Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

So is it "portobello" or "portabella"? I guess it's one of those "tomato" or "tomato" things.  In either case, these mushrooms are delicious.  For this recipe I use "baby bellas" so they can double as an antipasto, or a nice contorno to accent your main dish.  You can also use the same stuffing with larger portobellos to make a hearty, yet healthy, substitution for meat in your main dish.

Ingredients:

1 package of baby bella mushrooms, stems removed
3 cloves of garlic, finely diced
2 shallots, finely chopped
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
Coarse sea salt
Crushed red pepper flakes, or freshly ground black pepper (your preference)
Balsamic vinegar, for drizzling
Extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Preparation:

Place the mushrooms bottom up on a plate. Finely chop the garlic, shallots, and basil and stuff into the mushrooms.  They will be overflowing, but it will cook down.  Drizzle  the mushrooms with balsamic and olive oil, then sprinkle with sea salt and the pepper of your choosing.  Let marinate for about half an hour, then place the mushrooms, bottom up, on the hottest part of your grill for five minutes. Remove and enjoy.

Grilling the mushrooms is my favorite way of preparing these, but baking at high heat, or using a broiler works great too.

Apple Gorgonzola Salad

This is a personal favorite - and great for big groups. My wife perfected this one (Thanks dear!).

Ingredients:

1 head of Romaine (de-ribbed), or a bag of mixed greens, or both.

• Adjust according to how many people will be eating. (TIP - once the dressing is applied the salad doesn't keep very well, so it is best to eat it all at once. The extra dressing will keep for at least a week so you can make more later, and it'll be fresh)

1 cup coarsely chopped, glazed walnuts (pecans work too if you prefer)

• to make the glaze, melt 2 to 3 tablespoons of butter on a light heat. Increase heat slightly once butter is melted. Toss in nuts to coat, then add 1/4 cup of brown sugar. Stir until the sugar has melted and created a coarse glaze on the nuts.

1 Granny Smith apple, chopped

1/2 cup crumbled gorgonzola

Red Wine Vinaigrette (usually makes enough for two salads)

• 1/3 cup red wine vinegar
• 3/4 tsp. dried oregano
• 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 pinch black pepper
• 2 tbsp. red onion, chopped fine
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil (a splash more if you are making a larger salad)
• Combine ingredients in a mason jar and shake to emulsify