The Charmed Kitchen

Mushroom Crostini

This recipe is pretty simple on the surface. Bread, mushrooms, onions, parsley  and cheese. It really is a special dish, though. The onions are marinated overnight in a mixture of parsley, oil and soy sauce. They end up tender and full of flavor. The bread is also brushed with the same oil and soy sauce mixture, before being toasted. Then the bread is topped with the onion mixture, sauteed mushrooms and Swiss cheese. When I make these for friends, they always disappear quickly.

Mushroom Crostini

1/3 cup olive oil

3 tablespoons soy sauce

3/4 cup thinly sliced sweet onion

1/2 cup fresh parsley leaves, packed

1 ½-2 lbs. sliced mushrooms

1 T. oil

Salt and pepper to taste

1 loaf Italian or French bread

Sliced Swiss cheese

Thoroughly blend oil and soy sauce; remove and reserve 1/4 cup. Pour remaining mixture over onion and parsley in small bowl; stir well and set aside.

Meanwhile, Sauté mushrooms on oil until tender seasoning to taste. Cut bread into slices, each 1/2 inch thick. Lightly brush one side of bread with reserved soy sauce mixture; place on large baking sheet. Broil 1 to 2 minutes, or until golden. Drain onion mixture; set aside. Cover each bread slice with mushrooms and then onion mixture. Place cheese  over onion mixture; return to oven to melt cheese, about 1 minute. Serves 6-12 .

Note: While it takes a little longer, you can also use the oven- at 400 degrees- rather than the broiler. Toast bread for about 7-10 minutes. Add the toppings, return to oven and bake about 1-12 minutes more- or until cheese in melted and bubbly.

Mushroom Pastries

I had a class last night cooking with mushrooms. We made these little pastries. The filling is a mixture of mushrooms, onions, sour cream and seasonings, baked in a flaky dough. Kind of like an empanada.  They were such a hit last night, I thought I would share the recipe today. You can make a large batch and freeze some for later, if you like. I used crimini mushrooms, but use whatever mushrooms you like.

Mushroom Pastries

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons butter

1 pound fresh mushrooms, finely chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/2 cup sour cream

In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese and 1 1/2  cups of butter, until well blended. Mix in the flour until fully incorporated. Pat into a ball, and refrigerate while you make the filling. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet. Add the mushrooms and onion. Season with thyme, salt and pepper. Cook and stir until tender, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over everything so it won’t get lumpy, then reduce the heat to low, and stir in the sour cream. Heat just until thickened, then remove from the heat. Cool filling. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into 3 inch rounds. Place a small amount of the mushroom mixture on one side of each circle, then fold the dough over and press to seal. Prick the tops with a fork to vent steam, and place the pastries on a baking sheet. (They can also be frozen at this time until needed.) Bake for 15 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden brown. If baking frozen turnovers, it may take an additional 5 minutes.

Did you know that daffodils are poisonous? They are.

I am always encouraging people to forage. There are so many common plants that are both edible and tasty. As the new season, starts I also want to be a little cautionary. As much as there are common plants out there that can nourish you, there are also common plants that are dangerous and even deadly.

Be sure you know what the plant is. If you can’t identify it for sure, find someone who can. Your local Extension office can help.

There are also plants where some parts are edible and others not -like tomatoes. Tomatoes are wonderfully edible, but the foliage on tomato plants is poisonous.  There are also plants that are only edible in certain stages of growth or when prepared a certain way. If you aren’t sure- don’t eat it!!!!

While this is not meant to be a complete list here are some plants you should watch out for. Even more true if you have small children, or pets that might ingest them. Some are quite toxic, others might cause skin irritations etc.

