I learned to play poker last year on the "girl's weekend" in Tofino, BC. I'll never forget learning how to play in the afternoon, thanks to Allison and then sitting down to our first real game after dinner. There were nine of us and most of us hadn't a clue about poker before that day. Shai came into the room wearing dark glasses and a head scarf, looking like a mysterious Indian princess at a casino in Monte Carlo. We took up playing and that first hand of Shai's was a true Royal Flush (the best hand possible in Poker)! Pictures of the cards were taken and phone calls made to husbands. I had no idea at the time that it was almost impossible to get that hand. We weren't sure if that was the biggest miracle of the weekend or if having three spring days in Tofino without rain was our real miracle!
I spoke to Shai last week and she mentioned that she was having the girls over for Poker on Saturday night and did I have any ideas for nibblies? As the girls bravely take up cards with her again, they deserve to be fed well, and I hope I am able to help!
The recipe for these stuffed mushrooms was taught to me in early high school by my friend Kristin's mom, Evie. I was at their home in Lake Orion, Michigan, visiting in the winter (their family cottage is three doors over from my parent' house and has been since we were three and two years of age) and her mom prepared these mushrooms for a little party they were having. The recipe was so good and so easy that I have made these mushrooms many, many times over the years. I remember making them for Mrs. Wurfel, who lived in our town at the time, when she asked me to help her out with some dinner parties. Every time I made the stuffed mushrooms they would be a hit. I guess those were my first catering jobs!
Stuffed Mushrooms
1 8-oz pkg. cream cheese (light cream cheese is fine too) at room temperature
1/3 c. green onions, chopped (or shallots are great too)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 T. butter
salt & pepper
About 20 mushrooms or so, more if they are smaller
Parmesan cheese for sprinkling on top, optional
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush mushrooms off with paper towel and remove stems. Chop meaty part of stems very fine ( I usually use the half of the stem that came from inside the mushroom). Place mushroom caps in a baking dish or on a baking sheet.
2. Melt butter in saute pan and add the chopped mushroom bits, green onions and garlic. Saute until soft and then add the cream cheese. Mash the mixture together and add salt & pepper. Taste for seasoning. Remove from the heat and place teaspoonfuls of the mixture in each cap. Don't taste too often or you will have too many mushrooms and not enough filling (voice of experience!). Sprinkle with parmesan if you like and then pop into the oven for 20 minutes or so. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes if you can wait. Move to clean serving plate and Voila!
*I don't think Evie used the parmesan but I sometimes add it just for an extra kick. If there are leftovers, heat them up the next day for lunch and they are every bit as good.
*These are great for making up ahead of time and popping into the oven at the last minute.
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