taste_home_10

PI_PROGINDEX/SPECIAL_SECTION/PAGES [T01] | 03/24/10 12:11 | SUPERIMPPB


Spring is the seasonof renewal. Whetherit’s the warming of

the weather or the blos-soming of the flowers, it’sdifficult not to be inspiredb y t h e s e w o n d e r f u lmonths. For many fami-lies, spring is also the sea-son for entertaining. GalloFamily Vineyards is dedi-cated to preserving itsown rich family heritageand inspiring others to dothe same.

From reunions withextended family to Eastercelebrations, spring offersa fruitful moment for fam-ilies to share the past andmake way for the future.So whether it’s an inti-mate dinner or an extend-ed extravaganza, springoffers a wealth of resourc-es to create an unforgetta-ble get-together.

“The best tip for enter-taining in the spring is totake advantage of ‘in sea-son’ produce and craftyour menu around what isfresh and local,” saidStephanie Gallo, a thirdgeneration Gallo familymember.

With many vegetableshitting the peak of flavor

in spring, there’s no better

time to try new recipes

and bring new traditions

to your family table. And

don’t forget that perfect

wine pairing; another

detail the Gallo family

knows a thing or two

about.

“Sauvignon Blanc’s cit-

rus flavors are a nice com-

plement to spring time

produce such as aspara-

gus and artichokes,” said

Gallo.

Try serving the Gallo

Family Vineyards Sauvi-

gnon Blanc alongside

a n o t h e r G a l l o f a m i ly

favorite, their recipe for

Spring Risotto with Aspar-

agus, Lemon & Garlic.

This flavorful pairing will

insure that your meal is

bursting with freshness

of the season. The Gallo

family stands behind the

quality of its products. If

you aren’t satisfied with

your wine, they’ll make it

up to you.

For more information

on the family promise

please visit www.gallofam-

ily.com

Tasty traditions spring anew

Pairs with Gallo Family VineyardsSauvignon Blanc

6 cups chicken stock2 tablespoons olive oil1 cup yellow onion – minced2 cups Arborio Rice1 cup Gallo white wine1/2 pound asparagus- cut into 1-inch lengths1 tablespoon parsley – minced1 teaspoon garlic – minced1 teaspoon lemon zest4 tablespoons butter1/2 cup Parmesan cheese – grated

Directions: Heat the chicken stock and hold warmover medium heat. Heat a pot large enough to accom-modate all of the ingredients on medium high andadd the olive oil and onions, sauté until translucentand add garlic. Add the rice and stir with a woodenspoon to toast the rice for 2-3 minutes, add the wineand continue to stir. When all of the wine is absorbedby the rice, add the hot chicken stock in 1/3rd incre-ments and stir. Only add the next 1/3rd of stock whenthe previous 1/3rd is absorbed by the rice and keepgiving the rice a light stir. When the last 1/3rd ofstock is almost absorbed add the asparagus, parsley,and lemon zest, keep stirring. Once the stock isabsorbed remove the pot from heat and add the butterand Parmesan cheese and give the “Risotto” one laststir. Garnish with additional lemon zest, cheese, andparsley.

Yield: 4-6 servings

Spring Risotto with Asparagus,Lemon & Garlic

Brunch has been a food

tradition phenomenon since

its inception at the turn of

the 20th century. Whether

you’re just entertaining a

few friends or hosting a

large-scale family celebra-

tion, it’s a hybrid meal that

lets you get creative.

By definition, it’s a meal-

time that joins together the

best that breakfast and

lunch have to offer. So why

not invite dinner to the par-

ty? Finish your meal with a

flavorful wine and dessert

pairing that will send your

guests home happy. The Gal-

lo Family Vineyards Mosca-

to offers refreshing and

bright flavors of peach, hon-

ey and ripe citrus that com-

plement desserts and light-

er, brunch fare.

If you’re not throwing the

party, helping out in the food

and drink department will

certainly get you a great

seat at the table. Bringing a

bottle of Gallo Family Vine-

yards Moscato to pair with

the meal is sure to put a

smile on the faces of yourgenerous hosts.

Need a great brunch pair-ing suggestion? Try servingthe smooth and refreshingMoscato alongside a LemonDanish Puff. It’s easy tomake room for more withthis light and fluffy treat!

