Set in the wine country of California, the main character, Casey, returns home from New York City after a divorce hoping to find a quieter life to raise her son, step away from journalism and begin writing her first novel. Life has different plans for her as Casey taps into her journalism tendencies to investigate a recent murder. Included is a killer recipe for cheesy stuffed portobello mushrooms. Give them a try and let me know what you think in the comments.
This is book #1 in the Vista del Vino Mysteries series. Author Erin Hayden has created a realistic world of wineries in a small town setting. Casey and her son Liam have arrived back in the town, Vista del Vino, where Casey grew up. There are plenty of old friends for Casey to get reacquainted with and kids around Liam’s age for him. What could go wrong in this idyllic setting? Murder, possibly three murders.
Murder Uncorked by Erin Hayden
Cheesy Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
from a cozy mystery
Murder Uncorked
by Erin Hayden
Book Outline and Tone:
Set in the wine country of California in the fictional town of Vista del Vino. Casey has returned to her home town after a divorce only to find her best friend, Harper has recently also returned home after the tragic death of her parents in a car accident. It is only after one more death that Casey’s journalistic skills make her itching to investigate. With several layers of old friends and new winery investors, the trail to the killer could go in any direction.
Other than the murder mystery, the novel also highlights Casey’s son Liam’s diagnosis of diabetes and possible gluten intolerance. Casey’s mom is the cooking expert and she gets right to work trying different recipes that Liam would enjoy. There are several dishes mentioned that do sound appetizing and the author, Erin Hayden included some of them at the end of the novel. Liam also has a service dog to help Liam manage his diabetes. I hope the author expands on this part.
The Best Quote:
“She had returned home to Vista del Vino in the hope of leaving behind the stress of her New York lifestyle and she was not going to let anything derail her from that goal now. All she had to do was solve a little murder and everything would be perfect.”
Point of View:
The story is told in third person from the perspective of main character Casey Nolan.
The Author: Erin Hayden
Erin Hayden’s website reveals that she is an educator, parent, and advocate for families dealing with a variety of chronic conditions. She is currently teaching as School of Education at Purdue University Fort Wayne. She states her main goal is to “to help people move forward with clarity and confidence.” In addition to the Vista del Vino cozy mystery series, she has written a series aimed at middle schoolers called The Sugar Squad Chronicles. She has also written some nonfiction books. Erin Hayden is an active advocate for families who need help navigating life’s complexities that come with chronic medical conditions such as IEPs and 504 plans. If you find yourself in need of an experienced advocate, you can find links on her website for connecting with her. Erin Hayden is active on Instagram that focuses on Vista del Vino. She also has an active Facebook profile.
What is not to like?:
Since this is the first book in the series, we do have to read through a lot of exposition. The author has to establish characters and motives and even the setting. There were times the book read slowly, but given the potential (and the author’s reassurance herself) the series only gets better! I will continue to read and review.
The verdict:
If you like wine or stories that show you can go home again, this series is for you. There is tremendous potential for where this series could go and I’m excited to keep reading.
Disclaimer: In the name of full transparency, please be aware that this blog post contains affiliate links and any purchases made through such links will result in a small commission for me (at no extra cost for you).
Cheesy Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms
Assemble the Ingredients
Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C).
The main character’s son has dietary restriction including a possible need to eliminate gluten. The original recipe calls for using gluten free breadcrumbs. If you need to eliminate gluten as well, here is the advice from the author:
A Note About Gluten Free Breadcrumbs:
With the growing availability of gluten-free options in grocery stores, you might find several types of premade gluten-free breadcrumbs. Unfortunately, many of these are either heavy on cornmeal, which can have an odd texture, or loaded with sugar, adding unnecessary calories and carbs. Extra sugar can also cause issues like sticking when making breaded items like fried chicken cutlets.
For best results, I highly recommend making gluten-free breadcrumbs from scratch. It’s a bit of a labor of love, but I do think it’s worth it! Start by cutting several slices of gluten-free bread into cubes, spread them on a baking sheet, and bake at 250°F for about 20 minutes to dry them out. Then, use a blender or food processor to grind the cubes into crumbs, processing in small batches to prevent clumping.
Prepare Mushrooms:
Remove stems and gills from the mushrooms, brush with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and place on a baking sheet.
