Food guide - Recipe

Sunset, Dec, 2000 by Jerry Anne Di Vecchio

Made by Pacific Northwest Fine Wood Products, a 9- by 12-inch plank costs $29.95, a 9 1/2- by 16-inch, $37.95. Call (800) 881-1747 or go to Howie's website, www.plankcooking.com.

Mushrooms Lolling on Cedar

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 30 minutes

NOTES: If you use cedar, keep an eye on the plank while cooking; if it begins to char, brush it with water.

MAKES: 6 servings

1/2 pound mushrooms (about 1-in. caps)

About 2 tablespoons salad oil

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

2 tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons minced parsley Salt

1. Rinse mushrooms; trim and discard discolored stem ends. In a bowl, mix 2 tablespoons oil, lemon peel, lemon juice, garlic, and pepper. Add mushrooms and mix.

2. Rinse cedar plank (see "Party Plank," preceding), wipe dry, and rub with oil, then wipe off excess oil with a towel (or oil a 9- by 13-in, pan). Pour mushroom mixture onto plank (or into pan).

3. Bake in a 350[degrees] oven on a rack in the middle to upper third of the oven (upper third if oven has electric coils on the bottom) until mushrooms are moist-looking in the center (cut to test), 20 to 25 minutes; stir several times. Sprinkle with parsley and salt to taste, and mix. Serve mushrooms from the board (or pour from pan into a bowl) to spear with small skewers.

Per serving: 52 cal., 81% (42 cal.) from fat; 0.8 g protein; 4.7 g fat (0.6 g sat.); 2.3 g carbo (0.6 g fiber); 3.1 mg sodium; 0 mg chol.

Morning fast food

* My dad, who rarely strayed from eggs, bacon, and toast to start the day, conceded to simpler fare on Christmas morning when we opened our gifts. After several experimental forays, he pronounced breakfast pizzas his favorite deviation, and this slightly goofy snack became part of our holiday ritual.

Breakfast Pizzas

PREP AND COOK TIME: About 25 minutes

NOTES: For a chewier texture, toast the muffins before adding the toppings.

MAKES: 4 servings

1/2 pound bulk pork sausage or Italian sausage (casings removed)

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 can (8 oz.) crushed pineapple, drained

4 English muffins

1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (1/2 lb.)

1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese

1. In a 10- to 12-inch frying pan over high heat, crumble sausage with a spoon; add oregano and pepper, and stir until meat is lightly browned, 5 to 7 minutes. Spoon out and discard fat. Add pineapple and mix.

2. Split English muffins in half horizontally. Spread tomato paste equally on cut sides and set halves slightly apart in a 10- by 15-inch baking pan. Top each half equally with sausage mixture, cheddar cheese, then parmesan cheese.

3. Bake in a 400[degrees] oven until cheddar cheese is melted, about 10 minutes.

Per serving: 575 cal., 49% (279 cal.) from fat; 30 g protein; 31 g fat (17 g sat.); 45 g carbo (3.3 g fiber); 1,477mg sodium; 89mg chol.