prosciutto and parmesan stuffed mushrooms

In my first week in Kansas City, my aunt Penny mentioned the idea of doing a dinner party with some of her girlfriends that follow my blog.  I was super excited about the idea and we immediately started planning.  You might think my indecisive nature would have made menu planning an exhausting process, but it surprisingly came together with ease.

We decided to do an appetizer and 3 small dishes instead of a main meal and it worked out perfectly.  The appetizer we chose was Prosciutto and Parmesan Stuffed Mushrooms, which were one of the favorites of the night.  Actually, everyone had a really hard time picking a favorite because every dish was great in its own way, but the mushrooms were definitely a stand-out.

One thing I really liked about these mushrooms was that the filling wasn't loaded with cream cheese or mayo like many of the recipes I browsed through.  They aren't health food by any means, but they ended up being an eye-appealing and yummy appetizer for entertaining, without being full of calories.  The fresh herbs and salty prosciutto added tons of flavor, and the white cheddar pulled them together perfectly.


Prosciutto and Parmesan Stuffed Mushrooms
Makes about 20 mushrooms


16 oz package of whole button mushrooms
3 tbsp salted butter
4 cloves minced garlic
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 tbsp fresh Parsley, chopped
1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs (store-bought or homemade breadcrumbs seasoned well with Italian spices)
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 thin slices of Prosciutto, sliced into small pieces
2 tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
kosher salt and pepper, to taste
1/3 cup shredded white cheddar


Directions:


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.


Pop out the stems from the mushroom caps.  Finely dice the stems and set aside.  Heat a saute pan and add 2 tbsp butter.  Toss the mushroom caps until they begin to release their liquid, and are partially cooked.  Be patient, as the mushrooms might take awhile to begin releasing their liquid.  Remove from the pan, and set on a baking sheet, open side up.


In same saute pan, add remaining tablespoon of butter and saute the green onions and garlic until softened slightly, about 3 minutes.  Add the diced mushroom stems and cook until all ingredients are softened.  Turn off heat.


In bowl, combine the mushroom and green onion mixture, bread crumbs, parsley, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste.  Lastly, add the grated parmesan and chopped prosciutto.


Stuff the caps with the mixture and top with grated white cheddar.

Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, until cheese is browned.