The Vegetarian Option

As I have declared Thanksgiving season officially open on my other blog, I want to start the discussion over here as well. I was so inspired by the nippy fall weather this weekend that I roasted a chicken with some acorn squash. Thanksgiving is less than a month away and I am chomping at the bit to start the cooking. While all the hoopla at Thanksgiving may be about the turkey (or pumpkin pie for some), we still need to take into account the vegetarian option. This is where Pepperidge Farm comes into play. Their puff pastry shells are the perfect receptacle for a vegetarian filling. This makes a vegetarian entree that is not just an option but something the meat eaters want to get their grubby paws on. The only problem is when the meat eaters start hogging the stuff pastry shells. Basically, all you have to do is bake the shells according to directions, pull of the top, and fill. Here are two fillings that go great in the shells:

Marsala mushroom filling
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, sliced
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1 pound of mushrooms (can be a mixture of portobellos, cremini, button, shitake) chopped into large chunks
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon rosemary
1/2 cup of marsala (or white wine)
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup cream or sour cream (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion and garlic together in the butter and oil until soft and translucent add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a shake of pepper. Add mushrooms and saute for 10 minutes. Add seasonings, herbs and honey and saute another 5 minutes. Splash the wine in and stir until the mixture has reduced and thickened (should be a gravy consistency). Add cream/sour cream for richness.

Root vegetable filling
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, sliced
1 clove of garlic, chopped
3 cups root vegetable chopped into large chunks (carrots, parsnips, butternut squash, sweet potatoes etc)
1/2 teaspoon thyme
2 tablespoons flour
Pinch of nutmeg
1/2 cup of milk (or cream)
1/2 cup of gruyere cheese

Saute onion and garlic together in the butter until soft and translucent add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and a pinch of pepper. Add the root vegetablesand thyme and saute for about 10 minutes (until the vegetables have soften a bit but still hold their shape). Add the flour and nutmeg and stir until the mixture is coated with flour. Add the milk and stir thoroughly until the mixture has thickened and then add the cheese. Stir until the cheese has been incorporated into the mixture and then pour into the puff pastry shells.