Mushroom pate

I made the most delicious hors' d'oeuvre tonight, I had eaten something similar a while ago, and was anxious to try to replicate it at home.

Don't let the name fool you, mushroom pate is simply sauteed mushrooms that have been finely chopped in a Cuisinart to make it spreadable.

Bring this to your next party, it will be devoured!

Here's my recipe for mushroom pate.

2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 C. diced shallot or onion
3 cubes frozen garlic
1 lb. total of assorted mushrooms, I used crimini, poratbello and shiitake, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. celery salt
pinch of black pepper
1 Tbs. Madeira or sherry

**Optional- process 1/4 C. toasted pine nuts and 1/4 C. goat cheese to the mixture.


Saute shallot in olive oil on medium high heat for 1 minute in a large nonstick pan. After about a minute, add garlic cubes and stir to combine. Next, add washed mushrooms, oregano, celery salt and black pepper and saute to 2 minutes. Once mushrooms have begun to release liquid, add Madeira and continue cooking for 7-8 minutes, stirring occasionally until all liquid has evaporated.

Remove from heat and let cool for a few minutes. Add mixture into a Cuisinart and pulse until texture has become finely chopped but not completely smooth.

Add a dollop to a thin slice of baguette or cracker and garnish with a shaving of Parmesan or Manchego and a bit of parsley. Can be eaten either hot or cold.

Asian pear, carmelized onion and blue cheese flatbread

We went picking last week and as usual picked an abundance of Asian pears. These happen to be one of our families favorite fruits and they can be hard to come by in the market, not to mention extremely costly. Lyman Orchards has rows and rows of these delicious fruits available for picking now. It is worth the drive to this lovely orchard to pick these sweet, crunchy and delicious pears. They will quickly become one of your favorite snacks too. Pick some extras to make these flatbreads. I made them for some friends and we gobbled them up with some nice cold white wine.

Asian pear, carmelized onion and blue cheese flatbread


2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 Naan (Indian flat bread, available at most grocery stores)
1 cored, thinly sliced Asian pear
1 cup Caramelized Onions (see recipe)
1/2 cup Maytag blue cheese, crumbled
¼ C. candied pecans (available at Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods)
1 C. arugula
pinch of black pepper


For carmelized onion:
Thinly slice 1 onion and sauté in a large nonstick pan on medium high heat with 1 tablespoon of olive oil for 4 minutes. Add a pinch of kosher salt and a drizzle of balsamic vinegar. Remove from heat and let onions cool.

Instructions: Preheat oven to 450°. Brush olive oil on the flatbreads and cover with the sliced Asian pears and caramelized onion. Sprinkle with the cheese, then the pecans. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes until cheese is melted. Remove from oven, add a large handful of arugula leaves, slice into small pizza slices and serve immediately.

Thanks to www.CTbites.com for the gorgeous photos of my food.

Panko and goat cheese topped portabello mushrooms

Here's a delicious recipe that is good for entertaining friends as it can be made mostly in advance and is a snap to make.

4 large portabello mushrooms, stem removed
olive oil
kosher salt
ground black pepper
6 oz. goat cheese
1. C panko
1 Tbs. garlic salt


Clean the gills from 4 portabello mushrooms using a spoon. Drizzle each side of the mushroom with a little olive oil and a good pinch of kosher salt. Preheat a grill to high heat. Cook the mushrooms for 3 minutes per side or until grill marks appear on the outside of the mushroom.

Preheat oven to 375. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and place the mushrooms on the sheet . Spread goat cheese on the inside of each cap. Combine panko, garlic salt, pepper, and 3 Tbs. olive oil and sprinkle a hearty tablespoonful atop the goat cheese on each mushroom cap. Bake in the oven uncovered for 15-18 minutes or until panko is golden brown.

Budget-Friendly Holiday Entertaining Recipes

Here are a few of the recipes from WTNH and News 12 and the Book signing I did today at Whole Foods. Thanks to everyone who came out to nibble and buy books.

Wasabi bites with lime infused crab
($14) Makes 20-25 pieces


1 package wasabi flavored rice crackers
2 Tbs. wasabi paste
6 oz. cream cheese
1 C. lump crab meat
1 lime (for zest and juicing)
½ tsp. Kosher salt
Sesame seeds for garnish (optional)


Combine cream cheese with 2 Tbs. wasabi paste. In another bowl combine crab meat, lime zest, juice from lime, and Kosher salt. Stir until combined.

Place a small dollop of wasabi cream cheese atop a rice cracker followed by a small spoonful of crab mixture. Sprinkle with a pinch of sesame seeds.


White bean and sun-dried tomato bruschetta

($15) Makes 20-25 pieces


1 can white cannelini beans, drained
1 lemon, for zest and juice
3 tbs. olive oil
kosher salt and pepper to taste
½ C. sun-dried tomatoes packed in olive oil
4-5 roasted peppers from a jar
1 bunch parsley
1 loaf sour dough bread


In a bowl, combine rinsed beans, juice and zest from a lemon, olive oil and a good pinch of kosher salt and pepper. Mash with a fork until beans are combined. In a food processor add sun-dried tomatoes, roasted peppers and ½ bunch of washed parsley. Pulse for a few seconds until ingredients are chopped but NOT pureed. Combine mixture with beans. Season to taste. Spread on slices of fresh or toasted bread. Garnish with a few fresh sprigs parsley.


Cannoli bites with strawberries
($12) Makes 20 pieces


1 8 oz. container ricotta cheese
1 C. powdered sugar
1 prepared chocolate angel food cake
1 pint strawberries


Slice pound cake into 1” slices, then slice each piece in half or use a round biscuit cutter.
In a bowl combine ricotta cheese and powdered sugar. Add more sugar as needed.

Rinse and thinly slice strawberries. Place ricotta mixture in a ziplock bag. Cut a small hole at one of the bottom edges. Squeeze a small amount of ricotta mixture on each piece of pound cake. Add a thin slice of strawberry, and garnish with a sprinkling of powdered sugar. Serve.

Smoked Gouda, prosciutto and zucchini pizza

I bought pizza dough at the market today, some smoked Gouda cheese, and a couple of zucchini.

I let the dough rise tonight and made 1/4 of the pizza with plain cheese, 1/4 of the pizza with turkey pepperoni- if you've never had these, they are amazing and my kids love them.

The other 1/2 of the pizza, I spread a little tomato sauce, added 3 slices of prosciutto, grated some smoked Gouda cheese, which was added next, and grated a zucchini which I added to the top of the sauce. I sprinkled a little black pepper on the grated zucchini and baked in a preheated 500 degree oven for 12 minutes.

I usually just spray the back of a cookie sheet with Pam and spread the dough out on the back. The pizza slides off easily and it's easy to clean.

I had a little left over grated zucchini which I sauteed in a little olive oil and frozen garlic cubes. It was delicious as a veg. side dish.

We also had steamed green beans which everyone ate happily!