Ok, I’ll just cut right to the point… It’s been awhile. This isn’t to say I haven’t been in the kitchen, because I definitely have been, but there are times when I just enjoy throwing things into pots and dishes and ignoring my pretty little measuring cups. 

The good news is, Busy as a Brie is back. After many emails from friends and family with subtle hints to get my blog in gear, it’s nice to know someone out there is enjoying my recipes!

Here’s the thing though. I’ve got a marathon in June. I just started my training. My eating changes pretty drastically when the running season begins, so you can expect more hearty dishes and less sweets. But fear not, the sweet stuff will always come around from time to time!

Let’s get right to it with this beautiful, rich and luscious soup.

For the recipe, click here:

Wild Mushroom and Barley Soup

Believe it or not, despite my absence from Busy As a Brie for three whole days, I have been cooking up a storm. The truth of the matter is, nothing has been worthy of a post. It irritates me to no end when I get giddy about something like Banana Peanut Butter Oat Bread and then it just turns out to be the weirdest and least satisfying baked bummer. Don’t get me wrong, I will still eat it… just slathered with cream cheese or butter… As if it needed anything else added to it.

Or, I made what I imagined would be epically delicious cornmeal crusted grouper, and I will not lie to you, it should have just stayed a whimsical thought in my food obsessed head. I managed to butcher some perfectly innocent fish.

I’m sharing this because it makes me feel very guilty when someone says “you must never make anything short of delicious.” It’s like I’m lying to them by serving something yummy. Should I confess that for every success there are three disasters? This is what happens when you make up your own baking recipes. You definitely learn that science cannot be screwed with… or at least, not that much.

But THIS is good. It is. I promise.

For the Recipe, click here:

Wild Rice with Parmesan “Croutons” and Stir Fried Veggies

This happens quite often. Ivan and I plan to venture out on Saturday morning and pop into a breakfast joint but nine times out of ten, we end up staying home. I think it’s because we are both very opinionated about our eggs and don’t enjoy shelling out oogles of cash for some under-stuffed, measly omelets. We have found that breakfast, is just better at home!

Take this Spicy Southwestern Layered Chicken Frittata. This took me no time at all and used up a bunch of ingredients that were bopping around the fridge with no destination. I even had some frilly lettuce straight from my friend Zipporah’s garden! I think we hit it on the nail. And, we got to lounge around in our bathing suits on this 107 degree day! What could be better than that?

For the Recipe, click here:

Spicy Southwestern Layered Chicken Frittata

I love having people over for dinner or brunch or any eating activity for that matter. It’s an excuse to clean the house and an excuse to make things I would normally not make for just my honey and myself. But sometimes, if I choose the wrong recipe, the hour before people arrive feels like a psychotic scramble to not burn/singe/curdle/destroy whatever is in front of me.

So here is my trick. Serve things that can be 90 percent prepped ahead of time. Then enjoy magically assembling and garnishing with pre-cut, pre-made ingredients and enjoy your glass of wine, savoring each sip instead of sloshing it back between dashes across the kitchen.

For the Recipe, click here:

Asparagus and Mushroom Flaky Tarts

I feel so accomplished after my adventures in the kitchen yesterday. Who knew it was so satisfying to make pita? While a wee bit time consuming (you have to wait multiple times to let the little buggers rise), the waiting was more than worth it. And the best part is, when you actually get to put them in the piping hot 500 degree oven, they cook in a flash.

I was glued to the oven, watching in anticipation as they puffed up in the middle like little pillows and could literally see the transformation as the golden edges took on color. It makes it even better that they taste delicious. I hate a thin, textureless pita. These are anything but. Fluffy, yeasty, totally yummy.

For the Recipe, click here:

White Whole Wheat Perfect Pita Pockets

So then there is always the dilemma of what to put in them which was solved pretty quickly as I have been craving a veggie burger like crazy. If you have a meat lover in your house (ahem. I do) I promise you, they will enjoy these too. Just maybe you should call them Portobello Patties instead of invoking the word “burger.” No one needs a lecture about why it’s not a burger without two pounds of ground beef. Pair the patties with some broccoli rabe, sauteed with garlic and olive oil and you have yourself one healthy, satisfying meal!

For the Recipe, click here:

Portobello Barley Burgers

I gotta say, after only doing 3 mushroom dishes, I am mushroomed out! Or maybe it’s just that there are so many other delicious ingredients calling my name and mushrooms seem a little old hat! So this will be my last mushroom dish for a little. “O” is doing a cookie contest next week and you can bet your darn boots I’m participating, so that will be coming up, as well as the Superbowl. I am more excited to cook than to watch, that’s for sure.

This is a spin on Spanakopita. I wish that I had been able to find Bulgarian feta instead of Greek, but since it’s pouring outside again, and people drive like madmen in Vegas when the roads are wet, there was no way I was slipping and sliding down to the International Food Market. If you can find it though, Bulgarian feta has a milder, creamier, and less salty quality. It doesn’t overpower the other ingredients as much as Greek. (I promise my prejudice has nothing to do with my lovely Bulgarian husband!)