Luscious Lemon

Danish PuffLayer 1:1/2 cup softened butter

1 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons water

Pinch of salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut butter unto flour until

size of small peas and incor-

porated into flour. Sprinkle

water and salt over flour

mixture and combine with

a fork. Gather into a ball

and divide in half, pat each

half into a 12x3 inch rectan-

gle on an ungreased cookie

Brunch breaks new ground

Please see BRUNCH, page 4

GALLO FAMILY VINEYARDS

T2 Thursday, March 25, 2010 The Progress-Index, Petersburg, VA


F r o m w h i p p i n g u peasy appetizers in prepa-ration for watching a biggame, serving a familybrunch, or making a sat-i s f y i n g , t r a d i t i o n a lbreakfast on Mother’sDay, consumers lookingto create flavorful disheswith high-quality ingre-dients can turn to Jim-my Dean Fresh Roll Sau-sage as a mainstay totheir favorite recipes.Whether it’s in a break-fast, entree, side dish orappetizer, Jimmy DeanF r e s h R o l l S a u s a g ebrings added appeal atany meal , family get -together or social gath-ering.

• W h a t e ve r f l avo r syour favorite recipe callsfor, Jimmy Dean FreshRoll Sausage is availablein 11 varieties, includingr e g u l a r, h o t , s a g e ,reduced fat and maple.

• Jimmy Dean FreshRo l l S a u s a g e i s a l s oavailable in two All-Nat-u r a l f l avo r s t h at a rem i n i m a l l y p r o c e s s e dwithout artificial flavorsand MSG free.

Share with family andfriends a delicious reci-p e f e a t u r i n g J i m m yDean Fresh Roll Sausagethat is perfect for break-fast, brunch or any timeof the day.

Hearty

Sausage Mini

QuicheMakes 12 cupcake size

servings

8 eggs, lightly beaten1/4 cup milk or water1 / 2 - 1 c u p s h r e d d e d

cheddar, mozzarella orprovolone cheese

1 teaspoon salt1 / 4 t e a s p o o n b l a c k

pepper1 tablespoon olive oil

or butter1/2 cup thinly sliced

green onion1/2 cup diced sweet

red pepper (optional)1 c u p t h i n ly s l i c e d

mushrooms or yellowsquash (optional)

1 package Regular Fla-vor Jimmy Dean FreshRoll Sausage, cooked,crumbled and drained

Preheat oven to 350degrees F. In a large mix-ing bowl, combine eggs,milk or water, cheese,s a l t a n d p e p p e r ; s e taside. Heat olive oil orbutter in a large skillet;sauté onions and anyo p t i o n a l v e g e t a b l e sdesired until vegetablesare tender. Add vegeta-bles and sausage to eggmixture; stir well. Place12 foil baking cups intocupcake pan. Distributesausage and egg mixtureevenly into baking cups.Bake for 22 minutes oru n t i l e g g s a r e s e t .R e m o v e f r o m o v e n .Sprinkle with Parmesanif desired.

About Jimmy

DeanJimmy Dean is Ameri-

ca’s number one break-

fast sausage. Since 1969,the brand has ensuredquality in every plate ofJimmy Dean goodnessthat families can sit downto enjoy. Jimmy Deanoffers a full line of break-fast sausage, bacon andsandwiches gives familiesthat delicious, home-cooked flavor. JimmyDean Fresh Roll BreakfastSausage, Fresh Links &Patties, Fresh Bacon, Ful-ly Cooked Sausage Links& Patties, Omelets, Skil-lets, Sandwiches, Break-fast Bowls, Heat ‘N ServeSausage Links & Pattiesand Pancakes & Sausageon a Stick boast full fla-vors and top quality ingre-dients guaranteed to makeany meal the best.

About Sara Lee

CorporationEach and every day,

Sara Lee (NYSE: SLE)

delights millions of con-

sumers and customers

around the world. The

company has one of the

world’s best-loved and

leading portfolios with its

innovative and trusted

food, beverage, household

and body care brands,

including Ambi Pur, Ball

Park, Douwe Egberts,

Hillshire Farm, Jimmy

Dean, Kiwi, Sanex, Sara

Lee, Senseo and Bimbo.

