Napa Farmhouse 1885™

I "retired" from the corporate world a couple of years ago because I wanted to experience a real life after years of 80 hour work weeks and constant travel. A year later I realized that I was having a really good time, was always busy (how did i ever fit in a job??) and needed a creative outlet to share my experiences. Now I split my time between California and New Mexico but, wherever I am, I write about delicious, fresh, local, organic/sustainably grown food.

Showing posts with label mushrooms. Show all posts

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Rye & Roasted Butternut Squash Dressing

Each Fall I eagerly pour through the November editions of every food magazine I can find exploring all the different Thanksgiving recipes. Sometimes I give them a try..., most of the time I stick with my family's favorite traditional dishes. Last year I took a leap and made an intriguing dressing from Sunset Magazine made with rye and sourdough bread, roasted butternut squash, mushrooms and mushroom broth. Oh, my! This is my new "traditional" dressing, to be repeated each year. I love it so much I am making again for Christmas dinner.

The recipe is vegan and perfect for the vegetarians at your holiday table. This year, I added vegan smoked apple-sage sausage that vegetarians and meat-eaters both love. You can make the dressing the day before (up to the adding to a greased baking dish stage) and then bake the day of your party, Of course, it is delicious with turkey, but Christmas day dinner with a prime rib roast? Sublime.

Oh and here is a tip. Fry some of the leftovers the next morning and top with a poached egg. This is crazy good. Happy Holidays everyone!

Rye & Roasted Butternut Squash Dressing
From Sunset Magazine
(makes 16 cups)

1 1/2 pounds cubed butternut squash
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 medium onion, chopped
2 large garlic cloves, chopped
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
2 celery stalks, chopped

1 lb vegetarian (or not) apple-sage sausage (optional)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 loaf (1 lb.) stale artisan-style rye bread, cubed
1 loaf (1) stale sourdough bread, cubed
3 to 4 cups reduced-sodium mushroom or vegetable broth, warmed
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

sea salt

black pepper

Preheat oven to 375°. Toss squash with 1 tbsp. oil. Sprinkle with seas salt and pepper Spread out on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast until tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat remaining 2 tbsp. oil in a large frying pan. Cook onion, garlic, mushrooms, and celery, stirring often, until softened and starting to brown. Sprinkle with salt, then transfer to a large mixing bowl.

Cut sausage into slices 1/2 inch thick and saute in the now empty skillet for 2 minutes per side (add a little bit of olive oil to coat the pan) Add sausage to the bowl with vegetables.

Add bread cubes, roasted squash, broth, and parsley; toss gently to combine. Transfer to a greased 9- by 13-in. baking dish.

Bake at 350° until warm in the center and top is just toasted and crusty, about 1 hour.

It is Holiday Side Dishes week at Food Network's Fall Fest roundup. Do you have a favorite side dish recipe to share? Please list (or link) in the comments below. And be sure to check out the other delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends and Food Network.

Feed Me Phoebe: Butternut Squash Gratin with Gruyere and Pistachios
The Lemon Bowl: Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms
Homemade Delish: Fennel and Potato Gratin
The Mom 100: Broccoli Rabe with Preserved Lemon
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Rye & Roasted Butternut Squash Dressing
Red or Green: Green Beans with Chipotle Butter
The Mediterranean Dish: Shrimp Bruschetta
The Wimpy Vegetarian: Fail-Proof Cheesy Mashed Potatoes
Elephants and the Coconut Trees: Lobster, Artichoke and Spinach Bake
Creative Culinary: Baked Mushrooms in a Parmesan Cream Sauce
Healthy Eats: 7 Holiday Sides That Won't Spoil Dessert
FN Dish: 5 Indulgent Side Dishes to Deck Your Holiday Table

best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885

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California Girl in Taos

MoseyLove

napa farmhouse 1885

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Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Wild Mushroom, Sweet Pepper & Leek Risotto

Risotto gets a bad rap for being difficult to prepare. Nothing could be further from the truth. The technique is actually very easy. I also find the process relaxing. I stand in the kitchen with a glass of wine and slowly...ever so slowly...add broth, a ladleful at a time, stirring occasionally until the liquid is absorbed and then add another ladle. I don't really have to concentrate so this dish is perfect when hosting a dinner party. We can all stand in the kitchen talking, laughing and taking turns stirring. The whole process should take between 20-30 minutes.

I also love the versatility of risotto. If you keep the proportion of liquid to rice consistent, you can add whatever meat, vegetable and/or cheese combination you like. Plain with just shallot and cheese is delicious, or you can get as fancy as you like. Spring pea and onion? Roasted eggplant, tomato and basil? Shrimp & lemon? What sounds good to you? Add handfuls of fresh herbs in season or use half olive oil and half butter. Get creative and, in the comments section below, please share your favorite way to prepare risotto.