Some Poisonous Plants

Bryony (Bryonia): all parts are poisonous,  Boxwood (Buxus),: contact with the sap may irritate skin, Christmas rose, Lenten rose, hellebore (Helleborus): all parts may cause severe discomfort if ingested and the sap may irritate skin, Clematis, old man’s beard, virgin’s bower (Clematis): all parts are poisonous, causing mouth pain if eaten and minor brief skin irritation, Columbine (Aquilegia): contact with the sap may irritate skin, Comfrey (Symphytum): roots and leaves may cause severe discomfort if eaten and leaves may irritate skin, Daffodil (Narcissus): bulbs toxic if eaten in large quantities; skin may be irritated by handling bulbs, flowers and stems, Elder (Sambucus): all parts may cause severe discomfort if ingested and the leaves may irritate skin, False acacia (Robinia preudocacia): all parts may cause severe discomfort if eaten, Foxglove (Digitalis): all parts may cause severe discomfort if ingested and the leaves may irritate skin, Ivy (Hedera): all parts may cause discomfort if eaten and the sap or airborne hairs may aggravate allergies and irritate skin, Juniper (Juniperus): contact with foliage may irritate skin allergies, Lobelia (Lobelia): the sap may irritate skin, Lily of the valley (Convallaria majalis): seeds can cause stomach upset, Lords and ladies (Arum): all parts may cause severe discomfort if ingested and the sap may irritate skin, Lupine (Lupinus): the seeds may cause severe discomfort if ingested, Mountain laurel (Kalmia): all parts may cause severe discomfort if eaten, Potato, potato vine, false Jerusalem cherry, eggplant (Solanum): toxic compounds causing weakness and confusion are concentrated in stems, leaves, sprouts and fruits. They are increased by exposure to light, damage and age. Levels are kept low in food varieties and the compounds are mostly destroyed by cooking. Privet (Ligustrum): all parts may cause severe discomfort if eaten, Rhubarb (Rheum): leaves may cause discomfort if ingested. Use only the leaf stalk in recipes. Windflower (Anenome): contact with the sap may irritate skin, Wisteria (Wisteria): all parts may cause severe discomfort if ingested

Some Poisonous Flowers

Aconite, Anemone, Anthurium, Atamasco Lily, Autumn Crocus, Azalea, Baneberry, Black Locust, Bloodroot, Boxwood, Burning Bush, Buttercup, Butterfly Weed, Caladium, , Carolina Jasmine, Castor Bean, Cherry Laurel, Chinaberry, Christmas Rose, Clematis, Daffodil, Deadly Nightshade, Death Camas, Delphinium, Dogbane, Dumbcane, Elephant Ears, False Hellebore, Four O’clock, Foxglove, Gloriosa Lily, Golden Chain Tree, Goldenseal, Heavenly Bamboo, Henbane, Horse Chestnut, Horse Nettle, Hyacinth, Hyacinth Bean, Hydrangea, Iris, Ivy, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Jerusalem Cherry, Jessamine, Jetbead, Jimsonweed, Jonquil, Kentucky Coffee Tree, Lantana, Larkspur, Leopard’s Bane, Lily of the Valley, Lobelia, Marsh Marigold, May Apple, Mescal Bean, Mistletoe, Morning Glory, Mountain Laurel, Nightshade, Oleander, Periwinkle, Philodendron, Pittosporum, Poison Hemlock, Potato, Privet, Rhododendron, Rock Poppy, Schefflera, Spring Adonis, Spurge, Star of Bethlehem, Sweet Pea, Tobacco, Trumpet Flower, Water Hemlock, Wild Cherry, Wisteria, Yellow Allamanda, Yellow Oleander

Blueberry Blintzes

I had some flour tortillas and decided to use them for a quick blueberry dessert. These can be made with pretty much any fruit pie filling or fresh fruit. I made a homemade blueberry pie filling. While blintzes are traditionally made with crepes, these use the tortillas instead.

To make them, just soak some flour tortillas in milk to soften. I normally allow at least 10 minutes for this. Place a tortilla on your work surface and spoon some pie filling in the middle. A couple of rounded tablespoons should do. Fold in the sides until they just touch. Starting on the side nearest you gently fold the blintz up. It should like like a flatter version of an egg roll. Repeat with the rest of the tortillas. Heat some butter up in a skillet and place a few blintzes in at a time. Turn when they get golden on one side and cook until light golden brown on both sides. Serve dusted with powdered sugar or with ice cream, if you prefer. Super easy.

