Stuffed Mushrooms with Cameron Hughes Wine

Thank you Cameron Hughes for sponsoring this post. Capture the celebratory spirit of the holidays, and toast to the season with Cameron Hughes wine!

One of my favorite appetizers in the world are stuffed mushrooms. They can be of any kind. But paired with another fav, the glorious Thanksgiving side dish I go crazy for; stuffing, the combination is deliciously lethal. But anything that goes perfectly well with a nice hors-d'oeuvre is a really nice glass of wine. Exceptional wine, extraordinary value. Great wine doesn't have to be expensive and Cameron Hughes wine's mission is simple: Buy the best possible wine for the best possible price. Which is why I'm so happy to partner with this San Francisco-based wine company founded by Cameron Hughes! In today's post, I'm sharing my thoughts on three different bottles of wine from this brand including my very own quick and easy stuffed mushroom recipe.

The stuffed mushroom recipe literally consists of only 3 items, minus the butter and boiling water. Aside from that, all you need are white mushrooms, sweet Italian sausage (or any sausage you'd like to try it with), and Stove Top's 'Savory Herbs' stuffing. I do know how to make homemade stuffing, which I do almost every Thanksgiving, but it does require more time and it does always taste better cooked in the bird. All that flavor you're missing out on! But sometimes, for something simple and painless this recipe takes less than an hour to prepare + make on top of going well with either a red or white wine. 

photos + recipe by © Suzanne Spiegoski

Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

24 oz fresh whole white mushrooms (about 28)

1/2 lb bulk spicy Italian sausage, cooked and drained

1 box Stove Top 'Savory Herbs' stuffing

Directions:

Heat oven to 375°F. Remove stems from mushroom caps; discard stems.

On an ungreased 15x10-inch pan with sides, place mushrooms, stem-side down. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until they just start to release their juices. Remove mushrooms from pan; drain. Remove any liquid from pan.

In a medium bowl, mix Stove Top (cooked) and sausage until well blended. Divide and spoon filling into mushroom caps, mounding slightly. Place mushrooms in the same 15x10-inch pan.

Bake 13 to 18 minutes or until golden brown on top and heated through.

My friends and I first tried the Chardonnay. The super fresh nose of honeysuckle, pear, and apple gains weight and complexity with a bit of air, adding papaya and orange creamsicle to the mix. Creamy and supple on entry, this wine really hits the “umami” button, with rich orange sherbet and vanilla notes riding that honeyed beam of acidity I find so thrilling about the Chardonnays from this region. Robust yet wonderfully complex even at this young age, it finishes in long waves of ripe fruit and creamy vanilla. Yum.

Next up is the beautifully balanced, complex Pinot Noir that will have broad appeal, providing ample punch but also carefully delineated flavors. Pale ruby in the glass, this Pinot starts with rose petal and earthy black cherry on the nose, opening up to reveal the warmer plum and brown baking spice notes with hints of pepper. Ample yet very refined on the palate, with perfect balance and emerging complexity that will definitely improve in the short term as this opens up in the bottle over the next month or two before settling in for long-term aging. Rich and concentrated on the palate with pretty yet ripe plum mingling peppery spice notes, this wine has plush texture and balance in a long, smooth, harmonious finish.

And lastly, no expense spared, icon-level winemaking. Aged in 50% new French oak, this opaque black wine is textbook, classic Rutherford Cabernet. Sumptuous and suave on the nose, it features a gorgeous mélange of blackberry, cherry, cassis, dark chocolate and mint underpinned with graphite and mineral wrapped in lavender florals. The palate is juicy and succulent, with red and black fruit and a finely knit but resounding kirsch/mocha punch. I have to say out of the three, the reds were my favorite, especially the Pinot Noir. What kind of wine do you normally drink with an appetizer? 

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

LOVE & XX'S,

SHOP THE WINE

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

OTHER SIMILAR POSTS

Kimchi Hummus

I'm so glad it's the weekend! In the past, I always worked on the weekends and would get up extremely early (we're talking 4:30am folks) just to get to where I needed to be on time. Now, if I had the chance to redo it all over again, would I go back and change anything? No. Would I still want to do that though given the choice? Nope. I bet some of you are wondering what it was that I did to put me in such strange circumstances. I was a figure skating coach on-and-off for ten years. I loved what I did, to the point of sacrificing much of my time for it for a good chunk of my life (I was also involved in the sport long before and trained seriously for also nearly ten years) but I love what I do now even more.   

