Do you need some quick and delicious appetizer recipes for tailgate parties, office luncheons and holiday get-togethers? Stuffed mushrooms to the rescue!
Winter brings a string of food-centered holidays, and lots more occasions for friends and family to gather for parties, tailgate picnics and office luncheons, where finger food is the fare. All these give you opportunities to create and serve a tasty, seasonal appetizer.
Stuffed Mushrooms are popular, and there are thousands of stuffing recipes, ranging from classic to exotic flavors, to all-vegetable and even Vegan varieties.
Here are two recipes in the classic flavor category, one a bit lower in fat.
Spinach and cheese stuffed mushrooms
Minutes to Prepare: 20
Minutes to Cook: 20
Number of Servings: 6
Ingredients
6 large stuffing mushrooms
1 10 oz. package frozen chopped spinach
1/2 large onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tsp Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese
1 tsp olive oil
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp coriander
dash of salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
Heat oven to 350°.
Clean and hollow out six large mushroom caps and arrange them in an 8 x 8 baking pan. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a large skillet at medium temp. Add the onions and garlic, sauté about 5 minutes until the onions are soft. Stir in the spinach, mixing well. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and mix well. Add the Cheddar cheese, reduce the heat to low, and mix well. Add paprika, coriander, and salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat, and spoon the mixture into the mushroom caps. Bake the stuffed mushrooms, approximately 20 minutes or until the mushrooms reach the desired texture.
Lower Fat Stuffed Mushrooms
Minutes to Prepare: 20
Minutes to Cook: 20
Number of Servings: 6 or more
Ingredients
1 tablespoon margarine or butter substitute
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup fat-free cottage cheese
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
24 button mushroom caps
Cooking spray
1/2 teaspoon paprika
3 tablespoons grated reduced-fat Parmesan cheese
Instructions
Heat oven to 350°.
Melt margarine in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic and sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Stir in cottage cheese and Worcestershire sauce, mix well until the cheese melts. Remove from heat; stir in breadcrumbs to make a thick mixture. Spoon mixture evenly into mushroom caps. Place the mushroom caps in an 11 x 7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle paprika evenly over the mushrooms. Bake for 20 minutes or until tender. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.