Simply Cheesy, Stuffed Baby Bella Mushrooms

You will need:

• 16 oz. package of whole Baby Bella Mushrooms
• I package of Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 2 tbsp. of finely diced red or white onions
• 1/4 medium green bell pepper, finely diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp. of real bacon bits
• A few dashes of your favorite hot sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste

I love this recipe, and you will too, if you like stuffed mushrooms with a savory, creamy, cheesy filling! These make a great appetizer or finger-food, and so simple to make. I’m the only one in my house who likes mushroom, so I make them for myself as a treat now and then. I haven’t tried stuff mushrooms at a restaurant that were any better than these.

How to make them:

Pre-heat the oven to 350° F. Gently brush off the mushrooms, remove the stems, and place them in a baking pan or dish. I spray a little olive oil spray in the bottom of the pan, but it’s not really necessary if your pan is nonstick.

Add all the ingredients in a medium-sized mixing bowl and mix, using a hand or stand mixer, until just combined.

Using a small spoon, stuff the filling down into the bowl of each mushroom and then heap another portion on top.

Tip: It’s not good to crowd the mushrooms in the baking dish, but you want to make sure they are close enough that they can’t topple over while baking. I only had an 8 oz. package of mushrooms, so they were spaced out quite a bit. A few of them toppled, but no big deal. I just scooped up the melted filling with a spoon and heaped it back on top. It tasted the same, just not as pretty. 🙂

Bake for 20-24 minutes. The filling should be hot and the cheese should be melted. Some of the filling may spill/melt over the side of the mushroom, and that’s okay. Mushrooms will look a little creped/shriveled when done.

If you give this recipe a try, let me know what you think!