Collectively, these brands

generate approximately

$13 billion in annual net

sales covering nearly 200

countries. The Sara Lee

community consists of

41,000 employees world-

wide. Please visit www.

saralee.com for the latest

news and in-depth infor-

mation about Sara Lee

and its brands.

Jimmy Dean® and theTaste of Home® Bringflavor to the morning

With busy families pre-paring more meals athome, people are lookingfor no-hassle recipes thatstill deliver on taste. Cooksacross the country knowthe key to making an easy,d e l i c i o u s d i s h i s t oV E LV E E TA i t ! T h esmooth, creamy melt andone of a kind taste makeVELVEETA perfect for cre-ating mouth-watering,cheesy recipes the wholefamily will love.

From party crowd pleas-ers to family favorites thatwarm the heart – VELVEE-TA transforms simpleingredients into tastydishes for any occasion.VELVEETA it!:

I n a D i p – M i xVELVEETA and a canof RO*TEL together fora delicious queso dipthat’s the life of anyparty!

In a Skillet – Combinep a s t a , v e g e t a b l e s ,VELVEETA and sauce in askillet for a tasty, effortlessmeal idea that won’t breakthe bank.

In a Dish - Casserolesare quick, versatile one-dish wonders that can feedyour entire family andeven have some for left-overs.

You can also make aquick and easy brunch hitfor your family this springwith the recipe below.

VELVEETA

Vegetarian

Brunch Bake

PREP TIME: 30 MIN. |TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR 10MIN. | MAKES: 12 SERV-

INGS.

What You Need!1/2 pound fresh mush-

rooms, sliced1 each red and green

pepper, chopped1 small onion, chopped8 slices white bread, torn

into bite-size pieces12 eggs1 / 3 c u p B R E A K -

STONE’S or KNUDSENSour Cream

3/4 pound (12 oz.)VELVEETA PasteurizedPrepared Cheese Product,thinly sliced

Make It!

Heat oven to 350 degreesF.

Cook and stir vegeta-bles in medium skilletsprayed with cookingspray on medium heat 10minutes or until crisp-ten-der.

Spread bread onto bot-tom of 13x9-inch bakingdish sprayed with cookingspray; top with vegetables.Whisk eggs and sourcream until well blended;pour over vegetables. Topwith VELVEETA.

Bake 40 minutes oruntil center is set and cas-serole is heated through.

For more informationand additional recipes,tips, videos and mealtimeinspiration, visit www.VELVEETA.com/Loaf orbecome a fan at www.Facebook.com/VELVEE-TA.

Velveeta turnsmealtime stress intomealtime success

KRAFT VELVEETA

ALEXANDER’SFine Food

Serving the Area for 31 Years

Greek • ItalianAmerican Cuisine

Quality, Quantity and Reasonable Prices

Daily specials & specialty desserts

101 W. Bank St. - Old Towne Petersburg

Including Steak & Seafood

Tue-Sat 11am - 3pm • Wed-Sat 5pm - 9pm

733-7134

The Progress-Index, Petersburg, VA Thursday, March 25, 2010 T3


Go beyond the bagel!Everyone lovesdelicious PHILA-

DELPHIA cream cheeseat breakfast, but did youknow you can use PHILLYto add creamy richness tomany of your favoritemeals? From mouthwa-tering side dishes to tastyentrees your whole familywill love, spread a pheel-ing with PHILLY andtransform everyday reci-pes into deliciously origi-nal creations.

Get creative and tryPHILLY…

… to add a twist to aweeknight meal. StirPHILLY Spinach & Arti-choke Cream Cheese intoyour re gular mashedpotatoes for fresh take ontradition.

...during your snackbreak. Spread PHILLY ona TRISCUIT cracker, thentop with grape tomatoes,finely sliced basil andfresh pepper for a tastyItalian-inspired bite. Andn o w yo u c a n e n j o yPHILLY whenever you’reo n t h e g o ! L o o k fo rPHILADEPHIA Mini-Tubs, individually pack-aged single servings ofyour favorite PHILLY fla-vors perfect for pairingwith pretzels, fruit or veg-gies. Find it in the refrig-erated case next to PHIL-A D E L P H I A c r e a mcheese.

…to spice up your tried-and-true recipes. Cookyour favorite tomato-based pasta sauce until

heated through and whiskin ½ cup of PHILLY toupgrade spaghetti night!

