Stuffed Mushrooms

Mushrooms are something that I never liked when I was a kid.  However, in the last year or so, I have been looking - yes, looking for opportunities to eat mushrooms - because they are a food I want to learn to eat (yes, I know I am weird).  Anyhow, a couple of days ago, I was really really in the mood for some stuffed mushrooms.  I wanted them to be creamy, mushroom-y, with just a little bite.  I am happy to say that this recipe was a success!


First, I gently washed some baby portabella mushrooms.  I know there is quite a debate on whether or not to wash mushrooms, but I tend to lean to the side of gently washing them vs. not.  Alton Brown did a segment on his show Good Eats quite a while ago where he weighed washed and unwashed mushrooms, and came to the conclusion:

a) the weight difference between the washed and unwashed mushrooms was negligible and
b) since the weight difference was negligible, it is nicer to not have dirt on your mushrooms. 

So, ever since then, I gently wash my mushrooms under cool running water and let them dry a bit in a colander.
 

Then, I used the end of a spoon and scooped/pulled out the stem of the mushroom.  I like to finely chop these stems and add them to my filling for a little extra texture, body and nutrients.  Yes, mushrooms do actually have nutrients - selenium, potassium, riboflavin, niacin and vitamin D are some of the more famous nutrients mushrooms boast.

By the way - NOT that I am trying to sell things for any particular company or anything, but I love my hand food chopper!  I use it right on my cutting board.  All you have to do is gather what you want chopped inside the little bell, give it five or six good chops and that is it!  Look at that nice pile of chopped mushroom stems.  I love time-saving tools like this in my kitchen.

I added cream cheese, crumbled blue cheese, some grated horseradish, fresh minced garlic, and chopped celery, olives and bacon and put the mixture in a quart bag. 

It is so easy to just snip the corner of the baggie and fill the mushroom caps. 

I decided to experiment and top a few of the mushrooms with bread crumbs and I left a few plain.

Bake the mushrooms - done!  I honestly couldn't tell the difference in texture or flavor between the breadcrumb or the non-bread crumbed stuffed mushrooms.  The difference I did notice was that the mushrooms with the breadcrumbs didn't melt all over the bottom of the pan, so, I decided I liked using the breadcrumbs.

Stuffed Mushrooms

• 9 baby portabella mushrooms 
• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened 
• 2 ounces blue cheese, crumbled 
• 2 or 3 garlic cloves, minced 
• 1/2 teaspoon grated horseradish 
• 2 slices bacon, chopped fine 
• 1/4 cup sliced celery, chopped fine 
• 1 tablespoon chopped olives
•  salt to taste, if desired 
• 1/3 cup bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Gently wash mushrooms if desired.  Remove stems and chop finely.  Line an 8x8 dish with tinfoil or parchment and lay out the mushrooms stem side up.  In a medium mixing bowl stir together the cream cheese, blue cheese, garlic, horseradish, bacon, celery, olives and salt if desired.  Mix well.

Divide the cream cheese/mushroom mixture evenly between the mushrooms, then sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly over the mushrooms. Bake mushrooms in a 350˚ oven for 18-20 minutes or until tops are browned, and let them rest 5 minutes before eating.

Preheat oven to 350˚. Line a baking tray with parchment paper and lay out your mushrooms stem side up. In a medium mixing bowl stir together the cream cheese, blue cheese, horseradish and milk. Add the garlic and bacon, mixing well.

Divide the cream cheese mixture evenly between the mushrooms, then sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly over the mushrooms. Bake mushrooms in a 350˚ oven for 18-20 minutes or until tops are browned, and let them rest 5 minutes before eating.
- See more at: http://mushroominfo.com/bacon-blue-cheese-stuffed-mushrooms/#sthash.7MyeVEdn.dpu