Corn Tortillas Stacked with Sautéed Mushrooms, Spinach and Manchego Cheese

• 8 6-inch corn tortillas
• Extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes with the juice
• 2 teaspoons minced jalapeño or Serrano chilies, or more to taste
• 2 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
• 10 to 12 ounces sliced cremini mushrooms (about 4 cups)
• Coarse salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bag (5-6 ounces) baby spinach (about 6 cups packed), rinsed and drained
• 1 cup shredded Manchego or Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 cup Mexican crema, light or regular sour cream
• 2 scallions, trimmed, cut into thin diagonal slices

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Brush one side of each of the tortillas with the oil and arrange, slightly overlapping, on a rimmed sheet pan or baking sheet. Bake until warmed and slightly crisp, about 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile heat 2 tablespoons of oil over medium-low heat in deep skillet or sauté pan until hot enough to sizzle a piece of onion. Add the onion and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the chili powder and cumin and cook, stirring 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and heat to a boil. Cook, uncovered, until thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in the chiles and 1 tablespoon of the cilantro.

3. While the sauce is cooking heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet until hot enough to sizzle a slice of mushroom. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, over medium heat, until golden and tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add the spinach all at once and cook, covered, over medium- low heat, until wilted, about 2 minutes. Uncover and if there is moisture in pan, cook on high heat, to evaporate, about 30 seconds.

4. Remove all but 4 of the tortillas from the baking sheet and set aside. Ladle about ¼ cup of the thickened sauce in the center of each tortilla and spread to the edges with the underside of the ladle. Using half of the mushroom and spinach mixture place a portion on top of each sauced tortilla. Top with the remaining 4 tortillas. Add remaining sauce to each, and top with remaining mushroom and spinach mixture, dividing evenly. Sprinkle each with 2 tablespoons of the shredded cheese.

5. Return to the oven and bake until the tortilla stacks are heated through and the cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

6. To serve slide each tortillas stack onto a dinner plate. Top with a spoonful of sour cream, a sprinkling of scallions and a pinch of chopped cilantro. Serve at once.

Makes 4 servings

Adapted from Marie Simmons, Fresh & Fast Vegetarian

Mushroom Barley Soup

Variation of Zingerman's Ann Arbor Mushroom and Barley Soup from Epicurious. I loved it -- not Peter's thing.

• 1 1/4 cups whole, hulled barley
• 1 oz. dried mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 large or two small onions, thinly sliced
• 2 ribs celery with leaves, diced
• 1/4 cup parsley
• 3 carrots, peeled and sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pound fresh button mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon whole wheat flour
• 2 quarts beef broth or water (Better Than Bouillion works fine)
• sour cream for garnish

1. Soak the barley in 6 cups water for several hours (I did 6 hours). Add more water if necessary and parcook for 45 minutes.

2. Soak the dried mushrooms in enough hot water to cover for a half hour. Strain through a filter. Reserve the water. Coarsely chop the dried mushrooms.

3. Melt the butter in a stockpot and sauté the onion, celery, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, carrot, garlic, and all the mushrooms until soft, about 5 minutes.

4. Lower the heat and add the flour, stirring, for about 2 minutes or until thick.

5. Heat the broth or water. Add a cup of at a time to the mushroom mixture in the pot, stirring.

6. Turn the heat to high, and add the reserved mushroom water and barley. Stir well.

7. Simmer, covered, for about an hour or until the barley is tender and the soup is thickened, stirring often.

8. Add additional chopped parsley, mix thoroughly, and adjust seasonings.

9. Stir in a bit of sour cream at the table.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Chicken Stroganoff Pasta

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion (about 1 medium)
• 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (about 1 ounce)
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons sherry
• 1 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 5 cups hot cooked wide egg noodles (about 8 ounces uncooked pasta)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• variation: add carrots, peas

Melt butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add sage, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and mushrooms; sauté 5 minutes or until mushrooms begin to brown. Spoon mixture into a large bowl.

Combine 1/4 cup flour and paprika in a shallow dish. Cut each chicken breast half in half lengthwise; cut crosswise into 1/4-inch strips. Dredge chicken strips in flour mixture; shake off the excess flour mixture. Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken; sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and the remaining 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Sauté 4 minutes or until chicken is done. Add chicken to mushroom mixture.