Experiment with thefollowing recipe to seehow adding PHILLY caninspire your next dish!For more information andPHILLY recipes, visitwww.spreadphilly.com.

Creamy Tomato-Basil Pasta

with Chicken

Prep Time: 30 min. |Makes: 4 servings.

What You Need!3 cups penne pasta,

uncooked

1/4 cup KRAFT Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing,divided

4 small boneless skin-less chicken breasts (1 lb.)

1 cup fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth

1/2 teaspoon each garlicpowder and black pepper

4 ounces (1/2 of 8-oz.pkg.) PHILADELPHIANeufchatel Cheese, cubed

2 cups grape tomatoes1/2 cup KRAFT Shred-

ded Parmesan Cheese8 fresh basil leaves, cut

into stripsMake It!Cook pasta as directed

on package. Meanwhile,heat 2 tablespoons dress-ing in large skillet onmedium heat. Add chick-en; cover. Cook 5-6 min-

utes on each side or until

done (165ºF). Remove

chicken from skillet; cover

to keep warm. Carefully

wipe out skillet with paper

towel.

Add remaining dress-

ing, broth and seasonings

to skillet; cook 3-4 minutes

or until heated through.

Add Neufchatel; cook and

stir 2-3 minutes or until

Neufchatel is melted. Stir

in tomatoes; cook 3 min-

utes.

Drain pasta. Add to

ingredients in skillet with

Parmesan and basil; mix

well. Serve topped with

chicken.

Continued from page 2

sheet at least 3 inches apart.

Layer 2:1/2 cup butter1 cup water1 teaspoon lemon extract1 cup all-purpose flour3 eggs

Heat the butter and waterto a rolling boil, removefrom heat and quickly stir inextract and flour. Stir vigor-ously over low heat untilmixture forms a ball pullingaway from pan, and thenremove from heat. Add eggsone at a time, beating intoflour mixture until smoothand glossy. Spread half ofmixture on each rectangleand bake 60-70 minutes oruntil topping is crisp andbrowned. Let cool.

Layer 3:1-1/2 cups powdered sug-

ar2 tablespoons softened

butter

1 teaspoon lemon extract1 teaspoon lemon zest1-2 tablespoons room tem-

perature water1-1/2 to 2 cups walnut or

pecans

Combine the first fouringredients, stir in wateruntil smooth and creamy,spread glaze on puff andsprinkle with nuts. Let set,slice and serve.

Yields: 6-8 servings

Brunch: A hybrid mealthat lets you get creativeSpread a pheeling

with Philly

KRAFT PHILADEPHIA



Emerging ResearchIndicates Nutrient-Rich Mushrooms

Enhance Immune FunctionAmericans looking for

powerful superfoods to addto their Spring plates shouldlook no further than themighty mushroom. A grow-ing body of research isshowing that mushroomsreally are nature’s hiddentreasure – packed with theantioxidants and essentialnutrients linked to goodhealth.

“The research adds upand mushrooms – which arelow in calories but containmany nutrients – arenature’s secret superfood,”says Bart Minor, presidentof the Mushroom Council.“Although it’s critical to con-tinue research on how eat-ing mushrooms benefits ourhealth, the preliminaryresearch is encouraging andit’s time this secret got out.”

Antioxidants andImmunity

While the science onmushrooms and immunitycontinues to evolve, mush-rooms offer a variety ofnutrients associated withimmunity such as vitaminD and antioxidants like sele-nium and ergotheioneine.

Selenium protects bodycells from damage thatmight lead to heart disease,some cancers and other dis-eases of aging. Mushroomsare among the richest sourc-es of selenium in the pro-duce aisle, an importantnote for vegetarians, whosesources of selenium are lim-ited. Ergothioneine, a natu-rally occurring antioxidant,also may help protect thebody’s cells.

Recently, researchersfrom Arizona State Univer-sity (ASU) found that micethat eat white button mush-rooms may record an addedbenefit due to potentiallyenhancing or boostingimmune function and pre-venting weight loss whenexposed to disease-causing

irritants.The Vitamin D Down-

loadMushrooms are theonly fruit or vegetable withnatural vitamin D. Similarto the way that humansabsorb sunlight and convertit to vitamin D, mushroomscontain a plant sterol—ergosterol—that converts tovitamin D when exposed tosunlight. The top three sell-ing mushroom varieties(button, crimini and porta-bella) have vitamin D rang-ing from 1 to 97 percent ofthe Daily Value (400 IU) perraw 84 gram serving.

