Make Ahead - Mushroom Crescents

Here is yet another great make-ahead recipe. The dough for this recipe is super easy - flour, cream cheese and butter, and I'm sure you can adapt the filling to suit your needs. When I can I try and take into account any food issues or dietary concerns of friends and family. While I admit that coming to our place as a vegan you should probably eat first (butter and cheese are key ingredients in most of my holiday recipes) I do what I can.

So for a friend who has a gluten intolerance I have begun experimenting with gluten free baking. I've tried different flours as well as cake and pie crust mixes. They have mostly turned out pretty good. For this recipe I used Kinnikinnik All Purpose Flour Blend. I like this stuff because it can be substituted cup for cup in place of regular flour. When I was working with the dough it did crumble a bit when folded, however since I've never made this recipe with traditional flour I'm not sure whether it was the recipe or the flour. Either way the crescents turned out great!

Mushroom Crescents (adapted from Canadian Living)

- 2 tbsp butter

- 1 small onion, chopped

- 3 cloves garlic, minced

- 1/4 tsp each dried thyme and sage

- 1/2 tsp pepper

- 1/4 tsp salt

- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped portobello mushrooms

- 1 1/2 cups finely chopped button mushrooms

- 1/3 cup white wine or water

Pastry

- 4 oz cream cheese, softened

- 1/3 cup butter, softened

- 1 cup flour

- 1 egg, beaten

In large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat; fry onion, garlic, thyme, sage, pepper and salt, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened, about 3 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Add portobello and button mushrooms; fry, stirring occasionally, until browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in wine, scraping up brown bits from bottom of pan. Cook until liquid is evaporated, about 5 minutes. Let cool to room temperature. (This can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 day).

Pastry: In large bowl, beat cream cheese with butter until fluffy. Stir in flour until dough begins to form; knead in bowl until smooth. Divide dough in half; flatten into 2 discs. Wrap; refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days.

On lightly floured surface, roll out each disc into 10-inch circle. With 2 1/2 inch round cookie cutter, cut out circles, rerolling scraps.

Brush edges lightly with egg. Place 1 tsp of filling in centre of each; fold dough over filling, pinching edges to seal. Place, 1 inch apart on baking sheet. (At this point you can layer between waxed paper in airtight container and freeze for up to 3 weeks, bake from frozen).

Brush tops with egg and bake in centre of 400F oven until light golden, 12 - 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.