Big Soft Ginger Cookies

2 1/4 Cups flour
2 teaspoons ginger
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 t cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cups butter or margarine (softened)
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1/4 c molasses

Beat butter 30 seconds. add sugar beat till fluffy.  Add egg and molasses; beat well.  Stir in combined dry ingredients.  Shape into walnut sized balls and roll in sugar.  Bake on ungreased sheet for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Maple Pumpkin Pie

1 16 ounce can solid pack pumpkin, or use about 2 cups of cooked pumpkin
1 cup evaporated milk
3/4 cups maple syrup
3 eggs, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon rum extract(optional)
Pastry for a single 9-inch pie crust

Place the pastry into a 9-inch pie plate. Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl; beat until well blended. Pour into prepared pastry. Bake at 400 degrees F for 45 minuts or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.

Maple Fudge

2 C maple syrup
1 T light corn syrup
3/4 C light cream
1 t vanilla extract
3/4 C chopped pecans


Butter an 8x8 inch dish lined with foil.
Place pecans on a baking sheet and toast in a 350 degree oven until fragrant, about 8 minutes.
Butter the bottom and sides of a meduim saucepan. Combine maple syrup, corn syrup and cream in the saucepan. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Then heat without stirring to between 234 and 240 degrees F, or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from the water and placed on a flat surface. Remove from heat and let cool until lukewarm (1-2 hours). Beat mixture with a wooden spoon until it thickens and loses its gloss (It will look abouit like peanut butter at this point). Quickly fold in vanilla and nuts and spread in prepared pan. Let cool completely before cutting.

Bacon and Potato Soup

I love potato soup, so when I got married and my husband told me he would never eat potato soup I was very sad. I have found a recipe he likes though. Apparently his aversion is to the creamy variety. This is a favorite at our house. Tonight I made it with ham (about 2 cups cubed) instead of bacon because that's what I had.

• 6 thick slices of bacon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped carrots
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 2 cups cubed potatoes
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper (I add this per serving so my kids will eat it)
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• salt to taste

Cook bacon until crisp in 3-qt saucepan. remove and drain well. Wipe pan thoroughly with paper towels. meanwhile, prepare vegetables. Add olive oil to saucepan (or use some of the bacon grease if you wish...I usually do just because it's already there.) Add onion, carrot, and celery as they are cut up. Saute until onion is soft but not brown, 3-4 minutes. Add garlic.


Stir in chicken broth, potatoes, and pepper; bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer, covered, until potatoes are tender, 10-15 minutes.


Stir in cheese, heat just until melted, do not boil. Chop bacon and add to soup. Serve immediately. Leftovers are good too.

Peaches and Cream Brunch Cake

This is a little time consuming, especially if you have to peel and chop peaches. (Frozen peaches work great though.) It is delicious and well worth the effort. (Recipe from Schweizer Orchards)

2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup chopped nuts
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
8 oz. sour cream (1 cup)
2 cups peeled, chopped peaches

Cream Cheese Filling

8 oz cream cheese, softened
6 Tablespoons sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Stir together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In a second bowl, mix brown sugar, nuts, cinnamon, and nutmeg; set aside. In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until well blended. Add vanilla and beat until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition. Beat in sour cream. Add flour mixture and beat until smooth. Fold in peaches by hand. Spread half the batter in a greased 13x9x2 pan. Sprinkle 1/2 of the brown sugar mixture evenly over the batter. In a separate bowl mix all ingredients in the cream cheese filling together until smooth and creamy. Drop the cream cheese filling by teaspoonful evenly over the batter. Drop remaining batter by spoonful on top. Sprinkle with remaining brown sugar mixture. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes until the tester comes out clean. 12-15 servings

NOTE: I set my oven at 375, and still had to bake for 45-50 minutes for it to get done.

Zucchini Spice Muffins with Lemon Glaze

I found this recipe in the family fun magazine, July/August 2008. I decided to add the lemon glaze myself since I had already zested the lemon. Also, I remembered how delicious the orange glazed muffins were. Hope you enjoy!

• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup crystallized ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest (microplane graters make short work of this)
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/4 cups finely grated unpeeled zucchini (or summer squash)

Move oven rack to the center position. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Prepare muffin pan, use paper baking cups or nonstick spray. The recipe says it will make 10-12 muffins. We love to make mini muffins, this recipe made 36.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and sugar. Add the crystallized ginger, baking powder, salt, ground ginger, cinnamon, and grated zest.

