Update on the mushroom workshop:

In April Our participants  had an opportunity to inoculate oak and maple logs with mushroom spawn. Doug Stephens provided a whole trailer of logs for the event. Pam Gibson, from Cumberland Falls state park, taught us how to grow our own mushrooms. Participants were able to take home 3 logs that they had inoculated with shiitake, oyster, and wine cap mushroom spawn.  A super group of volunteers tirelessly drilled holes in the logs so the rest of the participants could plug them with spawn. I think everyone had a great time learning and fellowshipping at this event.

 

I have spoken to a few very excited participants who are growing mushrooms.  They had big smiles on their faces as they told me they were harvesting and eating mushroom. This had me so excited I had to rush out and take a look at the logs we had inoculated at the Center.  We had mushrooms too!

We have really been enjoying the harvest from the Justice Center Community garden this season.  Gaither has brought lots of vegetables and fruits to the Center each week.  This donation has helped to feed hundreds of people through this growing season.

This week he brought 30 large pumpkins, 2 bushels of potatoes, 1 bushel of sweet potatoes, 1 bushel of green peppers, 1 bushel of banana peppers and 1 bushel of hot peppers.  The people using the pantry are so thankful to get fresh vegetables from the garden.  They were also very excited to get a large pumpkin!  Some were talking about making pumpkin pie and others were talking about making pumpkin bread.  I was happy about making “Pumpkin Surprise”.

 

“Pumpkin Surprise Recipe”

1 med. pumpkin 6-8 lbs.

1 1/2 – 2 pounds of ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

10 3/4 oz. can cream of chicken soup

2 tbs. brown sugar

3 tbs. soy sauce

1 -4 oz. can of mushroom stems and pieces drained

1 1/2 cup of cooked rice

1 -8 oz. can of sliced water chestnuts drained

Cut top off of pumpkin and thoroughly clean out seeds and pulp.  Draw a face on pumpkin with a permanent marking pen or acrylic paint. Brown ground beef and onions in skillet.  Combine drained ground beef mixture with soup, brown sugar, soy sauce and mushrooms.  Simmer 10 minutes stirring occasionally.  Add cooked rice and water chestnuts.  Spoon mixture into clean pumpkin shell.  Replace pumpkin top and place entire pumpkin with the filling on a baking sheet.  Bake in preheated 350 degree oven 1-2 hrs. or until inside meat of pumpkin is tender.  Put on serving plate and remove pumpkin lid.  Serve meat mixture.

Enjoy!