Well as an unintended by-product of a very fun contest, I missed Mushroom Recipes of the Week last week.  No seriously…I missed it a lot. So to make up for lost time, I present to you twice the recipes we usually highlight!

I love fancy food as much as the next hungry person but this? This is what a cozy craving is made of.  Perfect for these transitional days between winter and Spring when I start to crave that sweet crisp pea but am still in hibernation casserole mode. Elly Says Opa! nailed this Chicken, Mushroom, Pea and Stuffing Casserole right on the head.

Soup is another meal category that seems especially perfect for transitions. This selection also speaks to the joy in my heart when bloggers who don’t typically talk about food give us a peek into their palates. Anonymous Midwest also happens to capture the process behind this Mushroom, Leek and Potato Soup beautifully.

To carry through that last point, check out this Spanish Stew recipe from the Reluctant Entertainer’s Napa trip last week!  I included a prep pick so you could see all the fabulous fungi in the mix but click through for the whole shebang and a recipe.

Oh Smitten Kitchen…you never fail to impress.  As I announced to Twitter last night, the combination of mushrooms and hazelnuts is not something I would have ever thought of on my own. Now I can’t get it out of my head.  I’m hosting a brunch tomorrow and this Warm Mushroom Salad with Hazelnuts has just the flavor balance I never knew I was looking for.

Not only is Smitten still coming up with her own inventive mushroom combinations but she’s inspiring other food bloggers to try them out.  Amanda from Cakes and Ale was very happy with how Smitten Kitchen’s Mushroom Bourguignon recipe turned out when she made it at home.

Just another deliciously easy weeknight recipe from a friend to fungi, Rachel from A Southern Fairytale.  And by “just another,” I clearly mean isn’t it nice to have talented friends? With veggies making up more than half of the ingredients, this one is on the light side as well!

Speaking of easy, family-friendly dinners, Stacie from Chowmama threw this together when she was sick. That’s how low-maintenance a health meal can be if you’re just stuffing good things into a portabella cap. Good things like chiles, rice, spinach and onion.

Last but not least, something you could even make for brunch this weekend! Tina from Carrots ‘N’ Cake combined some breakfast classics with an Italian staple to create a delicious take on Breakfast Pizza. As a longtime fan of pizza for breakfast, I think this is a healthier and likely a tastier version of the leftovers I ate cold in college…

I feel like I beg for fantastic restaurant dishes on Twitter at least once a week.  And while I never expect glamour shots (ahem…see above), it is nice to see them.  I was particularly taken aback that this was an at-home re-creation of Barcelona’s famous mushrooms.  Nice work, Ninette!

Did anyone else ever get a thrill from adding great fixings to standard grilled cheese sandwiches?  You can put just about anything in between thick bread with some cheese and I will love it but mushroom and tomatoes have been my favorite combination since college. Apparently I share that choice with Poor Girl Eats Well because I saw this sandwich come through my reader and my stomach growled. Loudly.

My first thought when I saw this recipe was of Mushroom Taco Mac.  Much like teachers and students, we at the Mushroom Channel would never officially tell you that we have favorites among our official recipes. So I am not officially telling you now that the recipe is spoken of with deep sighs and goofy hunger-induced grins. The mushroom’s ability to soak up flavor works especially well with Mexican spices for me.  But this salad is its own good thing and I want to recognize The Comfort Food Is Always Here properly.  With only a few ingredients, my thought leans toward serving this over mixed greens with a little extra chipotle sauce.

If you have ever aspired to be the kind of person who has an elegant snack or two at the ready when friends drop by, this is the recipe for you. The filo cups required for these are wonderfully easy and I’ve seen mushrooms work into them in some truly lovely ways (all simple as simple comes).  For the Love of Cooking has posted a version that involves filo cups, caramelized mushrooms and brie. All things that make for a happily stocked refrigerator.

Great how-to video from Wegmans‘ Executive Chef Mark Makovev showing off the ease and elegance of mushroom risotto- perfect for holiday entertaining.  If you’re really observant, check out the gorgeous mushroom display at the 00:43 second mark!