Crack the eggs into a medium-size mixing bowl. Add the oil, milk, and vanilla, and whisk the mixture until well blended. Stir in the zucchini, making sure there are no large clumps.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid mixture. stir with a wooden spoon, do not over mix, batter will be lumpy.

Spoon into prepared pans. Bake until golden brown and springy to the touch, about 20-23 minutes.

While muffins bake prepare the glaze. Use 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice and 1/2-2/3 cup sugar. Mix these together in a non-reactive pan. Bring to a boil, simmer for about 5 minutes until slightly thickened, but still runny. Remove from heat.

When muffins are done, remove from pan on waxed paper. Let muffins cool about 5 minutes then drizzle them with the glaze. Serve warm. (Still delicious the next day if there's any left.)

Summery Salad

• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 3-4 cloves minced garlic
• 10 fresh basil leaves
• 5 fresh oregano leaves
• 3 small fresh cucumbers
• 2 large beefsteak tomatoes
• 1 small red onion, finely chopped

Mince garlic, or use a garlic press. Let garlic stand in balsamic and wine vinegars for 10 minutes (to take the "edge" off).

Wash the basil and oregano leaves. Roll up leaves and slice into little strips (chiffonade--fancy cooking term). Add to your best olive oil and allow to stand in oil while garlic marinates.

Meanwhile, prepare salad ingredients. Wash cucumbers and tomatoes. Partially peel cucumbers. Slice into small 1/4 pieces.

Remove stem and blossom ends of tomatoes, and slice into wedges. Place tomatoes, onions and cucumbers in salad bowl and sprinkle with salt. Combine olive oil and vinegars, whisking together well. Add sugar to dressing mix. Toss dressing and vegetables just before serving; serve at room temperature. To make ahead of time, refrigerate tomato mixture and dressing separately.

You can also add fresh mozzarella or feta cheese to this as well! Yummy!

Caramel Popcorn

• 4-5 quarts popped popcorn (about 1 cup unpopped, I think)
• 1 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup corn syrup (light or dark)--next time I'm trying it with maple syrup
• 1 tablespoon molasses or sorghum
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Remove all the unpopped kernals from the popcorn (or you might break a tooth). Spread the popcorn out onto two large baking sheets. Heat oven to 275 degrees F.

In a medium saucepan mix brown sugar, butter, syrup, and molasses. Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture comes to a boil. Continue to boil at a moderate, steady rate, without stirring for another 5 minutes. (hard-ball stage)

Remove pan from heat. Stir in baking soda and vanilla (my favorite part of making this because the mixture foams, I think it's fun). Pour mixture over popcorn; stir gently to coat. Place in oven and bake for 20 minutes. (Switch the pans places so they cook evenly.) Stir; bake 10-15 minutes more. Spread on waxed paper to cool. Break apart and store tightly covered, if it lasts long enough to save.

Note: On a very humid day, > 60% RH, this will not turn out.

Lemon Cheesecake

I have made this on the 4th of July for the last 3 years now. The recipe is from America's Test Kitchen (on PBS). It's wonderful. Well worth the effort though, at least once a year.

Serves 12 to 16

While this recipe takes several hours from start to finish, the actual preparation is simple, and baking and cooling proceed practically unattended. The finished cheesecake should be chilled for at least 4 hours before being sliced, and it can be made up to a day in advance. Leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 4 days, although the crust will become soggy.

Crust:

• 5 ounces Nabisco's Barnum's Animals Crackers or Social Tea Biscuits
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and kept warm

Filling:

• 1 ¼ cups (8 ¾ ounces) sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated zest plus ¼ cup juice from 1 or 2 lemons
• 1 ½ pounds (three 8-ounce packages) cream cheese, cut into rough 1-inch chunks and left to stand at room temperature 30 to 45 minutes
• 4 large eggs, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup heavy cream

Lemon curd:

• 1/3 cup juice from 2 lemons
• 2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk
• ½ cup (3 ½ ounces) sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes and chilled
• 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch salt

