Recipe: November: Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

It’s time for another recipe! First, the recipe. Then, me blathering onward about my occasionally questionable culinary capabilities and the memories this particular feast holds for me.

• The Ingredients
  • 1 box whole fresh button mushrooms
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons butter or extra virgin olive oil, for sauteing
  • 1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
  • 1/4 cup Parmesean cheese
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon white pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon dehydrated onion
  • 1/8 cup breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, or a mix of both for topping
• The Way of Preparing
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F/175°C.
  2. Line a baking sheet with either aluminum foil sprayed with nonstick spray or parchment paper.
  3. Trim the tough ends from the mushroom stems.
  4. Wash the mushrooms and remove the stems.
  5. Mince the stems with the garlic.
  6. Saute the garlic and mushroom stems together in two tablespoons of either butter or extra virgin olive oil until all moisture has gone out of the mushrooms, approximately four minutes.
  7. Cool the mushroom mixture in a medium bowl.
  8. Stir in the seasonings, Parmesan cheese, and cream cheese until completely combined.
  9. Using a zip-top bag as a piping bag, overfill each mushroom cap with a generous amount of filling.
  10. Arrange the filled mushrooms on your prepared baking sheet.
  11. Top with additional Parmesan cheese or breadcrumbs.
  12. Bake in preheated oven for twenty minutes or until the mushrooms are weeping liquid.
  13. Broil on high for two minutes or until golden brown. Serve and enjoy!
      
• Notes
  • Use Portobello mushroom caps to make this a main, hearty veggie entree.
  • How to make better
    • Experiment with your seasonings
    • Use 4 ounces of cream cheese and 4 ounces of ricotta (half and half of each, basically) for an even richer taste.
    • Add finely chopped fresh spinach!
    • Lay down two or three mozzarella pearls or a sprinkling of mozzarella cheese before filling for even better cheesy goodness!
  • Stretch it further: this recipe easily doubles.
  • I love adding breadcrumbs on top for a little crunch.

Memories:

I’ve made these for Bubbles and Mal before Baby Bubble was born and they were a hit! I love mushrooms, cheese, and mushrooms with cheese so I should make them again soon, sans breadcrumbs, for the house to enjoy.