I write this hoping that today finds you all fully recovered from a feast with friends and family alike. And by “recovered” I mean plotting menus for the next several weeks.  This is always an interesting week in the kitchen for me because on the one hand, there are inevitable glorious leftovers but on the other, I’m a little over them and  ready to start trying a few new flavors.

If you feel similarly then today is the ROW of your dreams because we’ve got something for everyone!

The Kitchn has a hot list of soups to make with your turkey stock  and other Thanksgiving leftovers.  You’ll notice that the vast majority of them have mushrooms including Hot and Sour Mushroom, Cabbage and Rice Soup, Mushroom Soup and traditional Hot and Sour Soup.  If you’ve never made turkey stock, here is a great instructional post. You will thank yourself later.

If you’ve got more leftovers than some straightforward stock, check out the recipe for Turkey Fricassee with Mushrooms at Serious Eats. Leftover meat, with fresh herbs, mushrooms and wine cooked with a rich broth > potpurri.

If you’re done with turkey but not the cold weather comfort food, Coconut Lime has a divine Chicken and Mushroom bake with your name on it. She has a great trick using fresh mushrooms and evaporated milk that cuts down on the fat in standard cream-based soups.

Jennifer Perrillo has quickly become a favorite read around here…in all of her various nooks including her personal blog, Gourmet Unbound, and Food 52. She has a new project called The Family Table focused on healthy, delicious eating for parents and kids alike. Not only do we love the idea but we already love the approach- she leads with Mushroom Bolognese and great advice on helping kids get used to new ingredients…like mushrooms.

Speaking of family-friendly, that’s my hunch for Cooking Light’s Pesto, Spinach and Mushroom Lasagna as executed by Pink Parsley.  That is a slew of my favorite things in one place and I’ve had a number of great experiences with Cooking Light’s recipes. Experiences that leave me full but feeling svelte nonetheless.

Last but not least, there are those of you out there who barely saw the last guest’s taillight turning the corner before you started planning the next gathering. For those of you in this camp, consider Evil Shenanigans and her Bacon Jalapeno Stuffed Mushrooms. This essentially combines my two very favorite Pioneer Woman appetizers and somehow  manages to improve on the fat factor (these still aren’t light, but improved). The lovechild of bacon wrapped jalapenos and brie stuffed mushrooms? Don’t mind if I do.

This particular MC editor had occasion to be in rural southern California for “feast week” as it is affectionately called by loved ones.  Recent years have found me avoiding the Black Friday sales, opting instead for online shopping.

Given the chance to pair bargains with a new town though and I’ll gladly go peruse. This is how I found myself at eye level with a platter worth a thousand plates at Rains department store in “downtown” Ojai.

The inscription says “Mushroom. Enjoy Nature’s Handmade Art.”

I couldn’t have said it better myself.

Here’s a post I’ve been looking forward to for a few weeks- the one dedicated to my favorite holiday.  A full day dedicated to family and feasting is a dream come true in my book.  That being said, for as many different types of families to be represented tomorrow, there about as many iterations of the traditional Thanksgiving meal.

Lucky for all of us, mushrooms have a place on the table no matter where you end up. A few of a favorite mushroom masterpieces that even a turkey could love below:

A Mini Vegan Pot Pie with Mushroom Gravy from Vegan Dad.

Gluten Free Vegetarian Thanksgiving with more savory mushroom gravy from Wheatless and Meatless (by way of The Examiner).

A colorful side dish for the table from A Smart Mouth.  Crisp green peas with sauteed cremini mushrooms and mint make for a great twist on a classic combo.

Mushrooms IN the turkey by way of some beautiful stuffing from Recipe Girl.  Don’t forget to try out the mushroom dressing recipe from Umami Girl we featured last week for a different take!

Another glorious combination- roasted carrots with mushrooms from Kalyn’s Kitchen.  Look at the color here and tell that doesn’t just shout “feast!” to you.

This one is for the Sunday after Thanksgiving. You’ve exhausted your leftovers (or you’re just tired of eating them).  You need something light, with a totally different flavor profile. Enter The Wednesday Chef with her take on Mark Bittman’s Bok Choy with Shiitakes and Oyster Sauce. No fuss and delicious- perfect way to recover from a few days of dishes and gluttony.

Forgive me for one “mushy” moment when I say thanks in honor of Thanksgiving. The whole team at the Mushroom Council is grateful for you guys. Enjoy your holidays!

