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You asked for it

Stuffed portobello packs in the flavor

By ELLEN FOLKMAN
Published February 2, 2005

April Roberts requested a recipe for stuffed mushrooms. Mick Nicienski shares one for stuffed portobello mushrooms and hopes she enjoys it. Margaret Hout was looking for a graham cracker pie recipe she thought was about 30 years old; it appeared on the box of graham crackers. Marjorie Parker, Beth Knowles, Barbara Kunkel, Ann Paquette and Irene Ulm had it. In fact, Marjorie has had her copy since the 1940s, and it is very well worn. Gloria Dyke's recipe is for a graham cracker cake.

For: April Roberts of Largo.

From: Mick Nicienski of St. Petersburg.

Recipe: Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms.

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

2 stalks celery

1 red onion

1 large roasted pepper

1 green pepper

4 mushroom stems

2 ounces pepperoni

1 box Ritz crackers

1 pint chicken broth, maybe less

1 pinch salt

1 pinch pepper

1 pinch granulated garlic

1 pound butter

5 shakes Tabasco

6 to 8 portobello mushrooms

Coarsely mince the celery, onion, roasted and green pepper, mushroom stems and pepperoni in a grinder. In a skillet bring to a simmer the butter, all the vegetables and all the seasonings. Let simmer for five minutes. You want the vegetables to retain texture; do not over cook.

In a separate bowl crush the crackers with your hands. Add the hot mixture to the crackers and mix. Add the Tabasco. Slowly fold in the chicken broth. Depending on the crackers, you may not need to use all of the broth. Use only enough broth to get a good stuffing texture.

Stuff the caps of portobello mushrooms and place in baking dish that has a very small amount of water on the bottom. Bake for about 15 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer.

For: Margaret Hout of Masaryktown.

From: Marjorie Parker of Brooksville, Beth Knowles of St. Petersburg, Irene Ulm of Pinellas Park, Barbara Kunkel of Holiday and Ann Paquette of St. Petersburg.

Recipe: Graham Cracker Pie.

Graham Cracker Pie

Crust:

11/3 cup graham cracker crumbs or 16 graham crackers, crushed

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup butter, softened

Filling:

2 cups milk

1/4 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 egg yolks, beaten

Meringue:

3 egg whites, beaten to stiff peaks

6 tablespoons sugar

To make crust, blend graham cracker crumbs with sugar and butter. Press onto bottom and sides of 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes. Cool.

For filling, scald 2 cups milk in double boiler over boiling water. Thoroughly mix sugar, salt and cornstarch. Add to scalded milk. Stir until thick and smooth. Continue cooking 10 minutes. Blend a small amount of mixture with egg yolks. Return to double boiler and cook 2 minutes longer. Cool. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla. Pour into crust.

For meringue, add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, to beaten egg whites, beating well after each addition. Spread on filling. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. Cool and serve.

For: Margaret Hout of Masaryktown.

From: Gloria Dyke of St. Petersburg.

Recipe: Graham Cracker Cake.

Delicate Graham Cracker Cake

3/4 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cups granulated sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cups Nabisco graham cracker crumbs

1/2 cup shortening

3/4 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and graham cracker crumbs. Place shortening in a separate bowl, add dry ingredients, milk and vanilla. Mix well until dry ingredients are moistened. Beat 2 minutes with electric mixer. Add the eggs and beat 1 minute more. Pour into two heavily greased 8-inch layer cake pans. Bake in preheated 350-degree oven for about 25 minutes or until done. Cool, fill and frost as desired with sweetened whipped cream.Recipe requests

Pat Jessup is looking for a recipe for sugar creme pie . Her husband's grandmother used to make it but,unfortunately, no one got her recipe. Bill Gray wants a recipe for margarita pie . It's made with tequila and triple sec liqueur. The crust was possibly made with pretzels. He had it while on vacation and would like to make it at home.

Janice Bryce wants to thank Josephine Peruzzi for the wonderful poppy seed pastry recipe. She not only rekindles childhood memories when she makes it, but will think of Josephine's mother-in-law, whose recipe it was, and her Easter tradition. We're looking for your favorite recipes. If you have one to share, please send it along with a few lines on where it came from and why it's special. We'll publish them in future columns as space permits.

[Last modified February 1, 2005, 10:47:59]