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Last month a little packet of delicate Japanese Brown Beech Button Mushrooms came in my CSA box. Fortunately there was a recipe for a flatbread using the little rascals. I modified it slightly into a pizza using what I had on hand. This was a total success! Even G ate the mushrooms (unknowingly)!
Of course you can make this with any kind of mushrooms you have on hand! Just wipe any dirt off and slice first depending on their size.
All you need:
1 tsp olive oil
2 c Japanese Brown Beech Button Mushrooms
1/2 small onion, chopped finely
pizza dough (I used Trader Joe’s Whole Wheat)
2-4 TBSP pesto sauce (also used TJ’s here)
1/2 c shredded mozzarella cheese
parmesan cheese
OPTIONAL: 3-4 fresh basil leaves
1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Cut mushrooms off base. These mushrooms are so tiny they don’t need to be chopped. Mine were clean w/out dirt on them so I just cut the base off so that they were all separate & free individuals!
3. Heat olive oil in a skillet at medium. When oil is hot, add onions & mushrooms. Stir frequently cooking until onions are slightly soft, for about 2-3 minutes.
4. If you’re using a pizza stone, prepare as you normally would for a pizza. I used a cookie sheet. Brush with olive oil and then sprinkle corn meal on top of the oil.
That prevents the pizza dough from sticking plus it gives a nice texture to the bottom of your crust.
5. Place rolled or stretched dough onto cookie sheet (or pizza stone).
6. Spread a few spoonfuls of pesto (either homemade or pre-made) over the top of your dough, leaving 1/2″ at the edge.
7. Add mozzarella cheese, then the mushroom/onion mixture following by a sprinkling of grated parmesan (to your taste!)
Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted & golden. Sprinkle fresh torn basil on top!
Japanese Brown Beech Button Mushroom & Pesto Pizza
Author: Christina Cox
Recipe type: Pizza
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Easy pizza!
Ingredients
1 tsp olive oil
2 c Japanese Brown Beech Button Mushrooms
½ small onion, chopped finely
pizza dough (I used Trader Joe’s Whole Wheat)
2-4 TBSP pesto sauce (also used TJ’s here)
½ c shredded mozzarella cheese
parmesan cheese
OPTIONAL: 3-4 fresh basil leaves
Instructions
Preheat oven to 450.
Cut mushrooms off base. These mushrooms are so tiny they don’t need to be chopped. Mine were clean w/out dirt on them so I just cut the base off so that they were all separate & free individuals!
Heat olive oil in a skillet at medium. When oil is hot, add onions & mushrooms. Stir frequently cooking until onions are slightly soft, for about 2-3 minutes.
If you’re using a pizza stone, prepare as you normally would for a pizza. I used a cookie sheet. Brush with olive oil and then sprinkle corn meal on top of the oil.
That prevents the pizza dough from sticking plus it gives a nice texture to the bottom of your crust.
Place rolled or stretched dough onto cookie sheet (or pizza stone).
Spread a few spoonfuls of pesto (either homemade or pre-made) over the top of your dough, leaving ½” at the edge.
Add mozzarella cheese, then the mushroom/onion mixture following by a sprinkling of grated parmesan (to your taste!)
Bake for about 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted & golden. Sprinkle fresh torn basil on top!
Want to hear something crazy? My kids like mushrooms. The list of things my husband doesn’t like is too long for this blog posting so having 2 preschoolers who like mushrooms makes me feel pretty happy. Don’t worry – they hate lots of other things (like grilled cheese).
Last week I bought 2 oz cartons of crimini mushrooms thinking I’d find the time to make a summer vegetable torta despite my husband having his 40th birthday the day before Easter while also having his father in the hospital. What was I thinking?
Monday night we got home late and in endless battle against making “noodles” I whipped this up to avoid finding these shriveled a week later and having to toss.
This takes about 15-20 minutes from start to finish. You can’t make pasta with jar sauce much faster.
You’ll need:
8 oz mushrooms (I used crimini but you can use any you have on hand)
2 TBSP olive oil (or butter)
2 TBSP onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 TBSP flour, separated
2 c vegetarian chicken flavored broth
1 c whole milk (or cream or evaporated milk)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper (or to taste!)
1/4 tsp nutmeg
This is so easy!
1. Brush dirt off mushrooms & slice.
2. Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions & mushrooms and cook until onions are soft (about 4 minutes), stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
3. Stir in 2 T of flour, coating the vegetables.
4. Add broth, stirring frequently until it thickens.
5. In a small bowl, combine cream with remaining 1 T flour and seasonings. Whisk together until combined thoroughly.
6. Add mixture to soup, stirring occasionally as it thickens.
OPTIONAL: add fresh chopped thyme or tarragon!
I doubled the recipe and we had about 2 bowls of leftovers.
A surprisingly tasty, simple & quick cream of mushroom soup!
Ingredients
8 oz mushrooms (I used crimini but you can use any you have on hand)
2 TBSP olive oil (or butter)
2 TBSP onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 TBSP flour, separated
2 c vegetarian chicken flavored broth
1 c whole milk (or cream or evaporated milk)
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper (or to taste!)
¼ tsp nutmeg
Instructions
Brush dirt off of mushrooms & slice.
Heat oil in large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions & mushrooms and cook until onions are soft (about 4 minutes), stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook for 1 more minute.
Stir in 2 T of flour, coating the vegetables.
Add broth, stirring frequently until it thickens.
In a small bowl, combine cream with remaining 1 T flour and seasonings. Whisk together until combined thoroughly.
Add mixture to soup, stirring occasionally as it thickens.
M had a plain grass-fed burger with ketchup & pickles only. She will always eschew toppings in favor of letting the ingredients stand on their own. (I.e. she’s increasingly picky.)
She loved it!
Besides burgers, they have Portabella mushroom, veggie (rice, black bean & corn), salmon, chicken & turkey burgers. I am mostly vegetarian these days and will definitely try the veggie burger next time.
The friendliness of the women who run Shaka Shack makes you want to stay there all day. This is what I love about small neighborhood businesses and what separates them from chain restaurants.
That kitten = my family right now. We are struggling this past month or so. My dear father in law has been in the ICU for several weeks from a brain hemorrhage. In addition to that, add 2 ER visits, a nasty cough/bronchitis, a car accident (no injuries but car is totaled), stomach flu, and asthma.
Besides my father in law, things could be a lot worse. Even his situation could probably be a lot worse. Lucky for Medicare – an efficient government-run national healthcare program that works really well, he’s been receiving top notch care at UCLA. If he had been relying on private insurance my in-laws would be bankrupt by now.
Every spring I look forward to a newish tradition: our Easter Egg Hunt & Brunch. I have enjoyed planning & executing it for the friends we don’t see enough. It’s a really fun day for us and I’ve been wracking my brain every night trying to figure out how I can do it this year. But I finally concluded that it’s just not do-able this year. G’s turning 40 the day before Easter and I don’t want to be totally stressed during his birthday. I’d rather take the kids and let him go off on a bike ride that day. So it’s with great regret that I cancel our 3 year old tradition for this year. However, we’ll be back next year!! Mark your calendar for Easter 2014!
