STUFFED MUSHROOM WITH SPINACH

this was the appetizer offering i decided to go with for thanksgiving. i LOVE mushrooms and when there's cheese involved...that is serious love! i really liked this recipe because it was simple and tasty, which is what matters most. when hosting a party, i am a huge believer in finger foods and this one does not let down.

STUFFED MUSHROOM WITH SPINACH
posted in real simple by sarah quessenberry on november 2010

• 24 medium mushrooms, about 1 1/2 lbs
• 2T olive oil, plus extra for the baking sheet
• 2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 5oz pkg baby spinach, chopped
• kosher salt & black pepper
• 3/4c panko bread crumbs
• 1/2c gruyere cheese, about 2oz

heat oven to 375°F. remove the stems from the mushrooms; finely chop the stems and reserve. coat a baking sheet with oil. bake the mushroom caps, stem-side down, until just tender, 10-12 mins.

meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. add the garlic and chopped mushroom stems and cook, stirring, until tender, 3-5 mins. add the spinach, 1/4t salt, and 1/8t pepper and cook, tossing, until wilted, about 2-3 more mins.

in a bowl, combine the spinach mixture with the bread crumb and cheese. spoon into mushroom caps and bake until golden brown, about 12-15 mins.

my yummy tip: i did make this a day ahead, so this tip was courtesy of the original posters. if you plan on making these a day (or two) ahead, stop after stuffing the mushroom caps (they cannot be baked twice with the stuffing). you can store in the refrigerator, covered. then, bake stuffed mushrooms when ready.