Cajun Mushroom Loaf

I've been on a cooking spree lately. Since the wonderful AcuSteve (my acupuncturist, whose name is actually Stephen) has cleared out my head and fixed so many of my allergies, my house has been clean and my kitchen has a vessel for lots of yummy dishes.

So I thought I'd share them with you.

Let's start with the Cajun Mushroom Loaf. This is one of my all-time favorite recipes, and it's vegetarian, though not vegan. It's absolutely hearty and meaty-like and delicious, provided you like mushrooms. (Dr. P, this is not for you.)

Cajun Mushroom Loaf

1 stick butter
1 cup diced yellow onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 sprigs fresh thyme
1-1/2 lbs sliced mushrooms
4 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 T cajun seasoning blend
1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
parchment paper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

1. Melt butter in 4 qt. pot, then add onion, garlic, and thyme.
2. Saute until translucent, about 10 minutes.
3. Add mushrooms to pot and raise heat to medium high. Cook mixture until liquid has cooked off; about 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
4. Meanwhile, crack the eggs into a large bowl and whisk well. Add the cream, parsley, and cajun season. Whisk to combine. Add the mushroom mixture to the egg mix one spoonful at a time and mix in well. Add breadcrumbs and mix in well.
5. Spray loaf pan with non-stick spray, and line with parchment paper. Pour mix into pan. Set in a large roasting pan and fill with water to 1/2 way up the loaf pan. This helps the loaf to cook evenly. Please in top half of oven and bake for 60-70 minutes, or until center is set. Remove from oven and let cool for a half hour at least before turning out on a plate to set.

*I flipped these out at 15 minutes last night and the middle didn't want to stay together; it needed more time to set. So give it a good half hour of cooling.

This recipe makes ONE loaf pan full. The photo you see above is a doubled recipe.