Interest in vitamin D, alsocalled the “sunshine vita-min” has exploded in thepast year, making D the newhot nutrient among consum-ers and health professionalsalike.

·This year, the Instituteof Medicine (IOM) conveneda committee on calcium andvitamin D to determine ifthe current intake recom-mendations should beincreased for all Americans.The report is expected in2010.

·The American Academyof Pediatrics doubled theamount of vitamin D it rec-ommends for children andinfants.

·An emerging body of sci-ence, including laboratory,animal and epidemiologicalstudies, suggests that higherintakes of vitamin D may beprotective against some can-cers, including pancreatic,breast, colon and colorectalcancers.

·Scientists are alsoexploring links between lowvitamin D status andincreased risk for a numberof chronic diseases, includ-ing heart disease, type 1 dia-betes, and multiple sclero-sis.

Cancer and NutritionCity of Hope, a leading

research institution for can-cer, diabetes and other life-threatening illnesses, hasthree research teams dedi-cated to investigating the

fects that mushroomshave on health and, spe-cifically, on breast andprostate cancers. Scientistsat City of Hope were someof the first to find a poten-tial link between mush-rooms and a decreased like-lihood of tumor growth anddevelopment in cells andanimals.

These scientists now planto apply this research tohuman clinical trials toestablish whether mush-rooms act as aromataseinhibitors in women. It isfar too early to conclusivelysay whether or not humanswill experience decreasedtumor growth as a result ofeating mushrooms.

However, City of Hopeand the Mushroom Councilone day hope to be able toshare credible science-basedinformation that ties mush-room intake with decreasedcancer risk, along with oth-er important health bene-fits.

Nutrient-RichMushrooms

In addition to vitamin Dand antioxidants, mush-rooms provide other nutri-ents, including B vitamins:riboflavin, niacin, and pan-tothenic acid (B5), whichhelp produce hormones andplay an important role inthe nervous system.

Copper and potassiumare two other minerals inmushrooms. Copper helps

make red blood cells andhelps keep bones and nerveshealthy, while potassiumaids in the maintenance ofnormal fluid and mineralbalance, which helps controlblood pressure.

For More InformationTo learn more about the

health benefits of mush-rooms or for great tastingrecipes, visit www.Mush-roomInfo.com.

The Mushroom Councilis composed of fresh marketproducers or importers whoaverage more than 500,000pounds of mushrooms pro-duced or imported annually.The mushroom program isauthorized by the Mush-room Promotion, Researchand Consumer InformationAct of 1990 and is adminis-tered by the MushroomCouncil under the supervi-sion of the AgriculturalMarketing Service. Researchand promotion programshelp to expand, maintainand develop markets forindividual agricultural com-modities in the UnitedStates and abroad. Theseindustry self-help programsare requested and funded bythe industry groups thatthey serve. For more infor-mation on the MushroomCouncil, visit mushroom-council.org.

Mushrooms: A superfood for any season

With flavorful and nutri-e n t - r i c h m u s h r o o m sincreasing in popularity,more people are trying vari-eties in addition to thefamiliar and popular whitebutton and brown criminitypes. Adventurous homecooks are stimulated by theescalating appearance ofwhite button mushroomson restaurant menus, andby the growing ranks ofchefs using specialty variet-ies – including shiitake, por-tabellas and maitakes – inmore of their fish, steak,pasta and vegetable dishes.So how much do you knowabout one of today’s super-foods?

Do you know which mush-room variety has a deep,meat-like texture and flavor?Which has a rich woodsy

taste and distinctive aroma?Which is mild tasting andcrunchy? Which variety canbe gray, pale yellow or evenblue? Which one is called“Hen of the Woods?” Andwhat variety has a button-shaped cap with long spinContinued from page 5

dly stems?Regardless of variety,

home cooks have discoveredmushrooms are easy to pre-pare, affordable, filling andcomplement almost anydish. They’re easy to sautéand can be tossed into everyday family favorites. Nowonder the natural flavor-boosting quality mushroomshave – umami – comes fromthe Japanese word for “deli-cious.” Umami is considered

What’s YOUR MushroomIQ? Other varieties arecute as a button

Please see MUSHROOM, page 7

NATURE’S HIDDEN TREASURES



Never again will the cries of“What’s for dinner?” strike pan-ic in the hearts of time-starved

families. VELVEETA has the righttools busy, real-life cooks need to createno-hassle, delicious recipes that are aguaranteed hit.

