungry, but I wouldn't let hubby have any until I'd finished photographing and it was the first plate I grabbed :o)

Baked Vegetable Egg Rolls

We spent a wonderful couple of hours yesterday at the home of very good friends of ours, for a small pre-Christmas get together.  My friend made some delicious guacamole, succulent bacon wrapped scallops (thankfully there were a few left over that she very kindly sent home with me :), a platter of cheese, crackers and veggies, and a wonderful assortment of cookies, cakes and other sweet treats (one of which was her delicious shortbread cookies, a family recipe with a secret ingredient - I now know it and have been sworn to secrecy!!! :) .  I took along some crispy chicken fingers (a favourite food of her eldest little boy), and these baked vegetable egg rolls.

I have to admit that appetizers are one of my favourite types of food - I've often been known to order a couple of appetizers instead of a main course in restaurants, much to the delight of my hubby, because undoubtedly there's usually enough for him to have a sample too :)

Baked Vegetable Egg Rolls
makes about 20 egg rolls

1 Tbs vegetable oil
1 inch fresh ginger, grated
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
5 green onions, cut into 1 inch julienne strips
1 carrot, grated
1 red pepper, cut into 1 inch julienne strips
2 bok choy, shredded finely

• (any combination of vegetables can be used - beansprouts, water chestnuts, broccoli, corn...whatever's your favourite or you have on hand)

1/4 cup vegetable stock
2 Tbs soy sauce (I used Tamari)
1 Tbs sugar
2 Tbs sesame oil
egg roll wrappers (mine were about 4 inches square) - while assembling the egg rolls, keep the wrappers covered with a damp towel or kitchen towel so they don't dry out.

• combine the vegetable stock, soy sauce and sugar in a small bowl: set aside.
• in a large saucepan or skillet, heat the vegetable oil and stir fry the ginger and garlic for 30 seconds.
• add the green onions, carrot and pepper and fry, over high heat for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
• add the broth mixture and bok choy, combine well and bring to a boil.
• reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until vegetables having softened.
• remove from heat, add the sesame oil and mix well.
• let the mixture cool for at least 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375 F, and place a cooling rack over a rimmed baking tray (I lined with foil, just for easy clean up).
• strain the vegetable mixture (you don't want the filling too wet otherwise it will make the egg rolls soggy)
• laying an egg roll wrapper on a flat surface (I used a small plate for ease), brush the top, left and right edges with a little water.
• add about 2 heaped teaspoons of mixture in the middle of each wrapper, fold the bottom edge up, and then the top edge down to overlap the bottom (the water will help the edges to stick together).
• squeeze the ends of the egg roll carefully, but firmly together to close the mixture inside.
• place the egg rolls seam side down on the prepared baking tray, brush with vegetable oil and bake for 20 minutes, turning half way through cooking time.
• serve with your favourite dipping sauce.

 Baked Vegetable Egg Rolls ingredients.

it takes a little time to get everything prepared but well worth it.

saute the ginger and garlic - the smell is heavenly :)

add the onions, carrot and pepper.

add the broth mixture and bok choy.

mix everything well, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.

let the mixture cool for 15 minutes and then strain the liquid away.

keep the wrappers covered with a damp towel or kitchen towel (on the left) while assembling.

after brushing the top and side edges with a little water and filling with the vegetable mixture, fold up the bottom edge.

fold down the top edge to overlap, before squeezing the ends to close.

brush each egg roll with vegetable oil.

even though I do have a couple of other, newer, basting brushes I always seem to grab my 'old faithful' first - he's stubby and losing his bristles, but he never lets me down, and I love him :)

serve with your favourite dipping sauce - we like the Asian Family's Thai Sweet Chili Sauce.