Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms

[For those wondering about TWD, we were given freedom to post any time this week so I hope to get my chestnut cake up by Friday.]

Have I mentioned that I'm a procrastinator? Here it is almost midnight on Tuesday and I still haven't decided what I'm making for Thanksgiving. I won't be hosting (huge sigh of relief!) but I plan to bring a few desserts to Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday at my mom's house and I bet she'd like to know what I'm planning to make. I do my best work under pressure - frankly, pressure seems to be the only thing that motivates me to get things done - so hopefully I'll figure it out tomorrow and get going in the kitchen.

In the meantime, I wanted to tell you about the Thanksgiving we celebrated this past weekend. Every year for the past 4 or 5 years, we've gotten together with our friends and had a huge potluck Thanksgiving dinner. It's one of the few times each year we can all get together and I think we all look forward to it. Good food, good friends - what more could we ask for?



One of the funny things about our "friend" Thanksgiving this year was that two of us saw Ina Garten (otherwise known as The Barefoot Contessa) make these sausage-stuffed mushrooms on her show about a week before the dinner and both decided we might want to make them. I kept going back and forth about whether I should try them because some of the reviews on the Food Network site were less than favorable (describing the mushrooms as greasy, heavy and tasteless). In the end, it seemed enough of our friends were excited about them to at least try so that's just what I did.

I actually wound up making these twice - sort of. The first time I made them, I had a lot of filling left over so I popped it in the fridge and filled some more mushrooms another day. My first attempt was successful from a taste perspective, but unfortunately, I did think the mushrooms were a bit more greasy than I'd like. Most of our friends told me they liked those mushrooms but I wondered if they could be improved. The mushroom caps are marinated in a combination of olive oil and Marsala (or sherry) while the filling is prepared and I wondered if that step was part of the problem so on my second attempt, I skipped it. When I pulled the mushrooms from the oven, they were once again greasy so marinating the caps probably isn't the issue. I wish I could tell you I made them a third time to try other fixes, but I haven't had a chance yet. They really do have great flavor so I will make them again and next time I think I'll either try using a turkey sausage for the filling or if I use a regular sausage, I'll drain most of the fat off after browning the sausage.

Sausage-Stuffed Mushrooms
from Ina Garten (via FoodNetwork.com)

16 extra-large white mushrooms
5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
2 1/2 tablespoons Marsala wine or medium sherry
3/4 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
6 scallions, white and green parts, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
5 ounces mascarpone cheese
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 325 F.

Remove the stems from the mushrooms and chop them finely. Place the mushroom caps in a shallow bowl and toss with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and Marsala (or sherry). Set aside.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage, crumbling it with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook the sausage for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until it's completely browned. Add the chopped mushroom stems and cook for 3 more minutes. Stir in the scallions and garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the panko crumbs, stirring to combine evenly with all the other ingredients. Finally, swirl in the mascarpone and continue cooking until the mascarpone has melted and made the sausage mixture creamy. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan, parsley, and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Cool slightly.

Fill each mushroom generously with the sausage mixture. Arrange the mushrooms in a baking dish large enough to hold all the mushrooms in a snug single layer. Bake until the stuffing is browned and crusty, about 50 minutes (keep an eye on them - they may be done sooner than 50 minutes).

Creamy Chocolate Fudge

We bought our house and moved to the town where we currently live a little over 2 years ago. Slowly, we're discovering all of the fun local events, stores, restaurants, etc. One of our first discoveries was a local orchard/farm stand. The orchard holds numerous events each fall and we've attended at least one each year. If you ask Shane, he'd tell you that his favorite part about the trip to the orchard is the stop in the store to buy fudge. Though I bake plenty of treats around here, fudge is not one of them so this orchard fudge is a real treat!



A few weeks ago I saw a fudge recipe in the latest issue of Fine Cooking and I thought maybe I'd give it a shot so fudge didn't have to be just a once a year treat for Shane. I've been talking about making it since then (just ask my buddies on Twitter - I'm sure they were sick of hearing about it). Finally, I got in the kitchen and made it this weekend and now I'm not sure why I waited so long - it really wasn't very tricky. The instructions provided by Fine Cooking are explicit and clear so I don't think you can go wrong. I'm not someone who enjoys fudge all that much, but I thought this fudge was tasty plus it had a very creamy and smooth texture! Of course, the only opinion that really mattered was Shane's and he gave the fudge an enthusiastic thumbs up too! The fudge keeps for a week or more at room temperature so it's a great make ahead treat for the holidays if you're looking for ideas.

I did run into one issue with this recipe and I'm hoping more experienced fudge makers can help me out! After I poured my fudge into the baking pan to set, tons of air bubbles formed on the surface. Is that normal? If not, what can I do to avoid it? Thanks!

Creamy Chocolate Fudge
from Fine Cooking, December 2009/January 2010

3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
3 3/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 teaspoon table salt

In a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan (I used a 3 qt this time & it was ok but a 4 qt would be even better), combine the sugar, cream, chocolate, corn syrup, and salt and stir with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula until the ingredients are moistened. Stirring gently and constantly, bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, 7 to 12 minutes. Cover the saucepan and let the steam clean the sides of the pan for 2 minutes.