MC Editor Note: We have a new guest contributor among us! Everyone give a warm, seasonal welcome to Umami Girl!

Thanksgiving at our house inspires a devotion that borders on the comical. A day when the whole country stops to give thanks for delicious food is essentially a national endorsement of our family’s way of life, and we think that’s really something to celebrate.

Most of the time our devotion borders on the comical. Then, of course, there are the times when devotion shows its passport, crosses the border and never looks back. We train for Thanksgiving dinner the way runners train for a marathon. With a certain scientific precision, all meals on Thanksgiving Eve balance maximum stomach stretching with minimal caloric intake. Several family members arrive on the big day with elastic-waisted sweatpants in tow, in case the need arises before dessert. And then, of course, there’s the stuff-off.

Its proper name is The Great Great-Grandmas’ Stuff-Off, but don’t try to say that five times in a row after the tryptophan hits your bloodstream. Each year the two family matriarchs prepare their two outrageous stuffings. This recipe is adapted from one of them.

Although the original recipe contains no small amount of meat, I’ve adapted it over time into a vegetarian dish. With all the savory, meaty mushrooms in this version, it’s sure to please carnivores and vegetarians alike. The gravy is our go-to recipe for a versatile vegetarian sauce. It can also be prepared with turkey stock if that’s how you like to gobble.

Umami Girl’s Vegetarian Mushroom Stuffing

Ingredients
1 1/2 to 2 baguettes, cut into 1-inch cubes (12 slightly heaping cups)
6 Tablespoons butter
2 medium onions, diced
3 stalks celery, with leaves, diced
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1/8 teaspoon pepper
8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps halved if large and sliced
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, halved if large and sliced
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tablespoon minced fresh thyme
2 Tablespoons minced fresh sage
1 cup dry white wine
3 large eggs
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1/4 cup minced flat-leaf parsley

Method
1. Preheat the oven to 250° F. Arrange the bread cubes in a single layer on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 25 minutes to dry. (Alternatively, leave the bread cubes out, uncovered, overnight.) Remove the bread from the oven and raise the oven temperature to 375° F.

2. Meanwhile, in a wide pan, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and celery along with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, garlic, thyme and sage and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms have halved in volume, about 8 minutes. Add the wine and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. There will still be liquid left in the pan. Remove from the heat to cool slightly.

3. In a very large bowl, beat the eggs with a fork until slightly frothy. Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and the vegetable stock and stir to combine. Add the bread, the mushroom mixture and the parsley and stir to combine thoroughly. Let the mixture sit for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bread has absorbed all the liquid.

4. Bake in a 3-quart covered casserole or a deep 13×9-inch pan covered with aluminum foil for 35 minutes. Then remove the cover and bake 15 minutes more. Serve hot with mushroom gravy.

Note: You can, of course, also bake this recipe stuffed inside a turkey. It will fill an approximately 17-pound bird.

Umami Girl’s Vegetarian Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients
2 Tablespoons butter
4 garlic cloves, chopped
6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps halved if large and thinly sliced
6 ounces cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 cup dry white wine
2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method
1. Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a wide pan. (If making the stuffing, you can use the same pan from Step 2 without washing.) Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are browned in spots and substantially reduced in volume, 5 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and cook, stirring constantly to prevent burning, for one minute.

2. Add the wine and stir for one minute, scraping up any bits of flour from the bottom of the pan. Then add the soy sauce and vegetable stock along with a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat to maintain a brisk simmer and cook until the gravy thickens slightly, 5 minutes or more.

Did you get your Vitamin D today? Exercise Physiologist Karen Nelson helps keep Tucson healthy with all kinds of news. This week she asks how much Vitamin D you’re getting. Because of the growing press around this special vitamin, its important to get the facts. Very few foods in nature contain Vitamin D and mushrooms are among them. Take a look to find out how much D is safe and what you can do to get more.

Cold and Flu? Not You! RedBook knows how to dish out some interesting ways to boost your immunity against the flu. Germ-fighting foods, laughing and dancing are among some suggestions that we can all incorporate into our lives. Specifically, we were interested in how Shiitake mushrooms, which contain Lentinan, a carbohydrate found in these tasty shrooms, may boost cells’ response to infection.

