Make It With Mushrooms

Feature Friday: What’s with the Brown Paper Bag?

The brown paper bag. What is the mystery behind the brown paper bag? We see them at the grocery store hung up by the mushroom display, some of us use them, some of us don’t, and a lot of us ask the question, “what’s with the brown paper bags?”

PaperBag_WEBTruth is, you should always store fresh mushrooms in a brown paper bag. The bag acts as a barrier between the refrigerator moisture and the mushrooms. It will actually absorb most of the moisture and allow for proper air circulation, so that your fresh mushrooms stay fresh, and don’t get all slimy and brown. You all know what I mean! We have all at one time or another put fresh mushrooms in the fridge in a plastic bag, and two days later they were brown and glistening!

What about when you buy them in a package? Same rule apply. When you buy mushrooms in a cello-wrapped package, you should always grab a brown paper bag with it. It is very handy to have just in case you don’t eat the whole package in one sitting. (For all you mushroom lovers, you know what I am talking about when I say, mine don’t usually make it to this next part!) You can then take the remaining mushrooms out of the package and place them in the bag. They will keep longer than in the plastic, saving you money!

So next time you buy fresh mushrooms don’t leave the store without the brown paper bag.

posted by Brittany

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Feature Friday: Asian Mushroom Lettuce Wrap Video

Welcome to Feature Friday, a weekly post about new and exciting mushroom information from Mushrooms Canada and around the web. I come across great articles, recipes, and videos on a regular basis, and would love to share these great finds with all you mushroom lovers, Feature Friday gives me the opportunity to do just that!

Today’s Feature Friday is brought to you by Mushrooms Canada.

We have a great new cooking video up on our YouTube Channel called Asian Mushroom Lettuce Wraps. This recipes is simply delicious and easy to prepare. Take a minute and check it out here.

Asian Mushroom Lettuce Wraps
Preparation Time: 20 mins. Cooking Time: 10 mins.

This is a low fat, super fresh tasting version of the Chinese classic. Since they can be eaten in hands it is kid friendly and makes a good summertime lunch, appetizer or supper. The mixture can be made ahead and reheated to serve, so why not double the recipe.

Ingredients
8 oz fresh Mushrooms 250 g
1 tbsp vegetable oil 15 mL
8 oz ground lean chicken 250 g
2½ tbsp grated fresh gingerroot 32 mL
3 cloves garlic, crushed 3
3 tbsp Each soy sauce, hoisin sauce and rice vinegar 45 mL
¼ – ½ tsp Asian chile or hot sauce (optional) 1-2 mL
1/2 cup chopped green onions 125 mL
6 hearts of Romaine lettuce leaves 6

Garnishes: grated carrot, diced cucumber, chopped peanuts, chopped mint or coriander leaves or peanut sauce.

Method
1. Finely chop mushrooms in food processor or by hand to yield 3 cups (750 mL). Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat; add chicken breaking up with spoon. Stir in mushrooms, ginger and garlic; cook and stir for 4-5 minutes or until mushroom liquid has evaporated. Stir in soy sauce, hoisin sauce, rice vinegar. Reduce heat and simmer about 4-5 minutes to blend flavours. Taste and add chile or hot sauce if desired. Stir in green onion just before serving.
2. Present lettuce leaves and a bowl of filling on a platter or tray. Have guests help themselves by spooning filling into lettuce leaves, and garnish as desired; then wrap lettuce around the filling to enclose and eat in hands OR serve filled lettuce leaves open face on a plate and serve with cooked rice or rice salad and steamed snow peas.

Makes 6 lettuce wraps (3 servings).

Note: Reheat in microwave or in skillet, adding a little water if necessary.

Variation: Substitute ground pork for chicken and add finely chopped water chestnuts with soy sauce.

– Brittany

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Serve Stuffed Mushrooms at your Super Bowl Party


Take your super bowl party to a whole new level this year by serving some meaty, juicy stuffed mushrooms.

Super Bowl mayhem is starting to arrive. Everyone’s talking about. It’s on TV, radio, websites and blogs, and with only 3 days, 8 hours and 23 minutes until game time, it’s not to late to start planning your Super Bowl party snacks.

For me, the Super Bowl is not so much about football, but the great foods I get to serve to all my guests. This year, the number one appetizer on my list is Stuffed Mushrooms. Easy to make and easy to eat, your guests will be blown away by these delicious treats.

This recipe is simple to prepare, and packs a lot of Italian flavours. The filling can be made up to a day ahead and refrigerated. Assemble the mushrooms early in the day, before your guests arrive, then just pop them in the oven right before you are ready to serve.

