Mushroom Caps A Summer Treat.

What can be the perfect main meal and the perfect side? Mushroom caps. These easy to make treats can served as both as the star or co star of any meal. They're easy to make and can be varied in a number of ways. Best of all they're a perfect summer dish as well as being a winter one too.

Mushroom caps or stuffed mushrooms can be made a number of different ways. You can use large portabellos or the regular white button kind depending on what you want. With all mushrooms make sure that you wash them thoroughly and even use a vegetable scrubber (a small bristly type of brush or a nail brush) to remove dirt and sand. Cut out the stems. and reserve them for later. these can be added to the stuffing to emphasize the mushroom flavor. Use a buttered baking dish to cook them, preferably a Pyrex or glass one. Stuffed mushrooms only take about twenty minutes to bake.

The fun part is choosing what to put in them. Crab meat is the most preferred but you can also use chopped ham and/or bacon. Southern Italians use a mix of breadcrumbs, chopped sausage and parsley. I've always made mine without the sausage , preferring the Piedmontese version of it with butter ,bread crumbs and garlic. For a vegetarian spin you try stuffing the caps with spinach and tomato as well.

Nothing beats stuffed mushrooms, where for the main part or as a side. You can vary the mushrooms, using either portobellos or button caps as well as the fillings. All in all it's just a wonderful mix of wholesome mushrooms with yummy stuffing

Instant Food

It's good to be a foodie in today's modern world. Everything can either be popped into a microwave or a toaster oven. We can add boiling water to a bowl and get everything from oatmeal to soup. It's downright amazing what can be rustled up in a minute or two.

There's a lot of meal ideas to be had from these "instant " foods. For a quick lunch or even Sunday night dinner, bake Pillsbury breadsticks and then serve hot with a just cooked jar of marinara sauce Add salad and you have a satisfying dinner. Another idea is taking leftover white rice and adding it to tomato soup. You could also had some precooked shrimp and crab meat for a seafood stew. Ramen noodles are a fast way of satisfying those hunger cravings. Toss in some ginger or soy sauce for flair.

Anyone's sweet tooth can be instantly satisfied. There are the logs of cookie dough that can be sliced bake d and eaten within a span of twenty minutes. Microwavable cakes (which taste like soft baked pudding) are now the quickie dessert of choice. You can even make yourself an individual baked apple or poached pear thanks to the microwave. Fruit can be easily cooked this way and you can make all sorts of healthy snacks and desserts with some creativity and a few minutes to spare. A caramel baked apple just requires it to be cored, stuffed with caramel and butter and microwaved on high for a minute or two. Instant bliss and happiness.

It used to be just the "Jetsons"had instant food. Not so in today's 21st century kitchen. Anything is possible. Anything can be whipped up in a minute or two to be gobbled down in a few seconds.