Mini Mushroom Quiche Caps

Many mushroom apps are easy to prepare, and they can be and budget-friendly, too.  Plus, they allow you to offer crowd-pleasing bites with different colors, flavors and textures. Serve ‘em on cocktail napkins for an easy clean up!

Stumped for ideas? Well, we’ve made a list and checked it twice. Serve one of these scrumptious ‘shroomy apps to bring holiday joy to all!

Stuffed Shrooms (Gluten-Free and Vegan) from Sassy Kitchen

Caramelized Onion, Mushroom & Gruyere Tartlets from Brown Eyed Baker

Mushroom and Goat Cheese Phyllo Bites from Kitchen Confidante

Caramelized Mushroom & Shallot Bruschetta from Shutterbean

When it comes to croissants, I tend to think of buttery, golden browned, flaky pastry treats, warm out of the oven. Perfection. And while there’s no need to mess with a good thing, I thought I’d take croissants to the next level by adding some mushrooms into the mix.

Usually I top my croissants with a light dollop of fruit jam, but making the switch from sweet topping to savory filling was a delicious change. Of course, I love anything with mushrooms, but wasn’t sure how well they’d be received with others. I brought over a batch of just-out-of-the-oven Mushroom Sage Croissants to our friends’ house for a football watching party and they were gobbled up in no time. They made the perfect game-watching finger food, and would be a hit at any holiday party or as an accompaniment to a savory breakfast spread.

Ingredients:

[Makes 8 croissants]

• 1 8-ounce container sliced baby bella mushrooms
• 1 8-ounce tube of refrigerated ready to use croissant rolls
• 10 fresh sage leaves, cut into thin strips
• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• Salt to taste

Heat oil in a skillet. Sautee mushrooms and sage over medium-high heat for about ten minutes, stirring regularly. Add salt to taste.

Drop about a tablespoon of mushrooms on the widest part of the rolled out croissant top. Roll croissant from wide part down to fold mushroom mixture into the croissant.

Bake croissants on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet according to package directions until they turn golden brown. Let cool slightly before eating.

Oh my.  Your humble Mushroom Channel Editor saw the photo above and emitted one sustained sigh of longing. This particular editor is of the opinion that blue cheese is the cheese of autumn, pairing beautifully with pears, apples, walnuts and the fiery fleshed root vegetables that herald the season.  So to have this in my inbox from Laura Sampson at a time where I did not have immediate access to blue cheese…well, there’s the sigh.

Luckily, in a few short hours, I will be back to a fridge that holds all three of these bits of goodness. Mushrooms, as I’m sure you’re aware, are incredible vehicles for tastiness in addition to providing their own savory flavor. My kitchen will start to smell as amazing as Laura’s did when she made them and my sigh will take on a tone of utter satisfaction rather than longing. Looking forward to it.

Looking for the perfect appetizer for a special occasion? Look no further, I present to you the appetizer of the year, the new social media darling Bacon Blue Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms. Everything a stuffed mushroom should be, savory, tangy, meaty, tasty and a wee tad crunchy. This practically perfect bite will win over even reluctant mushroom lovers (do these people exist?)and make their mouths sing!

Bacon Blue Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

• 24 medium to large mushrooms-cleaned and stems removed
• 8 ounces of cream cheese, softened
• 4 ounces of good blue cheese
• 2 teaspoons horseradish
• 2 teaspoons milk
• 1 garlic clove, minced or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 8 ounces of good bacon, cooked and minced
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 350˚
2. Line a baking tray with parchment paper
3. Lay out your mushrooms, stem side up
4. In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the cream cheese, blue cheese, horseradish and milk
5. Add the garlic and bacon mixing well
6. Divide the cream cheese mixture evenly between the mushrooms
7. Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly over the mushrooms
8. Bake in a 350˚ oven for 18-20 minutes or until tops are browned
9. Let them rest 5 minutes before eating

Today’s holiday-inspired post comes to us from Mardi of Eat. Live. Travel. Write.

For my last Mushroom Channel contribution, I wanted to give a nod to the season. Yes, the season of joy and giving. And sometimes, the season of stress – shopping, entertaining, parties a go-go and constant cooking and baking.  Whilst I am the first one to challenge myself and take on too much, it’s not always good to be stressed out in the kitchen.  These appetizers are bite-sized yet really pack a flavour punch.  I love the Asian-inspired flavours that make a nice change from the sometimes-heavy holiday fare, and I think they would go well with a glass of champagne on Christmas Eve.

Wonton “Pizzas” with Asian-Style Mushrooms

Yield: About 20 hors d’oeuvres

Ingredients

• 20 wonton wrappers, cut into rounds (use a cookie cutter) and shallow fried until crispy (these can be made in advance and kept in an airtight container)
• 4-6 tablespoons mushroom (or vegetable) stock
• 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
• 3 medium cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup fresh shitake mushrooms, diced
• 1 cup brown mushrooms, diced
• 1 cup scallions, sliced finely
• 2 tablespoons Ponzu
• Juice and zest of one lime
• Fresh cilantro, to garnish

Method

Simmer the stock and add the ginger, garlic, mushrooms and scallions.

