Thanks - It's funny on the peg board. These ARE new, soft-close cabinets but part of my rationale to the pegs is "a place for everything and everything a place." My daughters have emptying the dishwasher as one of their chores (when we get one back after the remodel - now it's all by hand and they HATE that!) - if we don't use pegs, I'm afraid that a nicely organized system will disintegrate into a randomly piled mess, especially since one is envisioned for Tupperware. The girls have to take a trash-free lunch every day so there is LOTS of use for the little tupperware containers and lids. We will have banks of 27" drawers (under the microwave), 36" drawers under the (oven), 33" drawers (under the island), 24" drawers and then two sets of 21" drawers. I was thinking TWO peg sets - one for the 33" (pyrex, bowls, etc.; would have to cut the 36") and one for the 27" (Tupperware, would have to cut the 30") All the rest would be completely open. Does anyone think this makes sense? On the second issue, I hear you on the knife block. I'm still going to order it in the 18 and will have hubby fit a piece beside it if it slides around. We have a rather rag tag-looking set of knives and an inexpensive knife block now so no need to have that sitting on my pretty granite countertops. Any other tips before we order (tomorrow!) :-) Thanks!

Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings Posted by wizardnm (My Page) on Mon, Dec 28, 09 at 14:34 Doucanoe has chosen MUSHROOMS for our next Cookalong. Nice pick Linda! Please post your favorite mushroom recipes to this thread This will run until Jan 9 2010. Anyone interested in actually doing a dinner around mushrooms on Jan. 10? Could be fun..... Nancy Here is a link that might be useful: Cookalong #17----------Walnuts Follow-Up Postings: o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by caliloo (My Page) on Mon, Dec 28, 09 at 15:56 Oh great ingredient! I love mushrooms! In keeping with the season, I am posting one of my fav holiday sides...... Alexa ****************************************************** Brandied Steakside Mushrooms Recipe courtesy Paula Deen Recipe Summary Difficulty: Easy Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 20 minutes Yield: 4 to 6 people User Rating: 3 pounds fresh mushrooms, sliced lengthwise 8 tablespoons butter Seasoning salt ) 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce 1/2 cup brandy In a large skillet, saute the sliced mushrooms in the butter until brown. Sprinkle liberally with seasoning salt. Add Worcestershire sauce and simmer until almost all sauce is absorbed by the mushrooms. Add the brandy and continue to simmer until mushrooms are tender. Serve with steak or roast beef. o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by booberry85 (becky@leadsafe.us) on Mon, Dec 28, 09 at 17:11 Psari Sto Filo This is my knock off of Symeons recipe. Symeons is a great Greek restaurant in Utica, NY. This serves 2-4. 2 boneless fillets of Tilapia, haddock, or other mild white fish 4 sheets of filo dough 1 can cream of mushroom soup (or equivalent) 1 cup milk 1 package of raw spinach 1 package or can of sliced mushrooms (fresh or canned) 2 cups cooked rice Take two sheets of filo dough and lay them on a clean surface. Place several spinach leaves on the filo dough (enough spinach so that the bottom of the fish will be covered). Place one fish fillet on top of the spinach. Cover the top of the fish with more spinach leaves. Top that with sliced mushrooms. Wrap in the filo dough. Repeat the procedure for the second fish. Grease a 9x9 baking dish. Place the rice in the baking dish. If there is leftover spinach, layer the spinach on top of the rice. Place the wrapped fish on top of the rice and spinach. In a sauce pan, heat cream of mushroom soup with 1 cup milk until warm and smooth. Pour over the fish. Cover the baking pan with tin foil. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until fish is cooked through. o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by aliceinmd (My Page) on Mon, Dec 28, 09 at 21:21 As you can see, this is an older recipe, one we have used several times over the years. Hough Caterers in Cleveland frequently served it as a side dish at large buffet dinners. Unfortunately, they are now out of business, but some of their recipes live on. MUSHROOM PIE From Menu Planning for Every Occasion, by Robert S. Pile, President of Hough Caterers, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio (1968) 2 cups sautéed mushrooms (measured after cooking) 2 Tablespoons butter 2 Tablespoons flour Liquid from mushrooms and enough milk and cream to make 2 cups ½ teaspoon salt Dash white pepper 1 Tablespoon sautéed onion 1 8-inch unbaked pie shell and dough for top Drain mushrooms and save liquid. Make a cream sauce of the butter, flour, liquid, and milk or cream. Add salt, pepper, and onion. Add mushrooms to cream sauce and put into pie shell. Cover with pie dough. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 45-50 minutes. Serves 6. o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by doucanoe (My Page) on Mon, Dec 28, 09 at 21:45 I love, love, love fungus! LOL Some of my favorites.... This one makes a really nice light lunch or is great for breakfast, too! Croutes Aux Champignons 4 slices bread 1/2 c butter, divided 12oz fresh mushrooms, sliced 1 small onion, chopped 1T flour 1/2c stock (I use beef) 1/2c dry white wine 1/4c heavy cream parsley Saute onion in half the butter until tender. Add mushrooms and cook until liquid has evaporated. Stir in flour, gradually add stock and wine. Stir in cream and simmer until thickened. Meanwhile, butter both sides of bread, and toast on griddle until golden brown on both sides. Spoon mushroom sauce over bread slices, serve warm sprinkled with chopped parsley. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Sherried Brie and Mushroom Soup Makes 8 cups 1 lb. Brie cheese 2 cups dry sherry 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter 1 pound crimini mushrooms, sliced 1/2 cup minced shallots 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 2 tablespoons flour 4 cups low-sodium beef broth 1 3/4 cups half and half 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1/2 cup roughly chopped fresh chives, for garnish Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste Trim the rind from the brie and then roughly tear it into 2-inch pieces. (It is easy to trim if you first place the cheese in the freezer for 30 minutes or until it is sufficiently hard.) Set aside. In a small saucepan, reduce the sherry over medium-high heat to 1 cup. Set aside. in a medium stockpot over medium-high heat, melt the butter. Add the mushrooms, shallots, and lemon juice and cook for 4 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat, add the flour, and stir until the flour is fully incorporated. Return the mixture to heat and add the beef broth and reserved sherry. Raise the heat to high and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the trimmed Brie, stirring until the cheese has melted. Add the half and half and pepper and continue to simmer without boiling for 5 minutes. Taste for salt and pepper. To serve, ladle the soup into separate bowls and garnish each with 1 to 2 tablespoons of the chives. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Crockpot Beef Stroganoff 1-1/2 lb stew meat cut into cubes 1T cooking oil 1 lb fresh mushrooms, sliced 1/4c minced onion 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 tsp dried oregano 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp pepper 1/8 tsp dried thyme, crushed 1 bay leaf 1-1/2c beef broth 1/3c dry red wine 1 c sour cream 1/2c flour 1/4c water 4c hot cooked noodles or rice In large skillet brown the beef in hot oil, drain. In crockpot combine beef, mushrooms, onions, garlic, oregano, salt, pepper thyme and bay leaf. Pour in broth and wine. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or on high 4-5 hours. Discard bay leaf, and turn crockpot to high heat. Mix together sour cream, flour and water. Stir about 1 cup of the hot liquid into the sour cream mixture, return all to crockpot and stir to combine. Cover and cook on high heat for 30 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Serve over noodles or rice. Serves 6 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ INA GARTENS PORTOBELLO MUSHROOM LASAGNA Kosher salt Good olive oil 3/4 pound dried lasagna noodles 4 cups whole milk 12 tablespoons (11/2 sticks) unsalted butter, divided 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg 1 1/2 pounds portobello mushrooms 1 cup freshly ground Parmesan Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Bring a large pot of water to a boil with 1 tablespoon salt and a splash of oil. Add the lasagna noodles and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain and set aside. For the white sauce, bring the milk to a simmer in a saucepan. Set aside. Melt 8 tablespoons (1 stick) of the butter in a large saucepan. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Pour the hot milk into the butter-flour mixture all at once. Add 1 tablespoon salt, the pepper, and nutmeg, and cook over medium-low heat, stirring first with the wooden spoon and then with a whisk, for 3 to 5 minutes, until thick. Set aside off the heat. Separate the mushroom stems from the caps and discard the stems. Slice the caps 1/4-inch thick. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large (12-inch) saute pan. When the butter melts, add half the mushrooms, sprinkle with salt, and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and they release some of their juices. If they become too dry, add a little more oil. Toss occasionally to make sure the mushrooms cook evenly. Repeat with the remaining mushrooms and set all the mushrooms aside. To assemble the lasagna, spread some of the sauce in the bottom of an 8 by 12 by 2-inch baking dish. Arrange a layer of noodles on top, then more sauce, then 1/3 of the mushrooms, and 1/4 cup grated Parmesan. Repeat 2 more times, layering noodles, sauce, mushrooms, and Parmesan. Top with a final layer of noodles and sauce, and sprinkle with the remaining Parmesan. Bake the lasagna for 45 minutes, or until the top is browned the sauce is bubbly and hot. Allow to sit at room temperature for 15 minutes and serve hot. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ And a super simple appetizer... Balsamic Mushrooms 1/4 c olive oil 12 oz button mushrooms 3 T balsamic vinegar 1 tsp coarse salt 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes fresh ground pepper Heat oil in skillet over medium high heat. Add mushrooms and cook until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Stir in vinegar, salt and red pepper flakes, season with pepper. Cook one minute more. Transfer to serving dish, serve hot or at room temperature. Linda o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by beanthere_dunthat (My Page) on Mon, Dec 28, 09 at 22:23 DH makes those sherried mushrooms fairly often, and they are soooo addictive I don't have a recipe, but I do have a request. I'd love a nice mushroom soup that does not contain cream/milk or cheese and will freeze well. o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by rachelellen (My Page) on Tue, Dec 29, 09 at 9:32 Sorry, this one has cream, but it is our very, very favorite soup. Rachel the Mushroom Fiends Cream o Shroom Soup Ingredients: 1 lg. Onion, chopped 2 lg celery stalks, chopped 1 c minced mushrooms 2 c sliced mushrooms ½ t dried savory 4 c rich chicken stock 3 lg cloves garlic ¾ t black pepper 1 t salt 1 pt heavy cream 1 pt milk 9 T butter 3 T white flour ¼ c dry white wine (or dry sherryNOT cooking wine or cooking sherry) ½ c Secret Ingredientshhhh!