Sauteed King Oyster Mushrooms

I enjoyed playing around with this giant mushroom, I can't wait to find more and see what else I can discover. I was reading how Juliana dealt with this mushroom in a saute on her Simple Recipes blog. I was inspired by her and Kristy and added my own twist on the final product...
As promised here is the sauteed king oyster mushrooms, or stir fry however you want to call it.

This time I am seeing what can be done with the texture. Although it isn't the exact same mushroom as Kristy used on My Little Space I wanted to try shredding it like she did so that's what I did instead of slicing the mushroom, you don't use a knife...just my hands to tear it apart.

Does it look like chicken? These are such lovely mushrooms.


including a Florida sweet onion ...not the whole thing, I use just a quarter of it. I love it when these are in season. They are not too strong at all, and they caramelize nicely.

with the green beans that were already in the fridge, just sliced them up, along with some flowering chives...
...and I am also going to try the culantro in this dish.


Ingredients:
2 - 3 King oyster mushroom
1 cup green beans sliced
1 shallot or small sweet onion chopped
3 cloves garlic crushed and chopped or garlic paste or garlic ginger paste
1 handful flowering chives sliced
2 - 3 culantro leaves chopped or 1/3 bunch fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon butter
½ tablespoon soy sauce
Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions:In heated pan add the butter and saute the onions and garlic for 1 -2 minutes, add the beans and cook until tender. Stir in the mushrooms, chives, soy sauce, culantro, sea salt and pepper. Let them cook over high heat for a couple of minutes or until mushrooms become soft / tender. If using cilantro add it toward the end. (If you like it spicy you can add red pepper flakes or chilies.)

I used mushroom soy sauce and it did turn out a little dark if you wanted to look like chicken...but it was really good. I really liked this dish, I will definitely make sure this to a regular around here. So satisfying you don't miss even the meat.

King Oyster Mushrooms

I just love mushrooms, and I wish I had more varieties available to me to try. Yes, I know I can order them on line...maybe some day I'll be able to do that. For now I'll just pick up some along the way that I happen to run across, and share them with you.
Like these King oyster mushrooms I found at an Asian Market down the street from my husband's jet ski shop. Where they have quite a large area for produce and fresh fish. It is so much fun going in there. They even have many already prepared foods, and smoothies and bubble tea.

Back to the King oyster mushroom, also known as king trumpet mushroom, French horn mushroom. I saw a similar abalone mushroom on My Little Space, it is an oyster mushroom variety, that tastes a little stronger...I think...so they say...I hope to try that one too.

I thought I would making it a couple different ways, oven roasted (of course) and the other is sauteed and I will post that one next.
It is a little different than the mushrooms I am used to. The cap is small and the stem is thick and the bulk of the meat, and cooks up tender. To prepare after a quick wash, remove the crusty part on the bottom...you want it nice and smooth. Slice and place on a cooking sheet sprinkle with some seasoning, garlic, olive oil and sea salt

This was another good way to use my Parmesan & garlic olive oil! Roast in a medium oven 375 degrees, for 15-20 minutes until tender. I also threw some asparagus in the oven too.

Topped with some Parmesan cheese and it makes for a nice side dish...or lunch!

It has a good texture and was very mild flavor to me. My daughter actually tried it...she said it was good, but then she didn't want any more. I was happy she even tried it. I think this will go good in most any dish. It was my lunch!



A sandwich for my husband made with roasted king oyster mushrooms, some sweet Florida onion, horseradish cheddar, cheddar cheese, arugula, radicchio with a pesto mayo to finish it off. Wonder what I'll come up with next?

Whole Wheat English Muffins

Ever since I found out how easy it is to make your own English muffins I have been making them quite often. They are great for that perfect morning sandwich. I did switch it up a little and also make these whole wheat English muffins. Just as easy to make the dough in the bread machine. I like these that don't have a lot of nooks and crannies just because they toast up so well. One day I'll make the kind that you scoop into the ring molds on top of the griddle and see how the little holes appear in the middle. But that will be another day when I remember to save enough tuna cans.


Whole Wheat English Muffins

1/4 cup warm water
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
3 tablespoons melted butter or oil(good oil that you like to use)
1 table spoon honey
1 egg
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons yeast

cornmeal (for rolling out on)

Place all ingredients (except cornmeal) in the bread machine. Put them in order of bread machines directions. Mine calls for the wet ingredients first and the egg slightly beaten, then the dry ingredients with the yeast on top. Use the dough setting to make the dough. When it is done roll the dough out on a surface that is dusted with corn meal.

Using a large round cookie cutter, which I found on sale and couldn't wait to try making English muffins with a proper cutting tool rather than a big coffee mug. Or you can use a tuna can that both ends were cut off from (washed of course) cut the dough and place on baking sheet to rise for 20-30 minutes. I cover mine with a clean kitchen towel like my grandmother used to do...not the terry cloth towels, but the linen looking towels.


When ready, cook them on a griddle over medium heat for about 5 minutes per side until golden brown just the way you like them...


it's pretty simple and oh-so-good...

no oil needed in the pan...


ready to slice and enjoy...my daughter likes them warm right off the pan. Toast them or make your favorite breakfast sandwich.


