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Wordless Wednesday: Balsamic and Thyme Roasted Portabella Mushrooms

{via Craft by Katie Goodman}

Food Bloggers We Love: bell ' alimento

bell'alimento
Paula,??Raleigh, North Carolina

"My food philosophy is simply “beautiful food doesn’t have to be complicated”. Italian food is about simple, quality ingredients combined with love and are meant to be shared with family & friends! Punto! (period)"

How did you get into food blogging?
I started food blogging at the urging of friends. I had been posting what I was making for dinner on my Facebook status and received requests for recipes... One thing led to another and voila bell'alimento came to be.

What is your ultimate foodie fantasy?
My ultimate Foodie Fantasy would be to own my own villa in the Northern Italian countryside. Grow my own grapes, learn to make wine. Harvest my own olives for olive oil. Live off of the land.

What are your top 3 favourite recipes on your blog?
Yikes only 3 ;) Spaghetti alla Carbonara, Pollo al Marsala {Chicken Marsala}, and Pappardelle alla Salsiccia {Pappardelle with Sausage}.

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Thanks so much Paula for taking the time to be apart of our series.
Don't forget to follow Paula on her blog bell'alimento, on Twitter, and on Facebook.

Wordless Wednesday: White Pan Pizza with Mushrooms

{via Bitter Sweet}

Canadian Food Bloggers We Love: Cookin ' Canuck

Cookin' Canuck
Dara Michalski, Sandy, Utah, USA (but grew up in Vancouver)

How did you get into food blogging?
At first, food blogging was a means of sharing my recipes with family and friends. ?It was a lot easier than writing down a recipe for each person that asked. ?However, as time went on, my blog became a very important part of my life and took on a greater purpose. ?I came to realize that many people are very intimidated by cooking. ?By providing step-by-step photos with each of my recipes, and including weekly how-to tutorials for various cooking skills, it is my hope that my readers will be able to step into the kitchen with confidence and produce a meal that is healthy (most of the time) and tastes great.

What is your ultimate foodie fantasy?
My dream is to rent a modest villa in Italy, preferably one with a large kitchen and a patio overlooking neighboring olive groves and vineyards (okay, so maybe it wouldn't be that modest after all). ?My family and I would explore the area, making daily jaunts to the market to pick up the freshest produce, cheeses, and meat. ?Of course, our neighbors would be fabulous chefs and would willingly teach us the ins and outs of Italian cooking. Someday.

What are your top 3 favourite recipes on your blog?
Three of my favourite recipes on my blog are Bacon Polenta with Sauteed Crimini Mushrooms & Thyme, Chocolate Nutella Fudge with Sea Salt, and Mushroom, Caramelized Onion & Cannellini Bean Salad. ?As you can tell, I have a thing for mushrooms. They are, hands down, my favourite vegetable.

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Thanks so much Dara for taking the time to be apart of our series. I love that you are a big mushroom fan ;)

Don't forget to follow Dara on her blog Cookin' Canuck, on Twitter and on Facebook.

Behind the Scenes at Mushrooms Canada: Piccioni Bros. Mushroom Farm

Yesterday I mention on Twitter that I was making a trip to one of our member's farms, Piccioni Bros, to get some footage for our new?series?"Fresh from the Farmer"....

I don't think that I could have asked for a nicer day... although it was -10C with the windchill....

You see, what a lot of people don't?realize?is that even though it was -10C mushrooms are still grown fresh, 24/7/365. This is because they are grown in a building like this....
How many of you would have guessed this was a mushroom farm?

Let's take a little snoop around Lorenzo's farm....
Like that last picture? It's?mandatory?that you sport a hairnet as soon as you walk in the front door... and you have to remove all?jewelery.

Lorenzo was a good sport during filming, even though I know he hates being in front of the camera!

The Farmer profile was not my only reason for a trip to Piccioni's, I also had to pick up 100lbs. of white button mushrooms to be delivered to Guelph Food Technology Centre for some research. Ever wonder what 100lbs. of mushrooms looks like crammed into the trunk of a Toyota?Corolla?
Watch for the new "Fresh from the Farmer: Piccioni Bros. Mushroom Farm" coming soon!

Wordless Wednesday: Mushroom Risotto with Caramelized Onions

C-O-M-F-O-R-T-F-O-O-D!

{via Oh She Glows}

Food Bloggers We Love: For the Love of Cooking

The world of food blogging is a vast one... there are?literally?millions of food blogs out there! Some are about cakes, some are about vegans, some are about mushrooms (here here!!), and some are about the love of all food.

It's?undeniable?that these foodies have a talent. They take drool-worthy photos and create delicious recipes.?It's funny, they sort-of become "famous" in the online world...

When I started to plan this series I knew that I wanted to introduce you to some food bloggers that you may or may not have heard of... they inspire the heck out of me, and are kind-of like my "foodie celebrities."

So without further ado, welcome to our very first Food Bloggers We Love!

For the Love of Cooking
by Pam Nelson, Portland, Oregon

I am a stay at home mom with two children who inspire me to be a better cook. I love using fresh ingredients, organic when possible, and I like to experiment with different tastes and textures. I try to keep my recipes lower in fat but still tasting great. My favorite hobbies are cooking, photography and blogging so I decided to combine them and create a recipe blog. It has been a wonderful way to organize my recipes and share them at the same time.

