A "T-Gives" recap.

I have this hippie friend who wished me a happy “t-gives” the other day and I just can’t stop interchanging that with the more classic Thanksgiving.

So Happy day after T-Gives, everybody.

Here is a short little recap from a Thanksgiving (t-gives, if you will) that was similar and yet unlike any other I have ever had.

First thing: I have been waiting for DAYS to see these mountains. My friend who I am staying with here in the Pacific Northwest sees these every day because this is the view out her kitchen window. Rough, I know. But when I say she sees them every day I mean “Every day besides the ones that I have been here.” Because it has rained for like 75 hours straight.

Needless to say, when I woke up and saw these beauts I quickly ran upstairs, got my camera, jumped around, and attempted to take pictures. While even a Canon can’t quite capture the general splendor, you get the idea.

Second thing: I don’t know what came over me, but I went to a Zumba class yesterday morning with another friend out here. Do you know what that is? In my experience tt’s this small little room with mirrors and like forty women who dance crazily for like 70 minutes on holiday mornings. I suppose they do it on other mornings, too, but I sat there asking my friend in a shocked voice, “WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?!!? And why are they HERE!?!?”

I am pretty sure it’s touted as a “fun” workout, and some of it was fun, except the 4 songs I had to sit out because I couldn’t breathe.

Fortunately for me, I knew that I had these gorgeous little stuffed mushrooms (recipe at end of post) that wanted me to make them, and that was enough motivation to finish out the set strong.

This leads me to my third recap (and mind you, it’s only 9:30 in the morning at this point):

Stuffed Mushrooms, the best.

Please note that I just wrote “Stuffed mushrooms (comma) the best” and I would appreciate it if any of you who copy this recipe would go ahead and put it in your recipe box as Stuffed Mushrooms (comma) the best.

Please and Thank You.

I will also make mention that there is a chance that I maybe only ate the filling for breakfast after my Zumba class.

I digress. The rest of my day was spent in a full house of amazing people at the base of, get this, more mountains. Here is the picture out of THEIR window.

You know, I have so much to be thankful for. A couple weeks ago I was anxious. I don’t really know about what, but I was anxious and listless, and probably bored. Before bed I prayed, “God, I need something from you tonight. I don’t want to go to bed feeling this way.” I was browsing through the Psalsms when I felt that 116 was where I needed to stop. My heart gave a sigh when I got to verses 7-9, because I knew that unto me they were true. This passage has stuck with me for the past few weeks, and on a day such as yesterday was, I think this is appropriate.

Psalm 116:7-9

Be at rest once more, O my soul, for the LORD has been good to you. For he has delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before the LORD in the land of the living.

Happy day after T-Gives, kids. The Lord has been good to you.

Stuffed Mushrooms, the best.

1 lbs. pork sausage.

1 medium to large onion, chopped

The mushroom stems, finely chopped.  (I have no idea how many mushrooms I used. All I know is it was the BIG container from Costco. Happy Shopping.)

 Olive Oil.

I clove fresh garlic, sliced.

2 8-oz blocks of cream cheese. I would also like to add at this time that at that same bulk food store their six-packs of cream cheese are not quite six-packs.

Half and Half, a good little drizzle.

 parmesan, freshly grated, a nice handful

 2-3 egg whites.

Black pepper, to taste.

 red pepper flakes, to taste.

Salt, to taste.

Directions: In a pan brown the sausage. Drain. Add chopped onions and mushroom stems, a drizzle of olive oil and the garlic clove. Cook until onions and mushroom stems are tender. Cut up the cream cheese into blocks and toss in the pan. When that is combined add the rest of the ingredients. Make sure you are watching your temperature with the eggs, you don’t want them to become scrambled egg whites, so my suggestion is cooking this part at a low heat.

When everything is heated through and delicious, go ahead, have a taste.

This filling can be made ahead of time and just kept in the fridge, which is what I did.

To finish the mushrooms, spoon a good dollop into each of the cavities in the mushrooms left by removing the stems. Place filled mushrooms on a jellyroll pan or in a large baking dish with edges, and bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. The mushrooms will be moist and tender when done.

And then eat 12 of them. And maybe don’t share with your friends.

Or however you choose to eat them, enjoy!