Jersey Fresh Tip #9

An Unsung Hero of the Culinary World
Celery leaves!
Yep, you know those things at the end of the celery stalk that most people chop off and throw away? No more! Use those darn things!
Celery leaves have TONS of flavor - even more so than the actual stalks. I never throw them away. I always throw them in whenever I am using celery, whether for soup, tuna salad, or any other application. In fact, you can even use them in place of fresh parsley in a pinch, since they are from the same family.
Celery leaves have health benefits as well: They help balance your body's pH levels, they help in the prevention of cancer, they help to lower your cholesterol...the list goes on.
So, next time you are chopping up celery, don't throw those leaves away! Give 'em a good rinse under cold water, and add them in too!

Shrimp and Bacon Stuffed Mushrooms

15 fairly large mushrooms caps (white or porcini)
3/4 cup fresh breadcrumbs
6 shrimp, cooked and chopped fine
4 slices of bacon, cooked and chopped fine (save the bacon drippings!)
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp dried basil
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
About 1/4 cup olive or canola oil
Shredded mozzarella cheese for sprinkling on top

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place the mushroom caps on a greased baking sheet with the top side down. In a small mixing bowl, mix together the breadcrumbs, shrimp, bacon, the bacon drippings, salt, pepper, herbs, and parmesan cheese. Add enough oil to just moisten everything. Spoon the mixture into each mushroom cap and sprinkle a little bit of mozzarella cheese on each one. Drizzle with a little more oil on top. Bake for about 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted, and the mushrooms are soft.

*I made up this recipe because Evan and I were sitting at home one night, and he said, "You should make stuffed mushrooms." Far be it from me to turn down my husband's request for such a thing. So I started thinking of things I might like to stuff mushrooms with. I added the shrimp for a bit of decadence, the bacon for some meatiness (and we all know everything's better with bacon!) and the herbs and cheese for a bit of flavor and zing. I used a combination of white and porcini mushrooms, and I honestly couldn't tell the difference. They were both just as good. Of course, if you're looking for the vegetarian option to this dish, just leave out the shrimp and the bacon - but really, where's the fun in that? ;-)

For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 1:5-8