* In a dutch oven, saute half the onion and celery, all the garlic & 1 c minced mushrooms in 3 T butter until onions are translucent. Add savory, pepper & salt and saute until you smell the savory. Add the Secret Ingredientshhh! and saute until the Secret Ingredientshhh! absorbs enough liquid to turn dark and unappetizing looking, while smelling very mushroomy. Add the rich chicken stock and simmer until the vegetables are quite soft. Using an immersion blender (stick blender), or a traditional blender, puree the stock and veggies until smooth. Add the cream and milk and bring to a slow simmer. In the meantime, make a blonde roux from 3 T butter and the white flour. When your roux is ready and the soup simmering, whisk the roux into the soup briskly. Saute the rest of the onion, celery and the sliced mushrooms in 3 T of butter until onions are translucent. Add the white wine and simmer for a few minutes to intensify the flavors. Stir mixture into the soup and simmer until the veggies are tender. If youve planned far enough ahead, and the aroma hasnt driven you crazy with mushroom lust, set the soup off the heat to completely cool. If it can sit in the fridge overnight, so much the better. The flavors "moogle" together as those of so many soups do with time, and the soup becomes even tastier upon reheating. *Secret Ingredient.shhhh! Using a coffee/spice grinder, make a powder of equal parts dehydrated button mushrooms and dehydrated shiitake mushrooms. It should be as fine as talcum powder. This is the secret! It imparts a wonderfully rich mushroom flavor and helps to thicken the soup at the same time. I also use this in stews that include mushrooms. Make these in the morning, so they can chill in the fridge all day and let the flavors "moogle". Marinated Mushroom Salad Mince a small onion and several cloves of garlic. Saute them in a couple of T of olive oil until they soften and the room smells wonderfully of garlic & onion. Then sizzle a half a cup of white wine (not sweet) for half a minute or so and add a T of tomato paste, 1/2 c of water (or, if you've got some really, really good garden tomatoes, sub a small minced tomato sans seeds and reduce the water to 1/4 c), a pinch of ground cloves or nutmeg, and if you're feeling wealthy, a pinch of saffron strands. Cover, and simmer the mixture for half an hour or so. If the mixture gets too dry, you can add a bit more water, but what you're shooting for is a pasty sort of sauce, and remember that the mushrooms will add water when you cook them. Clean, trim & dry about 1/2 pound of button mushrooms. I like to use bite sized. Add these to the sauce and simmer for about 5 minutes, until cooked through. Remember though, that the residual heat will keep cooking them once you take them off the stove, and you don't want them squishy. Salt & Pepper the sauce to taste, cool to room temp and put into the fridge. Just before serving, sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, or other fairly mild herb like chives, marjoram or tarragon. o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by dishesdone (My Page) on Tue, Dec 29, 09 at 10:32 Renee, this has no cream and it's a fabulous soup. Delicious. It has butter, but I suppose you can use a nice olive oil! Mushroom Soup (posted SusanQ at GB's ~ I found this on Epicurious and posted some of the reader's comments as well. One comment suggests making parmesan croutons which I used and were a wonderful addition) Makes 4 servings. By Anthony Bourdain with Jose de Meirelles and Philippe Lajaunie Bloomsbury 6 tablespoons butter 1 small onion, thinly sliced 12 ounces button mushrooms 4 cups light chicken stock or broth 1 sprig of flat parsley Salt and pepper 2 ounces high-quality sherry (don't use the cheap grocery-store variety; it's salty and unappetizing and will ruin your soup) Equipment Medium saucepan Wooden spoon Blender (I used an immersion blender) In the medium saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons/28 g of the butter over medium heat and add the onion. Cook until the onion is soft and translucent, then add the mushrooms and the remaining butter. Let the mixture sweat for about 8 minutes, taking care that the onion doesn't take on any brown color. Stir in the chicken stock and the parsley and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat and simmer for about an hour. After an hour, remove the parsley and discard. Let the soup cool for a few minutes, then transfer to the blender and carefully blend at high speed until smooth. Do I have to remind you to do this in stages, with the blender's lid firmly held down, and with the weight of your body keeping that thing from flying off and allowing boiling hot mushroom purée to erupt all over your kitchen? When blended, return the mix to the pot, season with salt and pepper, and bring up to a simmer again. Add the sherry, mix well, and serve immediately. To astound your guests with a Wild Mushroom Soup, simply replace some of those button mushrooms with a few dried cèpes or morels, which have been soaked until soft, drained, and squeezed. Not too many; the dried mushrooms will have a much stronger taste, and you don't want to overwhelm the soup. Pan sear, on high heat, a single small, pretty, fresh chanterelle or morel for each portion, and then slice into a cute fan and float on top in each bowl. And if you really want to ratchet your soup into pretentious (but delicious), drizzle a few tiny drops of truffle oil over the surface just before serving. Why the hell not? Everybody else is doing it. reviews cookykamp on 12/06/06 This soup was an awesome surprise. Imagine, a mushroom soup with no cream that is absolutely to die for! And so easy too. I topped mine with home-made garlic roasted croutons and fresh grated parmesan. Can't wait to try this with Portobellas and beef broth. YUM-O! akalish from New York, NY on 10/30/06 This recipe is amazing, but a few changes are imperative. I used portobello mushrooms because I had them on hand, and I allowed the onions to brown to deepen the flavor (and because I knew the portobellos would darken the soup anyway). I did not bother with the sherry since I didn't have any on hand, nor the parsley because my chicken broth was already quite flavorful. I used a hand blender to make the process a bit easier, and allow it to cool so I could de-fat it the next day since my guests prefer lighter foods. Most importantly(!!!), I finished the soup with a few drops of black truffle oil, which was pungently delicious. I also took a baguette, sliced it and topped each slice with some freshly grated parmesean. I melted them in the oven, inevitably making frico alongside the croutons, until the bread was nice and crusty. I put a crouton in each soup (serving as a garnish) and served a plate of extra croutons and frico on the table alongside the soup. The black truffle oil and the parmesean-croutons MADE this soup. It was phenomenal. This is at the top of my