Appetizer Party Platter

I'm always looking for easy appetizers to bring to a party or to make ahead when I'm hosting a party in my own home. It's easy to fall into a rut and make the same boring appetizers over and over, I'm guilty of it myself. I created this appetizer plate with some of the usual items but tried to add something different to make them feel new again.  The stuffed mushrooms and peppers had the usual bread crumb filling but I added some crispy prosciutto to the mixture. On the mushrooms I added a little piece of Italian Fontina cheese to the top of each one. The potatoes (trader joe's teeny tiny potatoes) were sauteed with shallots sundried tomatoes and then tossed with a premade muffaletta salad.  Recipes to come soon!

Appetizer Party Platter

I'm always looking for easy appetizers to bring to a party or to make ahead when I'm hosting a party in my own home. It's easy to fall into a rut and make the same boring appetizers over and over, I'm guilty of it myself. I created this appetizer plate with some of the usual items but tried to add something different to make them feel new again.  The stuffed mushrooms and peppers had the usual bread crumb filling but I added some crispy prosciutto to the mixture. On the mushrooms I added a little piece of Italian Fontina cheese to the top of each one. The potatoes (trader joe's teeny tiny potatoes) were sauteed with shallots sundried tomatoes and then tossed with a premade muffaletta salad.  Recipes to come soon!

Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Portabellos

I made these mushrooms last year as a first course when our friends Nick and Kelly came over for dinner. Nick liked them and Kelly asked me for the recipe so she can make it for him. I had to make it again because I didn't remember what I did (this was pre-blog and I didn't write it down). I hope it tasted as good as it did last time and again I don't have exact measurements this is a taste as you go kind of thing but I'll do my best. I bet that won't help Kelly too much. Oops.

Ingredients:

4 portabello mushrooms, stems removed and reserved
1- 10 oz box frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
part skim ricotta cheese
About 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese plus more for sprinkling on the top
About 1/4 cup romano cheese
salt and pepper
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine
extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Clean mushrooms by gently wiping with paper towel or vegetable brush. Do not rinse. Clean the stems and remove the woody ends. Chop and set aside.

2. Saute onion and stems in extra virgin olive oil, then add garlic. Let cook for about 1 minute. Add white wine and let it simmer for a minute or two.

2. Add spinach breaking it up with a spoon and add a little oil if you need to. Combine spinach with onion mixture, season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.

3. Once cooled add some ricotta a couple of tablespoons and a time and stir until it's a creamy mixture but not an overwhelming amount of ricotta. You want to still taste the spinach. This will probably come out to about 1/2 cup to 1 cup. Add romano cheese and taste it. Add more salt, pepper or cheese until it's seasoned to your taste.

4. In the meantime, heat a medium saute pan and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Add mushrooms to the pan and season both sides with salt and pepper. When mushrooms are cooked, top them with a good amount of spinach ricotta filling and sprinkle with a little more mozzarella. Put under the broiled to heat through and melt cheese.

Serve as a side dish or first course.


note - I didn't use the broiler to melt the cheese this time because it was really hot in the kitchen that day. You can skip this step if you want to.

Ricotta and Spinach Stuffed Portabellos

I made these mushrooms last year as a first course when our friends Nick and Kelly came over for dinner. Nick liked them and Kelly asked me for the recipe so she can make it for him. I had to make it again because I didn't remember what I did (this was pre-blog and I didn't write it down). I hope it tasted as good as it did last time and again I don't have exact measurements this is a taste as you go kind of thing but I'll do my best. I bet that won't help Kelly too much. Oops.

Ingredients:

4 portabello mushrooms, stems removed and reserved
1- 10 oz box frozen chopped spinach, defrosted
part skim ricotta cheese
About 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese plus more for sprinkling on the top
About 1/4 cup romano cheese
salt and pepper
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup white wine
extra virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Clean mushrooms by gently wiping with paper towel or vegetable brush. Do not rinse. Clean the stems and remove the woody ends. Chop and set aside.

2. Saute onion and stems in extra virgin olive oil, then add garlic. Let cook for about 1 minute. Add white wine and let it simmer for a minute or two.

2. Add spinach breaking it up with a spoon and add a little oil if you need to. Combine spinach with onion mixture, season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes.

3. Once cooled add some ricotta a couple of tablespoons and a time and stir until it's a creamy mixture but not an overwhelming amount of ricotta. You want to still taste the spinach. This will probably come out to about 1/2 cup to 1 cup. Add romano cheese and taste it. Add more salt, pepper or cheese until it's seasoned to your taste.

4. In the meantime, heat a medium saute pan and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil. Add mushrooms to the pan and season both sides with salt and pepper. When mushrooms are cooked, top them with a good amount of spinach ricotta filling and sprinkle with a little more mozzarella. Put under the broiled to heat through and melt cheese.

Serve as a side dish or first course.


note - I didn't use the broiler to melt the cheese this time because it was really hot in the kitchen that day. You can skip this step if you want to.

