Pie with chanterelle mushrooms, cookies and yet another excursion to a park

Fridays are usually comfy food days in our house. Some cozy food (preferably something we can eat just with our fingers), nice movie for entertainment and lot´s of lazy time at the sofa. Now with autumn being here, where evenings are starting to get bit chilli and dark, luring at the sofa is more enjoyable than ever.

For me cozy food means also not too much effort, as I also would like just to hang out on the sofa, getting relaxed from the busy working week. I also would prepare something, what we can possible have on Saturdays for lunch or picnic to, to free up myself from cooking and spend the whole day with my boys. Today I am sharing an easy peasy pie recipe, with the most gorgeous mushrooms you can have, autumn is here and with this the chanterelle mushrooms. Pies are generally considered as comfy food in our home, I personally love it because it literally takes 10 minutes to have it prepared, then you just pop it into the oven and after 40 minutes or so you will get something super delicious and comforting for dinner. Another reason I love pies is that they always taste better the day after and you could enjoy them cold too, hence pie is my number one dish when it comes to picnics.

Now coming to the sweet part of the evening, cookies... better said chocolate chips cookies. I guess I do to tell you why cookies are considered as comfy food... This small little bites of heaven, you do enjoy with a cup of tea or milk.

Today on the blog pie and cookie recipe, with some pictures the day after.... of course we had some left overs and nice weather on Saturday,so I could not resist to have a small picnic with my boys in one of the most gorgeous parks in Barcelona.

Pie with chanterelle mushrooms and minced meat

• 1 pack puff pastry
• hand full chantarelle mushrooms
• 400 g minced meat
• 1 small onion
• 3 eggs
• 250 - 300 ml double cream ( I always use the one for cooking)
• 50-70 g cheddar cheese (grated)
• salt, pepper, nutmeg, smoked paprika powder, garlic powder
• pine nuts

Preheat the oven to 180C. Line your baking dish with the puff pastry (make sure not to tear it to much, as it will shrink during the baking process). Cut the mushrooms in  quarters and fry them with some olive oil in the frying pan. Season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Take the mushrooms out of the pan, put a bit more olive oil and onion cut ins mall cubes, fry it for a minute, then add the minced meat. Season with salt and pepper and fry it till all meat is well cooked. Set it aside and let is cool of.

In a small bowl whisk together the eggs, double cream, salt, pepper, smoked paprika powder (about 1 teaspoon) and garlic powder. Add the grated cheese and combine. Assemble the pie: spread the minced meat on top of the puff pastry, following by the mushrooms. Pour the egg-cream mixture over and sprinkle some of the pine nuts. Put the pie into the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, till golden brown. You can decorate the pie (as I did) with some left over of the pastry.. simple cut any shape you like and put it on top of the pie before baking.

I love to serve a simple leave salad with honey mustard dressing to this pie. Take a bag of different leaves salad, some cherry tomatoes and cucumber. Pep it up with some fresh figs and roasted pine nuts. The dressing is done with some lemon juice, olive oil, honey, mustard, salt and pepper.

Chocolate chips cookies

• 200 g butter (cut in cubes)
• 200 g brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• vanilla (it can be bit more then usual)
• pinch of salt
• 300 g flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 200 g chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 180C. In a stand mixer using the pedal attachment, mix together butter and sugar will all well combined and pale in the color (about 3 minutes). Add the eggs and give it another whisk, till all eggs are incorporated. Sift in the flour, salt and baking powder, mix till all ingredients are combined. Add chocolate chips and give it another whisk.

Line the baking tray with baking paper. Use your ice cream scooper to form the cookies.Place the cookies on the baking tray, leave some space in between (you should be able to have 12 cookies on the tray) and bake them for 12 minutes. Take them out and let them cool on a cooling rag.

Enjoy!