list for my next dinner party. Delicious! And FYI: when I say crouton, I do mean baguette slices, not cubes--more like crostini but without brushing them with oil and baking them first. A Cook from Palo Alto, CA on 10/27/06 wonderful flavor! I doubled the recipe and added one half ounce dried porcini mushrooms, soaked and added the strained mushroom liquid to the broth. I was very glad I doubled the recipe! malby from NYC on 01/16/06 Made this for my second Christmas in a row--guests actually requested it before RSVPing! We loved it again, and I played with it this year by picking up a dried wild mushroom stir-fry mix. Re-moistened the mushrooms as the package instructed and used the reserved water in addition to the chicken stock. Wow! Adina A from Philadelphia, PA on 11/13/05 A very simple yet elegant and complex soup. One way to make it even easier to make is to put the mushrooms and onions in the cuisinart before you fry them. That way you don't have to whiz them after the soup is hot. o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by angelaid (My Page) on Tue, Dec 29, 09 at 11:05 Ranch Mushrooms 1 stick butter 1 lb mushrooms 1 envelope ranch dressing mix put all in crockpot, cook on low for 4 hrs. I add some thinly sliced onions, sometimes green, sometimes white or yellow, sometimes both!!! o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by beanthere_dunthat (My Page) on Tue, Dec 29, 09 at 15:23 Thanks, Carol! Butter's fine, I like some cream soups, but the leftovers don't freeze well. This is a timely thread. We bought a bunch of mushrooms, thinking we'd use them for Christams dinner and changed our minds. o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by suzyqtexas (My Page) on Wed, Dec 30, 09 at 12:57 Myra's Marinated Mushrooms 1 pound butter 4 pounds extra large whole fresh mushrooms 1 quart burgundy or other red wine 1 1/2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon dill weed 1 teaspoon ground black pepper 1 tablespoon flavor enhancer (Accent) can leave out 1 teaspoon garlic powder 2 cups boiling water 4 beef bouillon cubes 4 chicken bouillon cubes Combine all ingredients in large pot Bring to a slow boil on medium heat Reduce to simmer and cook 5-6 hours with the pot covered Remove top and cook another 3-5 hours until liquid reduces to barely cover mushrooms Serve hot o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by sherrmann (My Page) on Wed, Dec 30, 09 at 14:23 My youngest is a vegetarian. She (and all the rest of us, too) love these. She eats them as her main course. STUFFED MUSHROOMS 2 large portobello mushroom caps, stems removed and saved bread crumbs, seasoned with salt pepper garlic powder 1/2 tsp minced garlic chopped parsley red pepper flakes Put a bit of extra virgin olive oil in a pan with a lid. Add the mushroom caps, gills down, cover and steam a few minutes until softened but not mushy. Turn them over, lightly salt the gills, finish cooking the mushrooms without a lid. Meanwhile, finely chop the stems and saute with the other ingredients in evoo. When finished, this should be fairly dry, yet with a little bit of stick-to--it-ness remaining. Pile this into the cooked mushroom caps, bake at 350 for a few minutes to brown and crisp the crumbs. Absolutely delish! We have also used this recipe to stuff small mushroom caps to serve as appetizers, but I'm lazy, and it's "putzier" to do little caps. Sherry o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by denise8101214 (My Page) on Wed, Dec 30, 09 at 20:43 Link to the other cookalongs below. Here is a link that might be useful: Cookalong Links o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by chase (My Page) on Mon, Jan 4, 10 at 14:19 Woo Hoo now that the "season" is behind us I actuallthink I can play this time. Here is my recipe for Stuffed Mushrooms. Simple but tasty. Stuffed Mushrooms 20 large white mushrooms 1/3 Cup butter (maybe a bit more) 4 or 5 green onions chopped fine 2 1/2 cups grated cheddar 1/3 Cups bread crumbs more or less if needed salt Clean mushrooms and carefully remove stems. Chop stems and onions finely (I use the food processor). Melt butter in a saute pan. Saute mushroom stems and onions over medium heat until soft but not browned and the stems have given up their juices. Mixture should be quite moist. Add the bread crumbs, only enough to absorb the liquid. Add the grated cheese and stir just until it has melted. Don't worry if the oil separates from the cheese.~ Stuff the mixture into the caps and sprinkle with a bit of salt (or you can salt after they come out of the oven...which is what I usually do). Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes or until the caps are nice and soft. The Stuffed Mushrooms are in the forefront of this pic. o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by sally2 (My Page) on Mon, Jan 4, 10 at 15:06 I'm glad this thread came up, because I lost track of it over the holidays. Was it supposed to have been this past weekend? I totally forgot. As I mentioned in the thread about fennel, I made Alice Water's Shaved Fennel with Mushroom salad for part of Christmas dinner (Actually, I delegated that to my son, and he did it beautifully.) I'll post a link to that thread rather than repeating the recipe here. I want to try one of the mushroom soup recipes. I'm eager to try a cream of mushroom soup, as I usually used canned. I'd love to try the real thing. The only thing wrong with doing that is I'll be spoiled, I'm sure, and never want to use canned again. But then, what's wrong with that? lol Sally Here is a link that might be useful: The fennel thread o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by kathleenca (My Page) on Mon, Jan 4, 10 at 19:28 Asparagus with Creamy Mushroom Dressing 8 servings 3 lb asparagus, bottoms trimmed 1/2 lb mushrooms, very thinly sliced 3 Tbsp fresh lemon juice 1/2 c. whipping cream 2 Tbsp Dijon mustard 1/3 c. olive oil 1 tsp. packed chopped fresh tarragon or 1/2 tsp dried Cook asparagus until just crip-tender, about 3 minutes. Drain; rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Drain; pat dry. (Can be prepared a day ahead. Wrap in paper towels & plastic bags & refrigerate.) Toss mushrooms with lemon juice in medium bowl; season with salt & pepper. Whisk cream & mustard in small bowl to blend; gradually whisk in oil. Let mushroom mixture & cream mixture stand 30 minutes, or cover & refrigerate up to 2 hours. Arrange asparagus on platter. Whisk tarragon into cream dressing. Add salt & pepper to taste. Drain mushrooms well & return to bowl. Mix cream dressing with mushrooms. Spoon dressing over asparagus & serve. o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by bob_cville (My Page) on Tue, Jan 5, 10 at 11:48 The first ever recipe that I call my own is for stuffed mushroom caps. About 18 years ago, I had to make a hot appetizer dish for a company Christmas potluck and remembered an appetizer I had had a few weeks earlier at a restaurant, and tried my best to recreate it for the party. It was such a smashing success that for a couple of years after that I was automatically assigned to bring the mushrooms. 