1. For the crust: Adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position and heat the oven to 325 degrees. In a food processor, process the cookies to fine, even crumbs, about 30 seconds (you should have about 1 cup). Add the sugar and pulse 2 or 3 times to incorporate. Add the warm melted butter in a slow, steady stream while pulsing; pulse until the mixture is evenly moistened and resembles wet sand, about ten 1-second pulses. Transfer the mixture to 9-inch springform pan; using the bottom of a ramekin or a dry measuring cup, press the crumbs firmly and evenly into the pan bottom, keeping the sides as clean as possible. Bake until fragrant and golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature, about 30 minutes. When cool, wrap the outside of the pan with two 18-inch-square pieces of heavy-duty foil; set the springform pan in a roasting pan.

2. For the filling: While the crust is cooling, process ¼ cup sugar and lemon zest in a food processor until the sugar is yellow and the zest is broken down, about 15 seconds, scraping down the bowl if necessary. Transfer the lemon sugar to a small bowl; stir in the remaining 1 cup sugar.

3. In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese on low to break up and soften slightly, about 5 seconds. With the machine running, add the sugar mixture in a slow steady stream; increase the speed to medium and continue to beat until the mixture is creamy and smooth, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Reduce the speed to medium-low and add the eggs two at a time; beat until incorporated, about 30 seconds, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl well after each addition. Add the lemon juice, vanilla, and salt and mix until just incorporated, about 5 seconds; add the heavy cream and mix until just incorporated, about 5 seconds longer. Give the batter a final scrape, stir with a rubber spatula, and pour into the prepared springform pan; fill the roasting pan with enough hot tap water to come halfway up the sides of the springform pan. Bake until the center jiggles slightly, the sides just start to puff, the surface is no longer shiny, and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center of the cake registers 150 degrees, 55 to 60 minutes. Turn off the oven and prop open the oven door with a potholder or wooden spoon handle; allow the cake to cool in the water bath in the oven for 1 hour. Transfer the springform pan without the foil to a wire rack; run a small paring knife around the inside edge of the pan to loosen the sides of the cake, and cool the cake to room temperature, about 2 hours.

4. For the lemon curd: While the cheesecake bakes, heat the lemon juice in a small nonreactive saucepan over medium heat until hot but not boiling. Whisk the eggs and yolk in a medium nonreactive bowl; gradually whisk in the sugar. Whisking constantly, slowly pour the hot lemon juice into the eggs, then return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the mixture registers 170 degrees on an instant-read thermometer and is thick enough to cling to a spoon, about 3 minutes. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cold butter until incorporated; stir in the cream, vanilla, and salt, then pour the curd through a fine-mesh strainer into a small nonreactive bowl. Cover the surface of the curd directly with plastic wrap; refrigerate until needed.

5. To finish the cake: When the cheesecake is cool, scrape the lemon curd onto the cheesecake still in the springform pan; using an offset icing spatula, spread the curd evenly over the top of the cheesecake. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours. To serve, remove the sides of the springform pan and cut the cake into wedges.

Blueberry Buckle

Growing up, we used to go pick blueberries in the summer. I remember on of our favorite things to make with the fresh berries was blueberry buckle. Here's the recipe.

2 cups all-purpose flour

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup butter

3/4 cups sugar

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

2-3 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (I like more)

Topping:

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup butter

Grease bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of a 9x9x2-inch or 8x8x2-inch pan.

Combine the flour, baking powder and salt. In another mixing bowl, beat the butter for 30 seconds. Add the sugar. Beat on medium until light and fluffy. Add egg; beat well. Add dry mixture and milk alternately to beaten egg mixture, beating till smooth after each addition.

Spoon batter into prepared pan. Sprinkle with bluebrries. Make the topping; Combine the flour, sugar and cinnamon. Cut butter in untill mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over blueberries. Bake in 350 degree F. oven for 50 to 60 minutes or till golden. Serve warm. 9 servings

(I had to bake mine significantly longer. Perhaps because Iput a baking sheet underneath because I remembered it had a tendency to run over the sides of the pan, and it did.)

Flat bread with Kohlrabi Salad and Grilled Chicken

I made up this recipe myself. Every year we get Kohlrabi from the CSA we belong to. Every year i have tried it and had yet to find a way that I liked it. Kohlrabi is a member of the same family as cabbage and broccoli and has sort of a cabbagy taste. When I used to work at Wendy's (back when they had their pita's) they had a broccoli slaw. I thought if I could do something like that with Kohlrabi I could eat it, and enjoy it. This is what I came up with. We thought it was pretty good.

Kohlrabi Salad

2 kohlrabi, purple or green (I think the purple is a little sweeter and it's pretty in the salad)
1 carrot
1 clove garlic
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1/3 cup light sour cream
1-2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon dried dill (or use 3-4 T fresh)
1/4 teaspoon salt
black pepper to taste

Peel the stems off the kohlrabi, but do not peel. This leave a little color for the slaw, especially the purple ones. Trim root end. Slice into julienne strips. Grate carrot and toss with kohlrabi. Mix together remaining ingredients and toss into vegetables. Let sit 30 minutes before serving.

To make a yummy sandwich: Place a generous portion of the slaw on a piece of flatbread and top with strips of grilled chicken. Enjoy!

Teething Biscuits

I haven't made these yet, but I've had them when Mom made them. They are great for adults too.

1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
1/2 cup water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon baking powder
6-61/2 cups flour

Heat oven to 375 degrees F.

Lightly grease a baking sheet, or line with parchment paper. In a bowl combine sugar
(use only 1 cup for teething biscuits), eggs, oil, and water. Combine with a mixer. Add vanilla. Stir baking powder into 1 cup of the flour and add to egg mix.Stir until flour is almost dissolved. add remaining flour 1 cup at a time until dough is smooth and thick enough to shape.

Use 1 teaspoon of dough to form a 3 inch rope. Bring ends together to form a ring. Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes.

Variation: Brush with egg white and sprinkle with sesame seeds before baking if not using for teething.

Oatmeal Cookies

These were very good. Not too sweet, so they would be great for breakfast. You could also load them up with other dried fruits and nuts for a healthy snack.

1 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 eggs, well beaten
1 cup granulated sugar (I used 1/2 cup maple sugar)
1 cup butter, melted
4 tablespoons molasses, (I used sorghum)
4 tablespoons milk
2 1/4 cups quick cooking oats
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
In a bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Stir to blend; add sifted ingredients and beat until thoroughly mixed.
Lightly grease cookie sheets, or use non-stick. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are slightly brown. Remove carefully and cool on wire racks. Store in airtight containers.

Quick Cajun Skillet

I found this recipe a few years ago when I was looking for something else to do with smoked sausage than cook it with sourkraut. It has become one of our favorites. It quick and delicious.

• 1 cup long grain rice (we also like it with other grains: brown rice, kasha, cooked whole wheat, or bulgur)
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1 large sweet pepper
• 8 ounce kielbasa (smoked sausage)--use turkey for lower fat recipe)
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon Cajun-style seasoning blend
• 1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes (seasoned if you like)
• 1 8 oz can no salt tomato sauce
• 1 15 oz can red kidney beans

Cook your grains according to package directions. Tthe rest of this recipe takes 15-20 minutes, about enough time to cook white rice. Brown rice takes about 40 min.)

Meanwhile, heat the oil on meduim in an extra-deep nonstick skillet. Peel and chop the onion, add to the skillet as you chop. Rinse and seed the bell pepper; cut it into bite size pieces and add to the skillet as you chop. Raise heat to medium high.

Cut the kielbasa link in half lengthwise. Cut each half into 1/4 inch slices, add to the skillet as you cut. Cook, stirring frequently, for 2 minutes or until the onions are tender and beginning to brown. Add garlic and seasoning while sausage cooks.

Stir in the tomatoes and tomato sauce. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Rinse and drain the beans and add them to the skillet. Stir and simmer until the beans are hot. Serve at once over grain of choice. Serves 4.

Strawberry Pie

I modified this recipe a little from the one in the Country Gardens Spring 2008 issue. We thought it was delicious. Next time I make it, I will probably use more strawberries.

1 cup sugar
5 tablespoons cornstarch
1 1/2 cups water
1 3-oz package strawberry gelatin
3 1/2 + sliced or chopped strawberries
2 9-inch graham cracker pie shells (or homemade)
1 8-oz package cream cheese, softened
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 pints heavy cream, whipped and sweetened to taste
sliced strawberries and/or mint leaves for garnish

In a large saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in water. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add gelatin. Cook about 1 minute more. Let cool for 15 minutes. Stir in 2 1/2 cups strawberries (this is where I would add more). Cool 15 minutes. Pour evenly into pie shells. Cover and chill3 hours or until set.