Wild Mushroom, Sweet Pepper & Leek Risotto
(serves 4 as a main course, 6 as a first)

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 large leek, cleaned and sliced (white & pale green part)
1 medium sweet red pepper, chopped
1 shallot, minced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 lb wild mushrooms, wiped & sliced
1/2 lb baby bella mushrooms, wiped & sliced
42 oz vegetable broth
3/4 cup sherry
1 cup arborio rice
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
3/4 cup parmigiano-reggiano (shredded)
sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper.

Warm olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add leek, red pepper, shallot and large pinch each salt & pepper. Saute until tender. Add garlic and cook another minute. Add mushrooms and saute for 5 minutes.

While vegetables are cooking, add broth and sherry to a medium saucepan. Simmer over medium heat until warm. Reduce heat to low.

Add rice to vegetables and stir ensuring rice is coated in oil. Add 1 large ladleful of broth to rice and vegetable mixture and occasionally stir until broth is absorbed. Repeat process 1 ladleful at a time until rice is very creamy, tender but still al dente. Ensure you do not add each ladleful of broth until the prior one is absorbed. Taste a bit of rice to ensure it is cooked to your liking.

Remove from heat and stir in vinegar. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve sprinkled with the parmigiano-reggiano.

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Springtime means the start of sensational side dishes made from fresh, just-picked produce and this week at Food Network we are celebrating Grains. Do you have a favorite grain recipe? Share in the comments section and/or link to your blog if you have one. And be sure to check out the delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends and Food Network.

Weelicious: Mushroom Barley
Virtually Homemade: Easy Yellow Rice
Feed Me Phoebe: Maple-Chia Overnight Oatmeal
The Wimpy Vegetarian: Mujadara with Roasted Tomatoes and Greens
Jeanette's Healthy Living: Indian Spiced Quinoa Pilaf with Peas
The Heritage Cook: White and Wild Rice Pilaf
The Mom 100: Red Quinoa Salad with Arugula, Artichoke Hearts and Olives
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Wild Mushroom, Sweet Pepper & Leek Risotto
Red or Green: Spicy Barley Risotto
Taste with the Eyes: Brown Rice Noodles paired with Tamarind Fish
The Cultural Dish: Three Ways to Make Risotto
Creative Culinary: Rice and Egg Bowl with Salmon and Peas
Swing Eats: Stir-Fried Quinoa with Chinese Vegetables
FN Dish: 5 Quirky Grain Switch-Ups You Gotta Try

best,

diane

napa farmhouse 1885

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California Girl in Taos

MoseyLove
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Tuesday, January 6, 2015

Lasagne al Forno with Chard & Mushrooms

I am not a fan of American-style lasagna. Heavy, ricotta cheese-laden, huge portions. Not my style. But the Italians? Now that is a different story. Their version (lasagne in Italian) is completely different. Light and delicious. Sauced...but not too much. Less cheese. Maybe some vegetables. This style is the only type I make. BTW, "al forno" means baked in Italian. So when you see al forno pasta dishes on menus it means some type of baked in the oven pasta.

I spent Christmas week at my sister's home in Seal Beach California. 70 degrees on Christmas day with a long walk on the beach was lovely. Then my sister, brother-in-law and twin nephews spent New Year's week at our home in Taos. Cold, snow, skiing, eating, talking, laughing. What a perfect holiday season. My nephews are 18 years old, tall (6'5) and thin. The thin part is surprising because they eat more than the rest of us combined. The night they arrived I wanted delicious food and plenty of it. My menu included a salad, garlic bread, pesto baked chicken and my lasagne recipe. The lasagne included marinara sauce, bechamel, sauteed greens and mushrooms.You wanna know how I know the recipe was a hit? I woke up the next morning to witness one boy eating a big piece of leftover lasagne cold out of the refrigerator. This was his pre-breakfast "snack"! He said, "This is really good Auntie. I don't even need to heat it".

So, I have a confession. Not only did I use packaged dry noodles, I used the "oven-ready" kind. Italian cookbooks state the best lasagne recipes use freshly made noodles. I do not disagree, however, when pressed for time, the oven-ready version made a surprisingly light and airy casserole. The beauty is, of course, that you do not have to precook the noodles. And, while I used some frozen marinara sauce from the freezer that I made last summer, excellent quality jarred sauce works perfectly also. Most purchased jars contain 25 ounces which is a little less than called for, but the final result is just fine. I love it when shortcuts actually work. Enjoy and Happy New Year!