2 8oz packages of White Mushrooms. about 10 oz cream cheese (softened) 3 tbsp butter (melted) 1-2 cloves garlic (crushed) 1-2 green onions (chopped) 2-3 slices provolone cheese Remove stems and lower fringe of mushroom. Mix green onion into softened cream cheese. Mix crushed garlic into melted butter. Spoon cream cheese mixture into each mushroom cap, then dip the top of the mushroom into butter/garlic mixture, and place in glass baking pan. Cover cream cheese in each mushroom with pieces of provolone cheese. Bake in oven at 375 deg F for 10-12 minutes, until provolone is melted, and mushroom is slightly softened. I made these a few days ago for a New Year's Eve party, and once again they were a big smash. Although since there was so much food, and since several people couldn't make it to the party, there were some left at the end of the party. I discovered that they also really work well the next day sliced up to use as omlette filling. o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by sally2 (My Page) on Tue, Jan 5, 10 at 11:52 Last night I made Anthony Bourdain's mushroom soup that Dishesdone posted. As was suggested, I made cheese croutons to top it off. It was delicious! Thanks for the recipe. (If Bourdain was the one to write that recipe, I'm convinced to read his book now.) Sally o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by beanthere_dunthat (My Page) on Tue, Jan 5, 10 at 15:18 Sally (and Carol), I made it, too, and it was really good. The only book I read of his was Kitchen Confidential, and I nearly sprained muscles laughing at it. He's very rough around the edges, but, man, he really told it like it is. I immediately bought copies for several of the people I used to work with, and they were all saying, "Yeah, that's what it's like." o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by dirtgirl07 (My Page) on Tue, Jan 5, 10 at 17:43 Here's a simple mushroom spread. Note, I'm not a mushroom eater so I can't tell if it's good or not. Saute a couple of minced garlic cloves with a minced shallot in olive oil. Add mushrooms and saute a couple more minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Add a little chicken stock and simmer down. Then add a couple of tablespoons (till you get a consistency you like) of cream cheese. Mix well and serve with crackers. Makes a good appetizer to serve along with the spinach/artichoke spread. o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by trixietx (My Page) on Tue, Jan 5, 10 at 18:38 Oh, all of your mushroom recipes sound so good. We love mushrooms. I saute mushrooms and chopped garlic in butter to serve with grilled steaks. Next time I am going to try the brandied mushrooms. This is another good recipe for stuffed mushrooms. 20 large mushrooms (white button mushrooms) 8 ounces cream cheese (chopped into small cubes) 1 lb pork breakfast sausage 1 bunch green onion (chopped) parmesan cheese Brown pork sausage and crumble well. Drain sausage from skillet leaving a little grease from sausage and sauté chopped onions until limp. Return sausage to pan with onions and add cream cheese. Over low heat stir sausage, onions, and cream cheese until well blended. Remove stems from mushrooms and stuff each mushroom cap with the mixture. Bake at 350°F for 20-25 minutes until heated through and the mushrooms are beginning to wilt. Top with parmesan. I usually have enough filling left to stuff a few more mushrooms! o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by mikes100acdreamfarm (My Page) on Wed, Jan 6, 10 at 0:49 Here you go BTDT ! This is a favorite of ours. Ive canned it before. But I leave the pasta out and add it when we get ready to eat it. Ive also frozen it with and without the pasta. Both were good. Shitake Mushroom and Leek Soup 2 oz Shitake Mushroom (rehydrate and sliced, remove tough stems) (or about 1-½ to 2 cups fresh sliced mushrooms) 1 c. finely chopped leeks (White and light green parts only) 2 Tbsp butter ¼ c. dry sherry 2 - 10 ¾ oz. cans double strength beef broth with 2 cans water added (6 c. home made beef broth) ½ tsp fresh ground pepper ½ c. orzo pasta Cook and stir mushrooms and leeks in butter until leeks are tender. Add sherry and cook until liquid is reduced by half. Add broth and water (or stock) and pepper. Bring to a boil. Add pasta and boil for 10 min. * Note you can use any type of mushrooms but its very good with Shitake --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- You can substitute these mushrooms for the eggplant in your favorite Eggplant Parmesan Recipe. *Very meaty tasting. They grow wild here and we collect them for this dish in Oct. Nothing else looks like them so there isnt a chance of getting a lethal wild fungus on this one. Puff Ball Mushroom Parmesan 1 large Puff Ball Mushroom Or perhaps a few large Portabellas ? Italian Seasoned Bread crumbs Egg and water wash EVOO Your favorite Marinara Sauce Mozzarella and or Provolone Cheese Slice the mushroom s ¾" thick. Dip in egg and water wash then in bread crumbs. Brown in EVOO. Remove to a lightly greased baking dish. Pour Marinara Sauce over. Top with Cheese. Bake in 350* oven for 30-35 minutes until tender and sauce is bubbly and cheese is melted. