Lavishly Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

This tasty wonder can be an excellent meal when stuffed inside a giant portabella cap, or an intriguing and delicious hors d'oeuvres when stuffed in baby bellas.  It is also very versatile -- you can substitute different types of cheeses, nuts, and vegetables, and either serve it as is, or over quinoa, pasta, or rice.

Giant Portabella caps or Baby Bellas

Chopped Spinach

Minced onion

Minced garlic

Chopped walnuts (or pinenuts)

Crumbled feta cheese (or goat cheese)

Grated pecorino Romano Cheese (or Parmesan cheese)

Chopped Basil and/or other herbs

Olive Oil

Balsamic Vinegar

Salt

Ground Black Pepper

(optional additions:

Chopped Red Peppers

Chopped Kalamata Olives

Whatever else inspires you...)

Simply saute the onions, garlic, veggies, and herbs over low-medium heat.  Add the chopped spinach in additions until it has all cooked down (use a lot, Spinach shrinks!). Then, pour the hot mixture into a bowl, and mix in a little olive oil and the feta or goat cheese.  Use enough of it to create a creamy texture.  If you're using feta, a splash of heavy cream will help, goat cheese is creamy enough.  Add the salt, black pepper, and chopped nuts.  

Remove the stems and clean the mushrooms.  Then arrange them facing upward on a baking pan.  Pour a tiny bit of Balsamic vinegar into each Baby Bella cap, or a healthy drizzle into the giant caps.  Spoon the spinach cheesy mixture into the caps, sprinkle with grated Pecorino Romano, and bake at 400 for 15 minutes, or until slightly browned on top. 

Bon Appetit!

Midnight Snack =)

Cheesy goodness, yum. This was a simple improvisation that ended up a delicious snack for my roommates and me.  Simply dice up a few cloves of garlic with a couple thin slices of onion and a few large basil leaves, but super dice it really fine!  If you have a food processor, you could even use that to make a garlic-basil-onion paste.   Slice some bread, I picked up a loaf of seven grain bread from Trader Joe's that had a slight sourdough taste to it, but whatever you have will work.  Then, arrange the bread slices on a baking pan, drizzle a little olive oil over each slice, and spread the onion paste on each slice.  Grate some cheddar cheese, or whatever cheese, and sprinkle it on top.  Broil at about 450 degrees for about 5-10 minutes, depending on your oven and how crunchy or soft you want the cheesy bread.  Bon Appetit! Happy snacking ;)