Italian-Stuffed-Mushrooms_WEBItalian Stuffed Mushrooms

16 large white or crimini Mushrooms 16
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs 125 mL
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese 50 mL
2 finely minced, garlic cloves 2
4 finely chopped, pitted black olives 4
2 tbsp finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil 25 mL
2 tbsp finely chopped marinated artichoke hearts 25 mL
2 tbsp finely chopped green or sweet onion 25 mL
2 tbsp light mayonnaise 25 mL
1/2 tsp dried oregano or basil 2 mL
1/4 cup olive oil 50 mL
1 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese 45 mL

Remove the stems from the mushrooms and finely chop. In a medium bowl, combine chopped stems, bread crumbs, mozzarella cheese, garlic, olives, tomatoes, artichokes, onion, mayonnaise and oregano; mix well. Brush oil on outside of mushroom caps. Spoon filling evenly into caps, mounding as necessary and place in shallow baking pan. Sprinkle Parmesan on top. Bake in 425°F (220°C) oven for 15-20 minutes or until mushrooms are heated through.

Looking for some more Super Bowl mushroom recipes? Try:

King Oyster Tomato Pizza

Herb Crusted Mushrooms

What about you? What great mushroom recipes are you serving? Leave me a link so I can check them out!

– Brittany

in Make It With Mushrooms / Mushroom Recipes / Special Occasions 0 comments

Behind the Scenes at Mushrooms Canada: Cooking Videos

Welcome to Behind the Scenes at Mushrooms Canada! I will be hosting this ongoing special, giving you a peek at what goes on Behind the Scenes here at Mushrooms Canada.

This first edition of Behind the Scenes will take you into the world of shooting a mushroom cooking video. On we go!

Despite the bitter cold weather this morning, the cooking team and DailyWebTV.com arrived bright and early at the Hamilton Spectator “Go Cooking Kitchen” to film our latest set of Mushrooms Canada Cooking Videos. After six or seven trips back and forth from the car (in the freezing cold) we had all the supplies and gear inside, ready to be set up.

A lot goes into the set-up of this pretty simple kitchen. After only 1 hour the crew has set up three HD cameras, some very bright lights, and dressed the set to make it look more homey. You would be surprised what a little greenery, colourful bowls and a pepper grinder can do!

IMG_1335_WEBOnto the cooking! The agenda was pretty full with three great mushroom recipes; Grilled Mushroom, Cheese and Spinach Panini, Fragrant Thai Curry Dinner, and Mushroom, Walnut, and Barley Pilaf.

First up, the Panini.
IMG_1349_WEB

Clare and Meriel got straight to work on this one, managing to finish in just a few takes. And it’s a good thing to, because it was breakfast time, and we were starving! There’s nothing like a warm mushroom panini in the morning! While the camera crew and I stuffed our faces, Clare and Meriel set-up for the next video, Fragrant Thai Curry Dinner.
Fragrant-Thai-Curry-DinnerIf you haven’t tried this recipe, I would highly suggest you do, it is fantastic! By the end of the shoot the room was filled with the aromatic sense of mushrooms and curry, yum!

As always, when we are nearing the end of the day, a slight sense of panic always comes over the crew, “Are we going to have enough time to shoot the last video?” Luckily with some cooking video magic, and some sleight-of-hand thanks to Clare, we were able to “cook” the mushroom pilaf recipe in only 7 minutes.

IMG_1370_WEBSo what’s our secret? It’s simple, bringing in a cooked version of the recipe and quickly switching it out for the uncooked. And with some simple camera magic, we have a fully cooked Mushroom, Walnut, and Barley Pilaf in 7 minutes flat. It’s a good thing to, we finished up the video with only 5 minutes to spare, just enough time to enjoy a bowl of fresh pilaf!

IMG_1366_WEBCurious to see how the videos turned out? Well stay tuned, because the finished cooking videos will be posted shortly!

Thanks for stopping by and enjoying this edition of Behind the Scenes at Mushrooms Canada.

– Brittany

in Behind the Scenes / Cooking Demo / Cooking Video / Make It With Mushrooms / Mushroom Recipes / Mushrooms 0 comments

A Weekend at the London Wine and Food Show

I just returned home from a fabulous weekend at the London Wine & Food Show. There was plenty to be seen, heard, nibbled and sipped, with exhibitors ranging from Ontario wineries to local London restaurants.

Mushrooms Canada served up samples of fresh Sauteed Mushrooms, which proved to be a big crowd pleaser.

Sauteed-in-Frying-PanThe Food Network Cooking Stage was definitely the place to be, with great demonstrations by Roger Mooking, Steam Whistle Brewery, and Chef Keith Ryan from Fanshawe College. I also had the opportunity to present a cooking demo on the Food Network Stage on Saturday night. I cooked up one of my favourite recipes, Sweet & Spicy Stir-Fried Mushrooms.

Mushrooms Canada also conducted a draw to win a T-Fal Hot Spot Frying Pan. Congratulations to Karen S. from London on winning, we hope you put it to good use sauteing up some fresh mushrooms!

IMG_6728-(1)_WEBThanks to all who stopped by the Mushrooms Canada booth and enjoyed a sample, asked questions, entered the draw, and took home some wonderful recipes. We hope to see you again next year!

– Brittany

in Cooking Demo / Make It With Mushrooms / Mushrooms / Ontario / Shows 0 comments