Skinny Italian Part 7

Step 4 Boil the Tomatoes Boil the Tomatoes Fill a second pot (6 to 8 quarts) with water. Bring it to a boil over high heat. Add your tomatoes and boil them until the skins just start to crack.

Step 5 Strain the Tomatoes Strain the Tomatoes Remove the tomatoes from the boiling water and run them under cold water. You can either feed them into the vegetable strainer now, which will remove the skin and seeds with a couple turns of the crank, or use ice water and a knife to skin and cut the tomatoes and remove the seeds. Gather all of your pulp into a big bowl.

Step 6 Stuff Your Jars Stuff Your Jars Take the tomato pulp and scoop it into your jars (this is where the funnel comes in handy). And for goodness sake, use a big spoon to scoop the pulp. If my mother comes in and sees you trying to pour sauce right out of the bowl into that tiny funnel, there'll be h.e.l.l to pay! Fill the jars, but leave inch of room at the top. (They call this the "heads.p.a.ce.") Step 7 Really Stuff Your Jars Really Stuff Your Jars Stick a thin spatula into the jar and push the tomatoes toward the center to remove any air bubbles. Do this around the entire jar three or four times. Add some more tomato if you need to and pack it down again. Now stick a big piece of basil into the jar and close it up. Wipe the edges of the jar to remove any spillage, and make sure the dome lid is on the very center with a good grip on the jar. Screw the canning band onto the jar until it won't move anymore, but not too tight.

Step 8 Processing (Boiling) the Jars Processing (Boiling) the Jars Bring the water in your boiling water canner to a simmer (about 180F), and carefully add your jars (keep them upright and be careful not to tip them!). Make sure the jars are covered with 1 or 2 inches of water. Cover the canner with its lid and bring the whole thing to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Keep the jars in the steady boil for 20 minutes.

Step 9 Removing the Jars Removing the Jars Using the lifting rack or a special jar lifter, remove the jars one at a time from the water and place them on a towel on your counter. The jars are d.a.m.n hot, so be careful! And try to keep them as straight as possible; no tipping. Leave the jars exactly where they are for 12 hours to cool. Don't screw with the lids or shake them around or anything. Leave them be.

Step 10 Test, Store, Finito! Test, Store, Finito!

After the jars have cooled, test each one to make sure it has a solid seal. The dome lids should be slightly concave, sucked into the middle of the jar just a bit. When you push on them, they shouldn't budge. Unscrew the band and gently pull on the lid. If it stays on, you've got a good seal. If it pops off, your jar didn't seal. It doesn't mean your sauce is wasted; you just can't store that jar. Pop it in the fridge and use it in the next couple of days.

Some people take the bands off and store the jars with just the lids, but that looks a little off to me. I like the big thick screwy lid. Just make sure you wipe the edges of the jar and remove any water, so the band won't rust and make it a ch.o.r.e to open later.

That's it! You can now store your jars of tomato sauce (or give them as gifts to the Italian-mamma-bes in your town) for up to a year. A cool, dark place is best; your regular pantry will do just fine.

10 - The Art of Eating .

Everything about Italy is art-art-art: from the gorgeous paintings to the beautiful buildings to the amazing fas.h.i.+on designers . . . even flirting is an art form. (Italian men, ah marone!) There is also an art to eating in Italy-a certain way of serving, of entertaining, even of chewing your food that makes everything a little slower, a little s.e.xier, and a lot healthier.

The Slow Food Movement Everything about America is fast: fast food, fast cars, fast women (well, some of them, anyway). Things are so fast now the baby comes before the wedding, and the engagement comes before anyone's even met the family. We talk fast, we drink fast, I think we even have s.e.x too fast (too soon, with too many people, and then not long enough each time . . . but that's another book).