For added flavor, you can also make a basic balsamic vinaigrette with the olive oil, a spoon full of balsamic vinegar and a sprinkle of salt. Rub the mushrooms with the vinaigrette and let sit for 15 minutes.
After mushrooms have had a chance to absorb some of the oil/vinaigrette, bake at 450°F for 15 minutes until tender.
This is when I knew I had a problem.
The mushrooms did not seem to hold their shape well. They were flat and did not have a bowl shape for stuffing.
I knew at this point, I needed to modify the recipe to salvage this dish.
Cook Vegetables:
Chop the onions, cherry tomatoes, and baby spinach.
Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil until soft.
Add the spinach and tomatoes, cooking until the spinach wilts.
Prep Mushrooms For Baking:
In a bowl, mix the sautéed vegetables, gluten-free breadcrumbs,
and cheeses. Season with salt and pepper.
Distribute the filling evenly into the mushroom caps, pressing down lightly.
This portobello mushroom might have worked, but I decided a modification was needed.
I diced the mushrooms, added them to the bowl with the veggies and cheese.
I added a touch more cheese.
Mix all together and scoop into individual ramekins (although, I suspect a pie plate would work too).
Sprinkle some bread crumbs on top.
Bake:
If you were successful in preparing and stuffing portobello mushrooms as originally intended, bake for 10-15 minutes or until the mushrooms are fully tender and the cheese is golden brown. Set a timer so that you don’t forget about the mushrooms while working on the next step.
OR
Bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees if using ramekins.
Prepare the Glaze:
While the mushrooms are baking, mix together the balsamic vinegar and sugar in a small sauce pan.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer. Stir occasionally. Let the mixture reduce until it thickens to a syrupy consistency, about 15-20 minutes. It should coat the back of a spoon.
Garnish and Serve:
Drizzle the mushrooms with balsamic glaze, garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.
Cheesy Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Balsamic Glaze
Ingredients
- 4 large portobello mushrooms
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup baby spinach, chopped
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, diced
- ½ cup breadcrumbs, gluten-free if desired
- ½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
- ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¼ cup cream cheese
- salt and pepper to taste
- fresh parsley, chopped (for garnish)
Balsamic Glaze
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup brown sugar (You can also use agave or coconut sugar to lower the glycemic index)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C).
- Remove stems and gills from the mushrooms, brush with olive oil, sprinkle with salt and place on a baking sheet.
- For added flavor, you can also make a basic balsamic vinaigrette with the olive oil, a spoon full of balsamic vinegar and a sprinkle of salt.
- Rub the mushrooms with the vinaigrette and let sit for 15 minutes.
- After mushrooms have had a chance to absorb some of the oil/vinaigrette, bake at 450°F for 15 minutes until tender.
- Sauté the onion and garlic in olive oil until soft. Add the spinach and tomatoes, cooking until the spinach wilts.
- In a bowl, mix the sautéed vegetables, gluten-free breadcrumbs, and cheeses. Season with salt and pepper. Distribute the filling evenly into the mushroom caps, pressing down lightly.
- OR chop mushrooms, add to bowl of vegetables and cheeses, add an extra ½ cup of cheese and fill 4 ramekins.
- For stuffed mushrooms: Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the mushrooms are fully tender and the cheese is golden brown.
- For ramekins: Bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees
- While the mushrooms are baking, mix together the balsamic vinegar and sugar in a small sauce pan.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer. Stir occasionally.
- Let the mixture reduce until it thickens to a syrupy consistency, about 15-20 minutes. It should coat the back of a spoon.
- Drizzle the mushrooms with balsamic glaze, garnish with fresh parsley and serve hot.
What would I do differently next time?
My family and I absolutely loved the stuffed mushroom ramekins. We served them as a side dish with grilled chicken. Would I try to make them as stuffed mushrooms? Yeah I suppose I would try, but I would not be disappointed if they ended up un-stuffable like they did this time!
Try these other savory recipes.
Summer Corn Casserole from Death of a Cookbook Author by Lee Hollis
Lemon Cornbread from Stake & Eggs by Laura Childs
Asiago, Bacon, and Caramelized Onion Dip from Death of a Wedding Cake Baker by Lee Hollis
Cheesy Polenta with Vegetables from Death with all the Trimmings by Lucy Burdette
