Portobello Mushrooms with Goat Cheese, Tomatoes & Basil

8 Servings

8 3.5" to 4" Portobello mushrooms, stems removed
1/4 cup olive oil
1 cup goat cheese, crumbled or sliced into 1/4" disks
1 cup fresh tomatoes seeded and chopped 1/4"
1/2 cup fresh basil leaf, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
Balsamic vinegar reduction

In a small saucepan bring 1 cup vinegar to a boil ~ lower heat to a simmer and reduce vinegar to a glaze ~ hold vinegar glaze at room temperature until ready to use.

Preheat cooker or grill to medium heat. Brush clean mushrooms of any dirt using a mushroom brush. Brush top and bottoms of mushrooms with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place mushrooms top (skin) side down to grill grates and close lid. Cook mushrooms for three to five minutes and turn over onto other side and continue to cook another three to five minutes or until tender to the touch. Remove mushrooms from grill and place onto serving platter bottom side facing up. Spread goat cheese over top of mushrooms and top with tomatoes, cut into four wedges and garnish with basil.

Serve hot with balsamic vinegar reduction drizzled over mushrooms.

Vegetable-Walnut Pate

1/2 C minced onion
1/2 t salt
1 Tbs vegetable oil
1 1/2 C chopped green beans
1/4 C chopped walnuts
1-2 Tbs white wine or 2 tsp lemon juice
1-2 Tbs mayonnaise
handful of parsley

Heat vegetable oil in a small skillet. Add minced onion and salt. Sauté over medium heat for about 10 min., until the onion begins to brown. Add chopped fresh green beans and sauté until tender (8-10
min.)

Combine everything in a blender and add in:
chopped walnuts, white wine or lemon juice, mayonnaise, black pepper, to taste, and parsley.

Grind into a uniform paste, or chop and mash it by hand.

Serve as an appetizer with crackers and raw vegetables, or as a great sandwich spread.

Beet Dip with Toasted Pita Strips

Makes 1 ¼ cups

3/4 lb. small beets
1 small garlic bulb, 1/4 inch sliced off top
2 Tbsp drained prepared horseradish
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1/4 cup whole almonds, toasted
1/8 tsp dried sage
coarse salt and ground pepper
3 pita breads (6-inch), lightly toasted, cut into 3/4 inch-wide strips

Preheat oven to 425. Wrap beets and garlic separately in packets of foil. Place on a baking sheet. Bake garlic until soft, about 40 minutes; continue cooking beets until tender, about 20 minutes more. Cool in packets. With paper towels, rub off beet skins; transfer beets to a food processor.

Squeeze garlic from skin into processor. Add horseradish, oil, vinegar, almonds and sage; pulse until combined. Season with salt and pepper. Serve with warm pita strips.

Submitted by Elyse Seeley