Season with the ponzu and lime juice, and reduce over a low heat until sauce has just about evaporated.

Add the lime zest and stir to incorporate.

Spoon a teaspoonful of the mushroom mixture onto the fried wonton wrappers and garnish with fresh cilantro.

Today’s Mushroom Pie post brought to you by the bella of the ball- Paula of Bell’Alimento.

Fall and Winter just call out to us to make bubbling casseroles, gratins, and savory pies…And what better to put in one of those savory pies than Mushrooms ; ) Torta Salata ai Funghi is a pie will that will be sure to go into your rotation during these cold months.

It’s creamy, cheesy and yes full of shroom goodness! Creamy because it’s made with a bechamel sauce {swoon}. Cheesy because it includes Provolone cheese melted to perfection. And of course there are 16 ounces of majestic mushrooms. All of that contained in a beautiful, flaky buttery package.

This is perfect to make ahead of time and pop it into the oven when you come home!

Torta Salata ai Funghi {Savory Mushroom Pie}
What you’ll need:
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 cloves garlic – minced
16 ounces mushrooms – sliced
1 tablespoon flat leaf Italian Parsley – chopped
salt/pepper
4-6 slices of provolone cheese
2 pie crusts

1 egg – beaten
béchamel:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/4 cups milk – heated
pinch of salt

What to do:
1. Into a sauté pan add olive oil and butter and heat over medium heat. When melted add: garlic, mushrooms, parsley. Reduce heat to LOW. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for approximately 10 minutes.

2. WHILE mushrooms are sautéing, prepare the béchamel sauce. Into a small sauce pan add butter and melt over medium heat. Add flour and stir with a wooden spoon. Cook for approximately two minutes, stirring constantly. Add heated milk and whisk to combine. Continue cooking until mixture has thickened. Once thickened pour mixture over sautéed mushrooms. Stir to combine. Set aside.

3. Spray a pie pan with cooking spray and place one of the pie dough discs into pan. Lay 2-3 slices of provolone cheese onto pie dough disc. Gently pour the mushroom mixture into pie pan. Cover with remaining 2-3 slices of provolone cheese. Cover with remaining pie dough disc. Gently crimp the edges to seal.

4. Place pie onto a cooking sheet. Using a pastry brush, brush the top of the pie with the beaten egg. Cook pie for approximately 35-40 minutes or until golden.

5. Allow pie to cool before slicing.

Buon Appetito!

If ever in need of a mood lift, throw a dinner party that’s potluck.  Invite an interesting mix of people, hand out food assignments early (quite easy: appetizer, side dish, salad, vegetable, dessert) – the host does the main entrée. Surprise! wine always seems to show up with the delicious eats.

Recently invited to a gathering of fellow high school classmates of my husband Larry’s, I felt the urge to go MUSHROOM.  Larry attended an all-boy’s Catholic prep school, Loyola High, so “the guys” were going to be the main focus of the evening. And we all know, guys do like mushrooms. Grilled, stacked and stuffed, try these Grilled Mushroom and Ham Crostini appetizers.”

GRILLED MUSHROOM AND HAM CROSTINI

16 whole mushrooms, approx. 1 ½ inches in diameter

2/3 cup olive oil, divided

¼ teaspoon minced garlic

3 teaspoons stone ground mustard, divided

Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste

¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon mayonnaise

1 large baguette of bread (you will use approx. ¾ of the loaf)

1 cup diced ham

Fresh chives for garnish

Remove stems from mushrooms and carefully peel the caps (or brush with dry mushroom brush).  Place cleaned mushrooms in a medium bowl.  In a small bowl, blend together 1/3 cup olive oil, 1 teaspoon mustard, garlic, and a little salt and pepper to taste.  Drizzle over mushrooms; gently mix around with a pastry brush to coat all inside and out. Set aside at room temperature for one hour.

In a small bowl, mix together ¼ cup mayonnaise and 1 teaspoon mustard. Refrigerate.

In another small bowl, mix diced ham with 1 tablespoon mayonnaise and 1 teaspoon mustard, refrigerate.

Cut 16 one-inch slices of bread, use remaining olive oil to brush both sides of each piece very lightly.  Heat grill to medium-hot; toast both sides of bread and remove to serving platter.

Grill the mushrooms starting with the smooth side down.  Turn over and cook the interior of the mushrooms.  You will see them darken in color and soften.  Once cooked through, place on a paper towel to drain until cooled to room temperature.

To assemble: spread about ½ teaspoon mayo-mustard mix onto the toasted bread. Top with mushroom interior side-up. Fill mushroom with diced ham mixture, top with a tiny dollop of the mayo-mustard mix and affix fresh chives.  Serve within an hour at room temperature, makes 16 appetizers.

Assembly Blueprint:

Breakfast: Portabella Eggs Benedict with Roasted Tomatoes and Pesto, brought to you by Healthy-ish

Lunch: Wild Mushroom and Cornbread Panzanella Salad, brought to you by Cookin’ Canuck

Dinner: Chicken Tetrazzini, brought to you by Poco-Cocoa

This gorgeous tutorial comes to you from Sabrina- the blogger behind the healthy living (and eating!) blog RhodeyGirl Tests.  Welcome to the team, Sabrina!