Culinary Confidence -  Mushroom Dip perfect for holiday tables Preconceptions about food kept Beth Flaherty of the StarNews from eating mushrooms for years. Then she got with it. We find her basking in her love of mushrooms suggesting a dip for the approaching holidays. Check out the various mushrooms used for this dip which calls an “economical, delicious and a real crowd-pleaser at parties.”

Celebrating Mushrooms It’s Fall! How are you celebrating the season’s produce and flavors? Mushrooms — plentiful this time of year — bring out the earthy and hearty flavors of any dish. Marilyn Campbell reassures us that most types of mushrooms are wine-friendly (yay), easy to use for meatless meals like the “steak” sandwich recipe she provides and she shares basic tips on how to clean and keep mushrooms fresh.

Eat these foods and feel better Perhaps you’re already up to your neck in tissues kind of sick. Though foods alone can’t make you feel better, they sure do help when they’re as tasty as the list created by Detroit Free Press. Strawberries, salmon and mushrooms’ “superhero”-like qualities may be just what you need to “save your life” according to author Dave Grotto. Check out the full list and a meal idea that may be the trick for feeling better.

Meat off the menu as Windsor Castle goes vegan Countless royal banquet have been held in Windsor Castle with plates of chicken, apple-stuffed pigs and more throughout its history. On November 3, that all changed when a banquet for 200 guests including leaders of nine different faiths with all types of dietary requirements met for a celebratory lunch. The feat of putting a menu together was quite tricky for Xanthe Clay who decided to use the scrumptious Portabella to “save the planet.”

You have been busy. And yes, I mean “you” in the collective sense.  We have also been busy.  Busy reporting back on two of the big adventures we took in October (FNCE and IFEC). My oh my though, we missed one week of Recipe of the Week posts and suddenly your delicious (and might I say attractive?) posts have popped up like…well, like mushrooms.

With that in mind, it’s time to dig in because there’s a lot of appetite to get through today!

First up we have Burgundy Buttons from Heather at Home Ec 101. For something that’s relatively easy to put together, this is a versatile one.  Served on steaks, in baked potatoes or even on pasta, this is four ingredients to a relative umami bomb. One of our featured contributors, Rachel,  pointed these out to us and then made them for her own family that same night!

Next up we have a new face in the crowd. I was combing through food blogs tonight (favorite pasttime, don’t you know) when I came across this beautiful site.  I thought I had my post all sealed up but when I saw this photo series, the recipe looked too good not to feature. Go say hello to Sprouted Kitchen and her Stuffed Portabellas with Herb Sauce.  Your eyes will be glad you did. Though you may need to answer to your appetite later.

Do you see the picture above? Of course you do. And you saw the one before it? This is us proving a point. When you’ve seen one stuffed portabella, you’ve not seen them all. Not even close.  Aside from being an all-around gorgeous shot, this is everything I want in my dinner tonight. It’s hard for me to believe but I already have everything in this masterpiece on hand and there’s a good chance you do too. Frozen spinach, can of artichoke hearts, sundried tomatoes, goat cheese, an onion and a portabella mushroom…the things happy kitchens are made of. This Stuffed Portabella with Balsamic Reduction from Love and Olive Oil is most certainly what a happy kitchen is made of.

Next up we have Stuffed Mushrooms with Sundried Tomatoes from That’s the Way the Cookie Crumbles.  Now to be fair, this was originally posted a couple weeks ago but we’re officially past Halloween now and into the high season of party-planning and I don’t think these could be more perfect.  Elegant, appealing and can be assembled ahead of time- the ideal passed poppable. And just to keep things current (and because, when asked to choose between things I like,  I prefer “both” ), I encourage you to check out her Pumpkin Porcini Soup as well.

Last but most certainly not least, we have our favorite rancher to bring this week’s highlights home. We love The Pioneer Woman and not just because she loves us back.  Because she very simply loves food and loves to share it. Photos like this don’t hurt the cause but I can’t imagine many folks hear mushrooms, brie and garlic in a recipe without taking a look. This is another great candidate for party poppables although a completely different flavor profile. Mushrooms Stuffed with Brie from The Pioneer Woman, because it sounds like a good idea and it is.