Stuffed
November 16, 2006
Every year for Thanksgiving, my employer hosts a luncheon for the legal department and caters turkey, mashed potatoes, cranberry sauce and corn. Our group supplies the rest: side dishes (carrots, green beans, yams, salads, etc.), desserts (chocolate, pecan pie, cheesecake, pumpkin pie, apple pie, etc.), drinks (soda, tea, etc.), bread (dinner rolls, cornbread, specialty breads, etc.).
The first year I signed up for it, I arrived a little late on the scene and all the normal vegetable side dishes were already taken, but there was still one remaining slot for a vegetable. The dessert openings had already been snatched up, and I was unwilling to bring something like a single tub of Cool Whip, mainly because the males in our group should be responsible for bringing that since they don't cook.
I am also an attention whore and love showcasing my ability to cook. When you've got the talent, it's important to flaunt it appropriately. In my case, "appropriately" is defined as: every opportunity. (Thus, the new cooking website, yet to launched.)
After staring at the list of vegetable dishes, I came up with a mental list of veggies not represented: zucchini, mushrooms, bok choy. Not great choices for Thanksgiving, save the mushrooms – but what could I do with those?
I made stuffed mushrooms, which were a hit with the crowd and have since been a tradition at work. Plus, they're pretty. And easy. And I'm all about no-fuss food.
Want to make them for your next party? Keep reading.
I kind of make the recipe up each time I cook stuffed mushrooms, so I don't know exactly how I made them. But I'll tell you how I think I might have done it:
Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients
16 oz. small-medium mushrooms
1 cup swiss and parmesan cheeses
1 ½ cup bread crumbs
1 egg
1 tablespoon garlic powder (or 3 cloves fresh minced garlic)
½ stick butter, melted
2 tablespoons butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°
- Wash mushrooms
- De-stem the mushrooms (rock the stem back and forth – it should pop out of the mushroom cap)
- Place mushroom (dome side up) on a baking sheet
- Brush the top of each mushroom with reserved melted butter
- Broil in the oven for about 5 minutes, or until mushrooms are browned
- While mushrooms are broiling, combine the cheese, bread crumbs, egg, garlic and ½ stick melted butter
- Remove mushrooms from oven
- Stuff mushroom caps with bread mixture replace on baking sheet
- Broil mushrooms (cap side up) for 5-10 minutes, or until golden brown
Comments
I'm usually not a big fan of fungus, but those look pretty darn tasty!
Posted by: jacks | November 16, 2006 03:06 PM
jacks: I've only recently (in the last 5 years) become a fan of the mushroom.
And these? Are very tasty.
Posted by: jes | November 16, 2006 03:09 PM
Mushrooms are my absolute favourite food. Even more than chocolate. Can you believe that?
I eat them raw all the time for a snack, and I LOVE them stuffed, even though I am not a great fan of hot cheese. I still love them like that! You've made me want to make some now.
PS) I strongly dislike that you posted a picture, because it is feeding (ha!) the craving!
I have been trying to think of a name for your website, but honestly, bloody NaBloPoMo is sucking all the creativity out of my body at such a rapid rate that I cannot think of anything else. But I will try!
Posted by: Marmite Breath | November 16, 2006 03:30 PM
Should the baking sheet be greased or ungreased? Maybe some Pam?
Posted by: Mo | November 16, 2006 03:47 PM
Mo: Ungreased. The melted butter that you brush onto the mushroom domes will drip and create enough of a greasiness to prevent the mushrooms from sticking.
Posted by: jes | November 16, 2006 03:53 PM
Fantastic. I love me some stuffed mushrooms but figured it was hard to make them. Glad it's not!
Also, Maggiano's stuffed mushrooms are my fave. We're going there this weekend for my fix but now I can make my own! Thanks!
Posted by: Mo | November 16, 2006 03:57 PM
Why am I so hungry? I had a burrito today for lunch. I guess I should have eaten two - especially since I need to go workout in 30 minutes for about 3 hours.
Those mushrooms look soooo good. I suggest you make them for our next game night - which I think will probably have to be sometime NEXT YEAR because we are all too busy.
Thanks for the feedback on my site too. It is much appreciated!
Posted by: eddo | November 16, 2006 04:28 PM
Oh. My. God. Could that LOOK any more spectacular?
You can come over anytime, sunshine. ;)
Posted by: lena | November 16, 2006 06:18 PM
I can't stand mushrooms but they are a requirement at every party I throw. If you're not there when they come out of the oven, you're not gonna get any. (Mine has a crab mix for the stuffing.) I'll have to try your recipe.
Posted by: Heather | November 17, 2006 03:27 AM
I burn my mouth on those things EVERY TIME!!! Thanks for bringing up the painful memories! HA HA, I'm joking. They look yummy. But why is it around TG everyone wants to feed you the traditional TG meal BEFORE TG?
~Jef
Posted by: Edge | November 17, 2006 08:06 AM
MMMMMMMMMMM! Thank you for sharing!
Posted by: Ang | November 17, 2006 09:14 AM
Ewwww. I mean, yummm, I'm sure.
I can't stand mushrooms. But I'm SURE they were wonderful for the guests that can.
Posted by: AmStaff Mom | November 17, 2006 12:13 PM
What about
FlauntingMyCookingAbility.com
or
LookICanMakeMushroomsAndOtherGoodStuff.com
or
CookingCookingCookingYumYumYum.com
No?
Posted by: Courtney | November 17, 2006 01:23 PM
ok...so this would count as an appitizer right? cuz i have to bring one of those tuesday. also...do you have anything else that wouldn't require so much work? i mean it looks easy...but whatelse ya got?
Posted by: jenny lee | November 17, 2006 10:21 PM
i mean ideas...i don't mean to sound rude :)
Posted by: jenny lee | November 17, 2006 10:22 PM
Oh! I'm not a fan of these but I LOVE.. I mean LOVE to make them! For others. Which works well. I have a different recipe than yours though. It's at home.. it uses barley instead of bread crumbs, no egg, parmesan cheese... hmmm.. I can't remember the rest though. And then you get out like 4 portobellos and stuff them.
Posted by: Julianna | November 18, 2006 01:23 PM
Oh! I'm not a fan of these but I LOVE.. I mean LOVE to make them! For others. Which works well. I have a different recipe than yours though. It's at home.. it uses barley instead of bread crumbs, no egg, parmesan cheese... hmmm.. I can't remember the rest though. And then you get out like 4 portobellos and stuff them.
Posted by: Julianna | November 18, 2006 01:24 PM
oh! And pine nuts.
Posted by: Julianna | November 18, 2006 01:25 PM
It could have just been the type of swiss we used, but these were a little too bland for our tastes. We wound up going back over them with another brush of butter and some parmesan to give them a little more kick.
However, i think this recipe will convert very well to crab-stuffed mushroom, and i'm going to try that tomorrow!
Posted by: krisis | November 18, 2006 04:29 PM