Add broth and sherry to pan, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Reduce heat to medium-low. Place sour cream in a small bowl; sprinkle with 1 tablespoon flour. Stir with a whisk until combined. Stir sour cream mixture and remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt into broth mixture. Stir in chicken mixture; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Add noodles and parsley; stir well to combine.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1 2/3 cups)

Nutritional Information: CALORIES 427(28% from fat); FAT 13.5g (sat 5.7g,mono 4.7g,poly 1.6g); PROTEIN 28.7g; CHOLESTEROL 101mg; CALCIUM 96mg; SODIUM 625mg; FIBER 3g; IRON 3.4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 47g

from Cooking Light

Warm Mushroom and Arugula Salad

This is a wonderfully woodsy, warm salad for chilly autumn evenings.

• 7 tablespoons fruity olive oil
• 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, caps thinly sliced
• 8 ounces domestic white mushrooms, stems discarded, caps thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 anchovy fillets, minced
• 1/4 cup pitted Nicoise olives, finely minced
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 2 bunches arugula, trimmed, rinsed, and patted dry
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 4 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola cheese

1. Heat 3 tablespoons of the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and saute, stirring frequently, 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the garlic, anchovies, olives, capers, lemon juice, and balsamic vinegar. Simmer 5 minutes or so to blend the flavors.

2. Meanwhile, toss the arugula with the remaining olive oil in a large salad bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add the warm mushroom mixture to the arugula and toss until thoroughly blended. Mix in the Gorgonzola and divide the salad among 6 plates. Serve at once.

Makes 6 servings

from Cold Weather Cooking

Fried Rice with Octopus (Tako Chahan)

• 6 oz. cooked octopus legs
• 1 oz. dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1 green pepper
• 8 green onions
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3 cups hot cooked rice (preferably sticky rice)
• 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon soy sauce
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pinch of granulated chicken stock
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

1. If you can't get the octopus cooked then you'll have to prepare it yourself. Have your fishmonger cut off the body, then take the legs and sprinkle with a little salt (too much will make it chewy). Rub the legs to get rid of any stickiness and then wash thoroughly under cold running water. Boil for 2-3 minutes, drain, leave to cool, and pat dry.

2. Slice the octopus thinly. Soak the dried shiitake mushrooms in water until rehydrated. Squeeze lightly and then roughly chop the mushrooms, green pepper, and green onions. Finely mince the garlic.

3. Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over moderate heat. Add the garlic and saute for a minute or so till aromatic, then add the sliced octopus to heat it through. Remove to stop it getting too tough but keep it ready to add later.

4. Add the green onions, green pepper and shiitake mushrooms and fry again.

5. Stir in the hot rice, mixing well and season with oyster sauce, soy sauce, salt, pepper and granulated stock.

6. Finally mix in the octopus, season with sesame oil, and serve immediately.

from Harumi's Japanese Cooking

Yield: 4 servings

Pan-Seared Tuna with Ginger-Shiitake Cream Sauce

• 6 6-ounce tuna steaks, each about 1 inch thick
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped peeled fresh ginger
• 4 garlic cloves, chopped
• 8 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps sliced
• 6 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 1/2 cups whipping cream (can reduce amount)
• 3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• Lime wedges (optional)
• Fresh cilantro sprigs (optional)

Preheat oven to 200°F. Sprinkle 1 side of tuna steaks with pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in heavy large skillet over high heat. Place tuna steaks, pepper side down, in hot oil and sear 2 minutes. Turn tuna over and continue cooking to desired doneness, about 2 minutes for rare. Transfer tuna to rimmed baking sheet; keep warm in oven.

Add butter, sliced green onions, cilantro, ginger and chopped garlic to same skillet and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Mix in mushrooms and soy sauce and simmer 30 seconds. Add whipping cream and simmer until sauce lightly coats back of spoon, about 3 minutes. Stir in lime juice. Spoon sauce onto plates; arrange tuna atop sauce. Garnish with lime wedges and cilantro sprigs, if desired.

from Epicurious

Yield: 6 servings

Pasta Shells with Chicken, Mushrooms, Escarole, and Sun-Dried Tomatoes

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 cup sliced stemmed fresh shiitake mushrooms (about 2 ounces)
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/8 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 2 cups canned low-salt chicken broth
• 8 cups coarsely chopped trimmed escarole (about 1 large bunch)
• 2 cups medium pasta shells (about 5 ounces)
• 2 cups 3/4-inch pieces skinless roasted chicken
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced drained oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in large deep nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and saute until tender, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and crushed red pepper and stir 1 minute. Add broth and bring to boil. Stir in escarole; cover and cook 5 minutes. Uncover and cook until escarole is tender, stirring often, about 3 minutes longer. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain; return to pot. Add escarole mixture, chicken, and sun-dried tomatoes. Stir over medium heat until chicken is heated through, about 3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to bowl; sprinkle with cheese.

