Panini are Italian pressed sandwiches that come filled with just about anything your heart desires. This vegetarian version will satisfy even the biggest of appetites.  It’s filled with creamy caramelized onions and baby bella mushrooms that have been sautéed to perfection in an herb butter. It’s oozing with Swiss cheese and has a big crunchy exterior thanks to the Pan Bigio bread. It’s a stellar lunch or light dinner when accompanied with a hearty bowl of soup!

What you’ll need: (Makes 2 panini)

Caramelized Onions:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium red onion – thinly sliced
salt/pepper
1 tablespoon sugar

Mushrooms:
2 tablespoons unsalted herb butter
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
6 ounces baby bella mushrooms – sliced

4 slices Pan Bigio – sliced thick on the bias
4 slices Swiss cheese
4 cherry tomatoes – halved, optional

What to do:
1. Place 2 tablespoons olive oil into a sauté pan over medium-low heat. Add onions.  Season with salt/pepper.  Cook until onions are softened. Add sugar, continue cooking, stirring as necessary until onions have caramelized (approximately 30 minutes). Set aside.

2. Into a small sauté pan add: 2 tablespoons herb butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Heat over medium heat.  Add mushrooms. Season with salt/pepper. Cook for approximately 4-5 minutes. Set aside.

3. Heat your Panini press to 350 degrees. Equally distribute mushrooms between two slices of bread. Equally top with mushrooms with caramelized onions. Place 2 slices of Swiss cheese on each piece of bread. (NOTE: if using tomatoes place them on at this time) Place corresponding slices of bread on top. Lightly brush tops of bread with room temperature herb butter.

4. Place sandwiches onto hot panini press. Cook for approximately 4-5 minutes until bread is toasted and cheese has melted.

TIPS: If you do not have a panini grill, use a non-stick skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Place sandwich onto hot pan. Using a heavy pan (such as a cast iron pan), weigh sandwich down. Cook as directed above.

This gorgeous post, well-suited for a cool fall weeknight, is brought to you by Shaina of Food for My Family.

In the morning I wake up and roll into the space my husband just got up from. He showers first, and that means that the dip in the middle of the mattress is free for the taking for the next ten minutes while I wait. It’s a comfortable dip when there’s just one of us resting in it, but when there are two, it’s never quite big enough, and somebody invariably has to tilt to get halfway up and out of the dip and then pretend that a good night’s sleep is had on an incline.

Those comfortable spots, worn and used, can become a crutch. You return to them in the kitchen as well, knowing how they feel and move and knowing how they taste. When it comes to cooking, my comfortable spot is in rice. Whether it’s brown or white, sticky or risotto, creamy or pressed into balls I find it to be a satisfying meal and side, one I rely on all too frequently.

After all, there are so many other beautiful grains to be had, not the least of which being quinoa. Quinoa packs a nutty punch, and it pairs well with some of my other favorite flavors and vegetables like leeks and baby portabella mushrooms: strong and earthy and fit for a warm dinner.

Leek and Mushroom Quinoa

• 1 cup quinoa
• 2 cups water
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup baby portabella mushrooms, sliced
• 1 leek, diced
• 3 tablespoons white wine
• ¼ cup blue cheese crumbles
• Salt and pepper

Add quinoa and water to a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes until water is absorbed.

In a sauté pan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add in mushrooms and leek and sauté for 5 minutes until they start to become tender. Pour white wine over and cook for an additional 3 minutes until a thick sauce forms.

Stir mushrooms and leeks into the quinoa alone with the blue cheese crumbles. Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings.

We’re in the throes of it now, mushroom friends. And by “it,” I mean summer. It is truly hard for us to believe that by Monday August will be upon us.  Of course, it only takes a quick step outside before all makes sense again.  It’s hot out there and neither an open flame in the kitchen nor the overstuffed feeling that comes from heavy eating sounds particularly appealing.

If you are entering the weekend in a similar mindset, we have a fresh summer dinner idea for you, straight from the patio of a humble Mushroom Channel team member!

