Stuff it.

There are very few appetizers that seem more classically American to me than stuffed mushrooms.  Growing up, whenever we were at a restaurant in Worcester and they had stuffed mushrooms on the menu, I thought I was eating someplace fancy. But as I got older and moved away from Worcester, I never really saw them on menus anymore. I guess they went out of style. 

They are ready for the party.

I briefly subscribed to Cooking Light after college and there was a section in each issue where readers would send in their recipe for healthier, or at least less-caloric, versions of classic recipes. One issue had a stuffed mushroom recipe, I gave it a try and it turned out great. I have made them for lots of events since then. However, this lighter version contained cottage cheese and that just didn't seem appropriate here, so I made it to a bit more luxurious for this meal. I also switched out the white button mushroom for baby portobello (cremini) ones, since they have more flavor and a meatier texture. The stuffing comes together quite quickly in a pan and, once ready, easily fills the stemless holes of a couple dozen mushrooms. Maybe it's time for a comeback?  Serve them warm or at room temperature.

Stuffed mushrooms
Ingredients
1 green pepper, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, diced
24 cremini mushrooms, stems removed
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
2/3 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup panko breadcrumbs
smoked paprika (pimenton, if you can get it, is the best)
grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Preparation
1. Remove the stems from the mushrooms and discard them (I used about 3 packages of whole creminis).  Place the stemless mushrooms hole-side up on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray first.

2. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Melt the butter in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the diced onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Add the salt and pepper. Saute for 5-7 minutes, until they are tender.

3. Once the onion/pepper/garlic mixture is soft and cooked, stir in the sour cream and Worcestershire sauce, the mixture will become a little soupy at this point.  Turn off the heat and add the panko breadcrumbs.  Stir to combine.  The mixture should become quite thick, if not, keeping adding a tablespoon of bread crumbs one at a time until it does.

4. Let the mixture cool for a few minutes, then spoon generously into the holes of the cremini mushrooms.

5.  Sprinkle pimenton and grated parmesan cheese over each stuffed mushroom.  Drizzle a small amount of oil on each mushroom as well.  Put in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, until the mushrooms have softened and released their water and the tops are golden brown.