Herbed Mushroom Morsels

1 (8 oz.) pkg. sliced white mushrooms.

2 Tbsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried thyme

½ tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. black pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Place all ingredients in gallon ziplock freezer bag and shake well to coat mushroom. Let mushrooms sit in bag for 10 minutes to allow flavors to blend.

Spread mushrooms on a jelly roll sheet (baking sheet with sides) lined with parchment paper.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until well browned.

These are delicious on their own as a side dish. You can also stir them into soups, stews, and rice dishes or top meats such as steak or chicken with them. 

Slow Cooker Pork with Mushroom Gravy

2.5 lbs. boneless pork chops

2 small sweet onions, chopped into 1 inch pieces

1 (8 oz.) pkg. sliced fresh mushrooms

¾ c. white wine

1 family size can (26 oz.) Cream of Mushroom soup

1 packet mushroom gravy mix

In a 6 quart slow cooker, place onions and mushrooms. Season pork with salt and pepper and place in slow cooker on top of vegetables.

In a separate bowl, stir together cream of mushroom soup, gravy mix, and white wine until smooth. Pour over pork.

Cover and cook on LOW 6-8 hours or HIGH 3-4 hours.

Remove pork to a serving platter. Transfer vegetables from liquid to serving bowl with slotted spoon. If gravy is too thin, pour cooking liquid into saucepan. Stir a little water into 1 Tbsp. corn starch to make a slurry. Stir slurry into liquid in saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened to desired gravy-like consistency. 

Serve meat, vegetables, and gravy with rice or mashed potatoes.

Mustard Roasted Potatoes

2 1/2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes
2 yellow onions
3 tablespoons good olive oil
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
Kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

Cut the potatoes in halves or quarters, depending on their size, and place them on a sheet pan. Remove the ends of the onions, peel them, and cut them in half. Slice them crosswise in 1/4-inch-thick slices to make half-rounds. Toss the onions and potatoes together on the sheet pan. Add the olive oil, mustard, 2 teaspoons salt, and the pepper and toss them together. Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, until the potatoes are lightly browned on the outside and tender on the inside. Toss the potatoes from time to time with a metal spatula so they brown evenly.

Serve hot sprinkled with a little extra salt.

This is a modified version of an Ina Garten recipe.

Potato Salad

2 lbs. red potatoes, diced, skin on if desired

½ c. chopped onion (I used a mixture of red and yellow)

¼ c. chopped bell pepper

1 tsp. prepared yellow mustard

¼ c. diced dill pickle

Juice of 1 lemon

2 Tbsp. minced fresh dill

2 Tbsp. salt (divided)

1 tsp. black pepper

½ c. mayo (I used Hellman’s Light)

2 Tbsp. white wine vinegar

2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard

Boil potatoes in large stock pot filled with water and 1 Tbsp of the salt. Drain and let cool. Stir onion and bell pepper into potatoes. Mix remaining ingredients to make dressing. Stir into potato mixture. Chill and serve.

Parmesan Zucchini Sticks

3 large zucchini (about 1 1/2 pounds)

1 cup dry breadcrumbs

1/2 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

1/2 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 egg beaten

Cooking spray

 

Preheat oven to 400°.  Cut 1 zucchini in half crosswise; cut each half lengthwise into 8 wedges. Repeat procedure with remaining zucchini. Combine breadcrumbs, panko, cheese, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper in a shallow dish. Dip zucchini in egg; dredge in breadcrumb mixture. Place zucchini on a cookie sheet coated with cooking spray. Lightly coat zucchini with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 25 minutes or until golden brown.