Every country knows America is fast, and they love the energy they find when they visit us here, but not every country wants to do things as fast as we do. In 1986, when McDonald's wanted to open their first restaurant in Italy, the company chose a really sacred place to the Italians: in Rome right next to the Piazza di Spagna, the Spanish Steps. It's one thing to take American fast food to Italy, but to drop it in such a special place did not make people happy. A guy named Carlo Petrini led a protest of locals all holding bowls of penne. (McDonald's went ahead and opened their restaurant there, and it was their largest franchise in the world at the time. Gross!) It's not that McDonald's is the cause of all the unhealthy eating, but with 31,000 restaurants in 119 countries (they're even putting one in the Louvre museum in Paris!), unhealthy fast-food options are becoming the only option in a lot of places. There's a fast-food restaurant on every corner in cities, but it can be hard to find healthy alternatives. Today, none of us has enough time or enough money, so a 99-cent meal seems like a deal. But in the long run, it's killing us.

Petrini started an international organization called Slow Food to remind everyone about the benefits of slowing down when we eat. (Their logo is so cute; it's a little gold snail!) Slow Food now has more than 100,000 members in 132 countries (so he beat McDonald's at something!), and many restaurants now have the Slow Food snail outside their door to let you know they support locally grown food, local cuisine, and the enjoyment of eating it.

I'm all over this cause. I think it's great. There is nothing more aggravating than taking your family out to eat and feeling rushed. No sir! I want to sit and enjoy being out of my house and eating delicious food cooked by someone else for a change.

I used to work with a girl named Kim who was always running around as if her hair was on fire. She had three kids and was stick thin (I didn't have any kids yet) and she said her secret was that she "never had time to eat." She wouldn't fix herself dinner, she'd just eat the leftovers on her kids' plates and that kept her thin. I'm all for fitting into those skinny jeans, but not that way. That's just bad, bad, bad! And sad!

I know a lot of women, though, who eat like this. Whether it's a crazy house full of kids at dinnertime, or working women eating their lunch while running between meetings. Eating isn't supposed to be a job, it's supposed to be a joy.

JUICY B BITS FROM FROM Joe JoeThe family dinner is an important tradition to keep alive with the next generation. When I was a kid, my dad got home from work every night at 5:30 p.m., and dinner was waiting for him on the table. If we kids weren't at the dinner table when he walked in the door, we'd get our a.s.ses kicked. There was just no excuse. It was about respect.We all pitched in for dinner. My mom would even make me clean the kitchen floors before I could go out and play.Today, life is so much busier and we got people calling us on our cell phones at all hours and we're expected to be on call for everyone. But you gotta lay down the law. It's your life. Not your boss's life. Whether you got a house full of munchkins like I do, or your life is quieter, don't let anyone interrupt you when you're eating.

When he was interviewed by Time magazine in 2004, Petrini explained his belief that we should "surely, slowly, fully and without excess, enjoy the pleasures of the senses." Amen to that!

The Benefits of Slowing Down Even the doctors and nutritionists are jumping on this "slow down" thing. It's good for your health because it stops you from overeating. It takes fifteen to twenty minutes for your stomach to let your brain know that you've eaten something. If you scarf down too much food too fast, your body will never have to chance to tell you it's already full.

Eating slowly and enjoying your food can also help boost your metabolism, which is great because a fast metabolism is your skinny jeans' friend. It seems like the opposite: if you run around, even eating fast, you're burning calories, and if you sit still to eat slowly, your body will slow down, so you might as well grab and go, right? Not according to the brown trout.

In 2000, the Inst.i.tute of Biomedical and Life Sciences at the University of Glasgow did this huge experiment with fish and found that when the fish were stressed-which is what you are when you're running around like a maniac-the stress hormones they released slowed their metabolism down. When they were calm, they had happy hormones and a nice, fast metabolism. It's true for humans, too. You might lose weight when you're super stressed, but it's a temporary, unhealthy weight loss. Our goal is a happy life in which we can eat delicious food and still look fabulous!

Italian Dinner, Family Style In Italy, eating is traditionally a long, amazing process enjoyed with your friends and family. There's no grabbing food as you run out the door. When I was growing up, we ate dinner as a family every night, and we still do. I think it's one of the reasons my kids know how to sit still at a restaurant and behave, because they've learned that eating isn't bounce-off-the-walls time (that's what they do with their other twenty-two hours a day).