Mash the remaining strawberries. in a large bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer until smooth. Beat in condensed milk, then lemon juice. Fold in the mashed strawberries and whipped cream. Spread cream cheese mixture over the gelatin layer in the pie shells. Cover and chill 1 to 24 hours. (the crust just gets soggy if it sits longer, it's still good though)

Garnish pies if desired with sliced strawberries and mint sprigs. 16 servings

You could also layer this in a 13 x 9 inch pan with a homemade crust.

Spinach and Feta Quiche

1 Pie Crust (I used Pillsbury)
4 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 can petite diced tomatoes (use the whole can next time)
3/4 lbs. fresh spinach (about 10-12 oz.) Lightly steamed. or use frozen
green onions
green garlic
salt
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese (I might use more next time)
1 1/2 cups grated Swiss cheese
1 tablespoon flour

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Prepare pie shell in the pan, and bake for 8 minutes. Meanwhile, beat together eggs and milk. In a skillet add a little olive oil and saute the onions and garlic lightly. Add the spinach and cook until heated through. Add a little salt to help draw out the water as it's cooking. Squeeze extra moisture out of the spinach. Stir in tomatoes. Toss together the flour and Swiss cheese. Add spinach and cheeses to the egg mixture, stir to combine. Pour into hot pie shell. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 50-60 minutes. It's done when a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. Quiche can be served hot or cold. You can bake it without the crust too.

Rhubarb Crumble

Mom found this recipe and modified it a little when one of the boys mentioned that they had Rhubarb Crumble in Harry Potter. I'm glad she found it, it is yummy. I had to go find some rhubarb just so I could try it.

2 lbs. rhubarb, chopped in one inch pieces (I chopped it smaller)
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Combine in saucepan and heat for about 5 minutes until rhubarb is glossy and ingredients are melted together. Pour into a 8"x8" baking dish (or an 8" pie plate, but place a baking sheet under it in the oven to catch drips as it will probably boil over).

Topping:

1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and diced
3 tablespoons vanilla sugar (or regular sugar)
3 tablespoons brown sugar

Combine flour and baking powder in a bowl. Use hands or pastry blended to work butter into flour to resemble small crumbs. (A food processor works too.) Add sugars and combine. Cover the rhubarb with the topping. Bake at 375 degrees F 35-45 minutes.

This is really good with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

No Bake Cookies

mmmm.....My very favorite recipe for no-bake cookies.

1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup cocoa
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup coconut
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 cups quick oats

In a medium saucepan combine milk, butter, cocoa and sugar. Bring to a rolling boil and cook for 1 full minute. If it's a wet (humid) day, you may have to cook the mixture a little longer, unless you like your cookies on the gooey side. I think they are wonderful no matter how they turn out.
Next, remove from the heat and stir in peanut butter and vanilla, When peanut butter is melted add coconut and oats. Stir to combine. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto waxed paper to cool. Enjoy!

Pita Chips

These are quite simple and very tasty. Split the pita bread in half, so you have two circles. Brush or spray the cut side with olive oil,and lightly salt to taste. Stack them up and cut into wedges. Toast in a 350 degree oven for15 minutes, flip them over halfway through. Great with Spinach Artichoke Dip or hummus.

Mushroom Soup

• 16 oz. cremini mushrooms (baby bellas)
• 3.5 oz. shitaki mushrooms
• garlic
• onion
• savory
• thyme
• black pepper
  
• 1 qt chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream
• balsamic vinegar

Wash and slice mushrooms. Heat 1 Tbs. Olive oil in a large pan. When the oil is hot add the shitakis and 1/3 cup chopped onion, they take a little longer to cook, so I add them while I'm slicing the creminis. Saute mushrooms on high heat, add some salt to help draw out the moisture, this will help them get nice and golden brown. Then add the garlic, about 2 cloves, or more and the other herbs. Cook about another minute. Then add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Add the cream and heat through. Just before serving add a dash of Balsamic vinegar. I thought of this after I tasted it and it was still missing something. It was the perfect touch.