Grilled Portabellas Stuffed with Spinach, Pesto and Goat Cheese

1/2 cup prepared pesto (I defrosted some from last summer but a favorite jarred variety would work just fine)
1 cup spinach leaves
1 cup basil leaves
4 portabella mushroom caps, excess dirt brushed off and stem removed
Cooking spray
4 oz  goat cheese

Fresh pepper to taste

I actually found that the easiest way to start was to give each mushroom cap a light coating of olive oil or cooking spray all the way around, then season it generously with fresh pepper.

Spread an even amount of pesto at the base of each mushroom.  From there, start alternating layers of basil and spinach leaves. Three of each is more than enough but it will wilt down. From there, press your goat cheese into the the top leaves to secure all the filling.

These are on the grill 8-10 minutes total (with lid closed) and are ready when the cap turns dark brown and the goat cheese is getting golden on the top. I served with undressed fresh salad and some chilled carrots leftover from a previous roasting session. If you want to replicate the face I made, I don’t see anything wrong with playing with your food- these are fun-gi, right?

We’ve made it through winter, and it’s time to grill!

Too often vegetarians get neglected when it comes to summer cookouts, relegated to the cold salad table. But cooking for multiple palates and dietary needs is sometimes hard when factoring in our already busy lives.

These stuffed mushrooms come together in a snap and can stand in for a main dish, side, or even a pre-party nibble. I like to top them with panko, Japanese bread crumbs, to add crunch, but they are just as delicious without for a gluten-free meal.

Stuffed Mushrooms

• 1 pound button or baby portabella mushrooms
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1 small avocado
• 1/8 cup chopped jalapeno
• Lemon juice
• Panko bread crumbs

If grilling, prepare wooden skewers by soaking in a dish of water as you assemble the mushrooms. This will prevent the wood from scorching on the fire.

Gently dust any dirt off your mushrooms with a clean cloth or a mushroom brush. Remove stem by slightly twisting. Discard stems or save for another recipe.

Halve avocado, remove pit, and mash in a bowl. Add cream cheese, jalapeno, and a dash of lemon juice, and stir until well blended. Pour panko into a bowl or rimmed plate.

Fill mushroom tops with the avocado mixture and level off. Dip each mushroom in the panko and continue with the rest of the mushrooms.

Once all are assembled, carefully slide the mushrooms onto the skewers. If baking in the oven, arrange in a casserole dish.

Grill for 10-15 minutes or bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.

I spent several years as a vegetarian, and it’s a lifestyle that still sings to me, calls me even.  Contrast that to my husband’s classic Midwestern meat-and-potatoes upbringing, sandwich them together and you’ll find us today where navigating the landscape of real food, and seeking to fuel our four children’s bodies with the best nutrition available, settled quite happily into omnivore status.

With an effort to change the way we think of food and the way we eat our food comes giving and taking, and sometimes it also means exploring those meatless meals for my husband, who loves vegetables but prefers to pair them with a side of meat (to help fill him up).  His dislike for meat-like products is strong, and he declares good vegetarian burgers to be something of a myth that is talked about but does not exist.  That is, he did until I changed the concept.

Rather than imitating meat, this meatless burger is a play on the whole sandwich with giant portabella mushroom caps as buns and a slice of grilled halloumi takes the place of the burger.  These were not only accepted, but devoured and raved about after dinner.  I may just turn the carnivore yet.

Portabella and Halloumi “Burgers”

• 4 portabella mushroom caps with stems removed
• 3 ½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 thin slices halloumi
• 2 thick slices tomato
• Sea salt and pepper
• 1 handful basil leaves

Heat grill to medium-high heat (about 450 degrees).  Wash mushroom caps and cry.  In a shallow bowl, combine the balsamic vinegar and olive oil.  Place mushrooms gill side down in the mixture.

When the grill is hot, grill the mushrooms on the gill side first for about 5 minutes or until they start to sweat.  Flip and grill 2-3 minutes more.  Add halloumi to the grill and grill 2 minutes on each side over relatively high heat until grill marks form on the cheese and it becomes soft and pliable.  Sprinkle salt and pepper onto the tomato to taste.

Assemble the “burger” with the mushroom as the bun, the halloumi cheese as the burger, the lightly salted tomato and fresh basil leaves.  Wrap and serve hot.