No matter what day of the week it is, special occasion or not, there is a ritual to the Italian dinner. Dinner usually takes around two hours and wine or mineral water is served throughout the meal. The dishes served in order are: Aperitivo Aperitivo (before-dinner drink) L'antipasto L'antipasto (bread, cheese, or veggie appetizers, served during the aperitivo aperitivo) La Prima Piatta La Prima Piatta (a small pasta dish) La Seconda Piatta La Seconda Piatta (the main meat course served with a vegetable or salad) Il Dolce e Caffe Il Dolce e Caffe (dessert and coffee) The Hostess with the Most-estPart of planning a great meal is being a great hostess, and that starts with the guest list. You don't have to invite everybody in your neighborhood over at one time. Make sure you invite people who all get along (or you might find yourself with a flipped table or two).As the hostess, make sure you mingle and talk to everyone. It's your job to make everyone feel comfortable and relaxed.

An Italian dinner is a time for laughing.Bad topics: politics, money, tell-all books written by your guest's ex-husband.Good topics: fas.h.i.+on, children, friends, the old days, s.e.x.

It seems like a lot of food, but remember, the portions are smaller and we take our time eating it.

Today, most Italians reserve Sunday for their traditional dinner, and have a shortened version for other days. We often also skip the pasta course (it's usually more of a lunch meal), or the pasta is incorporated into the main dish. I'm going to teach you how to master each stage of the Italian dinner so you can make every meal a feast. If you're not entertaining a big crowd, even if you're eating alone, I still want to encourage you to savor each bite, eat slowly, and enjoy the divine process.

Delicious DrinksSince the Roman times, Italians have begun their eating rituals with a mini c.o.c.ktail hour. The idea of a before-dinner drink is not only to help your guests relax and unwind from a long day, but also to help open up your digestive system and get your stomach ready for eating. (Don't believe me? The Italian word aperitivo comes from the Latin aperire, which means "to open up.")This is not a time to get trashed, or to see how many beers you can chug. You don't want to ruin your appet.i.te, you want to enhance it. For this part of your meal, you want everyone walking around, sipping their drinks and sampling the appetizers. Make sure you've got on some good music, and your party will come to life!Good drinks to have on hand are Campari, Prosecco, vodka, vermouth, sodas, and fruit juices (we love to mix alcohol with fruit juices!). While beer is considered tacky, wine is OK, and sparkling wine like Spumante is even better.

BELLISSIMO B BELLINIS.

MAKES 6 DRINKS.

My favorite, favorite drink is the Bellini: a mix of sparkling Italian wine and peaches. (I've been told I get funnier with each Bellini, but who doesn't?) This is the way they make it in Venice: with fresh white peaches and ripe raspberries. If fresh white peaches aren't in season, you can use regular or thawed frozen peaches, but I've even seen white peach puree online-well worth sticking in your freezer!

2 ripe white peaches, peeled, pitted, and coa.r.s.ely chopped cup fresh or thawed frozen raspberries (frozen can be used, but should be thawed first)One 750-ml bottle Italian sparking wine, such as Prosecco or Spumante, chilled 1. Puree the peaches in a blender. You should have cup of peach puree. Pour into a small bowl. Rinse out the blender. Puree the peaches in a blender. You should have cup of peach puree. Pour into a small bowl. Rinse out the blender.

2. Puree the raspberries in the blender. Strain the raspberries through a wire sieve to remove the seeds. You should have at least 2 tablespoons of raspberry puree. Pour into a small bowl. If you have the time, cover each bowl of puree and refrigerate them so they are really chilled. Puree the raspberries in the blender. Strain the raspberries through a wire sieve to remove the seeds. You should have at least 2 tablespoons of raspberry puree. Pour into a small bowl. If you have the time, cover each bowl of puree and refrigerate them so they are really chilled.

3. For each serving, spoon a heaping tablespoon of peach puree into the bottom of a Champagne flute. Top with about 1 teaspoon of the raspberry puree. Slowly fill the gla.s.s with the sparkling wine. To keep the foaming at a minimum, fill the gla.s.s halfway, let the fizzing subside, then finish with a second pour. Serve immediately. For each serving, spoon a heaping tablespoon of peach puree into the bottom of a Champagne flute. Top with about 1 teaspoon of the raspberry puree. Slowly fill the gla.s.s with the sparkling wine. To keep the foaming at a minimum, fill the gla.s.s halfway, let the fizzing subside, then finish with a second pour. Serve immediately.

