Recently, I have been eyeing a few stuffed mushroom recipes. In fact, I probably have five different versions saved to my favorites. With the heat these days, I have been in no mood to cook. This weekend I decided to prepare a few things and freeze them to help lighten our load during the week. I thought we should try something different and before I knew it hubs and I were cooking up these stuffed mushrooms.
This recipe does take some time to prepare, but it’s well worth it! Not to mention if you are making these for a meal, you can easily make three meals out of it with a side dish. We had these mushrooms this evening with a side of aromatic popcorn rice, but would pair well with roasted green beans and/or dinner salad. These would also be great for a potluck, Christmas party or any get together. The varieties of cheeses melt well and complement the shrooms without being too rich.
Sorry the only pic I got was pre-baking…. we ate the few that I baked tonight too quickly!
Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms
2 pounds extra-large white mushrooms
2 tablespoons EVOO
1 pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from the casings
6 scallions, white and green parts, minced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup italian breadcrumbs
1 (8 ounce) brick of cream cheese, softened
7 oz. Kraft Shredded Romano, Parmesan & Asiago Cheese
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
1 tablespoon italian seasoning
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Remove the stems from the mushrooms and chop them finely. Set aside.
3. Place the mushroom caps in a 9×13 baking dish and set aside.
4. Heat the 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage, crumbling it with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook the sausage for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until it’s completely browned.
5. Add the chopped mushroom stems and cook for 3-5 more minutes.
6. Stir in the scallions and garlic and cook for another 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
7. Transfer the sausage mixture into a large bowl. Add the panko crumbs, stirring to combine evenly with all the other ingredients. Add the softened cream cheese, shredded cheese blend and all the seasonings. Add salt & pepper to taste. Mix together to fully combine.
8. Fill each mushroom generously with the sausage mixture using a small scoop or a spoon.
9. Arrange the mushrooms in the 9×13 baking dish to hold all the mushrooms in a snug single layer. Bake 25 minutes, until the stuffing is browned and crusty.
* Mushrooms can be assembled and frozen in a disposable baking dish for a quick weeknight meal
Adapted from: Stuffed Mushrooms