Weekends now are meant to be my downtime. Throughout the week there's shoots, meetings, events, edits, promos and let's not forget to mention the crazy amount of emails I have to go through on a daily basis. It's a constant hustle and I am not complaining in the least bit, but everybody needs to recharge their batteries and it's really good to make time for your loved ones. Healthy, even. So this is what I try to do on the two days at the end of each week. There is the occasional photo shoot or meeting that'll occur on the weekend. Last weekend I shot & styled  5 looks in one day because my main photographer, who is also my hubby, wasn't going to be available for a while due to work schedule conflicts and that's how I got sick... staying out in the cold too long freezing my butt off ha ha! Totally worth it, though.

Kimchi Hummus

photos + recipe by: Suzanne Spiegoski 

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

16 ounces can chickpeas

¼ cups kimchi (napa cabbage chopped)

¼ cup tahini sauce

4 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

¼ cup water

Directions:

1. Add all the ingredients except kimchi a blender. Blend the ingredients on high until smooth. Add in chopped kimchi with juice, omit the juice if you want the hummus to have a thicker base. Serve with naan or pita bread.

But when I have more time I enjoy spending it at home. I love going out and exploring my city, but I love to cook and hang out with my boys. Because I've been so busy working on fresh, new fashion content for you guys (especially more on the regular lately and that it's all a one-person job - aside from my husband taking the photos) it's been rather crazy and I've had no room in my schedule to create more food content! And I know a lot of you have been missing new recipes so I'm going to try to do one once per week. We'll see how it goes and as much discipline as I have, life is unpredictable and I just have to go where the 'wind carries me'. 

On a more delicious topic, can we all get an amen to kimchi hummus?! I LOVE hummus. The rich, creamy texture paired with yummy naan bread is one of my favorite snacks. Even with veggies, like carrot or celery sticks, it's healthy and tastes heavenly. I paired it with kimchi, it's tart acidic flavor blended wonderfully together with the hummus. What's the secret to getting the ultimate creamy hummus everyone wants? The dryer the chickpeas are before you blend them is the trick. I love spiciness so I added in kimchi juice, which is why my hummus's texture is a little more smooth. I also didn't blend the chopped kimchi with the other ingredients for the hummus. 

I suggest blending the kimchi with the main ingredients if you want a creamier, paste-like texture to the hummus. I'm Korean and love kimchi and actually like the added punch it gives when you bite into it here and there. The grilled garlic naan bread goes really well with the kimchi hummus too. I didn't make the bread from scratch but you can get it at the store and grill it over the stove top or in a grill pan of some kind. I used my cast iron grill pan to give it a nice char, the smoky flavor is awesome with the garlic. I'm getting hungry again just talking about this! :) Hope you all have a nice weekend. I'll be back on Monday! 

LOVE & XX'S, 

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

OTHER SIMILAR POSTS

Gameday Kimchi Sweet Potato Guacamole Bites with Bacon

Sponsored Post: This post is sponsored by GOODFOODS but the content and opinions expressed here are my own. 

---

Hi, everyone! I have to admit - this week hasn't been my best week. I've had all sorts of technical issues when it comes to work, but I just keep telling myself,

"Chill. It's just a camera, not an arm or a leg."

However, having one of my 'babies' behave erratically during an already chaotic time is not exactly in my favor. And I also experienced, once again, the lesson of saving your work every five minutes. I know, I know. Before you lecture me about this, writers, perhaps, have a tendency to get in 'the zone' and will automatically forget to save every few minutes. I know, hit CTL + S and you're good to go - alas, when I did, my computer crashed and needed to restart. So three hours of (IMO) a pretty snazzy article had to be redone from the start. Dislike button, much? Ugh, it really irks me when too much is happening all at once and you feel like you'll never finish anything. But with discipline & hard-earned perseverance, there's nothing I cannot do! I will overcome and conquer! It's all about knowing what's really important and keep on keeping on, right?  

Which is why I partnered with GOODFOODS and had to #SHARETHEGOODNESS of fresh, never artificial-anything, ingredients when it comes to pre-made foods. Whenever it get absolutely crazy around the Spiegoski-Decamps house, I try and 'cheat' my way around certain steps when it comes to cooking. No, nothing like a tv-dinner, but rather, shortcuts or an alternative way to get through a recipe and save time & energy. Yet still remaining true to healthy eating and incorporating that into our lifestyle daily. 