Mushroom ravioli make a beautiful presentation for an appetizer, yet are hearty enough to make a full meal. The filling is so easy and simple, and leftovers can be eaten simply with some crunchy toasted bread. Wonton wrappers save you some time, and this recipe, from making the filling to cleaning up, takes only an hour. While it may not be ideal for a weeknight meal, it is ideal for your latest dinner party.

Mushroom Ravioli with a Tomato Dipping Sauce
Serves 4, makes 40-50 ravioli

Ingredients
2 tbs olive oil
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tbs unsalted butter
8 oz button mushrooms
8 oz baby bello mushrooms
2 shakes hot red pepper
dash of kosher salt & pepper
2 tbs parmigiano reggiano

1 egg, beaten

wonton wrappers

Directions

Heat 1 tbs of the olive oil over medium heat in a large nonstick pan and add the minced garlic. Meanwhile clean and chop your mushrooms. Do not worry about cutting them too small as they will all end up in the food processor anyway.

Add the mushrooms, butter, 2 shakes of hot red pepper, and kosher salt and pepper to the pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring now and again, until the mushroom mixture reduces, about 10 minutes. Take off the heat and add to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the mixture reaches the right consistency. You want the mixture to be in between coarse and smooth. Stir in the parmigiano reggiano.

Fill a large pot with water and place over high heat. Meanwhile, assemble your ravioli. Here is how:

1. Lay a wonton wrapper on a flat surface.

2. Brush with the egg.

3. Cut the wrapper in half.

4. Add a bit of filling to the bottom half of each wrapper.

5. Fold over and seal the edges with your finger.

7. Place on a floured cookie sheet and keep covered with a dishtowel until you all the ravioli are ready.

By the time you have assembled all of your ravioli, the water will be boiling. Heat a pan with the remaining oil. Add a handful of ravioli at a time to the boiling water and cook for 2 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and place immediately in the hot pan to crisp the edges. Flip after 1 minute. When both sides are crispy and golden brown remove and serve with your favorite sauce! I serve it simply with San Marzano crushed tomatoes.

A few tips:

• The filling can be made a day ahead.
• The ravioli can be made a few hours ahead of time. Just place the towel-covered cookie sheet directly into the fridge until needed.
• Leftover crispy ravioli can be reheated in a toaster oven or microwave. The best advice I can give you for reheating this type of dish is doing what you would do to heat up leftover pizza. For me that means a few seconds in the microwave followed by a minute or two in the toaster oven.
• If the small ravioli are too much trouble, you can also make giant ravioli, using 2 wonton wrappers per one.

Today’s Wordless Wednesday honors go to the divine Deb of Smitten Kitchen for her practical magic. If you love one mushroom crepe (everyone is nodding, yes?), why not stack them up for a real party?  A Mushroom Crepe Cake- now why didn’t we think of that?

That’s already too many words for “Wordless Wednesday- head on over to the original post for more beautiful shots and, most importantly, the recipe!

I love fancy food as much as the next hungry person but this? This is what a cozy craving is made of.  Perfect for these transitional days between winter and Spring when I start to crave that sweet crisp pea but am still in hibernation casserole mode. Elly Says Opa! nailed this Chicken, Mushroom, Pea and Stuffing Casserole right on the head.

Soup is another meal category that seems especially perfect for transitions. This selection also speaks to the joy in my heart when bloggers who don’t typically talk about food give us a peek into their palates. Anonymous Midwest also happens to capture the process behind this Mushroom, Leek and Potato Soup beautifully.

To carry through that last point, check out this Spanish Stew recipe from the Reluctant Entertainer’s Napa trip last week!  I included a prep pick so you could see all the fabulous fungi in the mix but click through for the whole shebang and a recipe.

Oh Smitten Kitchen…you never fail to impress.  As I announced to Twitter last night, the combination of mushrooms and hazelnuts is not something I would have ever thought of on my own. Now I can’t get it out of my head.  I’m hosting a brunch tomorrow and this Warm Mushroom Salad with Hazelnuts has just the flavor balance I never knew I was looking for.

Not only is Smitten still coming up with her own inventive mushroom combinations but she’s inspiring other food bloggers to try them out.  Amanda from Cakes and Ale was very happy with how Smitten Kitchen’s Mushroom Bourguignon recipe turned out when she made it at home.

Just another deliciously easy weeknight recipe from a friend to fungi, Rachel from A Southern Fairytale.  And by “just another,” I clearly mean isn’t it nice to have talented friends? With veggies making up more than half of the ingredients, this one is on the light side as well!

Speaking of easy, family-friendly dinners, Stacie from Chowmama threw this together when she was sick. That’s how low-maintenance a health meal can be if you’re just stuffing good things into a portabella cap. Good things like chiles, rice, spinach and onion.

Last but not least, something you could even make for brunch this weekend! Tina from Carrots ‘N’ Cake combined some breakfast classics with an Italian staple to create a delicious take on Breakfast Pizza. As a longtime fan of pizza for breakfast, I think this is a healthier and likely a tastier version of the leftovers I ate cold in college…