Favorites from The Little Mushroom: Baked Green Beans Dijon

A while ago I picked up a comb-bound cookbook for a restaurant called The Little Mushroom, which after a little research, was apparently a very popular little place here in Dallas during the 70's.  I'm all about some nostalgia, so I bookmarked some of the recipes that sounded more like than not to turn out pretty well.  This is my first attempt, and other than the almost overbearing Dijon mustard flavor, it was actually quite good and definitely easy for a week night when the same old green bean casserole just isn't doing it for you.

Note: I used the full 3 tablespoons of Dijon mustard that the original recipe called for, and it was quite...strong.  I would probably go with 2 from now on, unless I was cooking for someone who just really needed their sinuses cleared.

Baked Green Beans Dijon
From Favorites from The Little Mushroom

½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
2 to 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon dried minced garlic
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
Dash Tabasco
2 (16-ounce) cans green beans, drained
½ cup finely chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Combine the first seven ingredients and mix well. Place the green beans in a baking dish and cover with the sauce mixture. Bake for 15 minutes. Top with the pecans and bake for 10 minutes more.

Makes 8 servings

Best Turkey Tetrazzini

I think one of my favorite casseroles is turkey tetrazzini.  If I see this anywhere at a restaurant, you can be guaranteed that I will order it, even knowing it's probably not that good.  Even better if I'm at an old school cafeteria.  I'm not sure where my love for this dish came from, but it's pretty all-consuming.  And I've been looking for an amazing recipe so that I don't have to rely on the frozen Stouffer meals I've been packing into my freezer.  This casserole is everything good and warm and creamy and savory.  And it's a fantastic use of all that extra holiday turkey.

Best Turkey Tetrazzini

6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided use
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced

4 shallots, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced
¾ cup medium sherry
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
1½ cups turkey stock

2 cups heavy cream

Kosher salt
¾ teaspoon ground white pepper

1 teaspoon dried thyme

⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 cups shredded turkey

12 ounces spaghetti noodles, cooked

¾ cup frozen green peas, optional

3 tablespoons pimento
½ cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, divided use
⅓ cup panko

Preheat oven to 350°F.

In a 12-inch skillet, melt 5 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat.  Add mushrooms and shallots and sauté until the mushrooms have released their water and the shallots are translucent.  Add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds or so.  Deglaze the pan with the sherry and allow it to reduce by half.

Sprinkle the flour over the mixture and stir, allowing the flour to cook slightly.  Add the turkey stock and heavy cream and allow the mixture to cook until thickened.  Add the salt, pepper, dried thyme, and nutmeg to season.  Fold in the turkey meat, spaghetti noodles, green peas, pimento, and ½ cup of the Parmesan cheese.  Turn the mixture out into a greased 13x9-inch glass baking dish.

In a separate dish, combine the remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan cheese, panko, and the remaining butter, melted.  Sprinkle the panko mixture evenly over the casserole and bake, uncovered, for approximately 30 minutes, or until bubbly and breadcrumb topping is lightly browned.

Makes 12 servings

Emeril Lagasse: Breakfast Casserole

It's not Christmas morning unless there's a breakfast casserole involved.  I've made this casserole before, and it's always a good choice when you want something easy to slide into the oven in the morning without any work.  It's filling and tasty.  You could honestly season it any way you want; the bread soaks up anything you throw at it.

Breakfast Casserole
Adapted from Emeril Lagasse, as seen at Food Network

6 large eggs
1 cup half-and-half
1 teaspoon dry mustard

1½ teaspoons Emeril's Essence or other all-purpose seasoning

3 teaspoons kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper  
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 slices Texas Toast (thick cut, crusty white bread), cubed
1 pound spicy pork sausage, cooked and drained of fat
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

3 green onions, chopped

In a small bowl, beat the eggs until homogenous. Add the half and half, mustard, and seasonings. Mix well and set aside.

Grease a 13x9-inch baking pan. Line the pan with the bread cubes. Sprinkle the bread with the cooked sausage, cheese, and green onions. Pour the egg mixture over the entire pan. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cook, covered, for 25 to 30 minutes or until the egg mixture is set.

Makes 8 to 10 servings

Big Oven: Mexican Tortilla Rollups

In full disclosure, I did not make these tortilla rollups, my sister did.  But that certainly didn't stop me from frequenting the plate a little too often to grab another bite.  These are really simple, and yet a very tasty appetizer that comes together quickly and is popular with the whole family.  Definitely a keeper.

Note: Some other recipes also included shredded Cheddar cheese, and honestly, I think that's also a fantastic idea.  Add away.