Lasagne al Forno with Chard & Mushrooms
(serves 6 as a main course, 8-10 as a first course)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 sweet white onion, chopped
1 head Swiss chard, center ribs chopped into 1/2 pieces, leaves torn into large pieces
8 oz sliced baby portabello mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
3 1/2 cups marinara sauce (homemade or best quality jarred)
2 1/2 cups bechamel sauce (recipe follows)
1 1/2 cups parmigiano-reggiano cheese, grated
1 package oven-ready lasagne ( I used Barilla n.399)
sea salt
black pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large skillet, saute onion and chard ribs in olive oil over medium-high heat until soft. Add chard leaves and mushrooms and continue cooking until mushrooms are soft and beginning to brown and chard leaves are wilted. (5-7 minutes) Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and saute for an additional minute. Season with salt & pepper and remove from heat. Set aside.

Oil a 9x13 inch baking dish. Cover the bottom of the pan with 1 cup marinara sauce and 1/2 cup bechamel sauce. Top with 3 sheets of lasagne noodles. (the noodles will expand to the edges during cooking). Spread 1/3 chard mixture over noodles. Cover with 1/2 cup marinara and 1/2 cup bechamel sauce. Sprinkle 1/3 of cheese over sauce. Repeat with 3 additional noodles and the chard, sauce and cheese layers continuing until all ingredients are used ensuring the top is well coated with cheese.

Cover pan with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and bake an additional 5-10 minutes or until lasagne is hot and cheese is bubbling and browned. Remove from oven, allow to rest for 10-15 minutes and serve.

Bechamel Sauce

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 shallot, minced
3 tbsp flour
2 cups whole milk
nutmeg
sea salt
pepper (white if possible)

Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add the shallot and saute over medium heat until soft. Reduce the heat to low. Whisk in flour, stirring until just beginning to turn golden brown. Whisk in milk and a pinch each salt and pepper.

Cook sauce over medium heat, stirring constantly, until beginning to thicken. Season to taste with nutmeg and additional salt and pepper if needed. Continue cooking until it is as thick as you like. I cook until the consistency of heavy cream for the lasagne.

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Winter means comfort food at Food Network and this week we are celebrating Casseroles. Do you have a favorite casserole recipe? Share in the comments section and/or link to your blog if you have one. And be sure to check out the delicious sounding recipes from my blogger friends and Food Network.

The Cultural Dish: Mediterranean Fish Casserole
The Heritage Cook: Arroz Con Pollo Casserole (Gluten-Free)
The Wimpy Vegetarian: Baked Artichoke Radicchio Risotto with Lemon-Caper Breadcrumbs
Taste with the Eyes: Mini Shrimp and Grits Casseroles
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Lasagne al Forno with Chard & Mushrooms
Red or Green: Pasta "al forno" Casserole with Mushrooms, Peppers & Vegetables
Swing Eats: Pastitsio: A Delicious Greek Pasta Casserole (gluten-free)
Virtually Homemade: Tamale Pie
Weelicious: Chicken Wild Rice Casserole
Haute Apple Pie: Tex Mex Spaghetti Squash Casserole
Domesticate Me: Baked Orzo with Turkey Sausage, Broccolini and Fontina
FN Dish: 5 Hearty Casseroles Ready to Warm You Up

diane

napa farmhouse 1885

red or green?

California Girl in Taos

MoseyLove
please follow me on Facebook

I have started sharing my newest blog "California Girl in Taos." Please visit and let me know what you think.

Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Salad Greens with Balsamic Mushrooms & Roasted Asparagus

I love this salad. Perfect for an elegant dinner or casual supper. Hearty enough for a vegetarian main dish or make the carnivores happy by adding grilled chicken. Easy, healthy & delicious. What more could you ask from a salad? Use whatever combination of greens you like. Enjoy!

Salad Greens with Balsamic Mushrooms & Roasted Asparagus
(serves 6 as a main dish)

Ingredients
1 bunch asparagus, cleaned & trimmed. Peeled if stalks are thick
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 lb crimini mushrooms, cut in half
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar, divided
1/4 cup dry red wine
1 tsp spicy brown mustard
8 cups mixed salad greens, combination of spinach, tatsoi, mizuna, kale and arugula
1 tbsp toasted pine nuts
coarse ground sea salt
freshly cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the asparagus and drizzle 1 tbsp olive oil over top. Roll asparagus on sheet to evenly disperse oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in oven for 20-25 minutes until beginning to caramelize. Remove from oven and set aside.

While asparagus is roasting, heat 1 tbsp oil in medium sized skillet. Add mushrooms and saute over medium high heat for 5 minutes. Add 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar and red wine. Continue sauteing for 20 minutes, or until most of liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are coated with vinegar/wine reduction.

Add remaining olive oil, vinegar, mustard and large pinch each salt and pepper to bottom of large salad bowl. Whisk to emulsify. To bowl, add salad greens, pine nuts, mushrooms (including any remaining liquid) and toss to combine. Cut asparagus in half and add to bowl. Toss. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve immediately.