A Snack So Hearty and Good It Can Be Dinner!
Question: What food can decrease the risk of cancer, promote lower cholesterol, protect brain health, stimulate and protect gut health, support and protect the immune system, is a great source of vitamin D, and is low in sodium?
Answer: MUSHROOMS! And to top off all the above, they’re low in calories and have very little fat.
Because of all these health benefits, it makes great sense to cook with them. They add flavor depth and texture to soups and stews. They increase heartiness in casseroles. They take gravy to a whole new level.
But beyond this, they make terrific snacks. They’re easy to build and can be made up to 48 hours ahead of time. And as my article title says, because they’re so hearty and good, they can even be dinner (just pair them with a salad and crusty bread and you’re in business).
The “snack” I’m specifically referring to is the divine STUFFED mushroom. Maybe they showed up at your Thanksgiving meal? They’re always part of our holiday menus. Our chef-son, Paul, makes them for us every year. We can’t get enough. And now that I know they’re not just good, but that they’re good FOR us, I intend to make these all year long. Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners aren’t often enough!
Also, this treat is versatile and obliging. The stuffing can be made from just about anything you have on hand. Any ingredient that complements the flavor of mushrooms will work well in their stuffing.
For instance, you can use cheddar, mozzarella, or cream cheese as the binder. Then you can add diced artichokes and chopped spinach (or even use leftover spinach artichoke dip), diced green onions or even finely chopped Brussels sprouts. You can add extra flavor with Worcestershire sauce and bulk up the stuffing with shredded crab meat, cooked and chopped bacon, or cooked Italian sausage. Then just mix in your favorite seasonings or fresh herbs to add extra flavor.
Stuffed mushrooms are typically finished with a crunch topping. Seasoned breadcrumbs, Panko crumbs, shredded or grated parmesan cheese, or crushed crackers, plus butter make a perfect topping.
What’s really nice about these is that you can freeze stuffed mushrooms before baking them. They will release a little bit more water, but still taste great. Bake them from frozen and add 5-8 minutes to the cooking time (depending on the size of the mushrooms).
When Paul makes his, he always chops the mushroom stems and freezes them for later use in other recipes. These are especially yummy in quiche and rice dishes.
I’ll close with a favorite and versatile recipe for our mushroom stuffing, which I first found on www.spendwithpennies.com. And by the way, this stuffing is wonderful atop a baked potato!
8 ounces cream cheese softened
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 green onion finely minced
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic minced, OR ½ teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
TOPPING
3 tablespoons seasoned bread crumbs
1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
Add Recipe to Cook'n
Answer: MUSHROOMS! And to top off all the above, they’re low in calories and have very little fat.
Because of all these health benefits, it makes great sense to cook with them. They add flavor depth and texture to soups and stews. They increase heartiness in casseroles. They take gravy to a whole new level.
But beyond this, they make terrific snacks. They’re easy to build and can be made up to 48 hours ahead of time. And as my article title says, because they’re so hearty and good, they can even be dinner (just pair them with a salad and crusty bread and you’re in business).
The “snack” I’m specifically referring to is the divine STUFFED mushroom. Maybe they showed up at your Thanksgiving meal? They’re always part of our holiday menus. Our chef-son, Paul, makes them for us every year. We can’t get enough. And now that I know they’re not just good, but that they’re good FOR us, I intend to make these all year long. Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners aren’t often enough!
Also, this treat is versatile and obliging. The stuffing can be made from just about anything you have on hand. Any ingredient that complements the flavor of mushrooms will work well in their stuffing.
For instance, you can use cheddar, mozzarella, or cream cheese as the binder. Then you can add diced artichokes and chopped spinach (or even use leftover spinach artichoke dip), diced green onions or even finely chopped Brussels sprouts. You can add extra flavor with Worcestershire sauce and bulk up the stuffing with shredded crab meat, cooked and chopped bacon, or cooked Italian sausage. Then just mix in your favorite seasonings or fresh herbs to add extra flavor.
Stuffed mushrooms are typically finished with a crunch topping. Seasoned breadcrumbs, Panko crumbs, shredded or grated parmesan cheese, or crushed crackers, plus butter make a perfect topping.
What’s really nice about these is that you can freeze stuffed mushrooms before baking them. They will release a little bit more water, but still taste great. Bake them from frozen and add 5-8 minutes to the cooking time (depending on the size of the mushrooms).
When Paul makes his, he always chops the mushroom stems and freezes them for later use in other recipes. These are especially yummy in quiche and rice dishes.
I’ll close with a favorite and versatile recipe for our mushroom stuffing, which I first found on www.spendwithpennies.com. And by the way, this stuffing is wonderful atop a baked potato!
Stuffed Mushrooms
Ingredients:
8 ounces cream cheese softened
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 green onion finely minced
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 clove garlic minced, OR ½ teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
TOPPING
3 tablespoons seasoned bread crumbs
1 1/2 tablespoons melted butter
1 1/2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a rimmed baking pan or line it with parchment paper.
2. Clean the mushrooms with a damp cloth or paper towel. Remove the stems and set aside for adding to soups or discard (*see note).
3. Place the mushroom caps on the prepared pan.
4. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, parmesan cheese, green onion, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic (or garlic powder), salt and pepper. Mix with a hand mixer on medium until well combined.
5. Use a small spoon to fill the mushrooms or place the filling in a small sandwich bag and snip off the corner. Pipe the filling into each mushroom cap.
6. In a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs, melted butter, and grated Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the stuffed mushrooms.
7. Bake in the oven until the mushrooms are tender and the crumbs are browned, approximately 17-20 minutes.
8. Cool 5 minutes before serving.
2. Clean the mushrooms with a damp cloth or paper towel. Remove the stems and set aside for adding to soups or discard (*see note).
3. Place the mushroom caps on the prepared pan.
4. In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, parmesan cheese, green onion, Worcestershire sauce, minced garlic (or garlic powder), salt and pepper. Mix with a hand mixer on medium until well combined.
5. Use a small spoon to fill the mushrooms or place the filling in a small sandwich bag and snip off the corner. Pipe the filling into each mushroom cap.
6. In a small bowl, mix the bread crumbs, melted butter, and grated Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the stuffed mushrooms.
7. Bake in the oven until the mushrooms are tender and the crumbs are browned, approximately 17-20 minutes.
8. Cool 5 minutes before serving.
Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.
Alice Osborne
Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2006
Email the author! alice@dvo.com
