Simplicity and Soy Glazed Mushrooms

Soy Glazed Mushrooms

We are reminded in the constant evolution of our lives that simplicity is a far better virtue.  Many of us attempt to keep our lives simple, our relationships plain, our households uncluttered and our food unprocessed and in our very attempt to achieve simplicity we retain a great deal of richness. A richness we're hard pressed to cling to when the very thought of not sustaining it enters into possibility.

Like many I have embraced the simplicity of scanning a select group of foodies on Pinterest to locate and repin a recipe that I might like to recreate later (along with quotes, books, reading tools, letters of the alphabet, storytellers). I still relish a Sunday morning thumbing through my hardbound cookbooks, but sometimes I like to lean on my peers to steer the course of the day. Today that course was a simple no nonsense side dish of Soy Glazed Mushrooms.  I needed only to purchase fresh mushrooms at our local farmers market as the rest of the ingredients were items I keep on hand for any occasion ~ which made for an easy decision to prepare this dish. In under ten minutes with a handful of ingredients I prepared something rich in taste that will be repeated and cataloged as a "go to" dish for entertaining.

Here's the interesting note on simplicity that one can not overlook...just because it is presented as simple does not imply that delivery will be dull or that the overall package will lack complexity~whether through the experience of living or the recommendation of fellow foodies simplicity is far more rich than anyone can imagine.

Shrimps ala Prep School (Shrimp and Rice Elegante)

Pulling out a 1993 edition of the Hilton Head Entertains cook book this weekend. I honestly can't remember the actual purchase of this cookbook and would have to say it may have been a gift from former in-laws that somehow made it past the post divorce cleansing way back when. The text was part of a fundraiser for Hilton Head Preparatory School and is dedicated to Carolyn B. "Becky" Fraser. I like it predominantly because the index has to be one of the most superbly organized of community cookbooks on my shelf and the recipes are simple concoctions with divine results at the dinner, coffee, or picnic table. There's a cheesy rich Shrimp and Spinach Casserole from this same cookbook that delivers magnificently when comfort food is the order of the day.

Chopped scallions or green onions
2 tablespoons butter
1 pound of shrimp, cleaned (assume devein is the instruction here)
4 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
3 tablespoons chili sauce
1 1/3 cups instant rice
1 2/3 cups water
1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup sour cream
1 tablespoon flour
Saute scallions in butter in skillet or wok. Add shrimp and mushrooms, saute until shrimp are done to taste (not long). Stir in chili sauce, rice, water, salt and pepper. Simmer covered for 5 minutes. Stir in mixture of sour cream and flour. heat just to serving temperature. 4-6 servings (Jane W. Kincheloe)

Triangle of Delicious (romance, travel, art)

There was no better way to spend a post film festival experience in Beaufort than to trek to Orlando to read, write, grocery shop and make dinner. That's right...drive five hours not to see Harry Potter or Mickey, but to hang with a romance novelist (Karen Hawkins) and a mutual friend known to many as @travelblggr on Twitter. Last time our schedules permitted time face-to-face in the same space was over a year and a half ago at a wine festival...though would be true there have been many moments shared in our electronic realms through social media. As different in our every day demeanor as we are in our professions and our individual aspirations so too are our approaches to bringing food to a table. Simplistic and colorful was my approach, rich in flavor was @travelblggr's purpose and succulent creamy goodness (with a kick one would never forget they'd been kissed) was naturally the romance novelist's contribution.

Insalta Caprese http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/rachael-ray/caprese-salad-recipe/index.html

Mushroom Risotto http://innthekitchen.com/wp/2010/10/11/champagne-risotto-with-wild-mushrooms/

Rotisserie Chicken (thank you Publix Baldwin Park)

Chocolate Fondue http://cookeatshare.com/recipes/chocolate-fondue-recipes-332132