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Or simply use Portabella Mushrooms Marinate in your favorite Italian Dressing. Grill over a low fire turning several times until tender. Slice and serve with Grilled, chicken, steaks or burgers. Mike o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by lpinkmountain (My Page) on Sat, Jan 9, 10 at 16:03 As usual I am behind. Only cook on weekends. Hopefully I will be making this over the weekend. Dried Mushroom Barly Soup from "Moosewood Restaurant Lowfat Favorites" 1/2 ounce dried mushrooms (you can go fancy here like shitake, morels, porcini, chantrelles). Apparently that's about 2/3 cup. 6 cups boiling water 1 tsp. olive oil or canola oil 2 cups chopped onions (that's a lot for my taste!) 1 cup finely chopped carrot 1 cup finely chopped celery 2 garlic cloves, finely minced or put through a garlic press 3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms 1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari pinch dried thyme and dill 1/4 tsp. black pepper 1/2 cup raw barley 1/4 cup dry sherry or 2 tsp. honey (I'll use white wine, I don't have sherry) salt to taste Soak the dried mushrooms in boiling water and simmer for 15 minutes. Take off the heat and let sit for another 15 min. at least. Meanwhile, saute the chopped veggies in the olive oil in the bottom of a large heavy bottomed soup pot. Frankly I think you'll need at least 1 TBLSP EVOO but this is from a lowfat cookbook so do your best to skimp I guess. Saute until everything is translucent. Drain the dried mushrooms, reserving the broth. Chop off the tough stem ends. Dice and add to the fresh veggie mixture. Strain the mushroom broth through a coffee filter or some layers of cheesecloth in a lined strainer. Pour the mushroom broth into the soup pot along with the sauteed veggies. Add the seasonings and the barley. Bring to a boil and simmer for 45 minutes. I would taste to see if it needed a pick me up and then add some veggie broth paste or powder if needed. Soup should be brothy so add more if the barley hogs it all up. o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by chase (My Page) on Sat, Jan 9, 10 at 16:04 Yikes I forgot it was this weekend...I'm on it! o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by katiec (My Page) on Sat, Jan 9, 10 at 16:12 Here's one more stuffed mushroom and a different kind of quiche: * Exported from MasterCook * Mushroom Crusted Quiche Recipe By :Katie (adapted from a recipe found in a magazine, 1975) Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 3/4 pound mushrooms -- finely chopped 2 tablespoons butter crushed saltine crackers -- 1/2-2/3 cup 3/4 cup sauteed onion -- or green onion 2 c monterey jack cheese -- shredded (approx) 3 eggs 1 pint cottage cheese 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper Saute mushrooms in butter. Add enough crushed saltines to absorb juice. Press into pie pan. Sprinkle crust with onion. Heap jack cheese over onion; don't pack down. Whirl eggs, cottage cheese and cayenne in blender. Pour into crust. Bake at 350°F 45 minutes, until a knife comes out clean. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - * Exported from MasterCook * Stuffed Mushrooms Recipe By : Katie, adapted from the Joy of Cooking Serving Size : 12 Preparation Time :0:00 Categories : Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method -------- ------------ -------------------------------- 12 large mushroom caps 1 tablespoon butter 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs 1/2 cup pecans or other nuts -- finely chopped 2 cloves garlic -- minced 1 1/2 tablespoons basil, chives, or tarragon -- chopped 2 tablespoons dry white wine salt and paprika grated fresh Parmesan cheese Brush mushroom caps with butter or olive oil. Chop mushroom stems and saute in butter. Add bread crumbs, nuts, garlic, and herbs. Season with salt and paprika and bind with wine, using more wine if necessary. Fill mushroom caps and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese and a little paprika. Broil about 5 minutes. They can also be baked. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by beanthere_dunthat (My Page) on Sat, Jan 9, 10 at 16:51 Thanks, Mike. Glad I checked this thread again. :) I remembered one more we like, Mique's turnovers. Haven't made these in a while because I just haven't had the people around to help eat them. Must remedy that soon and make a batch. I warn you, they are addictive. MUSHROOM TURNOVERS Makes about 2 dozen turnovers To Make Mushroom filling: 3 tablespoons butter 1 large onion, finely chopped 1/2 pound mushrooms finely chopped 1/4 teaspoon thyme 1/2 teaspoon salt Freshly ground black pepper to taste 2 tablespoons flour 1/4 cup sweet or sour cream 1. In a skillet, heat the butter, add the onion and brown lightly. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring often, about three minutes. 2. Add the thyme, salt and pepper and sprinkle with flour. Stir in the cream and cook gently until thickened. To Make Dough: 3 three-ounce packages cream cheese at room temperature 1/2 cup butter at room temperature 1 1/2 cups flour 1. Mix the cream cheese and the butter thoroughly. Add the flour and work with the fingers or pastry blender until smooth. Chill well, for at least thirty minutes. 2. Preheat oven to hot (450° F.). 3. Roll the dough to one-eighth-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface and cut into rounds with a three-inch biscuit cutter. Place a teaspoon of mushroom filling on each and fold the dough over the filling. Press the edges together with a fork. Prick top crusts to allow for the escape of steam. 