Pinterest Project: Lasagna Soup

I've been pretty good lately about making things that I find on Pinterest, especially the recipes. Today, I could not for the life of me figure out what I wanted to make for dinner. Off I went to my board entitled "Recipes to Try" and there it was. A lasagna soup by the Deen Brothers. It's a lighter version of one that their mom, Paula Deen, makes. It was delicious! The only change I made was using mini-penne instead of broken up lasagna noodles since I didn't have any.

As you can see, Henry enjoyed it thoroughly!

To give it a try for yourself, just go visit the Deen Brothers. It was simple and you'll probably have a lot of the ingredients on hand. Or at least things you could substitute easily. Enjoy!

Plans

I've been advocating "real" food for some time now. I've been trying to buy more whole organic foods, more natural, humanely raised meat, and less processed "food".  I have to admit, that I haven't always been as diligent as I should. Time for that to change! It's not always easy to find what you need in a grocery store. Even so-called organic groceries (please don't get me started on Whole Foods...) don't always carry real food.

What does this all mean, you wonder. You were wondering, weren't you? Well, it means that I'm going to start shopping in the European way. We've all seen the footage of the crowded market with its stands of locally produced goods. It's in that kind of place that you learn about your food, your culture and your neighbors. You shop for the week based on what is in season and abundant, not what's on sale or what sounded good to you while you were sitting at home. You buy the ingredients and then figure out the meals to use them. It's the reverse of every organizational/frugal living/meal planning site on the web. They all tell you to plan your meals months in advance and shop only when armed with the strictest list. Well, I'm not going to do it anymore! I'm going to embrace the seasonal market model of shopping. Once or twice a week, I'm going to venture to the market, pick out the products that look best that day and then take them home and cook with them. It will be difficult at first, but I love to cook and it's time to put my money where my mouth is. If I'm truly going to be a "real" foodie. This is the only way to do it.

I'm really excited for this new plan. I'll be sure to share my favorite producers and markets with you. Not to mention the recipes I use and create and the meals that come out of this grand plan. Stay tuned! The traditional markets will be opening soon and I will be the first one there. Until the seasonal markets open, I'll be using up the contents of my freezer and pantry to get them ready for all the good stuff that will be coming their way!

Pi Day Mini-Pies

Earlier this week geeks everywhere celebrated Pi Day. Pi Day is March 14 (3/14). Get it? Huh, do ya? Anyway, for all but the very geekiest, Pi day is mostly an excuse to eat pie. Some local pie places were even giving out free pie. Sadly, I was not able to get in on the free pie, so I had to make my own. I actually made tarts, but I prefer to call them mini-pies. After all, tart day seems like it would be something else all together...but I digress.

 There's not really a recipe here. I picked a pie crust recipe (which I'm not going to bother sharing, I didn't think it was that tasty, but recipes abound on the interwebs) and some fillings. I pressed the dough into greased muffin tins because I wanted my pies to look rustic, but you can roll out your dough and cut nice circles for a more refined look. Then I filled them with cherry and peach filling that I had left over from another project; use whatever you have on hand. I topped each pie with a heart I cut from the dough scraps and baked according to my dough's directions. Just watch the baking time since most recipes are for a whole pie.

Mini-pies are so simple to make that it would be a great Pi Day project for older children to do on their own. Smaller Pi fans can certainly help as well. Short on time? Go ahead and use prepared crust and fillings. I got seven mini-pies from a single crust recipe. You're number is going to vary depending on how thin you roll the crust, how big you make your shells and whether you choose to top them with crust or just go with a single crust. You could also use mini-muffin tins to make mini-mini-pies.

Don't worry about waiting a year to make these, either. They're a great little treat any time. Enjoy!

My Eating Manifesto

To start, let me say that this post is simply an explanation of why I've made the choices I have. Everyone makes decisions about their diet and nutrition based on what's best for them and their families. I respect whatever your choice may be. I've been asked about mine, so here's the explanation. To get to this point, I've read works by various food scientists and food historians (if you haven't read Michael Pollan, I highly recommend him). I've watched and read about the adventures of Andrew Zimmern, Adam Richman and Anthony Bourdain. I've got a Master's Degree in environmental science. I've used all of that information, along with my heart and instincts to come up with the system that works for me.

