Balsamic Marinated Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Caps

So the other day I got some wonderful news that I have been accepted unoffically into a culinary arts program and I thought what better way to celebrate this wonderful milestone then to make dinner and conveniently a few of you had been writing asking for mushroom recipes and the fact that my in laws just happened to buy 4 extra large portobello mushroom caps did play a part so I decided that now was the perfect moment to tell you how to make this delicious and easy to make dinner that not only looks pretty but tastes great.
You will need the following


Balsamic Marinated Stuffed Portobello Mushroom Caps

4 extra large Mushroom caps
1 cup artichoke hearts
2 cups grilled and chopped chicken breast
4 large Garlic cloves
2 tomatos diced or one can of petite diced tomatos (for you cheaters)
1 large onion diced
1 1/2 cups of balsamic vinager
3 tbls fresh chopped basil
1 cup grated Romano and Parm mixture
3 tbls Sugar
4 tbls butter
1 cup mozzarella cheese shred

Directions:
In sauce pan add sugar and balsamic together bring to a boil stiring constantly until it is reduced to half. Take clean mushroom caps fresh garlic and basil  place together in a ziplock bag with the balsamic reduction  and allow to marinate for at least 1hr.
Preheat oven to 350  and then mixed Chopped chicken with tomato, artichoke hearts, chopped onion, drain the marinade into the Chicken mixture and heat slightly.
In a baking dish place 1 sheet of alluminum to prevent sticking or scourching the caps.
Place marinaded caps in the baking dish fill generously with the chicken mixture cover with Mozz.
bake for 35 minutes till the caps are fully cooked then 5 minutes before you take them out sprinkle with the romano. Remove from oven salt and pepper to taste . Serve with crusty french bread Bonappetite

 

Why Do We Feel An Attachment to food?

                   Well it has been a few weeks since I posted anything  because I have been insanely busy.
Between college and work its hard to find time to post and for that I am sorry however I had an interesting conversation with one of my co-workers the other day on why we feel an attachment to food or certian foods and to be honest the question intrigued me.
Being a foodie I never stopped and wondered why I love food I mean to be frank that question for me is a lot like asking why I have a hard time keeping on weight It just is so I go on. But when I stopped and thought about why food matters to me I started to realize why. When I was growing up the kitchen was the place where I recieved the most love, both from my Nana and my mother.
                  At Nanas Island in the kitchen I have laughed, cried , shared good news, confessed bad news and ate, well I ate while I did the crying and ect. but I always felt loved and safe. The kitchen has been everything to me both my Church, home, family and the food not to be sacriledgious was my communion. Life can be so terrible at times like the day that Nana passed away and I felt that nothing would be the same again walking into her kitchen even now is sometimes bitter sweet knowing that she will never dance us around its hallowed spaces but even in this when I cook there its like being five again and being helped to stand on that blue step stool while Nana taught me to make brownies from scratch opening the spice bottles and smelling them is like a rush of beauty because in that I am once more home. Isnt it funny how we can  taste something or smell something and we are drawn to that ? when I smell vanilla and sugar I am reminded of her and given hope for the future this is why we feel an attachment to food not just because it sustains us or because it gives us nurishment but because there is a joy to food and each of us have "that Food" that gets us going.
So as I enter the kitchen at work and wash my hands to begin another day at the grind stone I remember here is my church, here is my happieness and above all here is my food.