Maggie's Mushroom Roast

It's a dreary, cold, rainy day and I wanted something warm and comforting for dinner.  So I made a delicious tomato soup and grilled (real) cheese sandwiches.  Then my thoughts turned to the next day and what I would have for Sabbath Dinner.  I was rifling through the recipe box and came across this Mushroom Roast.  I haven't had it in a long time but I've always liked it. Funny thing, just the other day my friend Violet asked me if I ever made this roast anymore.   

I remember the first time I tasted this was at a church potluck dinner.  I scooped a small amount on my plate along with a dozen or so other spoonfuls of food. (You know how you try to taste everything at a potluck.)  When I sat down to eat and got a mouthful of this roast I went back for seconds--it was so good.  Something about the texture along with the flavour made this different from other vegetarian dishes I had tasted, up until that time.  So, of course, I had to get the recipe.  

Margaret (Maggie) Maria Langdon

1925-2016

1925 - 2016

Maggie, one of those hard working church women, was more than happy to give me her recipe.  Her daughter Marilyn wrote it out for me and I still have the original recipe.  Maggie and I have become great friends over the years and every week at church she calls me over for our weekly exchange of kisses.  She has a keen sense of humour and is always quick to tell me how young I look if I happen to make a change in my hair style.  Maggie is getting "up in years" and isn't able to do the work she once did but just seeing her at church gives me comfort. 

Although this is called a roast, it is actually patties baked in a mushroom soup gravy.  The long baking makes it almost impossible to lift up an individual patty so I guess, as you have to scoop up a spoonful it made sense to call it a roast.    

I mostly use fresh mushrooms these days in place of any canned mushrooms in a recipe.  I cut up what I thought would measure the same amount that would be in a can and water sautéed them until they were limp.  I gave them a shake or two of salt as well.  

I replaced the George Washington Broth with a spoonful of steak seasoning because GW Broth is next to impossible to get where I live.  You can use any type of seasoning like seasoning salt, steak seasoning or bouillon granules.

I know canned mushroom soup is not the healthiest ingredient but I don't eat it that often and this recipe wouldn't be the same comforting dish without it.

Mushroom Roast
1 can mushrooms or the equivalent fresh mushrooms chopped
1 can mushroom soup
1 onion
1 egg
1 cup oatmeal, dry
1 cup corn flakes, crushed
1 teaspoon steak seasoning
Dash each of garlic and salt
1 teaspoon soy sauce

Mix all together and fry in patties.  Place in casserole dish and cover with a gravy made of:

1 can mushroom soup
1 can water
A little soy sauce to taste

Bake 1 hour at 350 degrees.

I'm going to serve the roast with scalloped potatoes, honeyed carrots and a green salad.  If we have company I'll break out the Air Buns from the freezer. ☺ What a warm cozy dinner for a cold fall day.

I used almost all the half pound box of mushrooms.  I saved the last 4 for the gravy.

See how to easily chop an onion at the end of this page.

Crush the cornflakes with your hand.  Don't bother to use a rolling pin because the cornflakes don't have to be finely crushed.

Make large patties when frying.  They won't stay together well, but that's OK.

Ready for the oven with gravy and extra mushrooms added.

Hot from the oven.  Can't wait to eat this!

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How to Cut an Onion

Cut onion from blossom to root end.  Cut off blossom top, leaving root end intact.  Peel off skin from both halves still leaving the root in place.  Using one half at a time, lay flat on cut side. The root keeps the onion from falling apart while slicing.  Follow directions under picture.

1.  Make 3 or 4 horizontal cuts in onion.  2.  Make several vertical cuts into onion half.  3.  Cut through the onion in slices.  4.  You should have evenly sized pieces of onion.