Teresa'sT I PThe easiest way to peel fresh peaches? Drop them into a saucepan of boiling water, and cook for 30 seconds. Using a slotted spoon, transfer them to a bowl of ice water. Let stand a minute or so, then drain and peel.

LAZY B BELLINIS.

MAKES 6 BEVERAGES.

You might not always have fresh peaches on hand, so here's a recipe for Lazy Bellinis (the kind they'll probably give you in a bar).

cup peach schnapps, chilledOne 750-ml bottle sparkling Italian wine, such as Prosecco or Spumante, chilled For each serving, pour 2 tablespoons of schnapps into a Champagne flute. Slowly fill the gla.s.s with the sparkling wine, letting the foaming subside before adding more sparkling wine. Serve immediately.

"Skinny" c.o.c.ktailsEveryone would love to be able to enjoy their favorite hard alcoholic c.o.c.ktail with fewer calories. Sadly, there are only two ways to do this.1 Compromise on the quality of the nonalcoholic extras; like use a "diet" orange drink instead of orange juice. But that's full of chemicals rather than just fruit.2 Lie about it I'm sort of kidding, but it really doesn't matter what you do. You can't magically erase calories in alcohol, no matter what you call your c.o.c.ktail. A margarita is a margarita is a margarita.

HOMEMADE L LIMONCELLO.

MAKES 48 2-OUNCE SERVINGS.

Another cla.s.sic Italian drink is limoncello, a lemon-flavored alcohol. Of course, you can buy bottled limoncello, but it's so much more fun to make it from scratch. You do need a full thirty to sixty days for curing, but it's well worth it!

16 lemonsTwo 750-ml bottles 100-proof vodka4 cups sugar 1. Wash the lemons thoroughly. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the yellow zest of the lemons in strips. Do not dig into the white pith underneath the zest, as it is very bitter. (You're done with the lemons now, so save them for something that uses lots of lemon juice.) Wash the lemons thoroughly. Using a vegetable peeler, remove the yellow zest of the lemons in strips. Do not dig into the white pith underneath the zest, as it is very bitter. (You're done with the lemons now, so save them for something that uses lots of lemon juice.) 2. Transfer 1 bottle of vodka to a large, 1-gallon gla.s.s jar with a lid (such as a gla.s.s cookie jar, available inexpensively at housewares stores). Add the lemon zest, cover, and store in a cool, dark place for 15 to 30 days. Transfer 1 bottle of vodka to a large, 1-gallon gla.s.s jar with a lid (such as a gla.s.s cookie jar, available inexpensively at housewares stores). Add the lemon zest, cover, and store in a cool, dark place for 15 to 30 days.

3. After this initial steeping period, bring 5 cups water and the sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Cool completely. After this initial steeping period, bring 5 cups water and the sugar to a boil in a medium saucepan over high heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Boil, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Cool completely.

4. Pour the syrup into the jar. Add the remaining bottle of vodka. Cover again and let stand in a cool, dark place for 15 to 30 days more. Pour the syrup into the jar. Add the remaining bottle of vodka. Cover again and let stand in a cool, dark place for 15 to 30 days more.

5. Strain the limoncello through a wire sieve to remove the zest. Pour the limoncello into attractive gla.s.s bottles. Store in the freezer until you are ready to use. Strain the limoncello through a wire sieve to remove the zest. Pour the limoncello into attractive gla.s.s bottles. Store in the freezer until you are ready to use.

DINA'S V VIRGIN M MIMOSA MAKES 1 DRINK.

Next to a Bellini, a mimosa is my favorite drink (naturally, we make ours with Italian sparkling wine instead of Champagne). But sometimes you're out with a friend who doesn't like to drink a lot of alcohol (or can't for medical reasons or something), but she still wants to have fun. Drinking bottled water or Diet c.o.ke when everyone else has something fizzy and fruity is not fun.

Of course, you can buy San Pellegrino Limonatas at the grocery store, but those have a lemony taste, and when you're in a bar, anyone can mix up the Dina Virgin for you!

cup fresh orange juice, strained to remove pulp cup sparkling water, preferably San Pellegrino Pour orange juice into a Champagne flute. Fill up the gla.s.s with San Pellegrino.