4. Place on an ungreased baking sheet and bake until lightly browned, about fifteen minutes. Source: MQ on CF o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by moosemac (My Page) on Sun, Jan 10, 10 at 8:32 Here's a favorite. I apologize for the lack of measurements but I tend to cook by the seat of my pants a lot when I'm not baking. I'm a taster not a measurer. :-) Caprese Stuffed Mushrooms Fresh Mozzarella, ¼" dice Plum Tomatoes, seeded, ¼" dice Prosciutto, ¼" dice Fresh Basil, ¼" dice Roasted Garlic, mashed Ciabatta Bread, ¼" dice (This is optional just be sure not to use too much bread.) Balsamic Vinaigrette (I used Newmans Own) Mushroom Caps (I usually uses baby portabellas/criminis.) Mix cheese, tomatoes, prosciutto, basil, garlic and bread together. Dry mushroom caps and place on cookie sheet. Put a tiny splash of vinaigrette in each mushroom cap. Top with a ball of stuffing. Bake at 400 until the filling is melted and just starting to brown on the top. Or you can par cook mushroom caps by microwaving for about 1-2 minutes. Do not over cook the mushrooms. You want them still firm not soft and juicy. Preheat broiler. Broil mushrooms until cheese is just melted. These can be prepared ahead, then brought to room temperature and broiled just before serving. o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by bizzo (My Page) on Sun, Jan 10, 10 at 9:23 I think I'll have one of my favorite simple lunches... sauteed mushrooms and onions on toast :-) Thanks everyone for all the GREAT mushroom recipes! Several I want to try... o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by sally2 (My Page) on Sun, Jan 10, 10 at 14:17 Decisions, decisions, decisions! I'm wanting stuffed mushrooms, and I'm wanting to make the fancy pasta that my co-worker gave me for Christmas, and I'm wanting to make those turnovers that Beanthere_dunthat posted. Here's what I have on hand that I thought I could incorporate into stuffed mushrooms: Goat cheese that I bought on sale, shallots, and a quarter loaf of home made bread that's a little stale. I think I have a package of cream cheese, too. I think I can combine or use some of the recipes y'all have posted for stuffed mushrooms. Sally o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by mustangs (My Page) on Sun, Jan 10, 10 at 15:42 Love 'shrooms! I've gotten some good "must tries" from this thread-thanks. Here is my late entry: Creamy Mushroom Sauce For Steak # 2 tablespoons butter # ½ onion, minced # 1 clove garlic, finely minced # 2-3 cups sliced fresh mushrooms # ¾ teaspoon kosher or sea salt # Ground black pepper # 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (optional) # 3 tablespoons whiskey # 1 tablespoon balsamic # ½ cup heavy cream # 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh herb of your choice (chives, parsley, tarragon, basil) Heat butter in sauce pan over medium heat. When butter starts bubbling, add onions and sauté until onions are just, translucent, and just slightly golden; about 3 minutes. add garlic and sauté for an additional minute until the garlic is fragrant. Turn heat to high and add mushrooms all at once. Immediately start tossing so the onion garlic butter mixture is evenly distributed among the mushrooms. Sauté mushrooms until they are browned and softened, about 3- minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Pour in whiskey and balsamic and let mixture bubble a bit to burn off some of the alcohol. Turn heat down just a bit and add in heavy cream. Let bubble for another 30 seconds and then taste to adjust the salt. Stir in the freshly minced herbs and pout over just grilled steak. o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by doucanoe (My Page) on Sun, Jan 10, 10 at 17:18 I have Wild Mushroom Flan in the oven right now, to go with Sue's Roadhaouse Ribs which are almost ready to go on the grill. I'll let you know if the flan is a keeper recipe in a bit... Linda o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by wizardnm (My Page) on Sun, Jan 10, 10 at 22:37 Guess what....Times up!!!!!! You are welcome though, to make comments and add any new recipes at any time. I just drew a name from those that posted to this thread. ************* Chase ****************** Please pick the next Cookalong ingredient. Just post it here and then I'll set up the next thread. Can't wait to see what you pick! Nancy o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by wizardnm (My Page) on Mon, Jan 11, 10 at 9:31 TTT....waiting for Chase o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by sally2 (My Page) on Mon, Jan 11, 10 at 9:32 I got ambitious and decided to make a stuffed pasta dish called Mushroom and Goat Cheese Fagottini. (Really, that's what it's called - I didn't make it up!) I found a recipe on line that used mushrooms, goat cheese and shallots, all of which I had on hand, plus I could use my pasta maker that DH gave me a year ago Christmas, but I haven't used much because the knob that holds it on was cracked and wouldn't hold. I got a replacement knob, so I decided to try my hand at making pasta. I definitely need more practice. It always looks so easy when they do it on TV. One problem was that the recipe didn't indicate how large to make the squares of dough. Then I realized that I didn't roll the dough thin enough, as I had way more stuffing than dough. Finally, when I got all the little, uh, fagottinis ready to go into the water, they were stuck to the plate I had put them on. I couldn't get them off without tearing them. Well, I was able to fix them up and get enough of them cooked to make a meal for DH and I. We had a nice salad of mixed greens, sliced pear and dried cranberries with a lemon-tangerine vinaigrette. The pasta was way too thick and tough, but it was passable and edible, and tasted pretty good, but certainly could have been better. I need to practice more. I'm determined to learn how to make home made pasta, and to make things like ravioli and other stuffed pastas. It was fun trying, in spite of the frustrations. I love playing with dough! Here's the recipe from a blog I found in my search. Wild Mushroom and Goat Cheese Fagottini by Joseph Erdos from blog July 2009 For the pasta dough: 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 2 large eggs 1 large egg yolk For the filling: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon butter 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped 1 large shallot, finely chopped 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and sliced 8 ounces shitake mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and sliced 1 8-ounce log goat cheese 1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese coarse sea salt freshly ground black pepper 1 large egg white To make the dough, combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Create a well in the center and add the eggs and egg yolk. Using a fork, beat the eggs while mixing in the flour a little at a time. Once the dough has come together, if it is too dry and crumbly, a little water can be added. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface. Form into a ball and knead until the dough takes on a smooth surface, about 10 minutes. Form the dough into a disk and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Let it rest for about 20 to 30 minutes at room temperature. To make the filling, heat oil in a large heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. Add garlic and shallot; cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add thyme and mushrooms. Cook, stirring constantly, until all moisture is lost, about 5 to 10 minutes. Once slightly cooled, add the mushrooms to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Turn out into a medium bowl. Add goat cheese and Pecorino; season with salt and pepper. Add egg white and stir to combine. To make the pasta, cut the disk into about 4 to 6 pieces. Work with only one piece at a time and keep the remaining pieces wrapped in plastic wrap. Form the piece into a flat disk, lightly flour, and feed it into the machine starting with the largest setting. Fold the dough in half and roll it through again. Now start moving onto the next setting and so on until the next-to-last setting is reached. The pasta should be silky smooth and less than 1/16-inch in thickness. Lay the long sheet of pasta on a lightly floured work surface. Cut off the rounded ends. Using a decorative pastry cutter or a sharp knife, cut the sheet into small squares of equal size. Using a teaspoon, drop balls of filling onto each square. Brush around the filling with a bit of water. Take the square in hand and bring all the corners together, firmly pressing the edges to seal the dough while removing as much air as possible. Place onto a lightly floured tray or towel. Repeat with the remaining pieces of dough. Scraps of dough can also be reformed and rerolled on the machine. Bring a large pot of liberally salted water to a rapid boil. Add the fagottini in small batches and cook until al dente, about 5 minutes. Stir now and then to prevent sticking. Serve drizzled with olive oil and grated Pecorino. Yield: 4 to 6 servings. Here is a link that might be useful: Gastronomer's Guide by Joseph Erdos - Mushroom and Goat Cheese Fagottini o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by chase (My Page) on Mon, Jan 11, 10 at 9:57 I actually did play a long last night. I made Cathy's creamy mushroom sauce for steak and served it over filet mignon. Thanks Cathy it was lip smacking good. I'm trying to find new ways of incorporating veggies in our meals so I think I'll pick spinach as my ingredient. o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by wizardnm (My Page) on Mon, Jan 11, 10 at 10:28 Link to the next Cookalong Here is a link that might be useful: Cookalong #19-----SPINACH o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by lpinkmountain (My Page) on Mon, Jan 11, 10 at 10:42 Well, the best laid plans . . . . I didn't make the mushroom soup because before I could do the soup I needed to go grocery shopping to get the the 'shrooms, and I have a rule that I can't go grocery shopping until I have cleaned out the fridge for the week. Upon doing that I found that one of the tomatoes I bought for tomato jelly had gotten smooshed and was rotting and causing the others to rot, so I had to quick make the jelly. It was not so good actually, but I ended up with a fresh tomato/dried tomato balsamic basil slurry that I didn't want to throw out, so I made cream of tomato soup. Also used up what I could salvage of my rotting celery on that. So the mushroom soup is definately out since I am now missing two of the ingredients and I have a ton of tomato soup to eat. Ah the trials of being a single foodie. I guess I'll have to move on to spinach and save the dried mushrooms for another day. Actually, the dish I want to make for spinach has mushrooms! o RE: Cookalong #18----------------MUSHROOMS clip this post email this post what is this? see most clipped and recent clippings * Posted by mustangs (My Page) on Mon, Jan 11, 10 at 10:49 Sharon, Thanks for the "feed"back; I'm glad that you liked it.

Like you, tak712, I use my double wall ovens a lot. When I did my kitchen (and chose appliances about 2 years ago), there were many hours of research involved on the ovens. The Electrolux Icons were everything I wanted, and I can say that after using them for a year and a half, I could not be more pleased with them. They come up to temp quickly, hold evenly, and perform every function equally well. The gliding racks are great, extend fully, and reconfigure very easily. They each bake with or without convection, broil with or without convection, proof breads, slow-cook like a crockpot, keep warm like a warming drawer, even work as dehydrators, and self-clean. Each oven will also accept up to three "favorites" multi-stage programs. For example, I can put in a frozen item in the morning, tell the oven to come on at a specific time in the afternoon, bake for X hours/minutes, then turn its on the broiler on to brown the top, and then turn itself into a warming drawer and keep the item ready until I turn it off. Each oven operates independently, and all the racks are moveable, so for dehydrating you can just run one oven with all the racks in it. I don't know if those Icon models are still available, but if so, they are worth considering. I've been very happy with them. (Also put the Miele steam oven in another part of the kitchen, and like it, too, but it's a more specialized appliance, also great but not as versatile as the Electrolux ovens.)

"Single" seems to have the popular vote, but I often find myself not leaning toward the popular side. I like my double sink. I wash many pots and pans daily and I use the other side to let them dry. I can't imagine what I'd do if I didn't have that separate sink side (?) I'd have to hand dry my pans immediately after washing them and/or find new space for them to dry, and that just doesn't work in my space. My vote is for the under dog - the double sink... But rest assured, should I ever move and be forced to live with a single sink - I will do so and adapt accordingly... After all, it's just a sink :)