Morel season is getting close up here and we are hopeing this year will be extra good since we had so much snow. Guess we will see. First of all, they should hang in there for a couple of days, but don't wait too long. Don't wash until ready to use. They can be dried if there's too many to use up right away. I don't like to soak them much more than a minute. They absorb water which can make them too mushy... We always fry the first we find...like Linda says...they are wonderful. Here's a few recipes. Sautd Morels with Cream 15-20 fresh morels or reconstituted dried, cut in half if large 1 large shallot chopped fine 1 large clove garlic chopped fine 2 TBS butter (best with unsalted) 2 TBS olive oil 3/4 cup chicken stock 1 cup heavy cream salt & fresh ground pepper to taste Put olive oil in heated pan over medium heat. Add garlic and shallots, stir and sauté until softened but not brown. Add butter until melted then add morels. Stir and cook until mushrooms start to brown, about 4 min. Add chicken stock and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add cream and cook on low until reduced and thickened. Classically served on toast, but the best on grilled New York Strip steaks. We made this soup at the Deli and it was one of our BEST EVER special items that we ever did. Cream of Morel Soup A heavenly soup that will make you want to get back to the woods and feed some more black flies. Ingredients: 3/4 LB fresh morels (more or less to taste and your hunting success) chopped 1 large leek (use everything below the green leaves) 3 medium to small russet potatoes 1 cup chicken stock 1 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup dry white wine 2 TBS butter or mild vegetable oil salt and pepper to taste 2 cups water 1\) Chop off dark green leek leaves and roots. Slice the stem lengthwise and rinse under cold water making sure to remove all grit trapped between layers. Peel and halve potatoes. Add both to soup pot with the water. Boil moderately until quite tender. 20\-30 min. 2\) Heat medium pan over a medium flame. Add butter , morels and a few dashes of salt. Cook morels gently for ~ 15 minutes, making sure they do not dry out. Add a few dashes of wine at a time to keep moist. When nearly done add wine, turn up flame and continue cooking until liquid is almost gone. Add chicken stock and stir until blended. 3\) When potatoes and leeks are tender, remove from heat and blend until smooth. Return to pot. 4\) Add morel mix to potato/leek mixture and simmer very gently, stirring occasionally to avoid scorching. After about 5\-10 minutes, add cream and salt and pepper to taste. Courtesy of (I have no idea whose recipe) \- located in Petoskey, Michigan ...found on the internet. Morel Risotto Serves 5-6 14 oz. beef broth 4 tbsp. butter 1 medium onion 1 clove garlic 2 cups of Arborio rice 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese 1/2 cup white wine or cooking wine Saute the onion, garlic and mushrooms (last) in the butter, add rice and cook for a few minutes. Combine beef broth and water to make 6 cups and boil. Stir in mushrooms and slowly add broth mixture until all liquid is absorbed. Cook about 20-25 minutes. Morel Quiche 2 Tbsp. butter 8 oz. morel 6 oz. cheese (Swiss) 3 eggs or egg substitute 1 c cream or light cream 1/2 cup 1% or low fat milk 1 \- 8" to 9" pastry crust Bake in 375 degree oven for 40\-45 minutes. Pastry crust can be purchased or made. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Morel Stuffing 1 cup chicken broth 1/3 cup butter 8 cups dried bread crumbs 2 medium onions celery if desired 1 clove garlic, crushed fresh parsley, sage and thyme to taste \- if using dried, 1 tsp. each will do. You may use a variety of mushrooms, add nuts or other fresh herbs if you desire. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wild Morel and Fresh Sage Soup Olive oil 2 carrots, sliced into circles garlic to taste 1 medium onion 1 Tbsp. each fresh parsley and sage (dried\-1 tsp.) 3 1/2 cups chicken broth 3 Tbsp. white wine (or cooking wine) Saute veggies and cook down for about 45 minutes. Saute mushrooms and add last. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Angel Hair Pasta with Morels and Asparagus Makes 4 servings 1 lb. fresh angel hair pasta 2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil 1/2 cup sliced green onions (white portion only) 2 cups diagonally sliced fresh asparagus (2\-inch pieces) 1 1/2 quarts fresh morel mushrooms, halved and cleaned 6 Tbsp. cold butter, cut into pieces 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh chives 1/2 tsp. black pepper Kosher salt to taste In dutch oven or large saucepan, cook pasta to desired doneness as directed on package. Drain; place in large serving bowl and keep warm. In a large skillet on medium high heat add olive oil and onions; saute for 30 seconds. Add asparagus and saute for 1 minute. Stir in morels and cook 1\-2 minutes or until softened. Drain asparagus\-mushroom mixture reserving juices. Add the mixture to the pasta and return juices to skillet. Cook to reduce by 3/4. Add butter, stirring constantly, until melted. Remove from heat; stir into pasta mixture with chives, pepper and salt. Garnish with chives if desired and serve. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Morel Sauce Makes 2 cups 1 ounce dried Morels 2 tsp. soy sauce 2 cups water 4 Tbsp. finely chopped shallots 2 tsp. minced fresh savory 3 Tbsp. butter 1 1/2 Tbsp. flour 3/4 cup sour cream Place Morels, soy sauce, and water in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 to 45 minutes. Remove Morels, keeping liquid. Chop Morels finely. Saute shallots, savory, and Morels in butter for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in flour and then liquid from reconstituted Morels. Add salt and pepper to taste. Finally add sour cream and heat, but do not boil. Serve over beef, pork, veal, vegetables or noodles. You may substitute Porcini or Chanterelle mushrooms. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Chicken Breasts and Morels Serves 4 as a main course Chicken and morels are beautifully matched, especially when served over pasta and accompanied with a dry white wine. 2 dozen fresh morels, sliced, or 2 ounces dried morels and 1/2 cup heavy cream 1/4 cup flour 4 single chicken breasts, skinned, boned, and pounded flat 5 tablespoons butter 2 tablespoons oil 2 tablespoons brandy 1/4 cup beef broth 1/4 cup heavy cream (use the reserved cream if you have used dried morels) 1/2 teaspoon green peppercorns, crushed 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice Salt and pepper If using dried morels, simmer them in the cream until soft, about 15 minutes. Do not allow to boil. Reserve the cream. Flour the chicken breasts lightly. Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter and the oil in a sauté pan or skillet, and sauté the chicken quickly, about 3 minutes on each side, then remove to a heated pan. Deglaze the pan with brandy. Pour this over the chicken breasts. Place them in a preheated 250º oven while you prepare the sauce. Melt the remaining 3 tablespoons butter in the same pan. Add the morels and cook until they become semi\-dry. Add the beef broth and cream and let it cook down into a sauce. Add the peppercorns, lemon juice, and salt and pepper to taste. Place the chicken breasts on a warm platter and cover with the sauce just before serving. \-\-Louise Freedman ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ROASTED PRAWNS with Morels and Morel Butter This recipe calls for giant 4 1/2\- to 5\-ounce prawns, which can be ordered from some specialty fish markets. If unavailable, substitute 24 large prawns. Ingredients 8 ounces fresh morel mushrooms or 2 ounces dried morel mushrooms\* 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature, divided 3/4 cup chopped divided 1 minced 1 1/2 teaspoons chopped fresh 6 4 1/2\- to 5\-ounce uncooked giant prawns or 24 large prawns Directions Finely chop enough fresh morels or reconstituted morels to measure 1/2 cup (packed); reserve remaining morels. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in medium nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup shallots and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add chopped morels and thyme; sauté 2 minutes. If using dried morels, add reserved soaking liquid to skillet, leaving any sediment behind. Increase heat; boil until almost all liquid evaporates, about 8 minutes. Transfer morel mixture to small bowl; cool. Mix remaining 7 tablespoons butter into morel mixture. Season lightly with salt and pepper. (Morel butter can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.) Using scissors, cut along back shell of each prawn all the way up to tail, exposing vein; pull out vein. Turn prawns over. Using small sharp knife and starting just below tail end, butterfly each prawn by cutting 1/4\-inch\-deep slit to opposite end. Place prawns, shell side down, on rimmed baking sheet. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover; chill.) Preheat oven to 500°F. Melt 2 tablespoons morel butter in heavy large skillet over medium\-high heat. Add remaining 1/2 cup shallots; sauté until golden, about 3 minutes. Add remaining whole fresh morels or reconstituted morels and sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Meanwhile, spread 1 teaspoon morel butter over each giant prawn (or 1/4 teaspoon over each of 24 large prawns). Roast just until prawns are opaque in center, about 7 minutes for giant prawns or 4 minutes for large prawns. Top prawns with remaining morel butter, dividing equally. Return to oven just long enough to melt butter slightly, about 10 seconds. Transfer prawns to plates. Serve sautéed morels alongside. \*If using dried morels: Bring 3 cups water to boil in medium saucepan. Add dried morels. Remove from heat. Cover; let steep 1 hour. Using slotted spoon, transfer morels to bowl. Reserve soaking liquid. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I also do some other things with Morels but have no recipe, I just wing it~~~~ These are both served as appetizers Strudel with Morels and Brie... a basic morel filling with chunks of Brie (use leeks in the filling, if desired) Mini Quiche with Morels... Cream cheese pastry and basic quiche filling with chopped morels. Nancy