VELVEETA is cooking up deliciousdishes on www.VELVEETA.com/Loafand melting fans’ hearts on Facebook.There you can find mealtime inspira-tion, videos and a handy recipe genera-tor. Just enter in a few simple ingredi-ents – like items you already have inthe pantry – and you’ll get a flavorful,cheesy recipe that delivers on taste andvalue.

Also, VELVEETA recently teamed upwith five popular mom bloggers toshare practical meal planning tips andadvice, from their family to yours. Alsoknown as Kitchenistas, these bloggersdished out 25 mealtime ideas to invitefamilies to VELVEETA it! Their tasty

tips and original VELVEETA recipec r e a t i o n s c a n b e f o u n d o nVELVEETAKitchenistas.com.

If you’re in search of a go-to week-night meal, look no further than thisguaranteed crowd-pleaser and see whypeople everywhere VELVEETA it!

VELVEETA Cheesy Chicken Rotini

Prep Time: 10 min. | Total Time: 30min. | Makes: 6 servings, 1-1/2 cupseach.

What You Need!

1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chick-en breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces

2 cups water3 cups rotini pasta, uncooked1 package (16 oz.) frozen broccoli,

cauliflower and carrot blend1 can (10 oz.) RO*TEL Diced Toma-

toes & Green Chilies, drained1/2 pound (8 oz.) VELVEETA Pas-

VELVEETAit! Fordeliciousdishesteurized Prepared Cheese Product, cut into 1/2-inch

cubes

Make It!

COOK and stir chicken in large skillet sprayed with

cooking spray on medium-high heat 5 minutes or

until no longer pink.

STIR in water. Bring to boil. Add pasta; stir. Cover;

simmer on medium-low 10 minutes or until pasta is

tender.

ADD remaining ingredients; stir. Cook, covered, 5-7

minutes or until VELVEETA is completely melted

and vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring frequently.

KRAFT VELVEETA



Continued from page 5

sweet, salty, bitter and sourand mushrooms are a richsource with their earthy,savory, brothy or meaty fla-vor.

“We’re eager for everyhome cook to experimentregularly, not just on spe-cial occasions, with alltypes of mushrooms,” saysBart Minor, president andCEO of the MushroomCouncil, a trade associa-tion that represents themajority of U.S. mushroomgrowers. “Mushroomshave become a smart staplein the kitchen because theyadd flavor and essentialnutrients to nearly anydish, without the extra cal-ories. Not only are mush-rooms rich in antioxidants,they also are the only fruitor vegetable with naturalvitamin D. It’s no surprisethey rank third among con-sumers’ favorite fresh veg-etables, after tomatoes andbroccoli.”

Per-Capita

Consumption

IncreasesIndeed, per-capita con-

sumption of mushrooms,less than half a pound inthe mid-1970s, has climbedto more than four pounds,including about 2.5 poundsof fresh and 1.65 pounds ofprocessed mushrooms.

As a result, mushroomsare among the 20 top sell-ers in grocery producedepartments, and annualsales of fresh mushroomsexceed $700 million, accord-ing to FreshLook Market-ing Group. In the first halfof 2009, fresh mushroomsales continued to weatherthe slow economy andclimbed 6.1 percent in dol-lars from a year earlier.

The Mushroom

MenagerieMushrooms’ popularity

climb perhaps reflects the

burst of interest in special-ty and more exotic types.See if you knew this aboutsix varieties, which are allas cute as a button (whichalso is included).

WHITE BUTTON: Verypopular, white buttons rep-resent about 90 percent ofmushrooms consumed inthe U.S. They have a fairlymild taste, though it inten-sifies when cooked, andblend well with almostanything. They can be sau-téed, broiled, microwavedor enjoyed raw in salads.