Since I've begun this project, I've had lots of people ask me what diet I'm following-Weston A. Price, GAPs, gluten-free, paleo, vegan, vegetarian...The list goes on and on. And the answer is none of the above. I'm using the great-grandma test. Would my great-grandmother, who was born in the 19th century and grew up in the rural Ozarks (and lived to be very nearly 100), recognize it as food or an edible ingredient? If the answer is yes, it's on my "diet". I recognize that what we eat is vitally important to our health and well-being, but most people only think about their physical well-being when they think about food. Food is just as important to your emotional and mental health. It's also important for cultural health. When civilizations lose their food culture, they lose themselves. That's when mental and physical disease starts creeping in. It's all related. In addition, any of those above diets can be unhealthy to body, soul and environment if they are done incorrectly. Plenty of vegetarians and vegans eat a lot of processed, conventionally produced food. That's no better for them or the environment than eating the same diet with conventionally raised meat added to it. I also see recipes for things like "paleo almond joy". The point of a paleo diet is that you're eating similarly to the earliest humans ("cavemen"). I'm pretty sure that there was never anything remotely like an almond joy in their diet.

In addition, many people use their adherence to a diet as a reason why they can't eat out, travel, or visit friends at meal time. I don't think any diet is so important (unless it's for a real medical reason-celiac disease, for example) that it should come between people and their interactions. So many people complain that we are becoming an increasingly isolated society, why add to that unnecessarily. Eating the traditional foods of another culture is one of the fastest ways to learn about them. Eating at a local diner is the best way to learn about a town. Sharing a meal with friends and family is the fastest way to create memories and intimacy.

So, I eat real, unprocessed food that I prepare in my kitchen. Sometimes, I eat food that I wouldn't normally because it was prepared with love by someone I care about. Sometimes, I eat at a restaurant I wouldn't normally choose because the people I'm with are more important to me than some "rule" about what I'm going to eat. And, when I go on vacation, I always, always, always go find the local places that prepare food that has been made and eaten in that region for generations.

For me, eating is not about a sterile, boring chore that has to be gotten through. For me, eating is about the bonds I've formed, the places I've been and the people I love.

Pinterest Project: Maple Cupcakes

You remember when I mentioned Pinterest? Well, I am full-on addicted. I love scrolling through everything that other members have posted and finding great things that I would never have seen otherwise. There is a downfall, however (well, besides the giant time suck that it can become), and that downfall is finding the time to actually do and make everything that you pin. So,  I've made a promise to myself that I'm going to start sorting through my pins (especially recipes) and try at least one every week. If it's good it goes in my recipe binder. If not, it gets unpinned, never to taunt me again!

My first test was this maple cupcake recipe from Country Living. I used the frosting recipe that is linked in the cupcake recipe. They turned out pretty well. I wish the cake part was more intensely maple-y. I'm definitely going to make them again, but I may use a darker maple syrup to up the maple flavor. On another note, I think the frosting would be delicious and decadent as a waffle or pancake topping.

Roasted Squash with Onions, Walnuts and Bleu Cheese

First, a note about the recipes I post here. Copyright and ownership are huge issues with recipes. If a recipe appears within the text of a post, it's one that I consider "mine". That's not to say that there isn't a similar one out there somewhere, but I didn't use one when I made it. If the recipe is online, I simply link to where I found it originally. And, if I've made a recipe out of a cookbook and it's not online anywhere, I will simply reference the book, but I will not repost the recipe. There are also recipes that are based on a well-known or basic foundation and can be found everywhere. I do post those. My lemon curd and preserved lemons both fall into that category.

 

All that being said, here's one that I put together for crisp fall evenings. I've made many variations of it and you can include any combo of root vegetables that you like. Try it with parsnips and sweet potatoes-yum! Feta cheese also works well.

