Lunch, Storms, Tournament,

For our lunch on Tuesday we had the mushroom recipe I posted on Monday, Mushroom Cheese Toasties, they were very  good. We changed things a bit, it says half a muffin per person, insufficient in our opinion so we had a whole muffin each, plus we used extra cheese. Other than that, we both enjoyed them.

Shhh, don’t tell anyone, but I think Katya is veering north. I do hope she continues to do so. Damn, Later I found she had veered south again, so much for that. I am watching this storm like a hawk. Have you seen all the pictures of the flooding caused by Irene, particularly in the northern States. One picture was of a historic covered bridge being destroyed, the rivers backed up when the storm hit and they now feeling the results. I feel so sorry for people, I know what its like to be flooded. Homes being badly damaged and in some even recommended being caught in their homes by the floods. I said 1 billion dollars damage, they are now quoting $7 billion. As usual there were idiots who ignored warnings and surfed on the waves and then had to be rescued. That kind of thing really tees me off.

Today we are heading to Chatham, Kent, Ontario, for a bowling tournament on Thursday. In the end we decided to stay down there for the night, I booked at a Howard Johnson’s (known as Ho Jo’s) in Ridegetown about 20 minutes away from Chatham, which is a lot better than 2 1/2 hrs. from home. They have a fairly reasonable restaurant, well I haven’t eaten in one for a year or two, but they always were pretty good. Once upon a time they were noted for their fried clam strips, but they don’t do those any more, certainly not in Canada. Pity, I used to love them. Not sure if there will be a blog on Thursday, so don’t hold your breath. Wish us luck though.

Another recipe in the little booklet sent to me by Mushrooms Canada is this ragout below. I see the original comes from Mushroom Growers in Australia.

Mushroom, Tomato and Basil Ragout

This recipe is Immune System Approved!

Serve a green salad and crusty bread with this one-pot vegetarian dish - perfect for a fast meal or as a side dish with grilled meat or fish. Orzo is tiny rice shaped pasta.
Ingredients

1 leek

2 tbsp olive oil

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 lb. small fresh mushrooms, halved

1 can Italian flavoured tomatoes*

1 cup water

2/3 cup Orzo pasta

1/2 cup Fresh basil leaves, thinly sliced

Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish: grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

Method

Slice off and discard the dark green tops and roots of leek. Cut in half lengthwise and rinse under water to remove any grit; thinly slice. In a large, deep skillet or saucepan heat the oil over medium heat. Add the leeks and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, for 3-4 minutes or until the leek begins to soften. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, for 2-3 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes, breaking up with a spoon, water and orzo. Bring to boil, and cook, stirring occasionally, for 12 -15 minutes or until the orzo is tender and it has thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the basil. Pass the cheese to sprinkle on top if desired. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Makes 4 main course servings

* Substitute stewed tomatoes or Herb and Spice flavoured tomatoes for the Italian flavoured tomatoes and add 1tbsp dried Italian seasoning with the tomatoes.

Nutritional Information
Per Serving
Calories: 237
Sodium: 266 mg
Protein: 7.4 g
Fat: 8.0 g
Carbohydrates: 36.8 g
Dietary Fibre: 5.4 g

Recipe adapted from the Australian Mushroom Growers' Association.

Have a great day