easy roasted portobello caps and veganissimo winner

Obviously, I love to cook and eat. But like everyone else in the world, I work long hours at a "day job" and am consistently overextended. Preparing dinner after a particularly long or busy day can sometimes feel more like a chore than a joy, even to the most die-hard gourmands.

On nights like this, I often rely on my no-brainer roasted portobello recipe. Besides being easy, the flavor can be customized depending on the herbs you have on hand, and you can eat the mushrooms as is, as a burger, or sliced, atop a salad. Win-win-win, right?

Before I give you the embarrassingly simply recipe, I'd like to announce the winner of the free copy of Veganissimo. Congratulations.....drumroll....
ALEXIS SCHRANTZ!  Kelly G! Congratulations, girl. Email me your address and we'll get your prize shipped pronto. [You will love it.] You need to email me before April 3 or the prize goes to someone else.

Pathetically Easy Roasted Portobello Caps

• 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil per mushroom plus extra for drizzling on pan
• 1 portobello mushroom cap, degilled and destemmed [You will use gills and stems as part of the filling]
• 1-2 minced garlic cloves 
• 1 tsp of your favorite dried herbs [eg, Herbes de Provençe, fennel seeds, oregano, parsley, basil, rosemary or a combo]
• 1 tsp soy sauce 
• 1 tsp best-quality balsamic vinegar  [Substitute dry white wine or broth]
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Makes 1. Recipe easily double, tripled quadrupled, etc...

Drizzle the bottom of a roasting pan with olive oil...

Use a spoon to gently remove mushroom gills.

Degill and destem your 'shrooms. Use a spoon and be gentle. Mushrooms can be fragile.

Chop gills, stems and garlic. Toss in a small bowl along with remaining ingredients. Place in mushroom cap "bowl."

Place mushroom(s) in prepared pan. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes or as long as overnight [Hint: Start these before you leave for work in the morning.]

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle mushrooms with a bit of extra-virgin olive oil and then cover pan with foil. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until cooked through. Let cool for 10 minutes before eating as is, as a burger or sliced and served atop a salad.