Yummy Lumpkins

Have you ever bought a few packets of fresh herbs for a recipe, maybe only used a 1/4 of each and then frantically tried to find recipes to use up the rest of the herbs before they went bad? I have. Fresh herbs are expensive and sometimes only come in one size. I wish more places sold them by weight because then you wouldn't have to worry about money going bad in your fridge. Sadly, that's not how it is. BUT! I recently found a fantastic idea in the newest issue of EveryDay with Rachael Ray! Herb cubes. Sounds strange, right? Well it's an amazing idea that I wish I had thought of first. Here's what you do: Puree 1 1/2 cups leftover fresh herbs with 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Pour the mixture into ice cube trays and freeze. (Mixture won't fill whole tray, but fill each cube to the top) Throw the cubes into hot pasta, soup or risotto, or defrost and drizzle over grilled veggies (or chicken for you non-vegans)! You may no...

Portobello (also called portabella) mushrooms are probably my favorite meat stand-in. They have a great meaty texture and the best flavor. Plus, you can marinate them just like you would your steaks! Portobellos contain high amounts of Vitamin D. This mushroom has also been shown to possess possible immune system enhancing properties. These mushrooms are actually the common button mushroom, just matured. My most common way of preparing portobellos is by marinating the cap for 30 minutes to an hour, then either cooking them on the bbq or grilling indoors on a grill pan. I serve them just as "steak" side or if I use lighter marinade ingredients we'll throw them on a bun with all the fixings and enjoy a great veggie burger! They are to die for! I like to char them a little bit because I think that helps give a meaty texture, plus, the grill marks just look pretty. You should definitely consider giving them a try! And to woo you, here are some recipes and photos. Enjoy!! ...