CRIMINI: Criminis, orbaby portabellas, are simi-lar in appearance to whitesbut have a light tan to richbrown cap and a firmertexture. They also havedeeper, earthier flavor. Alsolike whites, they can becooked any way. Theirhearty, full-bodied tastemakes them an excellentaddition to beef, wild gameand vegetable dishes.

PORTABELLA: A larg-er relative of crimini, thePortaballa has tan orbrown caps and measureup to 6 inches in diameter.They have a deep, meat-like texture and flavor,which make them a flavor-ful vegetarian alternative;simply grill and serve themas “burgers” on toastedbuns. They also can bebroiled or roasted andserved as appetizers,entrees or side dishes.

ENOKI: With tiny, but-ton-shaped caps and longspindly stems, enokis aremild but crunchy. Theroots must be trimmed atthe cluster base beforeusing, and their stemsshould be separated beforeserving. They can beserved raw in salads andsandwiches or used as aningredient in soups, suchas a stock made with soysauce and tofu.

OYSTER: Oyster mush-rooms can be gray, pale yel-low or even blue with a vel-

vety texture. Their delicateflavor comes out when sau-téed with butter andonions. Try them over lin-guine with sliced steak andred peppers, sprinkledwith grated Par mesancheese.

MAITAKE: Called “Henof the Woods,” the maitakeappear rippling and fan-shaped, without caps. Theyhave a distinctive aromaand a rich, woodsy taste.They are best sautéedlightly in butter or oil andgive a richer taste in anyrecipe calling for mush-rooms. They can be a maindish ingredient or used insides or soups.

SHIITAKE: Shiitakesare tan to dark brown andhave broad, umbrella-shaped caps, wide-openveils, tan gills and curvedstems that should beremoved. With a meaty tex-ture, they are rich andwoodsy when cooked. Theytaste best when cooked,rarely eaten raw, and add ameaty flavor and texture tostir-fry, pastas, soups,entrees and sides.

How to clean,

cook, storeIt is fun to try all variet-

ies of mushrooms, butresearch shows most con-sumers are in the darkabout the proper way toclean, cook and store them.The Mushroom Councilhas some simple tips tohelp:

Clean: Simply brush offany dirt with a damp papertowel or fingers; then, rinsebriefly under runningwater and pat dry with apaper towel. Before using,trim any tough stem ends.Never soak mushrooms asthey may absorb moisture.

Cook: Sauté 1-2-3 is adelicious and easy way tocook whole, sliced, choppedor halved mushrooms. 1)Brush a pan with oil, but-ter or nonfat cooking spray

and heat on high. 2) Add a

single layer of mushrooms;

turning once when mush-

rooms become red-brown

on one side. 3) Cook until

other side turns the same

color, and remove from

heat. Season to taste.

Store: Mushrooms can

keep for up to a week in the

refrigerator. To maximize

shelf life, keep mushrooms

in original packaging until

ready to use. Once opened,

store the mushrooms in a

porous paper bag. Avoid

storing mushrooms in air-

tight containers as that

causes condensation that

quickens spoilage. Don’t

ever freeze fresh mush-

rooms, but sautéed mush-

rooms keep in the freezer

for up to one month.

For recipes, tips and

infor mation about the

health benefits of mush-

rooms, visit MushroomIn-

fo.com or the Council’s

new blog, MushroomChan-

nel.com.

The Mushroom Council

is composed of fresh mar-

ket producers or importers

who average more than

500,000 pounds of mush-

rooms produced or import-

ed annually. The mush-

room program is autho-

rized by the Mushroom

Promotion, Research and

Consumer Information Act

of 1990 and is administered

by the Mushroom Council

under the supervision of

the Agricultural Market-

ing Service. Research and

promotion programs help

to expand, maintain and

develop markets for indi-

vidual agricultural com-

modities in the United

States and abroad. These

industry self-help pro-

grams are requested and

funded by the industry

groups that they serve. For

more information on the

Mushroom Council, visit

mushroomcouncil.org.

Mushroom: Flavorful, filling, nutrient-rich superfood

National Sponsors


PI_PROGINDEX/ADVERTISING/AD_PAGES [T08] | 03/24/10 11:57 | SUPERIMPPB


taste_home_10

Documents

family table

spring timeproduce

saidstephanie gallo

lemon garlicbrunch

traditions spring anewpairs

reunions withextended

additional lemon zest

peak of flavorin spring