Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Burgers


I don't know about you, but I'm still recuperating from the July 4th weekend...I've got quite the food hangover. The weather was perfect here...just right for grilling. Doesn't food just taste better on the grill? I actually had a little help with my burgers this weekend. Red Gold Tomatoes sent me a little grilling package to liven them up! Am I lucky or what?!


Look at this cute little six pack of diced tomatoes...and I scored an apron and some recipes, too!


Red Gold Tomatoes just kicked off their Summer Grillin' Party part II. What does this mean for you? Just head on over to their Facebook Page and enter for a chance to win a Big Green Egg (!) or one of 4000 aprons that will be given away!

Of course, that's not all. Red Gold was nice enough to offer one of my readers a grilling kit just like the one pictured above, complete with an apron and a slew of great recipes. I'll give you the details in just a bit. First, I'd like to share this awesome recipe for Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Burgers. 


This is easy peasy...brush on a little pesto and stuff 'em with some diced tomatoes...so tasty!



Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Burger

Red Gold Tomatoes

Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Burger

Fresh veggies fill this wonderful meatless burger. Made with Red Gold Petite Diced Tomatoes with Garlic and Olive Oil.

Ingredients

  • 4 Portobello mushroom caps, stem and gills removed
  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 tablespoon prepared pesto
  • salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 small yellow bell pepper to taste
  • 1 (14.5 oz) can Red Gold Petite Diced Tomatoes with Garlic and Oil, drained very well
  • 4 cups fresh spinach, chopped
  • 4 slices provolone cheese
  • 4 whole wheat buns

Instructions

  1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Combine olive oil, pesto, salt and black pepper in a small bowl. Brush each mushroom cap with the oil mixture.
  2. Grill mushroom caps, rounded side up, for about 4 minutes. While cooking, combine bell pepper, 2/3 of the Red Gold Petite Diced Tomatoes with Garlic and Olive Oil, and spinach in a mixing bowl. turn mushrooms over and fill with tomato mixture. Cover and grill for 3 more minutes. Place a piece of cheese on each mushroom, covering tomatoes, and grill 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.
  3. Place a whole wheat bun that has been spread with Garlic Aioli--1/4 cup light mayonnaise and 1/3 cup Red Gold Petite Diced Tomatoes with Garlic and Olive Oil, drained.
Prep Time: 00 hrs. 10 mins.
Cook time: 00 hrs. 10 mins.
Total time: 20 mins.




For the carnivores in the group, I made some Spicy Tomato Burgers. I ate both versions....




For the Spicy Tomato Burgers, simply mix a well-drained can of Red Gold Petite Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles with one pound of ground beef.

And now for the giveaway! Simply leave a comment telling me which of the Red Gold Burger recipes is your favorite. You can find the recipes right here: Burger Recipes. Then register your email address with the Rafflecopter widget (no worries...no one else will see it). I'll have Rafflecopter randomly choose a winner on Sunday, July 13th  Tuesday, July 15th. Contest will end on Monday, July 14th at 11:59 PM CST.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: I was given some product, recipes, and an apron. All opinions are my own.


Friday, July 4, 2014

Sugar Cream Cake aka Gooey Butter Cake


Just in time for July 4th.....

A few years ago, I had the pleasure of dining at Bonge's Tavern in Perkinsville, Indiana. It was an awesome meal followed by an awesome dessert---a dessert I had never heard of before--- Sugar Cream Cake topped with a warm blueberry sauce. Oh. My. I have been wanting to reproduce that cake ever since. I do procrastinate however, so it wasn't until this week that I actually Googled the words "sugar cream cake".  The resulting recipe is a mash-up of my Google search. I have no idea if it even comes close to the recipe Bonge's Tavern has on their menu. But dang it's good. 


I made a special trip to the grocery store before work just to get blueberries, because that's how I am...it had to be red, white, and blue......

It didn't take long for someone to point out to me that my "Sugar Cream Cake" looked strikingly similar to a Gooey Butter Cake. Sure enough, the recipes are nearly identical, but for the name. In St. Louis it's Gooey Butter Cake. In Perkinsville Indiana, it's Sugar Cream Cake. The most perplexing thing? I've never made either one of them before. Serious oversight on my part.


"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet..."

Sugar Cream Cake


Sugar Cream Cake

Slightly crisp around the edges, with a gooey center that's almost pudding-like, this Sugar Cream Cake is perfect for any celebration!

Ingredients

  • 1 box yellow cake mix
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 4 eggs, divided
  • 1 (8 oz) pkg. cream cheese, softened
  • 4 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.; grease a 9x13 pan.
  2. In a large bowl, beat together the cake mix, butter, and 2 of the eggs. Batter will be thick. Spread on the bottom of the prepared pan.
  3. Beat together the remaining eggs, cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Spread over the top of the crust.
  4. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the top is starting to brown. Cool completely. Serve with topping of your choice.
Yield: 24
Prep Time: 00 hrs. 10 mins.
Cook time: 00 hrs. 40 mins.
Total time: 50 mins.




The fresh fruit and real whipped cream compliment the gooey sweetness....imagine what else you could top this with...plain, with a sprinkle of powdered sugar, cranberries for the winter months, grilled pineapple for a tropical twist...the possibilities are endless!

Happy Independence Day, America!

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

Blueberry-Rhubarb Pie


Guess what? July is Blueberry Month! But, I'm not done with rhubarb yet, so  I've combined it with blueberries. You heard it right. I combined rhubarb with blueberries. One of the finest fruits that exist. Want to know how I did this? Just take a look see....


I'm a little tired of the strawberry/rhubarb combo...how about you?

Blueberry-Rhubarb Pie

Blueberry-Rhubarb Pie

Blueberries and rhubarb combine to make the best pie ever!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups blueberries
  • 2 cups chopped rhubarb
  • 1/4 cup flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
  • 1 tablespoon grated orange peel
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • pie dough for a 2 crust pie
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1-2 tablespoons sparkling sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Combine blueberries and rhubarb in a large bowl.
  2. Stir together the flour, sugar, cardamom, and orange peel. Fold into the blueberries and rhubarb.
  3. Line a 9-inch pie plate with one of the pie crusts. Pour the berry/rhubarb mixture into the crust. Dot with the butter. Top with the remaining pie crust (cut a few holes in the crust to vent).
  4. Beat the egg yolk with 1-2 teaspoons of water. Lightly brush the top of the pie crust with the yolk. Sprinkle with the sparkling sugar.
  5. Bake for pie for 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350 degrees F. Bake for another 30 to 40 minutes, or until the crust is golden and the fruit is bubbling. Use foil or a pie shield half way through baking to avoid over-browning.
Yield: one pie
Prep Time: 00 hrs. 20 mins.
Cook time: 00 hrs. 50 mins.
Total time: 70 mins.
Tags: pie, blueberries, rhubarb, crust




The orange zest adds a little something...


I'll confess--I used a refrigerated pie crust--just brush it with the egg yolk and add some sparkling sugar...no one will know.


You might want to wait a little longer than I did to dig in...it was a little juicy...but sooo good!

How do you use Blueberries?