Fun-Guy

Mushrooms are one of my favorite foods. I love them in a dish, on a dish and as the dish. I actively seek out recipes that include them and frequently add them to recipes that do not. It wasn't until about 2 years into my relationship with Forrest that he informed me he doesn't really like mushrooms. It was like finding out Santa Claus isn't real. Why hadn't he ever told me? How much had he suffered? And WHO doesn't like mushrooms?!?!?! The shock lasted for a while because the truth is that there isn't really any food Forrest doesn't eat. He is the most unpicky eater I know besides my mom. So we talked it through and I found out he doesn't hate them (thankfully) and he doesn't mind if I still serve them but he just doesn't want them to be the main ingredient in a dish - good bye portobello burgers and portobello pizzas. Ever since the the big mushroom reveal I have tried to back off of mushrooms. Every now and then I still sneak them in and I figured this recipe would go over well. Mix sausage with dirt and call it a casserole and Forrest will eat it. Fortunately he loved this dish and even mentioned that they were the best mushrooms he has ever eaten.

Stuffed Mushrooms
Adapted from Cooking Light 2006

Yeild

12 servings (serving size: 2 stuffed mushrooms)

Ingredients

• 24 large button/stuffing mushrooms (about 1 3/4 pounds)
• Cooking spray
• 3 tablespoons chopped green onions
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 4 ounces 50%-less-fat pork sausage (such as Jimmy Dean 50% less fat)
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup (2 ounces) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs
• 3 tablespoons grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preparation

Preheat oven to 400°.

Clean mushrooms, and remove stems;

finely chop stems.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onions and garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add the reserved mushroom stems, red pepper, salt, and black pepper; sauté 2 minutes or until stems are tender.

Add sausage, and cook until browned, stirring to crumble.

Remove from heat; stir in cream cheese and breadcrumbs.

Stuff 1 tablespoon of sausage mixture into each mushroom cap. Push the mixture down in the mushroom while stuffing in order to fill the entire cavity.

Arrange mushroom caps in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish or baking pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle evenly with Parmesan.

Bake at 400° for 30 minutes or until lightly golden and thoroughly heated.