 

 

 

Roasted Squash with Onions, Walnuts and Bleu Cheese

• Peel and cut a medium butternut (or any other winter variety) squash into bite size pieces.
• Toss with olive oil and spread on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper.
• Roast in a 350° oven for about an hour (when the squash is soft and starting to carmelize, it's ready). About 30 minutes into the roasting time, add a sliced onion.
• About 50 minutes into the roasting time, add a handful of chopped walnuts.
• When everything is roasted, toasted and carmelized to your liking, remove from the oven.
• Top with crumbled bleu cheese before serving.

Organic Food in Surprising Places

I try very hard to buy fresh, local food. I visit farm stands, farmer's market and craft shows (a great place to find baked goods, jerky, jam, etc).  When the things I'm looking for are not available in those locales, or if those locales are unavailable (Michigan winters don't keep many farm stands in business!), I have to get them from grocery stores. I often shop at the local VG's chain and sometimes hit the (also local) Hiller's. I also hit the Michigan-based Meijer on occasion. All of these chains carry some organic products and they even mark the Michigan-based brands. If your local market doesn't carry many local items, talk to them and see if they'll start. Also ask them to mark the local products to build awareness.

Now, all that is well and good, but I must admit to a weakness. Costco. Buying in bulk, when done correctly (only buying what you'll use, comparing unit prices, etc) saves a ton of time and money. Not to mention packaging. Imagine my happy surprise when I began finding wonderful organic products in their vast aisles! Just goes to show that you can't discount any options when looking for affordable organic options.

A Tale of Two Cabbages

When life gives you lemons, you make lemonade. So, what do you do when your CSA gives you cabbages? I'm the only one in my family who eats coleslaw and I've been reading all about the benefits of fermented foods, so I began thinking...

First, I found this recipe from Mother Earth News and then I found this recipe from Allrecipes.com. Some chopping, salting and mashing happened and now I have these two jars hanging out happily on my counter. The one on the left will be sauerkraut and the one on the right will be kimchi (a spicy Korean condiment).

Fermenting is a traditional way of keeping food before canning and refrigeration and some believe that fermented foods aid in digestion. I don't know about the digestion part, but this is a super easy way to preserve food and I know that the products will be yummy. So, I'm counting this one as a success. A few more days and I'll be able to sample the goods and see how I did. Give them a try-I think you'll be happy with how easy they are to make and how much better they are than store bought.

Unexpected Benefits

I've lost 8 pounds since February. Now, you might think that's no big deal, but let me elaborate. About 15 years ago, some weird things started happening to my body, including the gaining of a significant amount of weight. Just recently, I discovered that I have a hormone syndrome that not only caused the weight gain to start with, but it makes the extra weight more difficult to lose. In an even more cruel twist of fate, the extra weight makes the symptoms from the syndrome that caused it worse. I've tried to lose weight in various ways over the years, with little luck. So imagine my surprise when I started losing weight now.

A few interesting points to consider:

• I have stopped buying lowfat/no-fat ingredients. Since starting this quest in February I have used only real butter, real sour cream, real yogurt and full fat cheese. I also stopped buying skim milk and started using 2%.  Cream and buttermilk are now kept in my refrigerator as every day ingredients.
• I have not started any formal exercise routine. Any "new" exercise is in the form of walking more and working by hand more.
• We eat out just about the same amount as we did before.
• I have baked and eaten more bread, cookies and other baked goods since I started, but they have been almost exclusively homemade (by myself or someone else).
• My consumption of packaged convenience food has dropped dramatically.
• Since I'm buying locally raised fruits and veggies in season, they taste better and, therefore, I eat more of them.

Now, please remember that while I am a scientist, this is nowhere near a scientific study. It's purely anecdotal. I am not a doctor or nutritionist and am not in the business of advising anyone on how they should be eating.

Why, then, do I think I've lost weight when everyone is probably thinking I should have gained weight? Well, the extra exercise is certainly part of it. I also have been drinking a lot more water. The biggest thing, though, is that the homemade food is so much yummier that eating is a more complete experience. It's not something I do mindlessly to get to the next activity. The real ingredients are also more satisfying, so I don't feel like I need a second helping to reach satiation.

