Stuffed Mushrooms

I've always loved stuffed mushrooms, but intake has been limited due to calories and grease. Then I ran across this recipe in a stack of old Cooking Light magazines my grandmother gave me. I was in the middle of a find-appetizers-that-aren't-cheese-dip kick, so I decided to give these a try. The result? Stuffed mushrooms for the common man. These are simple yet impressive, and they are delicious! I can't believe I'm about to share my secret mushroom recipe, but here it goes...

Stuffed Mushrooms

www.chefjennylyn.com

24 large button mushrooms (about 1 3/4 pounds)

3 tbsp. chopped green onions (I normally skip these)

1 garlic clove

4 oz. reduced fat sausage

1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper

1/4 tsp. kosher salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

1/4 cup (2 oz.) reduced fat cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup dry breadcrumbs

3 tbsp. grated fresh Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Clean mushrooms, and remove stems. Finely chop stems.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic; saute 1 minute. Add sausage, and cook until browned, crumbling. Add the reserved mushroom stems, red pepper, salt, and black pepper. Saute 2 minutes or until stems are tender. Remove from heat; stir in cream cheese and breadcrumbs.

Stuff each mushroom cap with 1 tbsp. of sausage mixture. Arrange mushroom caps in baking dish, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake 30 minutes or until lightly golden and thoroughly heated.

12 servings (2 mushrooms = 64 calories)

You may have noticed I didn't follow the recipe with reduced-fat sausage, but that's because I couldn't find it this shopping trip, and I wasn't about to try multiple stores for one recipe. Plus, I was in the mood for spicy mushrooms, and this glorious tube of Jimmy Dean was calling to me. So there.
Ok, opening packaging on sausage and anything else in these weird cases can be awkward, and you should avoid knife danger by using Professional Shears. These can be used for cutting meat, opening packages, snipping herbs, etc. Plus they have a fun case. My cutting board of choice is the Large Cutting Board because it fits over my sink, giving me extra counter space.

Never have I appreciated the Small Scoop more. I'll be honest and say that if it weren't for this tool, I would never make anything requiring de-stemming mushrooms. They're finicky, and they will fight you to stay attached! Fortunately, mushroom stems are no match for the Small Scoop, so the task simply becomes scoop, pop, scoop, pop, scoop, pop. Also check out the handy station with the Colander & Bowl Set and Large Cutting Board. These bowls come in a set of four, and they nest together for easy storage. Plus, of course, there are lids. Scoop, Pop.

See the 10" Skillet full of sausage? See the Mix 'n Chop that made quick work of cooking and crumbling? Then there's the Garlic Press. More on these items in a minute. I cooked all of the sausage because I can freeze some for a later use, and that makes it easier than trying to remember I have an opened package in the fridge. I'll be honest: I've wasted a lot of food that way. So I obviously didn't put this together in order by the recipe's directions, but I figure it's all coming together in the end. By gettting all the ingredients measured out ahead of time, I avoided fumbling around while cooking, which means relaxation instead of frustration. Trust me: Prep work, prep work, prep work. It makes life easier.

I've got my seasoning measured into a Pinch Bowl, and I cut my cream cheese chunk with the 5" Utility Knife. My bread crumbs are measured into the Measuring Cup Set, and my Parmesan is in an Easy Read Measuring Cup. This is the mini, and let me just say something about it. This thing is amazing. It measures up to 1/4 cup by tablespoons, and I never realized how often you need to measure multiple tablespoons of things. I use this cup all the time! Everything is laid out on the Cutting Board so to keep the stovetop clean.

If you're familiar with the Pampered Chef, you're familiar with the Food Chopper. This thing makes quick work of chopping, and it gives you complete control over how finely or coarsely you chop. Big bonus: Everything comes apart and goes in the dishwasher.

Garlic Press = kitchen essential. It's impossible to substitute for fresh garlic, and this press makes it the easiest ingredient to use. You don't peel the garlic. Let me repeat: You. Don't. Peel. The. Garlic. Ok, so I'm adding the mushrooms to my sausage mixture in the 10" Skillet from the Executive Cookware Collection. This is my go-to skillet because it's perfect for, oh, everything. My spoon is from the Basic Nylon Tool Set, and that's a 2-Cup Prep Bowl full of extra sausage for later. It's going straight in the freezer because yes, the Prep Bowls are freezer safe.. See the Mix 'n Chop to the left? That's what crumbled my sausage for me, which kept me from beating it to death with a spoon. Love that thing!

I mixed everything together in the large bowl from the Colander & Bowl Set and used the Small Scoop to fill the mushroom caps. That's the Mix 'n Scraper, and the mushrooms are on the Large Bar Pan. Stoneware means even baking and predictable results every time. I sprinkled these with a little Parmesan, popped them in the oven, and enjoyed the best mushrooms ever!

Let me know if you make these, and tell me the truth: Are these light mushrooms not better than any you've ever had?

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