Zucchini and Mushroom Puffy Pie

2 tbsp olive oil

2 bunches of scallions, chopped

6 oz baby bella mushrooms, stems removed and sliced (I had some leftover shiitakes that I added too)

3/4 cup vegetable stock

1/4 cup arborio rice

2 zucchinis, skin left on, grated (you can do this in a food processor) Strain through a colander to remove the excess juice (or squeeze in paper towels)

3 oz. canadian bacon, chopped

2 tbsp fresh chopped parsley

1 tbsp fresh chopped mint

3 eggs, beaten

8 oz. crumbled feta

2 sheets pastry puff, defrosted (If using phyllo sheets, 1/2 the package for the bottom, 1/2 for the top. Butter each layer)

salt and pepper

1 tbsp butter, melted

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Heat the oil in a pot over med-low heat and add the chives and mushrooms. Sautee for 5 minutes until the mushrooms are softened. Add the stock and rice and allow to simmer 15 minutes uncovered until the rice is almost done, but still slightly firm. Add the zucchini and bacon and allow to cool. When fairly cool, add the eggs, feta, parsley and mint. Season liberally with salt and pepper.

Butter an 8 X 12” baking dish. Spread one of the pastry sheets on the bottom of the dish and brush with 1/2 of the melted butter. Pour the filling over the pastry. Cover with the second pastry sheet, tucking in the sides. Brush with remaining butter. Place in an oven for 50 minutes to an hour or until top is golden brown.

I’m dreaming in mushrooms at the moment. This quiche combines the meatiness of the shitake with a creamy blend of cheeses and the sweet savory goodness of leeks. Ivan definitely ate it up… of course he also suggested I put crumbled bacon all over the top. Figures, but this is an awesome vegetarian breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

I made my own pie crust, which surprisingly came out yummy, but don’t attempt this unless you have some patience. The dough really needs to be refrigerated overnight or at LEAST put in the freezer for an hour before it’s rolled and fitted to the pie pan. If you are itching to eat, I would recommend a prepared 9” savory pie crust. This will be just as good, and foolproof!

Shitake and Leek Cheesy Quiche

6 eggs

1/4 cup cream

1/4 cup milk

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp oregano

1/4 tsp thyme

1/2 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded

1/2 cup Jarlsburg cheese, shredded

2 leeks, white and light green parts only, sliced lengthwise and cleaned

4-5 oz. shitake mushrooms, sliced fairly thick

1 tbsp white truffle oil or olive oil

dash of nutmeg

salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. (If you are making your own pie crust, work on that first unless you did it the night before which is recommended!)

Boil a pot of salted water. Place the leeks into the water for 5 minutes. Remove with tongs and place into a prepared ice water bath (this shocks the leeks to keep their bright green color.) Remove from the ice water bath and dry with paper towels.

In a sautee pan, heat oil. Add the mushrooms and allow to sweat 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt and pepper to taste and a dash of nutmeg. Add the leeks and cook an additional 5 minutes. Turn off heat and allow to cool slightly. Place the prepared pie crust (or homemade pie crust) into the oven for 10-12 minutes.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine first eight ingredients and mix lightly until fully combined. Spoon leek and mushroom mixture into the heated pie crust and pour in the egg mixture to cover completely. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove and allow to cool slightly before slicing!

Savory Pie Crust (adapted from Emeril)

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1 stick (4 oz.) cold butter, cut into pieces

1/2 tsp salt

dash of each of the following: dried oregano, paprika, dried thyme, garlic powder, and black pepper

4 tbsp ice water

Combine all the ingredients except the water in a food processor. Pulse until combined. Add the water slowly, pulsing until the dough forms a ball. Wrap with wax paper and refrigerate overnight or freeze for at least 1 hour. Roll out to fit 9” greased pie pan and crimp edges.

It’s Mushroom Week! We begin with the mother of all mushrooms, the portobello.

When I worked in Boston, Chef Bill at Sonsie Restaurant made a portobello pizza and I loved the idea. I have done this many ways with lots of different ingredients, but I think this is my favorite one. I made my own pesto, but you can easily buy prepared pesto and add it to the ricotta and get just as good of a result in a teeny bit less time! But nothing beats a big bunch of basil to stick your nose into! So fresh, so awesome!

Portobello “Pizzas” with Fresh Pesto Ricotta and Stewed Tomatoes

For the pesto:

2 cups fresh basil leaves, washed

3 tbsp olive oil

1/2 tsp lemon juice

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 cup walnuts

1 clove of garlic

1/2 cup part skim ricotta

For the tomatoes:

1 tsp vegetable oil

1 cup grape tomatoes or cherry tomatoes, halved

2 tsp balsamic vinegar

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp lemon juice

For the mushrooms:

2 portobello mushrooms, brushed off

1 1/2 tbsp olive oil

salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees with the racks high in the oven. Prep the mushrooms. Mix the olive oil and 2 cracks each of pepper and salt. Using a brush, coat the outside and inside of the mushrooms. Place topside down in a baking dish.

In a saucepan, heat the oil for the tomatoes. Add the tomatoes, salt, vinegar and lemon juice. Stir and cover. Let simmer over low heat while you prepare the pesto (about 10 minutes.)

In a food processor, combine all ingredients for the pesto, including the ricotta and blend until smooth and creamy.

Stuff the mushrooms with the pesto, ricotta mixture (you will probably have a little leftover. Great for a sandwich the next day!) Top the pizzas with the tomatoes, reserving the liquid by straining the tomatoes on the side of the saucepan with a spoon. Use 3/4 of the tomatoes, leaving the rest to garnish the dish.

Place the portobellos in the oven for 20-25 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil and serve with the reserved tomatoes.