Shortcut to what?

MUSHROOMS!  

(Thanks for playing along, Geek Readers.)

A while ago, I confessed to not liking mushrooms.  The next day I bought some and made some stuff.   I was in a bit of a frenzy, so I can't remember exactly what I did, and again, these are my crappy iPhone pictures (must remember to use real camera).

I know that I chopped them up really fine,

 sauteed them in butter with garlic, 

threw in some chicken stock - frozen in ice cube trays - perfect for this sort of thing.  I make a lot of pan gravy.  

Then I whirled the whole thing in the food processor because I really can't get past the texture.  

Put it back in the pan and thinned it out again with stock and wine, and spooned it over a chicken tender.  

Is there a way to make a mushroom sauce look pretty?
I don't think even a real camera and sprig of something green could save that.

AND I LOVED IT.

I loved it so much, I added milk to what was left in the pan, and maybe some other stuff, and ate in on pasta.  While standing over the stove. 

 And I think I ate a little much - it's very rich - but I can't wait to try more! 

Me, after eating possibly too many mushrooms..... wait.
Also: Dig the ShrinkyDink earrings my 5 year old made for me.

The moral of the story, dear readers, is:  If you throw yourself down a hill to get away from the farmer you're stealing from and the black riders who are looking for you, you could just find a shortcut to mushrooms.

~OR~

Try something you think you don't like.  You might change your mind. 

But I'm still not doing olives.  I take my martinis up with a twist. (Gin, no Vermouth)

STROGANOFF!! (to scare the birds)*

Inspired once again by my lovely internet friends of this blog, Facebook and Twitter, I decided this week to try a flood that I think I don't like.  (Thanks, guys!)  It was almost olives, but I just can't get there.  I think I have to be satisfied with my adoration of olive oil, and be done with it.

No, this week I made two recipes with mushrooms in them. Here is one. The other is forthcoming. The secret for me is that I can't know that the mushroom is there. It needs to hide its creepy spongy texture and only reveal its delicious earthy flavor. Then, mushrooms and I are cool.

DILLED PORK STROGANOFF
Makes 4 1-cup servings
Total time: 30 minutes


· 1 (1 pound) pork tenderloin cut in ½ inch strips
· ½ tsp salt, divided
· ¼ tsp pepper
· 2 ½ tsp butter, divided
· Cooking spray
· ½ cup chicken broth
· 2 cups onion, chopped
· 1 (8 oz) package mushrooms
· 1 cup low-fat sour cream
· 1 Tbsp chopped fresh dill
· 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
· 1 tsp flour
· Dill sprigs

Season pork with1/4 tsp salt and pepper. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray, then add 1 ½ tsp butter and melt over medium heat.. Add pork, sauté 4 minutes or until pork loses its pink color. Remove pork from pan; cover to keep warm.

Add broth to pan, cook 20 seconds. Add 1 teaspoon butter, ¼ tsp salt, onions and mushrooms; cook 8 minutes or until lightly browned; remove from heat.

Meanwhile, combine sour cream, dill, mustard and flour in a small bowl. 

Add sour cream mixture and pork back to pan; stir well on low until stroganoff is heated through.

Serve over wide egg noodles and a side of peas or asparagus. Yum!

*Wondering what I'm talking about in the title?  Here you go:

If you don't know the work Calef Brown, you should. I think of his poem, "Polka Bats" every time I hear the word STROGANOFF. These are the books I look forward to reading to my kids over and over again. Smart, funny rhymes - and crazy illustrations, too.

 A local band named Clementown has set two of his books to music. They are also seriously awesome. We've seen them in concert twice now, and I think I'm even more excited to see them than the kids are. Again, this is the CD I don't mind being on repeat in the car for days.

photos here and here