I'm not sure how long they will last, because they get eaten pretty quickly around here.


nothing like homemade English muffins with homemade jelly...

Salmon Rice Salad

Where did this week go? I am back to work after having a week off for Spring Break so I have to again squeeze my blogging time in between family, home, my-time. Last week was more doing things that I put off during my busy weeks of working. Spent time with my in-laws who are down from Michigan. Of course it is during peak tourist season and spring break. We have to time it right if we want to do anything, after Easter it slows down and we can enjoy our beaches and restaurants again.

In the meanwhile we eat often at home (unless someone wants to take us out to eat) :) We usually have fish at least once a week, when I make salmon It's nice to make a little extra for bento box lunch. This recipe is a good way to use up those leftovers, and make for a nice healthy lunch. I used some left over salmon and saffron rice, added edemame because that is something I always have in the freezer, you can add what you like and have on hand.

Salmon and Rice Salad
2 olive oil (I used a garlic parmesan olive oil)
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 or 2 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh)
1 teaspoon dill (I used dried)
1/2 teaspoon garlic ginger paste
1 cup brown rice
1/2 cup or more cooked fresh salmon
1/2 teaspoon capers (rinsed)
1 carrot (shredded)
1/4 cup edamame (cooked and cooled)
sprinkle of sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

In a small bowl whisk together the first 5 ingredients until smooth. In a larger bowl add the remaining ingredients and mix well, pour the dressing over the top and mix to coat everything. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.

Now if you have some other ingredients that you would like to add of course feel free, and if you like more dressing increase the amount! As a matter of fact all the amounts are adjustable!

I was first going to make it Thai inspired with fish sauce and red chili pepper, but since the salmon was cooked with dijon I decided to go that way with the dill and dijon.



The rice, salmon and veggies never looked so good. ;) and a little different from my regular fried rice I would normally do with leftover rice.

A parent of a student I was taking care of in the clinic gave me this bottle of olive oil from the store that she runs. I was thrilled when she brought this in to me when she came to pick up her sick child. That was so nice and unexpected of her. She is Indian and we always talk of Indian food and recipes when she comes in...so I think she knew I would appreciate the oil.

My husband doesn't care for cold salmon so I guess there is more for me! Unless someone cares to come over and join me by the pool for some lunch? Who knows what I'll put in it next time!

Matcha (Green tea) Shortbread Cookies

I just wanted to say that I am not a big fan of St Patrick's Day food. I have never liked corned beef and cabbage. When I was a kid I thought corned beef reminded me too much of ham (which I never liked). Cabbage just smelled funny and I never understood how any one could like it (through a child's eyes). I now eat cabbage and enjoy it ever since I've seen Ina Garten make it this way on Food Network's The Barefoot Contessa.

So simple...just melt a little butter in a pan, add some sliced cabbage, sprinkle with some sea salt and saute until tender...

...and enjoy! That's it! That's all there is to it, none of this boiling it to death...the best thing is...it is so yummy like this. And for corned beef, I do eat it on Ruben sandwich.


As for the green tea cookies, here's the story. It is my Saturday to post on Our Krazy Kitchen, and since my segment is Cultural Connections I thought "oh no they'll probably expect something Irish". Then the other day I was reading the Mountain Rose news letter (I get many of my organic herbs from there) and they had a recipe for Matcha Shortbread Cookies on the Mountain Rose Blog so I thought these would be perfect for my post, at least they are green!



Matcha or green tea powder is used in many recipes across the board...I've seen it used in pasta, cakes, breads and many cookies, including shortbread cookies. I first bought the green tea powder meaning to add it to drinks and such to help incorporate this healthy tea into my diet. Well to be honest, green tea is not one of my favorite drinks. So the ideas have been collecting for other ways to use it. I was able to find it in my local Asian market, I also saw it at Whole Foods, so I know you shouldn't have much trouble finding it.



I made half a batch just to see if I would like it, so here is my "half" recipe that I adapted from Mountain Rose Blog
they made them with a vanilla bean glaze, but I didn't want it that sweet.

Matcha Shortbread Cookies

1 cup organic flour
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 cup organic powdered sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons organic matcha powder
1 stick (1/2 cup) organic unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (my homemade)

Directions:
Sift the dry cookie dough ingredients together in a small bowl. In a batter bowl, whip the softened butter until just smooth. Add the vanilla extract to the butter and then combine with all of the dry ingredients. Flatten and shape the dough into a disc. Wrap the dough in plastic and chill for about an hour in the refrigerator until firm.

Lightly flour your work surface, as well as the top of your dough, and roll out to about an 1/8”. Cut rolled dough with your favorite cookie cutters and place them on parchment paper lined baking sheets. They don’t expand much at all, so don’t worry about creating lots of space between the cookies. Bake them in a preheated oven at 325°F for 10-15 minutes or until lightly golden at the edges.

