Gorgonzola Stuffed Mushrooms

The first hors doeuvre I learned to make.  My grama taught me when I was 10.  She would bake hers for hours…mostly because it was a holiday and she’d be drinking VO and talking with guests that would drop by unannounced throughout the day and forget the mushrooms were even in the oven.  They were still delicious, though. 

Fast forward 12 years.  I was with my boyfriend visiting his family in Louisville, KY for Christmas and the drink hour came around--4:30 sharp.  Out on the sideboard was a bottle of every booze ever made, assorted linen cocktail napkins (a tradition I carry on to this day), and Havarti cheese and crackers.  I said to his mother Leila “I see you have Gorgonzola and mushrooms in your refrigerator…can I make you something special?”  Absolutely.  My grandmothers mushrooms. It was the biggest thank you I could give her for sharing her son with me, in the only way that I knew how:  good food that makes you smile.  And she did.  Big.  She was as gracious a hostess as you could ever have, quick with a joke and easy to laugh.  Thanks, Leila, for some of the best times of my life :)  

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This recipe serves 2:

1 pound button mushrooms, cleaned and stem removed
1 can Beef Consommé (I use Campbells)
Gorgonzola cheese
butter

Remove stem from mushrooms and place upside down in pan.   Place a little bit of butter inside mushroom, and stuff bleu cheese on top of that.



stuffed

Pour consommé around mushrooms (about 1/3 up the side of them) and bake at 350 degrees for approx. 30 minutes, or until cheese has melted and mushrooms are heated through.  Now, I know you wanna sip the salty, beefy broth in the bottom of the pan, with the cheesy melted bits of goodness swimming around in it.  Go ahead...no one's looking.  You're alone in the kitchen, it's just our secret...lol...

baked, and just out of the oven



Tapenade

Tapenade. Olive spread. My daughters favorite snack.  Most kids ask their moms to make cookies…when she was 8, she’d come home from school and ask me to make tapenade.  And since it’s waaaaaaaay easier than cookies, I’d happily oblige.

All you need is olives and olive oil.  That’s the base and sometimes, the whole thing.  I’ve also used capers, anchovies, fresh garlic, and lemon, but only if I happen to have them in the refrigerator.  Just put your ingredients in the food processor, pulse for a few seconds and there it is…tapenade!  It could be easier, but then you wouldn’t be impressed :)

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1 container mixed olives (I used green Spanish and purple Kalamata)

Extra Virgin olive oil

2 baguettes

optional:  lemon juice, garlic, anchovy, capers

Place olives, some olive oil, (and any optional ingredients) in a food processor. Pulse for a few seconds--I like mine to have some consistency, but you can make it completely smooth if that's how you like it.

Make crostini:  slice baguettes on the diagonal, drizzle with olive oil, bake in 350 degree oven for 5 min.

Place olive spread in a bowl. It's good just like this BUT, if you just can't stop here, you can drizzle a bit of olive oil or squeeze some fresh lemon on top.  I don't think it needs it, but you might.
Spread on crostini and enjoy :)