Gameday Kimchi Sweet Potato Guacamole Bites with Bacon

photos + recipe by: Suzanne Spiegoski 

Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

2 large Sweet Potato, cooked, unpeeled and mashed

4 slices Bacon, cooked

4-5 GOODFOODS Grab N' Go Chunky Guacamole

1/4c. Kimchi, chopped

1/4c. chicken broth

salt & pepper, evoo

Directions:

1. Clean sweet potatoes leaving skin on. Place in a large pot and cover with water. Boil potatoes for about 20 minutes until tender.
2. Remove potatoes from water and cool. Peel and smash with fork. Mix in chicken broth, evoo, and s&p.
3. Plate tortilla chips down on serving plate. Use a dollop of mashed sweet potato on each chip, followed by GOODFOODS Chunky Guacamole, bacon and kimchi.
4. Serve immediately or refrigerate for later.

What I loved about GOODFOODS's Grab & Go Chunky Guacamole was not only did it come with tortilla chips perfect for appetizers along with the freshness of the guacamole, but its high quality taste. When you think of anything pre-made, your first instinct would be, 'no', but you want to know what is on their ingredients label? Hass avocados, tomatoes, red onions, jalapeño peppers, cilantro, lime juice, sea salt and garlic. Doesn't get anymore fresh than that! And this appetizer is perfect for any game day, no matter the team or sport, the combined flavors will leave everyone happy! Can make it for any tailgate or just an everyday snack too! I have to admit though, I'm more of a basketball fan rather than my husband's fascination with football. Boys.. ;)

You can find other GOODFOODS products here. They have different kinds of guacamole and other dips like a Greek yogurt one. Does artichoke jalapeño or feta cucumber sound enticing? Trust me when I say this, you won't be disappointed when you #SHARETHEGOODNESS with #GOODFOODS. To find a GOODFOODS store near you go here.

This post is sponsored by GOODFOODS, but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

---

PHOTOS + VIDEOGRAPHY BY: SUZANNE SPIEGOSKI 

{NEW VIDEO PRESS PLAY} The latest on our YouTube channel - How to Make Gameday Kimchi Sweet Potato Guacamole Bites with Bacon! Mmmmm... Catch the RECIPE at www.suzannespiegoski.com Be sure to #Subscribe for new videos every week to see more of my style, food & cooking, beauty tutorials and more!

LOVE & XX'S,

SHOP THE PRODUCT

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

OTHER SIMILAR POSTS

Chilled Avocado Salad

Long holiday weekends call for easy-does-it recipes. And poolside! I'm sharing one of my oldest recipes: a chilled avocado salad. It is simple, fresh and healthy. Delicious. And the best part? AVOCADO. There's really nothing to it. Let me show you how you can make your own!

Start by whisking olive oil, rice wine vinegar, salt, oregano and cumin together in a large bowl. Add chopped avocado, then toss gently to coat. I always use a silicone spatula to prevent mushing the avocado. You don't want it to look all squished together, as it looks messy. Not as appealing to eat, let alone serve.  

Chilled Avocado Salad

recipe + photos by © Suzanne Spiegoski

Serves 6

Ingredients:
1/4 c. olive oil
2 tbsp. rice wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. cumin
1 avocado, peeled, pitted and cut into bite-size pieces
1 c. cooked brown or white rice
1/2 c. canned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 large Roma tomato, seeded and diced
1 green onion, sliced

Directions:

1. Whisk oil, vinegar, salt, oregano, and cumin in large bowl. Add avocado; toss gently to coat.
2. Add rice, black beans, tomato and green onion; toss gently to mix. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour before serving. Enjoy with tortilla chips. :)

Add in cooked rice, brown or white, but in this recipe I used white (non-sticky), canned black beans, tomato and green onion. Toss again to mix, season with s & p, then refrigerate for an hour before serving. I normally serve it with yellow corn chips, but any kind of tortilla chips will do just fine. 