Mexican Tortilla Rollups
Adapted from Big Oven

1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (4-ounce) can diced green chiles
1 (2.25-ounce) can sliced black olives
1 tablespoon thinly sliced green onions

½ teaspoon garlic powder
6 slices cooked ham, chopped
6 large flour tortillas (burrito size)

Salsa, for serving

Drain black olives and give them a rough chop. Place green chiles, chopped black olives, and green onions into a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine. Add the cream cheese and garlic powder to the green chile mixture. Work the cream cheese into the mixture with a wooden spoon. Mix until the cream cheese is completely combined.

Using a spatula, spread 1/6 of the mixture evenly on top of a flour tortilla and place a slice worth of chopped ham on top. Roll up the tortilla, then wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for a couple of hours to allow flavors to meld.

When ready to serve, slice each roll into pinwheels.  Serve with salsa.

Sweet Pea's Kitchen: Cranberry Orange Pecan Muffins with Streusel Topping

Every year for Thanksgiving, my mom makes cranberry orange pecan muffins.  They're good, but I felt like I could get some more flavor into them.  More orange-y sunshine for the cold winter months.  So I tinkered with the recipe below, and I got a muffin with some pretty fantastic flavor.  The orange-soaked cranberries in these really pack a punch.  And the streusel topping is just a great crunchy foil for the super tender muffins.  Definitely give this one a try.

Note:  If you want to use fresh cranberries, you can substitute 1½ cups fresh, but just know that the orange flavor won't be as pronounced.  The orange juice I call for below is just an individual serving size bottle.  If you don't want to buy a small bottle just for this recipe, you can use a little over a cup of orange juice to soak the cranberries.

Cranberry Orange Pecan Muffins with Streusel Topping
Adapted from Sweet Pea's Kitchen blog

1⅛ cups dried cranberries, coarsely chopped

1 (11.5-ounce) bottle orange juice, divided use

1 cup pecan halves

2 cups plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided use

1 cup plus 4 teaspoons granulated sugar, divided use

1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons softened and remaining 6 tablespoons melted

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

⅔ cup buttermilk

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

2 teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon baking soda

Put the dried cranberries into a small bowl.  Open the orange juice bottle and set aside ⅓ cup for the muffin batter.  Heat the remaining orange juice until steaming, pour over the dried cranberries, and cover with plastic wrap.  Let sit for the dried cranberries to reconstitute, approximately 30 minutes, or until cranberries are soft.  Drain the cranberries, discarding the soaking liquid.  Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350°F.  Spread pecan halves out on a sheet tray and toast in the oven for 5 to 7 minutes until fragrant.  Once cooled, chop and set aside.

To make the streusel, in a small bowl, combine the 2 tablespoons of softened butter with the 3 tablespoons flour, 4 teaspoons granulated sugar, and 1 tablespoon brown sugar.  Cut butter into dry ingredients until it resembles coarse sand.  Mix in half of the chopped pecans, reserving the other half for the muffin batter.  Set aside.

Prepare 2 muffin trays with liners for 18 muffins.

In another small bowl, combine the reserved ⅓ cup orange juice, orange zest, buttermilk, egg, vanilla extract, and the remaining 6 tablespoons melted butter.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining 2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.  Mix well to distribute the ingredients.  Pour in the wet ingredients and mix just until combined.  Add the cranberries and the remaining chopped pecans.  Mix to combine.

Distribute the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups.  Evenly sprinkle the prepared streusel topping over the muffins, gently pressing into the batter to help it adhere.  Bake until muffin tops are golden and just firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, approximately 18 to 22 minutes.  Cool muffins in tins on a wire rack for 5 minutes before removing and serving.

Makes 18 muffins

Cafe Delites: Garlic Herb Butter Roast Turkey

Roasting a turkey has always made me nervous.  You're on the spot for the main protein at one of the biggest holiday meals of the year.  This is like the Olympics of cooking.  And you don't want to let the family down.  I've tried many recipes over the years, but it seems like the perfect turkey (moist breast, browned crispy skin) is pretty elusive.  Luckily this recipe actually comes shockingly close to perfection.  And it's really not that hard to make, although crossing your fingers and hoping luck is on your side is also not a bad idea.

Note:  Be careful turning the turkey - I burned my finger on the pan trying to flip this big boy.  Totally worth it, though.

Garlic Herb Butter Roast Turkey
From Cafe Delites

Roast turkey:
1 (12-pound) whole turkey, skin on (fully defrosted, washed, giblets and neck removed)
3 heads garlic, cut in half horizontally, divided use
3 slices lemon, divided use
6 sprigs thyme, divided use
6 sprigs rosemary, divided use
½ cup olive oil, divided use

Herb butter:
4 ounces unsalted butter
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
4 teaspoons minced garlic
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 425°F for standard ovens, or 390°F for convection. Lower oven shelf to the lowest part of your oven.

