Cook of the Month: Candy Broyles, Baldwin EMC
Like many residents of our Alabama coast, Candy Broyles and her husband retired to Gulf Shores after he had worked 36 years for Mississippi State University. She got the winning recipe for “Snowbird Camper Mushrooms” a few years ago when she went to a birthday party for a Sunday school friend, Jimmy Warren, at a campground in Gulf Shores. “A snowbird lady had made these wonderful mushrooms, and she showed me how to make them,” she says. “I had never had anything like this and wanted to share with other ‘Alabamians.’ I hope everyone enjoys them, too!” You can’t beat this recipe for ease of preparation: Just mix the ingredients together in your slow cooker and five hours later, you’ll have a delicious buttery treat!
Snowbird Camper Mushrooms
- 10 containers fresh mushrooms, washed thoroughly
- 5 packages Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
- 10 sticks butter
Cook in crockpot on low for around 5 hours.
Stuffed Mushrooms
- 12 whole large fresh mushrooms
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup parmesan cheese, grated
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray. Clean mushrooms with a damp paper towel and break off stems. Chops stems extremely fine, discarding the tough end of the stems and reserve mushroom cap. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and chopped mushroom stems; cook until any moisture has evaporated, taking care not to burn garlic. Set aside to cool. Stir in softened cream cheese, parmesan cheese, black pepper, onion powder and cayenne. The mixture will be thick. Use a teaspoon to fill each mushroom cap with a generous amount of stuffing. Arrange on sprayed cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes on 350.
Laurie Myer, Southern Pine EC
Mushrooms and Cream
- 1 pound fresh mushrooms
- 1/3 cup soft butter
- 1 tablespoon parsley, minced
- 1 tablespoon dried minced onion
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Pinch cayenne
- Pinch nutmeg
- 1½ tablespoons flour
- 1 cup heavy cream (or less to make it less soupy)
Clean mushrooms and cut off stems. Cream together the butter, parsley, onion, Dijon mustard, salt, cayenne, nutmeg and flour. Place mushrooms in a 1-quart casserole dish. Dot with the butter mixture and pour over the heavy cream. Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour, uncovered. Stir once or twice during baking.
Laurie Myer, Southern Pine EC
Mushroom ‘Crabcakes’
- 1 pound mushrooms, diced or shredded
- 1/2 red onion, finely diced
- 1 bell pepper, finely diced
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 2/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon sriracha or hot sauce (optional)
Cook mushrooms and 2 tablespoons water in skillet over medium heat for 5 minutes. Drain well, squeezing as much excess liquid as possible from mushrooms. Mix together onion, bell pepper, Old Bay seasoning, mayo, mustard, panko, egg and sriracha or hot sauce (if using). Add the well-drained mushrooms. Form into patties in your desired size. Chill mushroom patties for at least 30 minutes.
Cook using one of the following methods:
Air fry: Spray basket with cooking spray. Cook at 400 degrees 8-12 minutes.
Stove: Pan fry in heated olive oil on medium-high heat for 3-5 minutes on each side until brown.
Oven: Bake at 425 degrees on parchment-lined baking sheet for 10-15 minutes.
Cook’s note: These are so rich and tasty, with a texture very similar to crab! Alabama has an abundance of mushroom varieties, but for those who don’t have the time to forage, there are plenty of local growers including our favorite “Mushroom Man Tan” in Fairhope (@mushroommantan). This recipe works great with Lion’s Manes, Hen of the Woods, or even the kind commonly found in your local grocery store.
Linda Lavelle, Baldwin EMC
Mushroom Brunch
- 12 eggs, beaten
- 9 slices bread, crusts removed, cut into ½-inch squares
- 6 tablespoons butter, reserving 2 tablespoons
- 3 cups milk or unflavored plant milk of choice
- 5 green onions
- 1 cup baby spinach
- ½ cup bell pepper, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 pound fresh mushrooms (shitake, portobello or button), chopped
- 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
Saute garlic and mushrooms in 2 tablespoons butter. Cook until soft and just golden brown. In a large bowl, beat eggs. Add milk and stir to incorporate. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir to coat. Pour egg mixture into a buttered casserole dish and refrigerate, covered, for 8 hours or overnight. Bake the mixture in a preheated 300 degree oven for 1 hour, uncovered. Serve immediately.
Cook’s tips: This recipe is great with day-old croissants or brioche. If you use wheat bread, be sure it is somewhat fluffy to absorb the egg. If it is too dense, the consistency does not come out right. Do not wash the mushrooms, as they soak up water like little sponges. Instead, rub them with a paper towel if they need to be cleaned or use a soft veggie brush.
Heather Hyatt, Cullman EC
The Buttered Home
Mushrooms have become one of my favorite vegetables. They pair so well with all kinds of protein and also serve as a healthy substitute for some higher carb options. You can use them in place of pizza crust, as they hold their shape well and can stand up to almost any topping. We combine a smaller mushroom here with a crab filling for a fancy little appetizer that folks will never know it’s really good for them! For more recipes, visit thebutteredhome.com.
Crab Stuffed Mushrooms
- 24 fresh white mushrooms, stems removed
- ½ cup hearts of palm, chopped
- 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt, unsweetened
- 2 tablespoons chives, chopped
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, shredded
- ½ cup cheddar cheese, shredded
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¾ teaspoon Creole seasoning
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 8 ounces crabmeat, canned or fresh, drained and picked over
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Clean mushrooms with a cloth and gently remove stems. Place mushroom caps on a baking sheet fitted with parchment or sprayed with a light layer of cooking spray. Roast mushrooms about 15 minutes, turning half way during cooking time.
Chop hearts of palm and combine with mayonnaise, Greek yogurt, chives, lemon juice, Creole seasoning and garlic in a medium bowl; mix until well blended. Add crab; stir to combine.
Turn oven to medium broil. Stuff each mushroom cap with 1 tablespoon of the crab mixture.
Combine oil, Parmesan, cheddar cheese and salt in a small bowl; sprinkle evenly over the mushrooms.
Broil until the crab mixture is warmed through and the breadcrumbs are browned and the cheese is melted. Cool and serve.