Spray a candy thermometer with cooking spray and then clip it to the pot, being careful not to let the tip of the thermometer touch the bottom of the pot, or you might get a false reading. Let the mixture boil without stirring until it reaches 236 F to 238 F, 2 to 5 minutes. Take the pan off the heat and add the butter, but do not stir it into the mixture. Set the pan on a rack in a cool part of the kitchen. Don’t disturb the pan in any way until the mixture has cooled to 110 F, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Meanwhile, line the bottom and sides of an 8x8-inch baking pan with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two opposite sides of the pan. Butter the foil. Set the pan aside.

Remove the thermometer from the fudge mixture. Using a hand mixer, beat the mixture on high speed until it is a few shades lighter in color and thickens enough that the beaters form trails that briefly expose the bottom of the pan as they pass through, 10 to 20 minutes. Pour the thickened fudge into the prepared pan, using a rubber spatula to help nudge it out of the pot. You can scrape the bottom of the pot but not the sides; any crystals that stick to the pot stay in the pot. Smooth the top of the fudge with the spatula. Set the pan on a rack and let the fudge cool completely, about 2 hours. The fudge will be slightly soft the day it’s made but will firm up overnight.

Turn the fudge out onto a clean cutting board and peel off the foil. Turn the slab of fudge right side up and cut it into 25 equal pieces.

The fudge will keep for a week to 10 days stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

SMS: Raised Waffles with Warm Brown Sugar Apples

This week's SMS was chosen by Lauren of Fried Pickles & Ice Cream: raised waffles with warm brown sugar bananas. These yeasted waffles take a bit of planning as the batter must be made and left to sit overnight before they can be cooked. I'm actually a big fan of waffles but I rarely have the motivation to make them normally. I might make an exception for these waffles though. I thought they were really good - crisp on the outside and tender inside!



I didn't have bananas on hand for the warm brown sugar topping so I substituted apples. I also left out the rum the recipe called for. I found that I actually preferred the waffles without this topping. I have a major sweet tooth but the topping was just too sweet and sugary for me. I froze most of my extra waffles and found they were perfect when I toasted them and topped them with just maple syrup.

Thanks to Lauren for hosting this week's recipe! You can find the recipe on her blog here or pick up the book.

Spaghetti with Rosemary Shrimp Scampi

This blog has featured a lot of desserts lately so I'd like to take the opportunity on this gorgeous Saturday to share a dinner (or lunch) option - another shrimp dish. Yes, we eat a lot of shrimp around here. It's the go-to dinner option when we've forgotten to defrost anything else because shrimp can be defrosted so quickly and easily. This recipe comes from Everyday Food - a magazine I love for its simple, yet delicious, dishes. This dish appealed to me particularly because it allowed me to use some of my fresh rosemary, which is the only one of my herbs still surviving in the cooler fall temperatures here in New England.



I tend to roast my shrimp in the winter or grill them in the summer. This recipe uses neither of those cooking methods and I was intrigued. The defrosted shrimp are added to the pasta water at the end of the pasta's cooking time, stirred quickly and then drained along with the pasta, making this a one-pot meal which is always a bonus! The shrimp cooked perfectly and the finished dish was delicious! The only change I'd make next time is to add a bit more lemon juice because I really like both the freshness and flavor it adds. This makes a wonderful weeknight meal because it can be prepared in about 30 minutes. It also reheats fairly well for lunch the next day :)

Spaghetti with Rosemary Shrimp Scampi
from Everyday Food, December 2008 (also available here)

coarse salt and ground pepper
12 ounces spaghetti
1 pound large (31 to 35) peeled and deveined frozen shrimp, tails on (if desired), thawed
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh rosemary
1/4 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook spaghetti until al dente. Remove and reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water from the pot. Add the shrimp to the pot, and stir. Immediately drain spaghetti and shrimp, and set aside (the shrimp will continue to cook).

In same pot, heat oil over medium. Add garlic, rosemary, and red-pepper flakes. Cook, stirring, until garlic is golden, 1 to 3 minutes.

Remove from heat; return pasta and shrimp to pot. Add lemon juice and enough pasta water to create a thin sauce that coats pasta. Season with salt and pepper, and serve.

Speedy No-Knead Bread

If you've always wanted to try your hand at homemade bread but have been intimidated by the process, this is the recipe for you! It really is the perfect beginner recipe for homemade bread. All you have to do is combine flour, yeast, salt and water in a bowl and then let it rest for about 4 and a half hours. You transfer the dough to a heavy pot that's been preheated in a hot oven and bake it for 45-60 minutes. That's it! You'll have a warm, rustic loaf of homemade bread with a crisp exterior crust and a soft, chewy interior.

This speedy no-knead bread is actually an adaptation of a recipe for no-knead bread from Jim Leahy that appeared in the NY Times a few years ago. That recipe is very similar to this one so it's another great option for first-time bread makers. The main difference is that the original recipe calls for 14 to 20 hours of rest time for the dough. This speedy adaption uses extra yeast to decrease the rest time significantly. I've never tried the original recipe and I didn't plan far enough ahead this time to give it a shot but I've added it to my to-do list.

