Tidbits--the mushroom tart, bacon in salsa, stuffed baby peppers

Short post this morning: the mushroom tart was exceptional, quite rich---the word "meaty" comes to mind. Basically just sauteed mushrooms and onions with some dry white wine (I think I used Retsina because it was open) and some Marsala, a heaping tablespoon of tomato paste, and fresh herbs. Cook this mixture on fairly high heat until the moisture is almost completely evaporated; the mushrooms were sort of glazed. Pour the mushrooms into a pre-baked crust (homemade or store-bought), and then top with a custard of 2 beaten eggs and about 1/2 cup of milk, half and half, or cream. Bake for 30 minutes or so, until golden and the custard is set. This was good hot and at room temperature. (Note: I probably had well over a pound of mushrooms, both brown and white.)

Thanks to a host's husband, Larry, I tasted the best salsa this weekend. Here is his recipe: one large can of peeled, whole tomatoes, 2 serrano peppers, including seeds, 2 tablespoons garlic powder, salt to taste, and 1/2 pound cooked bacon, including the drippings. Throw the whole mess in a blender and pulverize. Probably not the healthiest salsa in the world with all that bacon, but oh my! Who would have thought?

Finally, if you are tempted by the beautiful baby bell peppers (they are sweet) that Costco carries but then find you don't know what to do with them, here is a thought--roast them in a hot oven until they are soft. Let them cool, then split and seed them. Combine chevre (goat cheese), with some cream cheese if the goat cheese is too strong for your taste, and all the fresh herbs you can find, finely chopped, plus salt and pepper to taste. I used parsley, basil, marjoram, and thyme. Stuff the pepper halves with the cheese and then bake for 15 minutes or so at 350, until the cheese is bubbly.