My Notes: I really liked them, so tasty and good, they did have a strong green tea flavor, but if you don't like that and want to cut back on the matcha powder add in a little more powdered sugar. I think that I had it in the refrigerator for too long because it was so hard I had to wait a while for it to be soft enough to roll out. By the time I had them on the baking sheet they were a little too soft, but they still tasted good. I think next time I won't roll them so thin, or you could shape it in a log and just slice them after refrigerating off from that to make the cookies.


I had a friend tell me once that you shouldn't point out your mistakes, then everyone will think you planned it that way. Well I would do that if I was serving it to people...but here on my blog I want to let you know and learn from it hehehe or not! Okay so here it is, I thought the cookies ran a little because it was too warm, but to tell the truth I used regular organic sugar and not powdered sugar...I even asked myself how odd it was that they didn't use powdered sugar in shortbread, but no, I read it wrong and yes it called for powdered sugar, I imagine it would work better the way the recipe reads. :) But I must say...they were still good!


I'm on spring break so we were able to go see sunset a couple of times this week.


I never get tired of seeing the sunset over the Gulf. We met some people from Maine that were so impressed with seeing the sunset over the water like this. She said there are not too many places that you can see this. I never thought of it like that before. I grew up in Michigan and we spent the summers on the coast where we saw one beautiful sunset after another over Lake Michigan which looked like the Gulf, then I lived in Hawaii and enjoyed such beautiful sunsets as well. I realized how lucky we are to enjoy such amazing sunsets when ever we wish.

Really no matter how you look at it...


...from every angle...

So that is why I like to share them with you all! :D

This recipe joined in on Bake with Bizzy and playing along with #greenslove@ Ms Pensamientos

A Few FunThings

I ran across some fresh cranberry beans and garbanzo beans at our Amish market. I have never had them fresh like this before so I had to pick some up.

I have never shucked beans before either, so this was fun in small batches, I'm sure it would get old if I had to do a whole bunch.

Here is the fresh green garbanzo bean...funny to see them like this all green and fresh. Have you had them like this? How did you prepare them?

I cooked them in water until tender, and then sauteed them with shallots and some greens. What would you do?

Remember that turmeric root that I planted? It grew into a beautiful plant, and I used the leaves cooked in some dishes I made. A while back I was able to harvest some more of the roots.

I will cook with some and then plant some more again. I have it in a clay pot and planted some in the ground as well. It was fun to do, the one in the pot grew bigger than in the ground. I planted some ginger a few years back but did not harvest the ginger each year, so they come back every summer and produce some beautiful flowers and a nice green foliage near my back border. I wonder if the turmeric will come back and flower?

Next I love sweet potato fries, but when I make them at home I never deep fry anything, so when baking regular sweet potatoes they are so moist it is hard to get them crispy without frying. So I baked some Japanese sweet potato fries, seasoned nicely, they are dryer and turned out great! Of course these were in a little long, but I do like them crisp. Now I want to find the perfect dip for them, any ideas?

Finally, I picked up this herb at the farmers market last weekend. I have never seen this before, it's culantro, also known by many other names. Found in and used widely in Mexico, the Caribbean and through south Asia. It tastes similar to cilantro, but a little stronger. It is supposed to be easier to grow than cilantro, which is good because I just can't seem to grow cilantro, or parsley for that matter. It likes partial shade so I have it in a pot on my front porch. I'm excited to try it. Have you ever used this culantro before?

Lime Bars - Martha Mondays

It was Megan's turn author of Megan's Cookin' and she chose Lime Bars for us to make this week for Martha Mondays. This was great! She chose lime bars from the St. Patrick's Day recipes, and I know it was supposed to be green and all, but....I still have some lemons left on my tree and I was looking for a lemon bar recipe so I thought I would make a slight change...
After all key lime pie doesn't turn out green...unless you add green color to it. I just used lemons instead of limes (I do love key limes so I'll try it that way later) I added a pinch of salt and a dash of vanilla extract that is all the changes I've made...not so bad for me!

Lime Squares with Pistachio - Graham Cracker Crust - Martha Stewart Living


I found this vintage juicer at a tag sale, I have a fancy electric juicer, but for small jobs this works best.

I also had this box of graham cracker crumbs already in my cupboard (I had planned on making lemon bars and a lemon cream pie). This is so nice, you can measure a cup if that's what you need, no fuss, no muss! Not that tossing them into a food processor is difficult, but these were on sale so cheap I couldn't pass up the ease.

So since I didn't have to pull out my food processor I just chopped the pistachios in a mini chopper that I have and after this I decided to get rid of it. It doesn't do that good of a job and it takes up space. I left the nuts a little big so you would know they were in there.

See...now you can even see them in the crust
I did use the parchment paper as she suggested to make it easy to pull out of the pan. You could probably use a tart pan with a removable bottom as well.


They were very good nice and creamy, sweet and tart, kinda like key lime pie would be. Yummy, but these pieces were rather large.


but we still ate it, right before lunch...no, just kidding we at it for dessert after lunch! The rest of them were cut smaller and I think I'll dust them with some powdered sugar.

My daughter gave it a thumbs up too.
We are on spring break this week so I have plans to get all sorts of things done.
We'll see...