Breaded Onion Rings

Burgers and fries. Nothing is more American than a greasy burger and a mound of fries to go along with it. There's a reason why burger joints are so popular. People love their burgers. And fries. Sometimes, though, we want the burger without the fries. Maybe it's the fact that we want something crunchy, maybe we are sick of potatoes, maybe we're just plain bored and want something different. Whatever the reason, the typical answer is to turn to the onion ring.

Lobster Stuffed Mushrooms

My wife and I are huge fans of mushrooms, and over the last few years, our daughter has started to like them as well.  We like them on pizza, in salads, on steaks, and stuffed.  Our son still will not touch them, so he has no clue what he is missing.  Until then, that's more for us.

These mushrooms are a very simple appetizer that take just a couple of minutes to put together and can bake while you prepare the rest of the meal.  I like to use leftover lobster for this, but you can also use imitation lobster or even lump crab meat.  The key is chopping everything small enough to be able to mix and stuff into the mushroom caps.  I usually go with a chop for the lobster and mushroom stems that almost resembles coarsely ground meat.  This way I can ensure that I get a little bit of everything in each bite.


Lobster Stuffed Mushrooms

14 oz whole mushrooms, cleaned
1/2 Tbsp butter
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
2 oz cooked lobster meat, chopped
2 Tbsp parsley, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
Salt
Black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.  Remove stems from mushroom caps, reserving about half the stems.  Set mushroom caps aside.  Finely chop reserved stems.

In small skillet, melt butter over medium heat.  Add mushrooms and cook for 4 minutes, or until mushrooms are softened and lightly browned.  Add garlic and cook another 30 seconds.  Remove from heat and cool slightly.

In small mixing bowl, stir together bread crumbs, lobster meat, chopped parsley, and cooked mushrooms.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Add oil and mix until all stuffing ingredients are moistened.  Spoon stuffing into mushroom caps and place in baking dish.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until mushrooms are softened and stuffing is golden brown.  Serve immediately.

Roasted Corn and Black Bean Salsa

After spending four months away from home for work, all I wanted was a taste of home.  With me currently living in Omaha, there is nothing more Nebraskan than corn.  I don't even have to go a mile from my house to find corn fields as far as the eye can see.  So when I went to the farmer's market and found fresh corn available, I knew I had to get some.

This salsa combines the fresh corn from Nebraska with the flavors of my previous home in Texas.  Black beans, chipotle peppers, and lime combine to provide a flavor that screams Tex-Mex.  Roasting the corn really changes the flavor of this salsa, so don't skip that step.  If you do, you'll definitely regret it.

A quick note on removing corn from the cob.  Make sure you use a very sharp knife, as a dull knife will make this difficult and can be dangerous. I like to remove the corn by holding the cob upright in a large mixing bowl rather than on a cutting board.  As the knife cuts through the corn, the kernels fall into the bowl and do not go flying all over the kitchen.


Roasted Corn and Black Bean Salsa

4 ears fresh corn
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup red onion, chopped
1 chipotle, seeded and chopped fine
3 Tbsp cilantro, minced
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper, to taste

Remove corn from cob.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.  In mixing bowl, toss corn kernels with 1 Tbsp olive oil and salt and pepper to taste.  Pour onto foil lined cookie sheet and roast in oven for 25 minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes.

In large mixing bowl, stir together corn kernels, beans, red onion, chipotle, cilantro, and remaining 2 Tbsp olive oil.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Refrigerate at least one hour.  Serve with corn chips or use in your favorite taco or burrito.