Appetizers At The Hawthornes'.

For dinner last night, I decided to do a light appetizer. Earlier, I had watched Giada make Tuscan Mushrooms and thought that would be a tasty treat. My ingredients: mushrooms roasted red peppers green olives lemon grass green onions Giada sprinkled basil leaves over her mushrooms saying the basil gave it a "nice lemon flavor." Whatever, Giada. I had no basil (Note to self: Plant basil seeds indoors.) which to me has more of a licorice flavor. But I did have lemon grass in the fridge from when I made the tuna with marinade from the Alinea cookbook.

Here I am pounding my lemon grass before mincing it into miniscule pieces.

I mixed the minced lemon grass, chopped olives, sliced green onions, some chopped roasted red peppers and grated Parmesan cheese.

Stuffed each mushroom with the mixture.

Topped with more Parmesan cheese and a sprinkling of homemade crouton bread crumbs

Ready for the oven.

Twenty minutes in a 400 degree oven.

And you can taste every flavor in these mushrooms. This would make a nice, quick, easy appetizer for a party.

Here's the leftover half of my cheese steak tortilla.

I tarted it up with corn salsa and creme fraiche and it was very good.