Per serving: calories, 385; total fat, 13 g; saturated fat, 3 g; cholesterol, 61 mg

from Epicurious

Yield: 4 servings

Easy Chicken Marsala

• ¼ cup of flour
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 4 chicken breasts (boned and skinless)
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• ½ cup of dry Marsala wine
• ½ cup of chicken stock
• juice from ½ lemon
• ½ cup of white sliced mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped parsley

Season the flour with salt and pepper. Lightly coat the chicken breast with seasoned flour.

Heat the olive oil in a frying pan on medium heat. Place the chicken breast in the pan and brown on both sides then remove from the pan and set aside.

Add the dry Marsala wine to the pan and gently bring to boil removing the alcohol. Add the chicken stock, lemon juice and stir in the mushrooms. Lower the heat and cook for about 10 minutes reducing the marsala sauce. Return the browned chicken breast to the pan spooning over the sauce. Cook for about 5 minutes on each side until cooked.

Serve with mashed potatoes or pasta. Garnish with parsley.

Serves 4

Whole-Wheat Rigatoni with Butternut Squash and Beet Greens

• 1 16 oz. package whole-wheat rigatoni or penne or some pasta
• 2 T. unsalted butter
• 1 onion, cut into slivers
• 1 1/2 to 2 lb. butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 5 or 6 shitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced 1/4-inch thick
• handful of white button mushrooms, sliced 1/4-inch thick†
• 1/4 c. dry sherry
• 3 c. chicken stock
• 3 oz. beet greens, from one bunch of beets (or Swiss chard), tough stems removed, cut into 1/2-inch strips
• 1 t. coarse salt
• 1/4 t. freshly ground pepper
• 2 oz. goat cheese, crumbled

Cook pasta in large pot of boiling water until al dente. Drain; set aside, covered in plastic wrap.

Heat butter in large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onion, and cook until translucent, about 10 minutes. Add squash and cook until slightly softened, about 10 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until tender, about five minutes. Add sherry and cook until liquid evaporates. Add stock and cook until vegetables are tender and stock is reduced by half, 15 to 20 minutes. Stir in greens and cook until wilted, about 3 minutes. Add pasta, salt, and pepper, and toss to combine. Serve with topped cheese, or don't. It tastes delicious without it.

Serves 4-6

† The original recipe called for all shitakes, totalling 8 oz. worth. At my local market, that was nearly $8.00 of mushrooms alone, so I opted for a five to give a nice flavor to my dish, then substituted regular old mushrooms. The total amount of mushrooms you use should be about 8 oz, break it down however you wish.

I really liked this recipe, it was easy to make and it was tasty and autumnal and filling. It was great reheated the next day for lunch as well.

Recipe stolen from Martha Stewart Living, November 2001. Adapted and reprinted without permission.

from Megnut

Creamy Seafood Casserole with Lemon Crumbs

• 5 tablespoons butter
• 4 tablespoons minced shallots
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup bottled clam juice
• 1 1/2 cups half-and-half
• 1/4 cup sherry, dry or medium-dry
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 pound wild or cultivated mushrooms, sliced
• 1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 pound bay scallops (or sea scallops, quartered)
• 1 cup cooked crabmeat, picked over (1/2 pound)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• salt and pepper

LEMON CRUMBS

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 1/2 cups fresh breadcrumbs
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1. To make the sauce, melt 3 T. butter in a medium-large saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Sprinkle on the flour and cook, whisking, for 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the clam juice, half and half, and sherry. Bring to a boil, whisking, and cook until the sauce is smooth and thickened, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

2. Preheat the oven to 375. Grease a shallow 2 1/2-quart baking dish with butter.

3. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet. Add the mushrooms and cook over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until they soften and begin to brown slightly, about 5 minutes. Add the shrimp and scallops and cook, stirring frequently, until the shrimp turn pink, about 5 minutes. Gently stir in the crabmeat and lemon juice. Pour the sauce over the seafood, stir to combine, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Scrape into the prepared baking dish.

4. To make Lemon Crumbs, melt the butter in a medium-skillet over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and toss until barely colored, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the parsley and lemon zest.

5. Sprinkle the crumbs over the seafood mixture. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until heated through and bubbly and the crumbs are golden.

menu: Trio of Autumn Greens and/or Winter Salad of Oranges, Radishes, and Basil, buttery dinner roles, and Walnut Pie for dessert

from Dishing Up Maine

6-8 servings