Combine the herb butter ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Reserve half of the herb butter in the refrigerator for later.

Line a large roasting pan with foil or parchment paper. Arrange the 4 halves of garlic cut-side down on the bottom of the pan with 4 sprigs each of thyme and rosemary, half of the olive oil, and 1 slice of lemon.

Thoroughly pat turkey dry with paper towels. Stuff with the remaining garlic halves, lemon slice, a squeeze of lemon from remaining slice, herbs, and a drizzle of olive oil.

Melt the butter and rub all over the turkey, including under the skin. Season generously all over with salt and pepper. Place turkey on top of the garlic and herbs in the pan BREAST-SIDE DOWN. Drizzle with the remaining oil.

Roast uncovered for 30 minutes for a small turkey under 13 pounds, or 45 minutes for a larger turkey over 14 pounds.

Turn turkey over (breast-side up) with a pair of tongs, a clean tea towel, or oven mitts (heat-proof gloves) and baste with pan juices. Spread half of the reserved herb butter over the top of your turkey with a spoon or brush (be careful, the turkey will be hot and the butter will melt nicely over the skin). Pour any remaining juices over your turkey.

Reduce heat to 325°F (for standard ovens) or 300°F (convection). Roast, uncovered, for an hour.

Slather turkey generously with remaining butter and roast for 30 minutes. Baste again, then continue roasting for a further 30 minutes or so, depending on the size of your bird. *Tent loosely with foil if starting to brown too fast.* (For an extra large turkey, you may need an additional half hour to an hour.)

For extra crispy skin, broil (or grill) in the last 5 to 10 minutes, keeping your eye on it so it doesn't burn, until the skin is crispy and golden browned all over. Tent turkey with foil and allow it to rest for 20 to 30 minutes before carving and serving.

The Stay at Home Chef: Best Brownie Recipe Ever

I already have a pretty awesome brownie recipe that my mother has been making since before I can remember, but the combination of the "best" accolade and the fact that this one has chocolate chips in the mix made me curious to try it.  Sure enough, these are pretty awesome.  Plus, I think these are pretty easily scaled up for large gatherings.

Note: Instead of using the parchment paper, I just sprayed the pan with cooking spray.  I used Valrhona cocoa powder in the mix; the cocoa powder you choose will definitely impact the depth of the chocolate flavor.

Best Brownie Recipe Ever
From The Stay at Home Chef blog

10 tablespoons salted butter, melted

1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ cup milk chocolate chips, melted
¾ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup milk chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a metal 9x9-inch pan with parchment paper.

Pour melted butter into a large mixing bowl. Whisk in sugar by hand until smooth, 30 seconds. Add in eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk 1 minute. Whisk in melted chocolate until combined and smooth.

Use a rubber spatula to stir in flour, cocoa powder, and salt until just combined. Stir in whole chocolate chips. Pour into prepared pan and smooth out.

Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool in pan 30 minutes before slicing.

Makes 9 servings

The First Year Blog: Bubbling Witch's Cauldron Brownies

I'm not sure why, but I really enjoy Halloween.  Maybe because it's the one day a year where even adults get to dress up and act silly, and there's no judgement.  Plus, you get to eat weird food that walks that line between delicious and just a little bit creepy.  Like these little brownie cauldrons full of a green witch's concoction and eyeballs.  Definitely fun for the kids, too.

Bubbling Witch's Cauldron Brownies
From The First Year Blog

1 box brownie mix, plus the required ingredients
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 to 2 cups powdered sugar
Green food gel (such as Wilton leaf green gel food coloring)
Large green nonpareil sprinkles
Small green nonpareil sprinkles

Eyeball sprinkles

Pretzel sticks

Preheat the oven and prepare the brownie mix as directed on the box.

Spray a mini muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray. Fill each muffin well ⅔ full with brownie batter. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and use a ½ tablespoon to create indentations in each brownie. Allow the brownies to cool completely then remove from the pan.

To make the buttercream, beat the butter with an electric mixer until smooth, 30 seconds. Gradually add in the powered sugar, beating until incorporated. Add in a small amount of green food coloring, beat until mixed.

Use a spoon to put a dollop of buttercream in each brownie cauldron. Use the spoon to create wisps in the buttercream.

Add large green nonpareils, small green nonpareils, and eyeballs to the buttercream. If you want to create the look that the cauldron is bubbling over, have the buttercream go down the side of the brownie and add nonpareils. Add a broken pretzel stick to each cauldron as a stir spoon.

Serve or store on the counter until ready to serve if serving the same day, otherwise store in an airtight container until ready to serve.

