It's an all girl party, and of course I am fashionably late. My good friend Stel of Baby Rambutan fame, is hosting a mommy munchin' party, and there is food galore and lots of fun to be had. I see our friend TingAling has already arrived with some luscious looking lobsters; my mouth waters before I even get to the door. I enter to see that everyone has already taken a headstart with CeliaK's Sangria and other Spanish fare. My stomach grumbles in anticipation of what else is on the table. Visit the baby rambutan for the whole spread for the party.

So I offer these little tidbits for a midnight snack...

These tidbits are a mouthful of flavor for mushroom lovers. The recipe, like everything I like to make, is quite simple:

2 pounds of medium to large button mushrooms, stems removed, chopped and reserved
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1 medium sized onion, finely chopped
1/2 pound of baby spinach leaves chifonade
1/4 cup of fresh bread crumbs
salt & pepper to taste
3 tablespoons of olive oil

Heat a skillet and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil, and saute the garlic, onion and chopped mushroom stems until fragrant, and most liquid had evaporated. Add the spinach chifonade and cook until wilted. Add bread crumbs to absorb some of the liquids, and season with salt and pepper. Stuff the mixture into the mushroom caps, and put in an oven proof dish. Drizzle with the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and bake in a 350 degree F oven for 15 to 20 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.

The Bread Pudding quest continues, and I though I would share this version with my blogging amigas. This version is adapted from "Quick & Easy Vietnamese Home Cooking for Everyone" by Andre' Nguyen and Yukiko Moriyama.



2 ripe plantains or plain bananas (cut into slices)
10 slices of white sandwich bread, crusts removed and cubed
1 1/2 cups coconut milk or 1 (14 oz) can
1/2 cup sugar
1 pack of frozen shredded young coconut, drained

1/3 cup condensed milk
1 egg

Mix coconut milk, sugar, young coconut, condensed mild, and egg in a bowl, and add the bread. In a 9 inch square oven proof dish, pour half of the bread mixture and add a layer of banana slices. Cover with the remaining bread mixture and additional banana slices on top. Sprinkle with brown sugar and bake in a 350 degree F oven for 45-50 minutes or until set. Let it cool before cutting. Enjoy!

Finally, a liquour to cap the evening, Xtabentun Vallisoletano. Good night, amigas!

Another super easy meal, this one is ready in less than an hour. Boneless, skinless, chicken breasts are dipped in an egg wash, then dredged in seasoned bread crumbs. Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes or until it is done, and serve with mashed potatoes and peas and corn.

Ok, I think this is the last of the photobucket spring cleaning. Now we can start posting recent recipes.