Stuffed mushrooms, paired here with springs of parsley, make a perfect between-meal snack says Nikki Cristello.

Tasty Temptations: Stuffed 'shrooms

By: Nikki Cristello

Posted: 2/21/08

Snacking is a major part of college life.

Students nibble between classes, while lounging on the couch and even sometimes when they aren't hungry.

So this week, stuffed mushrooms serve as the yummy between meal munchies. They are easy to make and are usually perfectly bite-sized.

And if they get cold, throwing them in the microwave or back into a warm oven makes them even better.

Enjoy.
Ingredients:
1 package fresh, whole mushrooms
1 cup Italian breadcrumbs
Tasty Tip: In a crunch you can use stuffing mix. 2 stalks celery
½ small white or yellow onion
¼ cup mozzarella cheese
About ½ cup chicken broth or water
Baby spinach leaves (1 per mushroom)
Butter or margarine

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
Clean mushrooms by washing them under water.

Remove stems by holding mushroom in palm and twisting. Set aside 3 stems, to chop and add to stuffing.

Finely dice onion, celery and mushroom stems.

Tasty Tip: For more flavor, add red bell pepper

In a medium sized bowl, combine breadcrumbs, cheese and veggies. Add liquid a little at a time, so stuffing begins to clump together.

Tasty Tip: Mixing with your hands gives you a better idea of when this mixture will be done.

In a medium sized oven-safe dish, put about 4 teaspoons water and 1 teaspoon butter in the bottom.

Put mushrooms in dish, with bottom side facing up.

Put small amount (~1/2 teaspoon) butter on each mushroom's underside. Place one spinach leaf on top.

Now, take a small mound of stuffing and put it on top of mushroom.

Top with a small amount of cheese, if desired.

Carefully place dish in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.