Makes 2 servings.

Of note:

:: For a true vegetarian meal, find a vegetarian halloumi made with non-animal rennet.

:: Be sure to wrap these sandwiches before serving or plan to eat them with a knife and fork, as they are a bit slippery.

Balsamic Portabella Salad (Serves 4)

Ready in 30 Minutes

Ingredients:

• 2 Portabello Mushrooms
• 1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 2 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
• Pinch of Sea Salt
• 1 Medium Yellow Onion
• ½ Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
• Salt
• 4 Cups Organic Baby Greens
• ½ Cup Fresh Basil Leaves
• 1/2 Cup Marcona Almonds
• 1/2 Cup Crumbled Gorgonzola Cheese (or more to taste)
• 1 Tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Tbsp. Fresh Lemon Juice
• Salt/Pepper

Directions:

1. Heat the grill to medium heat, while preparing other ingredients.
2. Peel and halve the onion. Slice into half moon shape slices, as thin as possible. On medium heat, add the butter to a sauté pan until fully melted, add the onions and a pinch of salt. Move around to coat. Continue to stir every few minutes as onions begin to caramelize and turn brown, about 15 minutes.
3. While onions are cooking, prepare mushrooms. Wipe them clean with a moist paper towel to remove dirt. Cut off the stem and brush each with half of the oil and balsamic vinegar. Sprinkle with sea salt. Put them on the grill with the gill side up to start and close lid, grill for 3 minutes on each side. Note: the freshness and mushroom may vary the cooking time here. You want them to be fully warmed through, without getting too soggy. Remove and cool to room temperature.
4. Prepare salad. In a large bowl, combine the greens, gorgonzola and the tablespoon of the olive oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle a pinch of salt and pepper, and toss gently. This is only lightly dressed, as the onions and mushrooms will also add some moisture to the salad. Cut the portabellos into slices. Top each salad with a quarter of the mushrooms, cheese and marcona almonds. Add more toppings to taste.

* This could easily be made into an entrée salad with some grilled steak on top, or more mushrooms for the vegetarians!

Breakfast: Portabella Eggs Benedict with Roasted Tomatoes and Pesto, brought to you by Healthy-ish

Lunch: Wild Mushroom and Cornbread Panzanella Salad, brought to you by Cookin’ Canuck

Dinner: Chicken Tetrazzini, brought to you by Poco-Cocoa

Chefs Berekti and Akberet Mengistu are sisters and owners of Ethiopian restaurant Mesob in Montclair, New Jersey. The sisters came from Ethiopia in 1999 and opened Mesob together in 2003. We talked to the sister chefs about their delicious mushroom dish called ingudai tibs, a traditional Ethiopian dish.

“`Ingudai’ means mushrooms in Ethiopian and `tibs’ is the cooking method used in the dish,” said Chef Berekti.  For the many Ethiopians who are Orthodox Christian, a number of fasting days require them to avoid eating meat or dairy, which is why Ethiopian cuisine is full of so many amazing vegetarian dishes. Ingudai tibs is made with sautéed Portabella mushrooms, red onions, garlic, jalapeños, tomatoes and awaze sauce, which is made from spicy red peppers. This dish is served with bread called injera, which is used to scoop up mouthfuls of food.

Ingudai Tibs: Marinated Portobello Mushroom Sautéed with Red Onions, Garlic, Jalapeño Pepper, Fresh Tomato, Herbs and Spices

Chefs Berekti and Akberet Mengistu, Mesob Restaurant, Montclair, NJ

Ingredients:

3                              large Portabella mushrooms

2                              cloves of garlic, minced

1 Tablespoon      fresh chopped parsley

¼                             red onion, chopped

¼                             large fresh tomato, chopped

As needed            olive oil

To taste                freshly ground black pepper and salt

To taste                jalapeno, chopped (Use 1 for medium to hot dish)

1 teaspoon         Awaze (Ethiopian chili paste)

Directions:

• Clean mushrooms and remove stems
• Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil
• Add the sliced Portabellas and tomatoes, and sauté until Portabellas are tender
• Add jalapeno and Awaze (Ethiopian chili paste) for medium to hot dish
• Add black pepper and salt to taste
• Garnish with parsley and serve with Injera.