A Twist on Stuffed Mushrooms

Most of us have made or at least have eaten mushrooms that are stuffed with breadcrumbs. I have even shared a recipe for basic Stuffed Mushrooms a few months back. What I'm sharing today is a unique twist on Stuffed Mushrooms, it's unique but still versatile as I feel most recipes are. Again, this is a recipe that I got from Rachael Ray. Her recipe calls for Portobello mushrooms (which I love) but sometimes these can be a bit pricey. I made these with Cremini mushrooms which are sometimes called Baby Bellas because that's what they are, portobello mushrooms that haven't grown to their full size. These are a staple mushroom for me. I never buy white mushrooms because they have no taste and since creminis aren't exotic they are affordable. If portobellos are available you should definitely use them. They are big and beautiful great for this stuffing.

Besides the mushrooms I used I didn't make any changes to the recipe. I really liked this recipe my only comment is that I didn't really taste the balsamic. Maybe if it was more of a syrupy balsamic like one that you purchase or reduce yourself it might have a more noticeable flavor. Otherwise this recipe is a keeper. If you use the Portobellos it makes a great presentation as a first course or if you are using the smaller ones they are great in an appetizer assortment.

This recipe can be found on the food network or see below.

Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Portobellos

Ingredients:

Portobellos:

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, a drizzle
5 medium portobello mushroom caps
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Stuffing:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small yellow skinned onion, chopped
1 pound fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
1 can, 6 to 8 count, 15 ounces, artichoke hearts in water, drained well on paper towels
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped, about 2 tablespoons
3 slices Italian bread, toasted and chopped into small cubes
1/2 cup packaged or canned chicken or vegetable stock
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, a handful

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add a drizzle of oil and the portobello caps. Season caps with salt and pepper, to taste, and cook 3 minutes on each side. Add balsamic to the pan and allow the vinegar to cook away as it coats the caps. Transfer balsamic glazed caps to a cookie sheet. Return pan to the stove and add oil, garlic and onion. Saute onions and garlic 3 minutes, add spinach to the pan and let it wilt. Coarsely chop artichoke hearts in the food processor and add to the spinach. Season veggies with salt and pepper and thyme. Add chopped toast and dampen stuffing with chicken or vegetable stock. Combine stuffing and sprinkle in a little grated cheese. Top each mushroom with 1/5 of the filling. Set mushrooms in oven for 5 minutes to set the filling. Cut each mushroom into 4 pieces and transfer to a serving dish.

A Twist on Stuffed Mushrooms

Most of us have made or at least have eaten mushrooms that are stuffed with breadcrumbs. I have even shared a recipe for basic Stuffed Mushrooms a few months back. What I'm sharing today is a unique twist on Stuffed Mushrooms, it's unique but still versatile as I feel most recipes are. Again, this is a recipe that I got from Rachael Ray. Her recipe calls for Portobello mushrooms (which I love) but sometimes these can be a bit pricey. I made these with Cremini mushrooms which are sometimes called Baby Bellas because that's what they are, portobello mushrooms that haven't grown to their full size. These are a staple mushroom for me. I never buy white mushrooms because they have no taste and since creminis aren't exotic they are affordable. If portobellos are available you should definitely use them. They are big and beautiful great for this stuffing.

Besides the mushrooms I used I didn't make any changes to the recipe. I really liked this recipe my only comment is that I didn't really taste the balsamic. Maybe if it was more of a syrupy balsamic like one that you purchase or reduce yourself it might have a more noticeable flavor. Otherwise this recipe is a keeper. If you use the Portobellos it makes a great presentation as a first course or if you are using the smaller ones they are great in an appetizer assortment.

This recipe can be found on the food network or see below.

Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Portobellos

Ingredients:

Portobellos:

2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, a drizzle
5 medium portobello mushroom caps
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Stuffing:

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small yellow skinned onion, chopped
1 pound fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
1 can, 6 to 8 count, 15 ounces, artichoke hearts in water, drained well on paper towels
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 to 6 sprigs fresh thyme, chopped, about 2 tablespoons
3 slices Italian bread, toasted and chopped into small cubes
1/2 cup packaged or canned chicken or vegetable stock
1/4 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, a handful

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add a drizzle of oil and the portobello caps. Season caps with salt and pepper, to taste, and cook 3 minutes on each side. Add balsamic to the pan and allow the vinegar to cook away as it coats the caps. Transfer balsamic glazed caps to a cookie sheet. Return pan to the stove and add oil, garlic and onion. Saute onions and garlic 3 minutes, add spinach to the pan and let it wilt. Coarsely chop artichoke hearts in the food processor and add to the spinach. Season veggies with salt and pepper and thyme. Add chopped toast and dampen stuffing with chicken or vegetable stock. Combine stuffing and sprinkle in a little grated cheese. Top each mushroom with 1/5 of the filling. Set mushrooms in oven for 5 minutes to set the filling. Cut each mushroom into 4 pieces and transfer to a serving dish.