How did you get into food blogging?
I started in 2008 as a way to organize my recipes

What is your ultimate foodie fantasy?
Taking cooking classes in Italy, Greece, and Spain.

What are your top 3 favourite recipes on your blog?
That is a hard one to answer because I have nearly 700 recipes, but if I had to pick three they would be: Shredded Beef and Cheddar Baked Flautas, Roasted Vegetable Lasagna, and Baked Onion Rings.

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Thanks so much Pam for taking the time to be apart of our series.
Don't forget to follow Pam over on her blog For the Love of Cooking.

The Big Question: Can you freeze fresh mushrooms?

I'm going to come right out and say it... I'm cheap!

Ok, ok cheap is a bad word, let's just say that I am?frugal, and it's because of this?frugalness?that I try to extend the food that I buy and use it to it's full potential rather than throwing it away.

In order to use up all the food I buy, I often make my recipes in big batches and freeze them, because let's face it I am also lazy.

So what happens when you have a package of mushrooms in your fridge that is on the brink of going bad? The first thing you likely think is, "I can't freeze fresh mushrooms," and to that I would respond, you are mostly correct.

Technically?you cannot freeze mushroom in their natural state. They are made up of over 90% water so when you freeze them they turn to mush. But...?you can however freeze fresh sauteed mushrooms!

Saute + Freeze = Good!
To start, simply rinse the mushrooms in a colander under cool running water to remove any particles of peat moss. Don't soak the mushrooms, they will absorb water and increase the risk of getting freezer burnt (yuck!). Pat them dry immediately with paper towels. Slice or chop the mushrooms (if using pre-sliced mushrooms, you are one step ahead). Heat 1 tbsp of ?olive oil in a fry pan over medium-high heat. Add mushroom to hot pan and sauté for 3-4 minutes, until mushrooms are brown and tender. If you want flavoured mushrooms can also sauté with garlic, onions, and/or spices, or even make a duxelle. Allow mushrooms to cool, then transfer to a small freezer container. Pushing the mushrooms to the bottom of the container and sticking a small piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the mushrooms will help prevent freezer burn, and make sure the lid's on tight! Label the containers with the date. They can be kept for approximately 2-3 months. Uses
When ready to use your frozen mushrooms simply pop them out of the container and drop the frozen block into the frying pan. Add ½ tbsp of oil and sauté until mushrooms are warm. There is no need to pre-thaw the mushrooms. If using in a recipe, sauté mushrooms until warm, then add other ingredients.

Pros
•?The is the best method to use when you want to maintain the taste and texture of a fresh sauté.

Cons
•?If the mushrooms are not packed tight into the container, air will start to cause freezer burn.
•?Freezer burn can slightly alter the taste and texture of the mushrooms.

Recipes you could use frozen fresh mushrooms in:
• Creamy Mushroom Lasagna with Three Cheeses
• Provencal Poached Salmon Dinner
• Rustic Salmon Quiche

Stuffed Mushrooms... it ’s what’s cookin’ for the Super Bowl

Wouldn't you know it, it's National Stuffed Mushroom Day... and it just so happens that stuffed mushrooms are on my menu for my (food-filled) Super Bowl Party this weekend!

Now I will confess, I am not a huge football fan (hockey is more my thing), but I can't say no when invited to a Super Bowl party for one reason... the food! Oh, the food!?Nachos, chicken wings, pizza, chips & dip, and everything that can possibly be deep fried!

Of course I always turn to my trusted stuffed mushrooms... everyone loves them, and pretty much expects me to bring them (one time I showed up at a party without stuffed mushrooms and everyone looked at me like I had lost my mind!).

So in the spirit of Stuffed Mushroom Day and the Super Bowl, here is a little round-up of recipes to help you celebrate!


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Do you have any?favourite?stuffed mushroom recipes? Please share!!

Choose Heart Healthy Mushrooms this Month

February. It's already shaping up to be a very busy month! I mean, we've got the Super Bowl a few days away, Valentine's Day in a little over a week, and Family Day (in most provinces)... so I think that it is very fitting that February is known as "Heart Month."

Of course we all want to keep the good 'ol ticker in excellent shape, but just how do you go about it? Maintaining a healthy weight and keeping blood cholesterol in check are some of the best ways to keep your heart healthy. Eating more fruits and vegetables can also help protect our hearts against cardiovascular disease by providing vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and fibre, as well as plant compounds called phytochemicals.

Fresh Mushrooms Can Help!

Watch the WeightMushrooms are a perfect choice for weight management, since they have high water content, are low in fat and contain fibre: three factors that help you feel full with fewer calories (that means less room for calorie-laden foods).
Cut the Cholesterol
Fresh mushrooms contain both soluble and insoluble fibre. Soluble fibre has been shown to help prevent and manage cardiovascular disease by lowering the levels of total and LDL cholesterol.

Adding the Antioxidants
Fresh mushrooms contain significant levels of l-ergothioneine, which acts as an antioxidant.?Ergothioneine doesn’t break down when it’s heated, which means you can enjoy mushrooms raw or cooked!

Mushrooms Make a Difference

Add ½ cup white button mushrooms as a side to chicken.?Benefit: one 1 extra gram of fibre. Mix 1 cup of diced portabella mushrooms into risotto.?Benefit: three 3 extra grams of fibre. Include 1½ cups sliced crimini (brown) mushrooms in pasta sauce.?Benefit: five 5 extra grams of fibre.
For more about heart health visit the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada.