I didn’t always love mushrooms, but I do now.  I’m frequently buying fresh mushrooms, using what I can in salads, on pizza or on a crudités.  Leftovers are quickly dried and sit in a jar on my cabinet.  My children often throw a few into their Ramen noodles (as well as peppers, onions or other dried options).  The boiling water cooks them as it cooks the noodles.  I’m also happy to rehydrate a few and throw them on a pizza when I have no fresh ones.

Mushrooms are the famous ingredient in many recipes.  Think stroganoff, spaghetti sauce, rich gravies, Salisbury steak, chicken Marsala and you’ll remember the role mushrooms play.  But consider what a mushroom powder will do to add flavor to some of your favorite dishes.  And when you’d like that mushroom presence without the visual (think: “Mom, you know I hate mushrooms!”), add the powder.  Powdered mushroom equals my idea of the perfect compromise.

Now that you’re wondering what else can possibly be said about mushrooms, wait, there’s more!  When I rehydrate mushrooms, the liquid left behind is a flavorful broth not to be wasted.  Depending on what I’m cooking, I may choose to use it in the dish itself.  In case you haven’t noticed, I don’t believe in wasting.  “Waste not, want not” never goes out-of-date.

To prepare mushrooms for dehydration, gently clean and slice ¼” thick.  Spread on drying racks and dehydrate at 130 degrees for eight to twelve hours.  When mushrooms are dry they’ll bend slightly with no moisture present.  Store in an air-tight jar and have them handy for people who want to dress up something with extra flavor at the last minute.

Jan has a new book on how to dehydrate, Delicious, Delectable, and Dehydrated.

For those of you with more than one child, you know the feeling of success when all the children pronounce a recipe a keeper. Puffy German Pancake is that recipe in my home. A favorite breakfast request, it is fast, simple, and of course economical to put together.

It’s a favorite recipe across the internet with all kinds of names—and I have no clue whether it is an actual German recipe or not. I did read where it can be made in a muffin pan for individual servings. Something to try one day when there’s time. After all these years, I’m still enjoying the bliss of mixing ingredients in one bowl and dumping it all into a casserole dish.

The children and I enjoy watching the pancake, which is nothing like a pancake at all, puff up like a blow-fish.

The first five minutes in the oven are tricky—the first time we made it, we thought we had used the wrong type of flour. True to its word, puffing action began and did not stop until pulled from the oven. There were more ohhhs and ahhhs as the pancake became flat-as-a-flitter with tall sides.

Sprinkled with powdered sugar, drizzled with syrup, and topped with sliced strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries (my favorite), it is out-of-this-world delicious.

Puffy German Pancake

1/4 cup butter

5 eggs

1 1/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

Melt butter in 9 x13 pan in the oven while oven is preheating to 425 degrees. Mix eggs, flour, and milk with an electric blender. Add batter to dish and bake for 25 minutes or until center is set and sides are golden brown.

In 2011, MMCW shared many wonderful recipes. Our top recipes are those most visited on our blog over the course of the year. Enjoy!

Tomorrow Molly will be sharing her 2011 favorites.

He Has Risen! Rolls
Guest blogger Janna Widdifield’s easy Easter dessert rolls top our list of reader favorites for 2011.

Crockpot Lasagna

Jan’s Apple Bread

German Apple Strudel

Angel Food Bars

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup

Spring Lime Pie

Pecan-Coconut Pound Cake

Christmas Punch

French Quarter Cheese

Grandma’s Steak and Potatoes Crockpot Casserole

Dream Cake

A few weeks ago, Marcia Washburn, author of Homemade Convenience Food in 15 Minutes, gave away a copy of her book here at MMCW. It was a fun give away complete with some of our wonderful readers sharing family favorite quick meals.

One of the recipes shared was Black Bean Taquitos by Georgette. It’s fast, kid friendly, and healthy to boot. It is perfect for lunch or dinner. Georgette says the original recipe comes from Six O’Clock Scramble, a membership fee based recipe site.

Today, on Black-Friday, we could all probably use a healthy and fast dinner option.

Black Friday Black Bean Taquitos
1 can refried beans
1 can black beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1/2 Tsp cumin
2 Tsp chili powder
1/2 Tsp minced garlic
Scallions or onions, optional
1 cup of Mexican Four Blend shredded cheese. (Cheddar works well as does pepper jack for a spicy version.)
Flour tortillas

Mash beans, tomatoes, garlic, onions, and spices up in a pot and heat through. Add in cheese and turn off heat. Fill tortillas and eat as is or toast in the oven for a few minutes.

Salsa or sour cream is optional.

Optional fillings include leftover chicken, beef, or pork. Simply shred meat and fill tortilla along with bean mixture.

Georgette’s freezer tip: dice up onions and freeze to save time while cooking.

Do-It-Yourself projects are not my thing. I like the idea of being crafty, but let’s face it, I don’t do crafty well. For me to attempt and complete a project it has to be super easy, just a few pieces involved, and cheap to make.

Creating a cake stand from a plate and candlestick fits the bill. Of course, all you DIY divas are thinking ‘that’s so last year’. You’re probably right, this project can be found on any number of blogs and websites. Just in case, there is anyone left who has not seen this, it is truly a project worth trying.

Three components: a pretty plate, candlestick or glass to use as a base, Gorilla glue.

My plate was $3 at Goodwill.

The pretty candlestick stand was $2.42 at Goodwill.

Look, it’s a Gail Pittman too!

Glue it all together for a pretty fall dessert stand. Don’t let the glue’s brown color cause concern, it dries clear.  Now that I have this project under my belt, I plan to make a few for Christmas gifts. (Pretend you did not hear that if we’re related.)

Cookbook Review: Homemade Convenience Foods by Marcia K. Washburn, reviewed by Molly Evert

I’m running a marathon right now.  My day starts early and ends late as I homeschool our four boys, care for our baby girl, juggle football and Boy Scout schedules for all the boys, and try to keep up with the housework and cooking.  In the fall, there are often nights when we don’t sit down to eat together until 8:30.  I hate feeding my family additive-laden frozen pizza and chicken nuggets.   A trip through the drive-thru is just as bad for their bodies, and it hurts my wallet, too!

When I heard that Marcia Washburn had developed a system to help busy moms get a homemade, nutritious dinner on the table in 15 minutes or less, I was intrigued!  She raised five boys and understands that my sons will polish off the ingredients while I cook if I can’t get the meal done fast enough.

Marcia claims that by following her Homemade Convenience Foods system you will always have the ingredients on hand to prepare at least two dozen different menus.  I read through her book in one sitting, eager to see if her program could give me some tools to feed my family lightning fast, healthy meals on a reasonable budget.  I confess that I hoped that her system was some unheard of miracle which would help me get a gourmet 15-minute meal on the table without any advance prep work at all.  I guess that was unrealistic.  The truth is, I usually can’t even find all my ingredients in 15 minutes because my pantry, refrigerator and cupboards are so disorganized.  Could Marcia’s book really come to my rescue?  I was excited to find out!

Marcia provides several lists of common ingredients you’ll want to keep on hand in your refrigerator, freezer and pantry, and she gives ideas for prepping ingredients ahead of time in order to save time later during the busy weeknight crunch.   Although I am a veteran in the kitchen, I still found several useful ideas and quick-to-make recipes in Homemade Convenience Foods. I spent a few hours shopping, organizing my pantry, and prepping my ingredients for the week, and then challenged myself to make a week’s worth of lunches and dinners in just 15 minutes or less.  Game on!

So how did the challenge go?  I think I did pretty good, and I give Marcia’s book a thumbs up.  I tried to keep lunch prep to less than 15 minutes, though dinner prep sometimes took 20 or 30 minutes from start to table when I used my own recipes.  I usually serve more than one course and I am cooking for seven every night, which may account for the extra time.  Many of Marcia’s recipes truly came in at the 15-minute mark, and using her tips I was able to get many of my own family’s favorite recipes on the table more quickly than usual.  Marcia’s tips were helpful, and even 30 minutes is an acceptable window for supper prep, in my opinion.  I often don’t think about what to make for dinner until about 4:00 pm., and her quick-fix recipes and prep tips gave me a lot more options.

My family enjoyed several of the recipes Marcia included in her book.  Better still, her systems and tips were easily adapted to my own tried and true recipes.  Some of her recipes called for either homemade or frozen bread dough, which was a pleasant surprise for me, since I bake all our bread from scratch, and I will benefit from her ideas for streamlining my bread making process.

One reader will win a free copy of Marcia’s e-book Homemade Convenience Foods.  To enter, please leave a comment about one of your cooking challenges.  For an extra entry, leave a comment with one of your own quick-fix recipes (15 minutes prep or less).  For a third entry, repost this on Facebook and leave a comment letting us know.  This contest will end at midnight on November 15^th.  The winner will be drawn using Random.org from the comments we receive.

Marcia’s e-book normally retails for $5.99, but she is graciously offering our readers a $1 discount on the e-book edition if you purchase by November 15th. Homemade Convenience Foods is also available in a comb-bound print edition for $5.99 plus $2 shipping and handling.  I received a digital copy of this book, in exchange for my honest review.

Last week I shared a dear friend’s Crockpot Lasagna recipe. Today allow me to introduce you to a wonderful homemade chicken noodle soup courtesy of sweet friend Lori Lauth.

My children love this soup, requesting it often. While it is not technically a crockpot recipe, it can be adapted. I made it last week in the crockpot and it turned out wonderful. This hearty soup can also be made ahead and frozen.

Lori’s Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
2 cups chopped onion
8 cups reduced-fat, low sodium chicken broth
3 minced cloves of garlic
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 large carrots thinly sliced
1/2 cup chopped celery
5 oz dried wide egg noodles
1 lb. boneless chicken breast cut into bite size pieces ( about 2 cups)
1 thinly sliced zucchini
1 seeded and chopped tomato
1 tablespoon chopped parsley

In a large pot heat oil on medium heat. Saute’ onion until softened. Stir in broth, garlic, thyme, pepper, carrots, celery, and chicken. Reduce heat to low and simmer until carrots are just tender and chicken is done. Add zucchini, tomato and parsley.

At this point you can add noodles and continue cooking until the noodles are done.

Or, if you would like to freeze the soup for later, do not add the noodles. Instead, allow the soup to cool down and pour into freezer bags. Freeze. When ready to serve, simply thaw. Reheat soup by adding in noodles and cooking until noodles are done.

Want a homecooked meal this week, but you’re short on time? My friend Michelle shared this recipe for crockpot lasagna some ten years ago and it’s still a family favorite to this day.

Last night while cooking supper I multi-tasked and put together crockpot lasagna in less than 30 minutes. When it was ready, I simply put the crockpot insert into the fridge. This morning I started the crockpot and for lunch we dined on homemade lasagna.

Crockpot Lasagna
1 to 1 1/2lbs of ground chuck or turkey
2 jars of spaghetti sauce
16 oz container of part skim ricotta cheese
8 oz shredded mozarella cheese
1 large box of lasagna noodles
Basil, chopped
4 cloves garlic finely chopped
Sea salt
Pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup water

Coat skillet with olive oil and sauté garlic, add in meat and basil cook until brown.  Drain meat and add in spaghetti sauce. Salt and pepper to taste.

In crockpot, layer as followed:   meat sauce,  uncooked noodles, ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese. Repeat.

Fill crockpot with layers. When complete, add one cup of water by pouring it down the sides of crockpot making sure it makes it to the bottom. The water will keep it from drying out and help cook the noodles.

I’ve made this enough times over the years to know it will burn. Everything but the noodles is basically done.  Cook on low for 6 hours.

Each Monday in Ocotber, MMCW will be sharing a crockpot recipe. Would you like to share with of your family favorites with everyone? Send your recipe to mentoringmoments@aol.com.

Some of my earliest memories are of eating Sunday lunch with my Grandparents at May’s Restaurant in Winfield, Alabama. I always chose the same thing from the buffet line: country fried steak, mashed potatoes, English peas, and a dinner roll.

Years passed, May’s closed, and Grandma was given a steak and potato crockpot recipe that became her favorite. She loved making this casserole because she could adjust the amounts easily for her and Grandpa. If she told me once, she told me a thousand times how to make this dish–often changing the ingredients just a tad to give it a new twist.

In Grandma’s honor, I put a few of my own twists on her recipe by adding fresh garlic and baby bella mushrooms. Feel free to make it your own by adjusting amounts and ingredients. Enjoy!

Grandma’s Steak & Potato Crockpot Casserole
6 to 8 cube steaks
4 to 5 baking potatoes
3 medium onions
Carton of baby Portabella mushrooms
4 finely chopped garlic cloves
1 (26 oz) Family size cream of mushroom soup
1 cup of water (can substitute beef broth)
Sea salt & pepper to taste

In a skillet, coat bottom with Olive Oil and brown steaks. Remove and place in crockpot. Saute garlic and baby bella mushrooms in olive oil, set aside.

Layer steak, potatoes, onion, mushrooms, and soup mix in crockpot. Salt and pepper layers lightly with Sea Salt as you go.

Cook on high in the crockpot for 6 hours or low for 8 hours.  While a crockpot casserole is not the easiest to photograph, I hope you get the idea. Perfect for Sunday dinner!

3 eggs, beaten
1 and 1/4 cup honey
1 cup coconut oil
1 T. vanilla
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 t. baking soda
1 t. cinnamon
1 and 1/2 cups dried apple slices (lightly sprinkled with cinnamon or plain slices)
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

To rehydrate the apples, place slices in a medium bowl and pour 1 cup of boiling water over them. Let sit for 20 to 30 minutes. Proceed with recipe. Combine eggs, honey, oil, and vanilla until well mixed. Combine flour, baking soda, and cinnamon. Stir into egg mixture. Gently fold in the apples and nuts. Divide equally between two greased and floured 9×5 loaf pans. Bake at 325 degrees for one hour and 15 minutes. Makes two loaves.

from the archives of Mentoring Moments for Christian Women