Today's Featured Stories...

You Can Grow Gourmet Mushrooms at Home

Did you know that?

Yes, you can grow your very own gourmet mushrooms at home over and over again.

Mushroom patches can be started by logs already prepared or with kits you purchase.

I had compiled a list of products for my new friend, Lynn Ogryzlo – author of Niagara Cooks, and figured I’d share it with the rest of the world of food lovers out there that frequent my blog.

I don’t know about you, but I absolutely love mushrooms and try to figure out ways to incorporate them into dishes all the time. They’re so healthy for your immune system!

However, I find that my frequent shopping trips to the grocer can prove to be expensive when buying gourmet mushrooms.

These are marvelous gifts for food lovers, especially at Christmas, and you can keep growing mushrooms over and over again…

Here’s the list of 14 different Gourmet Mushrooms you can start growing in your home or outdoors, if preferred:

1. One 9-10″ Shiitake Mushroom Log – $19.95
   

   Shiitake Mushrooms

2. Two Large 14-15″ Shiitake Mushroom Logs with Soaking Trays (w/ Cookbook) – $65.50 – great value
3. Morel Mushroom Patch Kit – $29.95
4. Enokitake Mushroom Kit -  $24.00
5. Oyster Mushroom Kit – $20.00
6. Maitake Mushroom Patch Kit – $29.95
7. Pioppino Mushroom Patch Kit – $27.00
8. Nameko Mushroom Patch Kit – $24.00
9. Reishi Mushroom Kit – $24.00 – considered a “super-food” – (Check out my post: Health Benefits of Reishi Mushrooms)
10. Blue Oyster Mushroom Kit – $18.95
11. Turkey Tail Mushroom Garden Patch – $28.00
    

    Turkey Tail Mushrooms

12. Read the story »

Holiday & Event Cooking

Mushrooms with Port Wine and Balsamic Sauce

Ask my husband and he’ll tell you his favorite meal I make for him.

Every single birthday or special occassion, he asks me to make homemade macaroni and cheese, alongside mushrooms with port wine and balsamic sauce. Strange, but true! It’s his 2 favorite dishes I make in one…LOL
~ Kimberly Edwards

Type: Side Dish Recipe or Sauce Recipe
Serve With: Filet mignon or a great steak
Prep Time: 7 min
Cook Time: 12-15 min

Ingredients:
24 oz. Mushrooms – Use a variety of different mushrooms – Sliced
1 Onion – Diced
1 large clove Garlic – Or 2 smaller ones, finely minced
1 1/2 tbsp Olive Oil
1 tsp Butter
1/4 cup Port Wine – Cooking Sherry or another fortified red wine
2 tbsp Aged Balsamic Vinegar – Aged from Modena is best.
4 leaves fresh Basil – Chiffonade
2 tbsp fresh Parsley – Chopped
1/2 tsp Read the story »

Baking It Up

How to Bake Mint and Parsley Doggy Biscuits

Kurious & Knosey

There are times (yes, believe it or not) when my dogs have breath that’s, well, not that fresh. These are tasty, healthy and will freshen their breath too.

Plus, you’ll know exactly what went into them to ease your mind that your dogs are eating real food that’s good for them.

I love my dogs so much and I’m always baking them special, little treats. You should see their faces light up – they just know that what I’m doing is for them. So cute!
~ Kimberly Edwards

Mint & Parsley Doggy Biscuits

Type: Home Remedy Recipe
Prep Time: 15 min
Cook Time: 2 hr
Yield:  ~ 80 doggy biscuits

Ingredients:

• 3-4 cups cooked rice – without using salt
• 6 tbsp freshly chopped Parsley – If using dried, about 4 tbsp
• 6 tbsp freshly chopped Mint – If using dried, about 4 tbsp
• 1 cup chopped dried Dates – Without pits
• 1 grated Carrot – If desired
• 1/2 cup Rolled Oats
• 2 whole Read the story »

Tasty Beverages

Perk Your Coffee and Win a Prize Too

This is a Sponsored Post written by me on behalf of NESCAFE. All opinions are 100% mine.

Get yourself prepared for Coffee Heaven with the NESCAFE Dolce Gusto machine.

You can win 1 in 6 of these fabulous machines that can brew you up a latte, capuccino or fancy hot chocolate with ease!

Whether you’re an incurable gourmet bevey drinker or if you’re trying to save money not going to Starbuck’s, the Dolce Gusto can help.

It professionally prepares your hot favorites: Caffè Lungo, Espresso, Americano, Latte Macchiato, Cappuccino, Iced Cappucino, Café Mocha, and even “Chococino” or hot chocolate for kids of all ages…

This single serve machine is designed with a 15-bar pressure system that’s comparable to what coffeehouses have to make that oh-so-important, crema layer and frothy milk.

Since it’s single serve, the Dolce Gusto prepares your hot drinks on a made-to-order basis, ensuring freshness.

Not a hot beverage type of person? No problem, it also makes your gourmet cold coffeehouse drinks too!

You’ll have complete control over the heat, froth and pressure with which your drinks are prepared.

Krups and T-Fal both make the Nescafe Dolce Gusto and they’re available in three different colors: candy-apple red, sophisticated black and a creamy white. The Dolce Gusto is priced between $179-199 and seems to me to be a steal of a deal.

Just think about how much money you could save making your drinks at home, not to mention the gas money you’ll save not having to drive to your favorite coffee pub.

So, get on over to the contest by clicking on the link above and enter online at Sweetspot.ca before December 20th, 2009.

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I hope you enjoyed this Coffee Info on Cooking With Kimberly! Until next time…

Eat Deliciously,

Kimberly Edwards

P.S. By Subscribing to Cooking With Kimberly, you’ll never miss a thing again!

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