friday field trip: concord, ma

lunch in Concord ...
#9 Avocado BLT

Concord is most commonly known as the birthplace of the American Revolution and home to some of the great American Minds; Emerson, Thoreau, Hawthorne and Alcott.  Only 15 miles away, this little gem is a frequent haunt of mine. 


A morning purging the basement in prep for the holiday's left me a little desperate for an escape.  'Shout-Out' to my DF (dear friend), Anne. Thanks for the rescue!  With my iphone (non-exploding!) I snapped a few pics of my favorite things from today's adventure. Enjoy!

one of my favorite stores -
an eclectic vintage collection
of gifts for the home

says it all!

Great local bookstore!

Final Pit Stop:  The Concord Cheese Shop
Amazing selection = happy tummy!

Their cornichons are out-of-this-world!

 
Are we posing with cheese?  Yes, we are!

   

light lunch - avocado

I often eat five small meals a day
(keeps the crankiness at bay)
& this was my plate at 11AM today. 

Today's post is a 'Thank you' to my favorite witty Brit, Justine. One of my first meals at her home began so elegantly: a small salad with an avocado half in the center, filled with a delightful fig and walnut dressing.  Eating it with a spoon made it feel like a dessert.  Delicious!  It is not an overstatement to say that I fell in 'food love'.

I must admit, until a year or so ago, I bought avocados for guacamole or taco salad and not much else. Now, you'll always find two or three resting comfortably with the apples, pears and oranges in my fruit bowl.  I use them to garnish salads and soups, thicken my Divine Dressing or for this light lunch. Try it with your favorite dressing or one of my two ... Stonewall Kitchen's Cilantro Lime Dressing or Artisan's Savory Fig and Walnut Balsamic Vinaigrette.  I've found both at my local Whole Foods Store.

Enjoy!

stuffed mushrooms

yummy bites for a hungry crowd

"Over the river and through the woods ..." to share Thanksgiving with my family, our tradition for more than 10 years.  I have many wonderful memories of sharing this holiday with my Aunt Terry and her brood so it is very meaningful to me that we are continuing that tradition with our children.

I always bring a few dishes to share with our extended family and this recipe for stuffed mushrooms is the most-requested.  They're wonderful for a large gathering - holidays, brunch with friends, football with a crowd ... you name it.  As with many of our favorites, I have a formula and will note ways that I often change it up.  


Many blessings, peace and joy to you and yours ~ Happy Thanksgiving!


Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:


1-2 Italian sausages
2  10-oz packages of mushrooms (cremini or button)

1 large shallot, peeled and rough chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic, peeled
2 T vermouth, to deglaze 
1 t Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 c italian bread crumbs
3/4 c grated parmesan cheese (plus extra for topping)

Directions:

1. Remove the sausage from the casings and brown in a fry pan over medium-high heat.  As it browns, help it crumble with the edge of your spatula. 

2. Time to mince the stems, shallot and garlic.  I chopped by hand today, but have been known to use the food processor. Pulse gently - you don't want a paste. 

3.  Remove and drain the sausage on paper towels when cooked through. Add the veggies (stems, shallot & garlic) to the pan, deglaze with the vermouth, add the seasoning and saute for about 3 minutes over medium heat.  Salt and pepper to taste.

4.  Remove pan from heat and let cool a bit.  Transfer to a larger bowl for mixing with the breadcrumbs, sausage and cheese to make the stuffing.  

5.  Stuff the caps - a teaspoon works best - and place on a large, rimmed baking sheet.  I'm using mini-muffin liners to try to stabilize these for the trip to NH.  

- when ready to bake and serve -

5. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 

6.  Sprinkle the caps with a little extra parmesan cheese, if you desire.  

7. Bake for 15-20 minutes in the center of the oven.  Keep an eye as ovens vary.  You're looking for the top to brown but also for the cap to cook and become tender to the bite. 

Make it yours: 

~ you can alter the cheese ... romano, pecorino or piave, any good melting cheese

~ white wine, red wine or marsala can be substituted for the vermouth

~ apple & chicken sausage or crabmeat both would make a nice brunch filling

~ you can make it vegetarian by substituting spinach for the sausage 

~ add more herbs and spices (like red pepper flakes) for extra flavor

Yummy finger food for your next party!