I don't have a current picture, but if the weight loss continues, as I expect it will as I keep adding even more physical activity and summer fruits and veggies become available, I'll add some progress pictures.

Recipe Review: Frittata by Giada De Laurentiis

One of my favorite spring crops is asparagus. Mostly, I either grill it or saute it, but sometimes I feel like doing something crazy. I'm a wild woman...So, a few weeks ago I tried this frittata by Giada De Laurentiis.

It turned out very yummy! The asparagus was tender and fresh and the tomato added just the right tang. And, of course, the fontina was perfect, but I've never had cheese *not* make something better. The only thing I would have preferred was garden fresh tomatoes, but they weren't available yet. I'll definitely make this again when tomatoes are in. I'll just use some of the asparagus I froze, fresh from the farm.

Traditional Foods

The meaning of traditional varies widely from person to person. It can be personal, family or cultural. I'm trying to learn more about foods that are traditional to my family (canned pickles and veggies, for instance) and to the early American culture. There are people out there who follow the paleo or "caveman" diet. Others follow diets more closely resembling the early pioneers. If you are a traditional foodie-what is your tradition? Do you cook like Ma Ingalls or one of our native ancestors? Or do you cook foods from your family's homeland? I'm truly curious, because there are so many ways of thinking out there that everyone who says they are eating "traditionally" could be eating something completely different. And that intrigues me.

Traditional diets are so important. Overwhelming anthropological and anecdotal evidence shows that a traditional (or indigenous or native) diet, ANY native diet, is better than the western diet that most of us Americans eat every single day. The Masai of Africa survive on meat, blood and milk. There are Scandinavian cultures who, traditionally, ate little but yak and lichens. Other groups survive on fish. They are all healthier eating those diets than anyone eating a western diet, even a "healthy" western diet. It makes one think...and it makes one question any plate, pyramid or other diagram the government puts out there to advise me on my eating habits. But, I digress. I'm planning a much longer post on this subject for some other time, so for now, let's just say I'm curious about native diets and which ones are still alive and kicking in these oh-so-modern times.

If you have a good traditional food story, please share it with me. I might even share it in a future blog post!

Operation: Pantry Clean Out

In the days before my "from scratch" resolution, I stocked up my pantry-with all the canned, processed stuff you would expect in a pantry. Now, I want to get rid of that stuff. I want to make room for home canned and preserved or, at least, locally preserved foods. So, I need your help. Do you have a great "from the pantry" kind of recipe? Send it to me and maybe you'll see it featured in a future post!

Spicy Asian Dipping Sauce

OK, this is another one of those embarrassingly easy recipes that I shouldn't even put on here. But, it's yummy, so here it is. This summer, when the peppers are in, I'm going to try a fermented pepper sauce that I have directions for, but for now, here's the easy one.

Asian Dipping Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup chili garlic sauce (add more if you like it spicier)
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 2 tablespoons of sugar

Directions:

• Mix everything together and let rest.

See, I told you it was embarrassingly easy.

Ham Pinwheel Spread

Who doesn't love a ham pinwheel? Well, vegetarians, I suppose. OK, skip that question. I love a ham pinwheel. There, that's better. In case you're not familiar with them, ham pinwheels are slices of deli ham covered in cream cheese, rolled up and cut into slices. Some folks put a green onion or tiny pickle in the middle. I'm not picky. I'll eat any of the versions. While these are easy to prepare they're often done for parties and I've never taken the time to make them for a meal or snack for myself. This spread that I came up with gives you the taste with less effort.

Ham Pinwheel Spread

Ingredients

• 8 ounce block of cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup diced ham (or more if you want a thicker, meatier spread)
• sweet pickle relish or diced green onions to taste (or get crazy and use both)

Directions

1. Mix everything together in bowl, chill. (Can't get much easier than that)

You could easily make this into a cheeseball if you wanted something a little more party-ready. I put mine in a tortilla and made a lunch roll-up. Enjoy!