Optionally you can also add in a little tabasco sauce for added spiciness. But sometimes it's nice to keep a dish fresh and true to its recipe. Every time I serve this at a dinner party, it's gone lickety-split. People love this appetizer, and rightfully so! What's not to enjoy?! ;)

Check out the step-by-step YouTube video down below! And be sure to subscribe to our channel for weekly videos on style, food & cooking, beauty tutorials and more! I've been passionate in my adventures in videography and love sharing not just my experiences, but the learning curve that has come with it. What's been your latest passion? Or what have you learned recently that's taken you on a new journey?  

Thanks for stopping by! We love reading your comments, questions & feedback! Be sure to comment down below and to share! We hope you enjoy the long holiday weekend! We'll be traveling for the next few days and can't wait to show you where! It's another place I've never been AND I'll also be experiencing something I've never done before either! It's going to be amazing!!! So excited! Stay tuned...

---

videography + photography, styling + editing

by: Suzanne Spiegoski 

Happy Labor Day Weekend! I whipped up a chilled avocado salad to enjoy during the long holiday weekend! Subscribe for new videos every week http://bit.ly/21XFK0K 

Cheers! xo.

LOVE & XX'S,

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

OTHER SIMILAR POSTS

Leek, Mushroom and Gruyère Quiche

It's a rainy Sunday in New York City this morning and there's nothing better than brunching it up at home from time to time. I love, love, LOVE, to cook, especially when it has anything to do with eggs and/or breakfast/brunch. Over the past couple of years, I've made more of an effort to healthier eating and honing in on my cooking skills. One of my all-time favorite go-to brunch meals is quiche. What I love about quiche is not just the delicious combination of flaky crust with creamy, cheesy eggs, but the fact that it can be eaten during any meal, even dinner! Quiche is the perfect addition to any meal, whether morning, afternoon, or at night, it can be enjoyed whenever! It's also a great and quick leftover meal. Always a plus in my hungry book. ;)

recipe + photos by © Suzanne Spiegoski

Leek, Mushroom and Gruyère Quiche

Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

9” prepared pie crust

for the filling
2 small leeks, trimmed, washed, and thoroughly cleaned
2 cups sliced mushrooms, brushed clean with stems removed
2 tablespoons butter
4 eggs
1/3 cup sour cream
2/3 cup whole milk
1 cup Gruyère, grated
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon fresh-ground pepper

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lay out the pie crust in a 9” pie plate and bake for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Adjust oven's temperature to 375 degrees.

In a medium skillet heat the butter over medium-high heat. Add the leeks and sauté for 7 minutes, or until the leeks are slightly translucent and have browned on the edges. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 5 minutes, or until the vegetables have released some of their juices.

Meanwhile, beat the eggs, sour cream, and milk in a medium bowl. Add the sauteed vegetables (minus any released water), and stir. Add the Gruyère and stir. Place the quiche shell onto a rimmed baking sheet, gently pour the egg mixture into the shell. Bake for 30 – 35 minutes, or just until the quiche has set up in the center.

Cool for 15 minutes, slice, and serve.

What's also great about quiche is it can be made through all seasons. During the colder parts of the year, I love creating more hearty quiches. However, my favorite time of the year to make quiche is through the spring and summer seasons. I love accompanying quiche with a light mesclun salad, with tomatoes, red scallion, and balsamic vinaigrette. Did you know that these types of mesclun salads were originated in Provence, France? My love for leafy, greeny salads is derived from working at a coffee shop while in college, where they made the most delicious sandwiches paired with mesclun salads. What I loved most in their salads were their pickled red onion and mushrooms. Total, mind-blowing deliciousness.

The quiche I made consists of button mushrooms, leeks, and Gruyère cheese. I normally make a spinach and mushroom quiche with feta cheese, but I wanted something a little more in tune with the spring/quickly-approaching into summer - season. Plus, who doesn't like Gruyère cheese?! It tastes a lot like Swiss cheese but stronger. It really complemented well with the leek and mushroom combo. And I always like to mix in tomato with egg. These together is heaven in my mouth! What's your favorite pairing with eggs? Avocado? Salsa? Just good ole' cheese? Lastly, I usually make my own crust, but it's Sunday, it's raining cats & dogs, and I'm feeling slightly too cozy to have rolled out some dough this morning. Ha ha! But the store bought kind, is always a good substitute, should you be feeling like I am. #LazySunday Enjoy!

LOVE & XX'S,

FOLLOW MAQ + SUZ

OTHER SIMILAR POSTS