Total preparation and cooking time: 7-10mins

Note about Injera:

Injera is large, crepe-like bread upon which a stew is served and with which one eats the stew served upon it.  One tears a small piece of injera, wraps it around a mouthful of stew, and consumes it!  Injera is made with teff, a tiny, round grain.

Teff is the most common cereal crop used to make injera.  It is a tiny, round, khaki-colored grain closely resembling millet.  Its scientific name is Eragrostis, teff.  “Teffa,” the Amharic word for “lost,” is so named because of Teff’s small size.  It’s the smallest grain in the world and often is lost in the harvesting and threshing process because of its size.  Three thousand grains of Teff weigh one gram.

I love fancy food as much as the next hungry person but this? This is what a cozy craving is made of.  Perfect for these transitional days between winter and Spring when I start to crave that sweet crisp pea but am still in hibernation casserole mode. Elly Says Opa! nailed this Chicken, Mushroom, Pea and Stuffing Casserole right on the head.

Soup is another meal category that seems especially perfect for transitions. This selection also speaks to the joy in my heart when bloggers who don’t typically talk about food give us a peek into their palates. Anonymous Midwest also happens to capture the process behind this Mushroom, Leek and Potato Soup beautifully.

To carry through that last point, check out this Spanish Stew recipe from the Reluctant Entertainer’s Napa trip last week!  I included a prep pick so you could see all the fabulous fungi in the mix but click through for the whole shebang and a recipe.

Oh Smitten Kitchen…you never fail to impress.  As I announced to Twitter last night, the combination of mushrooms and hazelnuts is not something I would have ever thought of on my own. Now I can’t get it out of my head.  I’m hosting a brunch tomorrow and this Warm Mushroom Salad with Hazelnuts has just the flavor balance I never knew I was looking for.

Not only is Smitten still coming up with her own inventive mushroom combinations but she’s inspiring other food bloggers to try them out.  Amanda from Cakes and Ale was very happy with how Smitten Kitchen’s Mushroom Bourguignon recipe turned out when she made it at home.

Just another deliciously easy weeknight recipe from a friend to fungi, Rachel from A Southern Fairytale.  And by “just another,” I clearly mean isn’t it nice to have talented friends? With veggies making up more than half of the ingredients, this one is on the light side as well!

Speaking of easy, family-friendly dinners, Stacie from Chowmama threw this together when she was sick. That’s how low-maintenance a health meal can be if you’re just stuffing good things into a portabella cap. Good things like chiles, rice, spinach and onion.

Last but not least, something you could even make for brunch this weekend! Tina from Carrots ‘N’ Cake combined some breakfast classics with an Italian staple to create a delicious take on Breakfast Pizza. As a longtime fan of pizza for breakfast, I think this is a healthier and likely a tastier version of the leftovers I ate cold in college…

Nature’s Hidden Source of Vitamin D Why is Vitamin D so important to our health? Is the sun the only source of Vitamin D? The Seattle PI answers these questions in their latest post and shares an alternative way to find Vitamin D when we’re limited on sun exposure. The post even includes a recipe for ginger shiitake rice adapted from Gourmet Magazine. Yum.

15 best (and worst) foods for immunity It’s officially cold and flu season—so how are you keeping yourself healthy? Have you thought about how  your diet may make you a germ magnet? MSNBC listed the 15 best and worst foods for your immune system based on their germ-killing abilities. Check them out and stay healthy everyone.

Seriously Meatless: Wild Mushroom Stuffing Thanksgiving is a week away! If you’re having food safety concerns or stressing over making a meal that’ll please a crowd of both vegetarians and omnivores, check out Serious Eats’ stuffing. It’s made outside of the turkey and serves up to 8 people.

Recipe ideas that use your Thanksgiving leftovers Some say that the best part of Thanksgiving is the leftovers. If you find yourself with plates of extra food after the holiday, check out My San Antonio’s ideas for what to do with those leftovers. It’s recipes for using up turkey, potatoes, cranberries and stuffing which sound just as delicious as the original meal itself!