Blueberry Cornmeal Muffins

Hmm, see a carbohydrate theme in the recipes lately? So yummy...Anyway, this is a great muffin. The texture of the cornmeal and the slight hint of orange really makes them a bit different from plain ol' blueberry muffins. This originally appeared in Family Fun magazine in the fall of '07.

Cornmeal Blueberry Muffins
makes approximately 1 dozen
Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 3/4 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest (I substituted orange extract since I didn't have zest)
• 1 1/4 cups buttermilk
• 2 eggs
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (If you use frozen, do not thaw before adding)

Directions

• Preheat oven to 400°. Grease the bottoms only of 12 standard muffin cups.
• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and orange zest. In a medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk, eggs and oil until well blended. Add the buttermilk mixture to the dry ingredients and stir just until batter is blended. Gently fold in blueberries.
• Divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups. Bake muffins for 15 minutes or until tops are golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let the muffins cool for 5 to 10 minutes on a wire rack before removing them.

Honey Oat Waffles

Ok, I love breakfast foods. Not necessarily at breakfast time, but that's not the point. The point is, that many of these luscious concoctions are not great for you. They can also take a long time to prepare. To fix the time issue, I periodically prepare a bunch of waffles or pancakes, let them cool completely and then pop them in the freezer. All you have to do on a busy morning is put them in the toaster, just like those store-bought ones. Unlike the store-bought ones, though, these are very yummy and not so terrible for you. They don't have much sugar in them and they are packed with fiber. So eat up! Within reason, of course. I'm not promoting them as weight-loss waffle or anything...

Honey Oat Waffles
Ingredients

• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups buttermilk
• 1 cup oats
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• water, to thin if necessary

Directions

• In a large bowl, mix eggs and buttermilk. Add oats, stir well and let sit for 10 minutes (if using quick-cooking oats, it's not necessary to let it sit)
• In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
• Pour about 3/4 cup into a prepared waffle maker and cook according to manufacturer's instructions.

These are yummy with maple syrup, drizzled with more honey or topped with fruit. Enjoy!

Progress...

Yesterday marked the 3-month anniversary of the launch of this blog and the formal start of my experiment. I think it's time to stop and take stock of how I'm doing so far.

Food
As I suspected, this has been the easiest aspect to change. I cook from scratch 99% of the time when we are home these days. The fun of trying new things, as well as the need for a bit more planning, has eliminated those nights that we would get takeout or head to a restaurant simply because I didn't have a meal planned. When we do choose to go out to eat we choose a locally owned restaurant whenever one is available. It's also more fun to cook from scratch. Opening a bag of frozen stuff and throwing it in a pan is not fun. It's work. Crafting a meal from great ingredients is enjoyable. We have joined a CSA and are eagerly awaiting our first bundle of fresh, organic produce. Our garden is getting underway and I'm installing edible landscape all around our yard, including raspberries, blueberries, strawberries and rhubarb. These plants are native to Michigan which makes them more sustainable and hardier.

Technology
Also as I suspected, this has been harder. I'm still on the computer a lot. So is my husband, and my four year-old is on more and more as he discovers how much is really out there. I can longer convince him that PBS Kids, Kids CBC and Starfall are the only websites that exist. At least it is still easy to monitor and limit his time on the computer. I know it will only get harder when he heads off to full-time, public school next fall. We have cut back on our TV watching and my husband and I have downgraded our cell phones to a prepaid plan. They are mainly for emergencies now. It's much cheaper and we were hardly using them before, anyway.

Money
A constant battle, isn't it? I think we're on the right track with money. We've gotten some more things paid off and have enough saved up to take care of a few things that we need or want to do. Fun stuff, like new siding and insulation on our house. Whee...but, a wise investment in the long run. There are still three huge money things that we need to get going on.
1) Retirement and estate planning (This is obviously a must.)
2) College funds for both boys (We have a plan that will result in us paying for up to 100% of their post K-12 education.)
3) Retirement/vacation property (This is clearly third in importance, but it's first in my heart.)
I continue to make a few extra bucks a month teaching classes through community education and selling my craftiness online and at craft shows. I'm also in the process of starting up a home-based business. It's still in it's infancy, but, once it gets rolling, it will combine my science expertise, my love of planning events and my desire to make some money without depending on a "regular" job.