If you want to use fresh berries instead, just toss them with some sugar before using.  If you want to make a pie filling for this recipe, just cook together fresh berries with a little water and sugar. Once the berries have softened, mix a small amount of water with cornstarch and pour into the blueberry mixture, cooking until it thickens. Add the cornstarch mixture slowly so the mixture doesn’t get too thick.

Lemon Verbena Gimlet

If you don’t think of using herbs in drinks, maybe you should. They add a depth of flavor that can take things to a whole new level. For a recent herb class at Graf Growers, I was asked to do a program on herbal cocktails. I must say the recipe testing was a lot of fun. We ended up sampling three drinks that day. We started with a classic Mojito, then followed up with two gin-based cocktails. One was made with a lavender syrup, the other, a Lemon Verbena Gimlet, includes a lemon verbena syrup. These are great drinks for summer, or any time, really. So here are the recipes. I hope you enjoy them. Try adding other herbs to your cocktails. You might be surprised at just how tasty they can be.

Classic Mojito

10 mint leaves, I used a variety called Mojito mint, that has a slight lime flavor

½ a lime, cut in 4 wedges

2 T. sugar

1½ oz. rum

1 c. ice cubes

½ c. club soda

In glass place mint leaves and one wedge of lime. Muddle to release juices and bruise mint leaves. Add sugar and 2 more wedges of lime. Muddle until limes are crushed. Add rum, stir well. Add ice, stir and top with club soda. Garnish with lime wedge.

Lemon Lavender Cocktail

2 oz. gin

1 ½ oz.  lemon juice

1 ½ oz.  lavender syrup (recipe follows)

splash of club soda

some ice

one lemon slice, for garnish

Pour gin, lemon juice and lavender syrup into a glass and stir. Top with club soda, add some ice and garnish with a lemon slice.

For the lavender syrup:

¾ c. water

¾ c. sugar

1 tablespoon dried lavender buds

Combine sugar and water in a small saucepan. Add lavender and cook on low heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a boil and cook for 2-3 minutes, just until it starts to thicken a bit. Then set to the side to cool. Strain out the lavender and refrigerate. Yields just under a cup of syrup.

Lemon Verbena Gimlet

1 cup water

¼ c. sugar

¼ c. torn verbena leaves

¾ c. dry gin

¾ c. club soda, chilled

¼ c. fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)

Lemon verbena sprigs (optional)

Lime slices (optional)

Combine 1 cup water and sugar in a small saucepan. Rub torn verbena to bruise; add to pan. Bring sugar mixture to a boil, stirring gently as needed to dissolve sugar evenly; cook 30 seconds. Remove from heat; cool completely. Strain mixture through a sieve over a bowl; discard solids. Combine sugar mixture, gin, soda, and juice. Serve over ice. Garnish with verbena sprigs and lime slices, if desired.

100 Flower Dandelion Muffins

The curious name for this recipe comes from my own curiosity. I wondered just how many blossoms I would need to get about a cup and a half of petals. I decided to make muffins with some of the dandelions blooming in my yard. I have a lot of dandelions, and I wanted to use a really decent amount in my muffins. I started counting as I trimmed them and  stopped when I had a cup and a half. It turned out to be 100 flowers. So now, if you want to make this recipe, you will know when you can stop picking!!!

If you can’t beat them, eat them. I actually am a big fan of dandelions. I have organized dandelion cook-offs and edited a dandelion cookbook. I eat the leaves, and  a tea made from the roasted roots. The flowers are a wonderful ingredient in cooking, too. They are used to make dandelion wine and I enjoy adding them to fritters, pancakes and other baked goods. So here is my recipe for dandelion muffins.  They are pretty tasty, tender, light and not too sweet.

100 Flower Dandelion Muffins

2 c. flour

1 T. baking powder

½ t. salt

1 egg, beaten

1½ c. half and half

1/3 c. honey

¼ c. melted butter

1 t. vanilla

1 t. orange zest

1 ½ c. dandelion petals*

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners or grease them, set aside. In medium bowl, combine flour with baking powder and salt and set aside. In another bowl, combine egg with half and half, honey, butter, vanilla and orange zest. Beat by hand until well mixed. Stir in dandelion blossoms, then stir in flour mixture. Do not over mix. Stir just until flour is mixed in. Spoon batter into prepared pans, filling them about ¾ full. Bake for 20 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Great served warm with butter and honey. Makes 12.

