All things Gale: Mushroom Casserole and Spinach Salad

Last weekend, we had a barbeque with Jennie and her family!

Jason fired up his brisket. The process is really a labor of love. It starts the night previous when he puts the dry rub on. He starts smoking it in the morning when we wake up around 8 am. By the time 6 pm rolls around, the brisket is ready to go!

I asked him to do a post for me about how to do a brisket. His is really amazing!!

Jennie's husband made the mashed potatoes,

And she brought homemade soda!! But not just any soda. It's called "Water Kefir!"

She made grape soda, cream soda, ginger ale and a couple others!

I put together the weirdest, most interesting, AND delicious salad.

Spinach & Goat Cheese Salad

Salad Ingredients

Fresh Spinach

Fresh Grapefruit peeled and diced

Chevre (Goat Cheese)

Bacon - chopped

Caramelized Onions (How to caramelize onions)

Dressing

1/2 cup rapadura sugar or honey

2 teaspoons minced onion
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup expeller pressed coconut oil (or vegetable oil)

And I made this - my New All-Time Favorite Dish in the History of Food!!

My sister-in-law saw that I got a bunch of portabello mushrooms from our local Coop and sent me the link to this recipe. HOLY DELICIOUSNESS!!!! You must make this. Put it on your list and save it for whenever you get around to it. I promise you joy and happiness will follow!!

Mushroom Casserole from 101cookbooks.com (This entire recipe is copied directly from her blog. All of her recipes are amazing!)

Ingredients

1/2 - 1 pound brown mushrooms, cleaned and chopped

1 large onion, well chopped
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 cups cooked brown rice, room temperature
2 large eggs
1 cup cottage cheese
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
a bit of fresh tarragon, chopped

Directions
Start your rice in your steamer or on the stove.

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. Rub a medium-large baking dish with a bit of olive oil or butter and set aside. The pan I use is slightly smaller than a classic 9x13 baking dish - just grab for something in this ballpark.

In a large skillet over medium-high heat saute the mushrooms in a glug of olive oil sprinkled with a couple pinches of salt.

Stir every minute or so until the mushrooms have released their liquid and have browned a bit. Add the onions and cook for another 4 or 5 minutes or until they are translucent. Stir in the garlic, cook for another minute and remove from heat.

Add the rice to the skillet and stir until combined.

In a medium bowl whisk together the eggs, cottage cheese, sour cream, and salt.

Combine the rice mixture and cottage cheese mixture in a large bowl, stir until well combined and then turn out into your prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with 2/3 of the Parmesan cheese, cover with foil and place in oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake for another 20 or 30 minutes more or hot throughout and golden along the edges. Sprinkle with the chopped tarragon, and the remaining Parmesan and enjoy

We are having guests next week and I can't WAIT to make this again!!! Actually, the guests will be Granny and Papa, Jason's parents! We are sooooo excited to see them. Every time I tell Leo that Granny and Papa are coming to sleep at his house, he says, "Are you kidding me?!?!"

Moving along to the most delicious part of the evening. Our babies!!!!!