Makes 24 brownies

Taco Bell Enchirito and Meximelt with Top Secret Recipes: Taco Bell Seasoned Ground Beef

Having worked at Taco Bell for a year or so when I was 16, I never thought I would see the day that I'd be actively trying to replicate dishes that I regularly had to slop together during my shift.  No, really.  But there's something kind of nostalgic about these food items that I used to eat when I was a kid, but that are no longer on the menu.  The trick to both of these items is the infamous steamer.  This is a unit that uses steam to melt the cheese on menu items, but it also makes the tortillas more pliable.  You almost can't replicate this at home.  Almost.  I was able to get a similar finish using a cheap handheld fabric steamer.  Or having failed that, the microwave.

Taco Bell Seasoned Ground Beef
From Top Secret Recipes

1 pound ground beef
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon dried minced onion
½ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon onion powder
Dash garlic powder
½ cup water

In a medium bowl, combine the ground beef with the flour and spices. Use your hands to thoroughly mix the ingredients into the ground beef.

Add the seasoned beef mixture to the water in a skillet over medium heat. Mix well with a wooden spoon or spatula, and break up the meat as it cooks. Heat for 8 to 10 minutes, or until browned. The finished product should be very smooth with no large chunks of beef remaining.

Enchirito

Small fajita-size flour tortillas
1 can vegetarian refried beans

Taco Bell Seasoned Ground Beef (above)
Diced white onion
1 can La Victoria red enchilada sauce
Finely shredded Cheddar cheese
Sliced black olives

Warm the tortillas. Heat up the refried beans in a medium saucepan over medium heat.

Spoon about 3 tablespoons of refried beans down the center of each tortilla. Spoon 3 tablespoons of beef on top of the beans followed by a couple teaspoons of minced onion. Roll the fillings up in the tortilla, then flip the tortilla over so that the seam is on the bottom. Spoon the enchilada sauce over the top, then sprinkle with cheese and place three olive slices down the length of the enchirito. Using a handheld fabric steamer, point the steam at the cheese until it melts or microwave, covered, until the cheese melts.

Meximelt

Taco Bell Seasoned Ground Beef (above)

Small fajita-size flour tortillas

Pico de gallo

Three cheese blend (equal parts shredded mozzarella, Cheddar, and Monterey Jack)

Warm the tortillas.  Take one flour tortilla, spoon about ¼ cup seasoned ground beef down the center, then a couple of tablespoons of pico de gallo, then sprinkle with three cheese blend.  Using a handheld fabric steamer, point the steam at the cheese until it melts or microwave, covered, until the cheese melts.  Fold in half like a taco or roll up into a burrito to eat.

How to Roast a Lamb: Tomato and Green Bean Salad

Whenever I see those super cool yellow wax beans at the grocery store, I have this itch to fill up a bag and go to town.  Cool produce just calls to me.  But inevitably I get it home and then seem to be at a loss of what to actually make with it.  Luckily for this trip I was in possession of this fantastic salad recipe that takes advantage of all of the flavor and beauty of the late summer harvest.  A fresh and delicious end to the summer.

Tomato and Green Bean Salad
From How to Roast a Lamb, as seen at Leite's Culinaria

For the red wine and feta vinaigrette:
½ cup red wine vinegar
1 small onion, sliced and grilled until tender
6 basil leaves
1 teaspoon thyme leaves
¼ cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
6 garlic cloves, smashed
2 shallots, thickly sliced
2 tablespoons dried Greek oregano, or less to taste
2 to 3 teaspoons kosher salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup extra-virgin olive oil

For the salad:
½ pound string beans, preferably a mix of green beans and yellow wax beans, ends trimmed
⅓ to ½ cup Red Wine and Feta Vinaigrette (above)
2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
4 vine-ripe tomatoes, preferably heirloom, cut into rough wedges
1 teaspoon dried Greek oregano
½ small red onion, thinly sliced and separated into rings
6 small sprigs flat-leaf parsley, leaves picked and torn
6 small sprigs dill, leaves picked and torn
16 leaves mint, torn
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Make the vinaigrette:
Combine the vinegar, onion, basil, thyme, feta, mustard, garlic, shallots, oregano, salt, and pepper in the bowl of a food processor. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil until smooth and satiny. Season the dressing with pepper. You can use the vinaigrette immediately or set it aside for up to several days, stirring to recombine just before using.

Assemble the salad:
Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl halfway with ice water. Blanch the beans until tender but still snappy, about 3 minutes. Then use tongs or a large slotted spoon to move them to the ice water bath, swishing them around. Drain well and place on a clean kitchen towel to dry.

In a bowl, combine the beans, feta, tomatoes, oregano, red onion, torn herbs, and as much of the vinaigrette as you desire and toss well. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, although taste it first as you may not need more salt due to the feta.

Makes 4 to 6 servings