* To prepare the dandelion blossoms you want to trim of the tough base and just use the petals in the recipe. Some of the green sepals will get mixed in, and that is OK. Measure the petals after trimming. I picked 100 flowers and ended up with about 1½ cups of petals.

Candied Violets

This time of year, I always get requests about how to make candied violets. I thought I would share the recipe again.  Since my yard is full of violets right now, I decided to candy some today. It’s an easy way to enjoy these delicate flowers throughout the year.  I use them to decorate baked goods. Lovely on a cake they, also add a sweet touch to cupcakes.

Candied Violets

Powdered egg whites (see note)
Water
Superfine sugar (see note)
Fresh violet flowers, rinsed and drained on paper toweling- Not African violets

Following package directions reconstitute egg whites to the equivalent of one or two egg whites. You can dilute them a little to make them easier to brush on. Place sugar in a shallow bowl. With a food-grade fine brush coat a violet with the egg white and press into the sugar. Place on wax paper and repeat with remaining flowers. Allow to dry for about a week. Store in a container with a tight fitting lid in a cool place. I like to store them in the freezer.

Sweet Potato Sour Cream Pie

Sometimes things just work out. I like when that happens. I was cleaning out my freezer, and came across a pie crust I had frozen. My favorite recipe makes two crusts, but I don’t always need the second one, so I freeze one for later. I was thinking of making a quiche, but a bag of sweet potatoes inspired me to make a pie. As I rooted through the fridge for the rest of the ingredients, I came across a carton of sour cream I had opened a few days ago. I normally use milk in my sweet potato pie, but decided sour cream would work just as well. Plus, I didn’t have any immediate plans for the sour cream. I was very happy with how it came out. In fact, I think I like it even better than the old version.

Sweet Potato Sour Cream Pie

½ c. sugar

1 t. cinnamon

1 t. vanilla

½ t. nutmeg

½ t. salt

2 c. cooked, mashed sweet potato

2 eggs, beaten

¾ c. sour cream

2 T. melted butter

1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust- recipe follows

Combine sugar with seasonings. Stir in remaining ingredients and combine until smooth. Pour into pie crust and bake in a preheated 400 degree oven for 40 minutes, or until filling is set.

Flaky Pie Crust

2 c. flour

1 t. salt

3/4 c. butter, chilled

1 T. cider vinegar

4-5 T. cold water

Combine flour and salt and cut in butter. Toss in vinegar and water 1 tablespoon at a time until dough holds together. Use a fork to toss the ingredients together and as soon as the mixture holds together stop adding water. Makes 2. Chill well before using.

Fresh Blackberry Muffin

Sometimes, little things can just improve your day. For me, it was starting the day with a mug of raspberry tea and a warm blackberry muffin.  I used a recipe I had made before, but decided to add cinnamon and nutmeg to the batter. I also dipped the tops of the warm muffins in melted butter and a spiced sugar mixture to finish them off. So good. So very, very good.

Fresh Blackberry Muffins

 1 c. milk

1 egg

¼ c. oil

2 c. flour

1/3 c. sugar

1 T. Baking powder

¾ t. salt

½ t. each cinnamon and nutmeg

1 c. blackberries, I used fresh but frozen would work, too.

Topping:

1/2 c. sugar

1 t. each cinnamon and nutmeg

4 T. butter, melted

Beat together milk, egg and oil. Combine dry ingredients and add to milk mixture, stirring to just moisten flour. Fold in blackberries. Fill 12 paper lined muffin cups to 3/4 full.  Bake in preheated 400-degree oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Combine sugar and spices in a small bowl. Place melted butter in another bowl. When muffins are removed from the oven carefully dip the top of a muffin in the melted butter and then in the spiced sugar. If muffins are too hot to hold wait a few minutes before dipping. Repeat with remaining muffins. Serve warm. Makes 12.