Crimini Sliders

Yes, it's that time of the month again, i.e. my regular craving for vegetarian fare. I wanted something barbecue-y and brown crimini mushrooms, also called baby portobella, are the perfect substitute for beef because they have a smokey meaty flavor. I cooked them in a skillet with a tablespoon of water, added KFC bottled barbecue sauce, then I filled the cavities of the mushrooms with grated Gouda, topped with sauteed onions and served in 2½-inch mini burger buns. These are very good barbecue mushroom sliders. For regular size buns, you can use the very large portobellas. And for added smokey flavor, cook then on the grill.

Crimini Sliders
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium Vidalia or yellow onions, sliced thin
¼ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon fresh thyme, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon fresh flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
12 brown crimini mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed
1 tablespoon water
½ cup barbecue sauce
grated Gouda
12 mini hamburger buns, grilled or toasted

• In a skillet, heat the olive oil and saute onions and salt until onions are translucent. Add the herbs and stir fry for 2 minutes. Set aside and keep warm.
• In the same skillet, simmer, covered, the mushrooms with 1 tablespoon water until tender, about 10 minutes. Add the barbecue sauce and stir until the mushrooms are fully coated with the sauce. Turn the mushrooms and fill the cavities with enough Gouda, flip the mushrooms and cook until the cheese has melted. Put one mushroom on the bottom half of each mini bun, and top with onions and cover with the top half of the bun. Enjoy!

The white bread recipe is here. To make mini burger buns, scale 1 - 1½ ounces of dough. Brush the risen buns with egg wash and top with sesame or poppy seeds just before baking.

Losing It

3-inch hamburger with mini Pringles, heirloom tomato, and dill pickle wedges

I am finally paying for all the breads and sweets I have been making and eating the last 6 months. I have gained a few pounds and started using the treadmill and yesterday I bought Wii Fit. I have to lose the extra pounds as soon as possible because I don't like to develop cankles, heheh, and I'll do it by limiting my food intake in addition to exercising. I don't really believe in depriving myself of the food I love and will still cook and eat them but in smaller portions or miniature versions similar to the sliders that are now being served in several chain restaurants. I made mini hamburgers today and had it with just a little of everything. I weighed each uncooked patty to 2 ounces each and when cooked are about 3 inches. I topped the meat with caramelized vidalia onions in place of cheese and did not even miss it and the sweetness of the onions is so good with the burger. For dessert I had a small bowl of cherries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries with half a cup of fat-free yogurt.

The only other time I gained weight was when I gave birth to my second child. I worked out for an hour everyday for 2 months and lost all the excess weight and more, but I was much younger then. Wish me luck!:-)