DinaDina is one of my best friends. I've known her for fifteen years; I actually met her when she was pregnant with Lexie. She loves to hang out at lounges with me and Jacqueline, but she's not a big drinker. I created this virgin mimosa for her, so she could get just as crazy as we do with our Champagne gla.s.ses and bubbles. (Only she's funny because she's naturally funny, not because she's had one too many!) Amazing AppetizersFruit, olives, cheese, meats, and vegetables are the most common Italian appetizers, along with bruschetta, grissini, and any amazing topping you can pour, scoop, or smush onto them. The best thing about Italian breads for appetizers is that they are flat, thin, and crispy, have lots of air holes, and don't have too many carbs (unlike, say, a big, soft bread bowl filled with dill dip you might find at an American party). Italian appetizers go anywhere from really simple (just get some grissini at the store, wrap the ends in prosciutto, and stand them in a pretty gla.s.s, and you've got one!) to stuffed, baked, and fabulous. Here are the antipastos I almost always serve at my house.

BRUSCHETTA C CLa.s.sICA.

MAKES 12 SERVINGS1 loaf wide, crusty Italian bread (not one with too many holes in the crumb), cut diagonally into twelve -inch slices3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil5 plum tomatoes, cored, seeded, and cut into -inch dice1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar1 teaspoon dried oregano1 garlic clove, minced teaspoon salt teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 450F. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 450F.

2. Arrange the sliced bread on a large baking sheet. Brush with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Bake just until the bread starts to toast, about 5 minutes. Let cool. Arrange the sliced bread on a large baking sheet. Brush with 2 tablespoons of the oil. Bake just until the bread starts to toast, about 5 minutes. Let cool.

3. Mix the tomatoes, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, vinegar, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl, taking care not to crush the tomatoes. Mix the tomatoes, remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil, vinegar, oregano, garlic, salt, and pepper in a bowl, taking care not to crush the tomatoes.

Let stand at room temperature for about an hour for the flavors to blend.

4. Arrange the bread slices on a platter with the oiled side up. Top each slice with some of the tomato mixture and serve immediately. (If you prefer, serve the tomato mixture in a fancy bowl with a spoon, and allow your guests to top their own slices.) Arrange the bread slices on a platter with the oiled side up. Top each slice with some of the tomato mixture and serve immediately. (If you prefer, serve the tomato mixture in a fancy bowl with a spoon, and allow your guests to top their own slices.) .

BRUSCHETTA E P PROSCIUTTO.

MAKES 12 SERVINGS1 loaf wide, crusty Italian bread (not one with too many holes in the crumb), cut diagonally into twelve -inch slices2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil1 garlic clove, minced1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper4 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, cut into 1-inch pieces cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 1. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 450F. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 450F.

2. Arrange the bread slices on a large baking sheet. Mix the oil, garlic, and pepper together in a small bowl. Spoon the garlic oil over the bread. Bake just until the bread starts to toast around the edges, about 3 minutes. Remove from the oven. Arrange the bread slices on a large baking sheet. Mix the oil, garlic, and pepper together in a small bowl. Spoon the garlic oil over the bread. Bake just until the bread starts to toast around the edges, about 3 minutes. Remove from the oven.

3. Arrange the prosciutto over the bread slices, then sprinkle with the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Return to the oven, and bake until the cheese is melted and begins to turn golden brown, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve hot. Arrange the prosciutto over the bread slices, then sprinkle with the Parmigiano-Reggiano. Return to the oven, and bake until the cheese is melted and begins to turn golden brown, about 4 minutes. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve hot.

CAPONATA B BRUSCHETTA.

MAKES 1 QUART EGGPLANT MIXTURE, 16 SERVINGS2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil1 medium onion, sliced1 garlic clove, minced1 large eggplant, trimmed and cut into strips about 3 inches long and inch wide3 ripe plum tomatoes, halved, seeded, and cut into -inch-wide strips teaspoon dried oregano teaspoon salt teaspoon crushed hot red pepper cup pitted and chopped kalamata olives3 tablespoons drained capers1 tablespoons balsamic vinegar1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley1 loaf wide, crusty Italian bread (not one with too many holes in the crumb), cut diagonally into twelve -inch slices 1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 3 minutes. Add the eggplant, tomatoes, oregano, salt, and hot pepper and stir. Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring often, until very tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in the olives, capers, and vinegar. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, about 3 minutes. Add the eggplant, tomatoes, oregano, salt, and hot pepper and stir. Cover and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring often, until very tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in the olives, capers, and vinegar.

2. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve hot or cooled, with the bread, allowing each guest to slather their bread with the eggplant mixture. Transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with the parsley. Serve hot or cooled, with the bread, allowing each guest to slather their bread with the eggplant mixture.

BALSAMIC G GARLIC B BITES.

MAKES 8 SERVINGS.

Even though they sound strong, boiled garlic bites do not have the same pungent taste as raw or fried garlic. The bites will come out smooth and creamy; you can spoon them over appetizers, smash them into a b.u.t.ter-like sauce for bread, serve them as part of an antipasti platter, or just eat them with a fork.

24 plump, firm garlic cloves, peeled so they remain intact1 cup balsamic vinegar, as needed1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil 1. Place the garlic in a small saucepan, and add enough vinegar to cover. Bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the garlic is tender, about 15 minutes. Place the garlic in a small saucepan, and add enough vinegar to cover. Bring to a boil, and reduce the heat to low. Cover and simmer until the garlic is tender, about 15 minutes.

2. Drain the garlic cloves (they will have dark purple spots on them from the vinegar), and let cool. Transfer to a small serving bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over the top and serve. Drain the garlic cloves (they will have dark purple spots on them from the vinegar), and let cool. Transfer to a small serving bowl. Drizzle the olive oil over the top and serve.

SALERNO S STUFFED M MUSHROOMS.

MAKES 10 SERVINGS, 2 MUSHROOMS PER PERSON.

This recipe is straight from my mamma. She taught me how to make the best stuffed mushrooms. And now I'm teaching you.

20 large white mushrooms (at least 2 inches in diameter)4 tablespoons olive oil1 medium onion, finely chopped1 garlic clove, minced .

cup dried plain bread crumbs cup grated Pecorino Romano3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley teaspoon salt1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 1. Position a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly oil a baking sheet. Position a rack in the center of the oven, and preheat the oven to 350F. Lightly oil a baking sheet.

2. Carefully wipe the mushrooms with a damp cloth or paper towel. Remove the stems, and set aside. With a small spoon, scoop out each mushroom cap so it looks like a little bowl, reserving the tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs. Finely chop the stems and reserved tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs. Carefully wipe the mushrooms with a damp cloth or paper towel. Remove the stems, and set aside. With a small spoon, scoop out each mushroom cap so it looks like a little bowl, reserving the tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs. Finely chop the stems and reserved tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and the chopped mushroom mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool slightly. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, about 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and the chopped mushroom mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool slightly.

4. Add the bread crumbs, cheese, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the salt, and the pepper, and mix well. It should look like stuffing (because that's really what it is!). Add the bread crumbs, cheese, 2 tablespoons of the parsley, the salt, and the pepper, and mix well. It should look like stuffing (because that's really what it is!).

5. Arrange the mushroom caps, cavity side up, on the baking sheet. Using a dinner spoon, fill each cap with the stuffing, using the spoon to shape the stuffing into a smooth mound. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil over the mushrooms. Arrange the mushroom caps, cavity side up, on the baking sheet. Using a dinner spoon, fill each cap with the stuffing, using the spoon to shape the stuffing into a smooth mound. Drizzle the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil over the mushrooms.

6. Bake until the stuffing begins to brown, about 15 minutes. The mushrooms will shrink a little during baking. Transfer to a platter, sprinkle with the remaining parsley, and serve hot. Bake until the stuffing begins to brown, about 15 minutes. The mushrooms will shrink a little during baking. Transfer to a platter, sprinkle with the remaining parsley, and serve hot.

Divine DinnersI love cooking so much that I make these dishes all the time. I make them at home, of course, but I also go to friends' houses, like Jacqueline's, and cook in their kitchens. They're easy, healthy, and delicious!