Tasty garlic mushrooms and Parmesan zucchini

Here are a couple favorite vegetable sides that Charlie and I love. Can't say I acquired them anywhere, these are of my own trial-and-error creation more than anything.

These mushrooms are perennial fall favorites. SO flavorful. Just make sure everyone eats them, because they are garlic-riffic!

Tasty mushrooms with garlic, thyme, and sherry

2-3 cups crimini mushrooms (the little brown ones). For this recipe, try to find the smallest ones you can, I'm talking ½" across MAX, otherwise halve- or quarter- larger ones. They need to be bite-sized, but still with some substance for nom-ing. This may look like a ton of mushrooms for two people, but they cook down a LOT. And you will eat a LOT of them J

2 Tbs Olive oil

4-5 Large garlic cloves, finely minced (or, better yet, smooshed through a garlic press)

2-3 Tbs Sherry

½ Tbs Butter

2 Tbs minced, fresh thyme

¼- ½ tsp red pepper flakes

Coarse ground salt and pepper to taste

Put olive oil into skillet, and heat to medium-high.

While pan is heating, cut larger mushrooms in half, and, if necessary, into quarters.

Grind in salt and pepper. When oil is hot, add minced garlic and mushrooms.

Let mushrooms cook until they begin to release some of their liquid.

Add sherry. The pan should still be hot enough that it sizzles and boils. Continue cooking over medium to medium-high heat until most of the sherry evaporates. If it evaporates extremely fast, add a little more.

Add butter and thyme. Butter should melt around mushrooms, combining with the olive oil and thyme to create an amazing "sauce."

Serve in any of the following ways:

- With toasty bread that's been brushed with olive oil.

- On a warmed pita with hummus, tomatoes, lettuce, cucumber, red onion, and dill-yogurt dip (see Kefta kebab recipe below)

- As a stand-alone side

Alternative: use a marinade of the above ingredients (excluding the mushrooms, of course), to soak Portabella caps in before grilling on the barbecue.

Parmesan Zucchini rounds

Again, another easy side dish, and a simple variation of the garlic-salt-parmesan-vegetable combination. This is a staple for Charlie and I. We probably have it once a week—especially during the summer. The key is to use high heat to sear/brown the zucchini rounds so that they don't get mooshy.

1 small zucchini

2 cloves garlic (optional)

Salt

Pepper

Olive Oil

Parmesan cheese

Slice the zucchini into ½ - ¾ inch rounds. Heat olive oil in a large pan (preferably not Teflon) over medium-high to high heat. Lay zuch's in pan, so that they do not overlap. Sprinkle with minced/crushed garlic if you so choose at this point. Season zuch's with salt and pepper.

Cook until pan side of zuch starts to brown. Flip rounds, sear on reverse side. Remove from heat and grate desired amount of parmesan over the top of zucchini, allowing it to melt.

Devour.