The past three months have not felt too much different than what we were doing before. I cooked from scratch often and we were always fairly diligent about finding local things to eat, see and do. Now, as spring and summer take hold, things may get a little more different. In the next 3-6 months I plan to learn canning, try my hand at cheese-making and step up the DIY projects in general. I hope you stay tuned!

Pumpkin Praline Muffins

I don't know about you, but I find a muffin to be the perfect breakfast food. It's yummy. It's portable (essential when trying to get people out the door in the morning). It's easy to make. Here's a delicious pumpkin muffin from Family Fun magazine. The pumpkin and whole wheat flour make them a bit healthier than some muffins and if you want to cut down the fat, throw the pecans into the batter and forget about the topping. Not exactly praline if you go that route, but still good eatin', I'm sure.

Pumpkin Praline Muffins

Makes 1 dozen

Ingredients
Praline Topping

•  3 Tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
• 1/3 cup flour
•  3 Tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup finely chopped pecans

Muffin Batter

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/3 cup molasses
• 1/3 cup oil
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
1. Combine all the topping ingredients in a small bowl and use your fingers to rub them into a crumbly topping. Set it aside. Heat the oven to 400 ˚ and grease the bottoms only of 12 standard muffin cups.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together both flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, molasses, oil, eggs, milk and vanilla. Stir the pumpkin mixture into the dry mixture just until blended.

3. Divide the batter among the muffin cups and sprinkle on the praline topping. Bake the muffins for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes before removing them.

 

Shortcuts: Cuban Sandwich Pockets

First of all, you are aware of my preference for good ol' "from scratch" foods. However, now and then, I use a shortcut. There is nothing healthy about a crescent roll out of a can. I can't think of a single redeeming feature, nutritionally or ecologically speaking. But, they taste really yummy and, sometimes, in a moment of weakness, they jump into my cart. And, let's face it, they are much simpler to use than trying to make your own, although I do hope to give it a try sometime soon (just the term "butter packet" makes it sound intriguing).

Anyway, this is a recipe I dreamed up because I wanted a cuban sandwich. It's only a cuban sandwich in the loosest sense (it has ham and pickles), but it satisfied my craving and was quick to make.

Crescent Cuban Pockets

Ingredients

• canned crescent rolls
• ham
• pickles (I used Tony Packo's sweet hots, because I love them)
• cheese (Swiss is traditional but I used cheddar since I had it on hand)

 Traditional cubans also use roast pork, but I didn't have any. If you do, put it in too; it will really add to the flavor.

Directions

• Unroll the crescents and separate into 4 small rectangles. Pinch the seams closed.
• On each rectangle, place your desired ratio of meat, cheese and pickles.
• Fold the rectangle over and pinch closed.
• Bake on an ungreased baking sheet according to the directions on your brand of crescent rolls.

Mushroom Brie Bruschetta

Sometimes I play around in the kitchen. This often leads to snacks or meals that I would love to share with you, but are not really recipes. Sometimes I make something really wonderful and then I never succeed in recreating it. Hopefully, the more of those I post here, the fewer I will lose to recesses of my brain. Anyway, this is one of those "not really a recipe" recipes. It's just sort of an idea. Change it in any way you want to make it yummy for you and yours!

Mushroom Brie Bruschetta

Saute a variety of mushrooms in a combination of olive oil and butter. Throw in some onions, garlic and whatever mix of herbs sound good to you (I used a bit of rosemary). When the mushrooms are beautifully brown and soft, put a slice of brie (or any soft cheese that you enjoy) on a piece of toasted bread (I used some of my home made sourdough) and spoon the mushroom mixture on top. This is a simple and delicious snack or light meal. Enjoy!