Speedy No-Knead Bread
from Mark Bittman (as seen in the NY Times)

3 cups bread flour
1 packet (1/4 oz, 2 1/4 teaspoons) instant yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 cups water

Combine flour, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Add water and stir until blended; dough will be shaggy. Cover bowl with plastic wrap. Here's what my dough looked like at this stage - it was definitely shaggy!

Let dough rest about 4 hours at warm room temperature, about 70 degrees. This is the shot of my dough after the 4 hour rest:

Lightly oil a work surface and place dough on it; fold it over on itself once or twice. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rest 30 minutes more.

At least a half-hour before dough is ready, heat oven to 450 F. Put a 6-to-8-quart heavy covered pot (I used my Dutch oven) in oven as it heats. When dough is ready, carefully remove pot from oven. Slide your hand under dough and put it into pot, seam side up. Shake pan once or twice if dough is unevenly distributed; it will straighten out as it bakes.

Cover with lid and bake 30 minutes, then remove lid and bake another 15 to 30 minutes, until loaf is beautifully browned. Cool on a rack.

Chewy Triple Chocolate Cookies

Our friends invited us over for dinner this past weekend and I was tasked with bringing dessert (which of course I was happy to do!). I was pretty sure I was going to bring either the TWD holiday bundt or the MSC candied sweet potato cupcakes since I was planning to make them both this weekend anyway. I talked to my friend and she voted for the cupcakes since she loves sweet potatoes so that worked out well. However, I knew neither her husband nor Shane would eat the cupcakes so I decided to make a second item. I did a lot of flipping through cookbooks and when I came upon these chewy chocolate cookies in Baking Illustrated, I was sold. Shane's happiest with a simple chocolate treat so I knew these would be right up his alley.



These cookies contain both cocoa powder and melted chocolate, so they are extra chocolaty. You can even add chocolate chips to the dough if you like - without the chocolate chips they're technically just double chocolate cookies :) Here's where I went wrong: I didn't have good semisweet chocolate on hand and didn't want to use bittersweet so I substituted milk chocolate. Not a good idea. I think the extra sugar in the chocolate made the cookies a bit too sweet and not as intensely chocolate flavored as they would otherwise have been. That said, the cookies were still delicious! I just think they would have been even better had I used the right chocolate. They're soft and chewy and I have a feeling Shane will be requesting them again soon!

Chewy Triple Chocolate Cookies
from Baking Illustrated, by the editors of Cook's Illustrated Magazine

2 cups (10 oz.) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (1 1/2 oz.) Dutch-processed cocoa powder
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
16 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons instant coffee or espresso powder
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed (10 1/2 oz.) light brown sugar
1/2 cup (3 1/2 oz.) granulated sugar
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (optional)

Sift the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl then set aside.

Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water until completely melted and smooth; remove from the heat. (Alternatively, microwave the chocolate in 30 second intervals, mixing thoroughly in between, until melted and smooth.) In a small mixing bowl, combine the eggs, vanilla and instant coffee granules; stir well with a fork to dissolve; set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 5 seconds. Mix in the sugars until well combined, about 45 seconds – the mixture will look granular. Reduce the mixer speed to low and gradually beat in the egg mixture until incorporated, about 45 seconds. Add the chocolate to the bowl in a steady stream and continue beating until combined, about 40 seconds. Scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula. With the mixer at low speed, add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated, being careful not to overbeat. Fold in the chocolate chips (if using) with a rubber spatula. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature until the consistency is scoopable and fudge-like, about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets with a 1 3/4-inch cookie dough scoop, spacing the dough balls about 1 1/2 inches apart.

Bake until the edges of the cookies have just began to set but the centers are still very soft, about 10 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through baking. Cool the cookies on the sheets about 10 minutes, transfer to cooling racks and allow to cool completely.

Yields 42 cookies

TWD: All in One Holiday Bundt

For this week's TWD I chose to make the All in One Holiday Bundt Cake, which was selected by Britin of The Nitty Britty. This really is a terrific cake for this time of year with its combination of flavors. It starts with pumpkin puree and lots of spices and then apples, cranberries and nuts (I used walnuts) are studded throughout. It baked up beautifully making the whole house smell like the holidays. After it cooled I decided to top it with the maple glaze just to make it look pretty. I didn't make the glaze thin enough at first so it didn't run down the sides of the cake the way I'd hoped.



I sent this cake to work with my mother without tasting it first, so I had no idea how it would be received. With all of the flavors going on, I wasn't sure if they'd all play nicely together :) Yesterday afternoon I received an email from my mom with the verdict - the cake was a big hit! People thought it was moist and delicious! This cake freezes well so make it now, pop it in your freezer and you can pull it out at Thanksgiving to share.

Many thanks to Britin for her selection! The recipe is available on Britin's site or in Dorie's book. Next Tuesday I'll finally be making the chocolate caramel chestnut cake, which was actually the recipe selected for the first week of November!