The best burger's in the world are at Miller's on Michigan Avenue in Dearborn. No menu. Just burger's (with or without cheese), fries and onion rings.9and of course a full bar) When you cash out, you go to the bar and tell them what you had. Careful, there's often a line for week-day lunch. I also strongly recommend one of the Arabic restaurants. (In Dearborn this mostly means Lebanese) El Ameer is considered one of the best. I also like Cedarland. Cedarland has a drive through, so it used to get my business for Schwarma and Falafel on the way home from work or my voice lessons. East Dearborn has the largest North American arabic population outside of the middle east. Head to Warren and Schaefer. There are lots of good bakeries and coffee shops, too! La Shish is well known - a local chain. The original is La Shish / Talal on Michigan Avenue. Still.. make the trip, go to El Ameer. Greek Town or Mexican Village in Detroit also have good examples of the food of the ethnic neighborhoods. If they are interested in either, let me know. Also, there are some good Polish restaurants in Hamtramck, but I know less about those. If they are looking for Michelin star eating the Lark is supposed to be wonderful. It's on my list, but I've never been. I agree about the Whitney, by the way. At the other end of the scale, they should definitely go to a Coney Island. Lafayette and American are the original, but Senate, Kerby's, any would be good. Coney Dogs are a must-get for my husband when we are in town. I get greek salad and coney fries. We're headed back to Detroit during Memorial Day week... and we're definitely hitting a coney island. Another must-go for us is The Earle in Ann Arbor. Ann Arbor has lots of culinary choices. if it's on their route let me know!

Lyra, Annie, is it time to share this? Jeff Foxworthy Michigan Jokes (pretty funny and accurate) 1\. If you consider it a sport to gather your food by drilling through 18 inches of ice and sitting there all day hoping that the food will swim by, you might live in Michigan. 2\. If you're proud that your region makes the national news 96 nights each year because Pellston is the coldest spot in the nation, you might live in Michigan . 3\. If your local Dairy Queen is closed from November through March, you might live in Michigan . 4\. If you instinctively walk like a penguin for five months out of the year, you might live in Michigan . 5\. If someone in a store offers you assistance, and they don't work there, you might live in Michigan . 6\. If your dad's suntan stops at a line curving around the middle of his forehead, (or at the top of his ankles) you might live in Michigan . 7\. If you have worn shorts and a coat at the same time, you might live in Michigan . 8\. If your town has an equal number of bars and churches,! you might live in Michigan . 9\. If you have had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you might live in Michigan . ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Part 2 \- You know you're a true MICHIGANDER when . . . 1\. "Vacation" means going up north on I\-75 2\. You measure distance in hours. 3\. You know several people who have hit a deer more than once. 4\. You often switch from "heat" to "A/C" in the same day. 5\. You can drive 65 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard, without flinching. 6\. You see people wearing camouflage at social events (including weddings). 7\. You install security lights on your house and garage and leave both unlocked. 8\. You carry jumper cables in your car and your girlfriend knows how to use them. 9\. You design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit. 10\. Driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow. 11\. You know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter and road construction. 12\. You can identify a southern or eastern accent. 13\. Your idea of creative landscaping is a statue of a deer next to your blue spruce. 14\. You were unaware that there is a legal drinking age. 15\. Down South to you means Ohio . 16\. A brat is something you eat. 17\. Your neighbor throws a party to celebrate his new pole barn. 18\. You go out to a fish fry every Friday. 19\. Your 4th of July picnic was moved indoors due to frost. 20\. You have more miles on your snow blower than your car. 21\. You find 0 degrees! "a little chilly." 22\. You drink pop and bake with soda. 23\. Your doctor tells you to drink Vernors and you know it's not medicine. 24\. You can actually drink Vernors without coughing. 25\. You know what a Yooper is. 26\. You think owning a Honda is Un\-American. 27\. You know that UP is a place, not a direction. 28\. You know it's possible to live in a thumb. 29\. You understand that when visiting Detroit, the best thing to wear is a Kevlar vest. 30\. You actually understand these jokes, and you forward them to all your Michigan friends.

Wow! Great pic ladies!! Good to meet you Karen and Sherry you are loolin' good as always. I'ts soo cool to meet up with forum members for sure. I've been lucky enough to meet up with many here over the years. My friends thought I was crazy back in the day too. Canny Camp, Martini Mayhem, and the PFPP.....great memories and great pics....some not shared here on the forum. LOL! May, yes it is!! I call shot-gun though! LOLOLOL! David