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!

Slightly adapted from Steamy Kitchen.

It’s been exciting having this huge yield of lemons from my next door neighbor’s tree. I’ve been getting “Southern Living Magazine” this year thanks to my niece’s magazine drive and have stumbled upon a few yummy recipes.

Lemon curd can be used for lots of things including Lemon-Yogurt Crumb Cake, Lemon Tiramisu, Lemon Souffles, Lemon Bar Cheesecake and even Rosemary Lemon Curd Martinis which I shall try as soon as I lose this hacking cough. Wonder if I can make a Lemon Curd Nyquil Martini?

This is a really quick microwave/cheater method. I’ll tell you how to do it via stove top too though if you really can’t stand the idea of nuking your curd. Haha!! “Nuking your curd!”

INGREDIENTS:
2 TBPS lemon zest (about 4 lemons)
1 c lemon juice (about 4-6 lemons)
1/2 c butter, softened
2 c sugar
4 eggs

Beat 1/2 c butter, softened and 2 c sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended. Add 4 eggs, one at a time. Beat until just blended each time. Add lemon juice slowly until just blended.

Now add zest & stir.

If it looks curdled, you

You’re about to microwave this so make sure it’s in a large microwave-safe bowl!

**NOTE: See bottom of post for stove-top method!**

Microwave on HIGH for 5 minutes, stirring every minute. That means just set it for 1 min, then open, stir, put back in or 1 min etc. I wrote hash tags on a little paper because I was being talked to and interrupted the whole time.

Now microwave 1 or 2 more minutes on HIGH stirring every 30 seconds. It should be thickening and sticking to the spoon.

Poor into an airtight container. Cover with plastic wrap being sure it touches the surface of the curd to keep it from getting a “skin” on top. Can be refrigerated up to 2 weeks.

Stove top method:

Instead of microwaving, place in a 4 qt saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook for 14-16 minutes, whisking constantly. Pour into air tight container & cover with plastic wrap (directly touching surface of curd to prevent “skin” from forming.)

Source: Southern Living Magazine

Have you ever started baking something using the eggs in your fridge only to discover the “Sell by” date was a month prior? What do you do? Use them? Toss them?

There’s a way to test your eggs for freshness!

Here’s what you do:

Place eggs in a bowl. Cover with regular tap water. There should be enough water that another egg would fit on top of each egg and they would still be covered in water.

Now observe your eggs:
1. Really fresh eggs will lie down on their sides, longways.
2. Eggs that are still OK will stand up on the small pointy tip.
3. Bad eggs will float.

When I tried this, mine stood on their tips:

Those pictures are sort of useless. But anyway – it’s an easy test. I also saved the styrofoam egg crate to use as a jewelry sorter.

Happy Hump Day! Stay tuned for more lemon recipes…

Here’s a REALLY easy cookie recipe for when you have NO TIME.

I just made these this morning for our daycare’s caroling at the convalescent home. Totally forgot I was going to make them until around 8AM. D’OH!

No pictures – no time. These are winners from The Pioneer Woman. You only need one bowl. You are done making them from start to finish within about 20 minutes. They are chewy, tasty & yummy. The only change I made was to use the turbinado raw sugar to roll them in but if you don’t have it you can use plain sugar too.

Source: The Pioneer Woman

Until recently I always bought the pre-made pie crusts. After hearing how easy it is to make a pie crust, I tried it. It IS easy!

Try it this Thanksgiving. It will add about 10-20 minutes to your pie making (depending how lackadaisically you go about these things…) and is sure to impress.

At first I was slightly worried because all the recipes I found suggested using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment. But then I thought about Ma on Little House in the Prairie and wondered how she used her Kitchen Aid with no outlets in her kitchen. I realized it IS possible to make a pie crust w/out a $300+ kitchen tool. Thanks, Ma!

All you need:

1-1/4 c all-purpose flour
1 TBSP sugar
1/4 tsp salt
8 TBSP cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 TBSP cold water

NOTE: This will make enough dough for ONE bottom crust. If you’re making a pie that needs a top crust, double this recipe.

Whisk together the flour, salt & sugar.

If you have a stand mixer, use your paddle attachment to combine the butter with the dry ingredients.

Here’s what your butter should look like:

I used this pastry cutter that my dear friend Nina gave me:

(She gave me that about 10 years ago and didn’t know what it was until I started cooking recently. Thanks, Neen!)

Keep cutting the butter into the dry ingredients until the butter is in pea-sized pieces.

LOVE that shadow across the ingredients! Of course the one day my kids were out was DARK & rainy. Perfect for food pix.

Now drizzle in the water while kneading.

If your dough is “dry” and/or not coming together, add a little more water but go very sparingly on that. I added about another 1/2 TBSP

If you have the stand mixer, you can use your paddle attachment and mix until dough JUST comes together. I simply kneaded with my hands (which explains the lack of pictures). Then form dough into a ball, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

Placed in a freezer Zip-loc, pie dough can be stored in the freezer for 2 months. If you need it that week, you can make it a day or two ahead and keep in the refrigerator. Make sure it is wrapped properly so it doesn’t dry out.

Tomorrow: how to make a pecan pie with this dough!

Source: Annie’s Eats