Stuffed Mushrooms and a voyage of rediscovery

Honestly I couldn't think what to title this, sometimes that's the hardest part of doing a blog.    This past week or so I've been on a voyage, well, I've been unpacking boxes and finding some forgotten treasures and rediscovering old friends, and basically having a blast.

When we sold our house and put stuff in storage we only imagined it being there for a period of a year or so, but here it is four years later, and actually some of this stuff has been packed away a lot longer than that.  I have boxes that say "Packed in 2000", but the main stuff, it's only been there for about 4 years.   I kept some out and stocked our MH with necessities, but along the way things changed and I had to buy  a couple of pyrex dishes and other necessities, and ended up with a lot more stuff than I realized, especially when it came to unpacking the kitchen stuff I'd packed away.

I am now the proud owner of three blenders, one of which I bought during our travels because I needed one, and the other two had been packed away, because I hardly ever used them so...   I've found three coffee makers, one new in the box, which is identical to our everyday one which I like, so, I can use the one, and keep the new one packed away until this one gives up the ghost.   I finally have access to my HUMONGOUS stock pot, (20 quart one), that my DH gave it to me for Christmas one year when I told him I wanted a large stock pot, so he did, get me a large one that is.   I didn't know stock pots for household use came that big, lol.   But I use it.   And it's just big enough for that turkey carcass after Thanksgiving, you can make a lot of stock with that.  And I've even used it since it was unearthed.   I found my little scale that I use to weigh flour and dry ingredients on, I used it a lot when I baked some of the Danish recipes, that will work out much better than the postal scale I was using.   It doesn't take batteries and comes with a nice little tray on top I can put a couple hundred grams of flour in. 

I love being able to have access to my pretty serving dishes again, and some of the specialty baking tins, there is a tart pan that is screaming to be used, as well as the mini tart pans.   And I will use them.  Just not at the moment.

I had a birthday party to go to the other day so I had to come up with something to take and decided to use up all the mushrooms I bought last week.  I still had a nice chunk of Swiss cheese in the fridge, and some cream cheese and with those mushrooms, Stuffed Mushrooms came to mind,  it seemed a natural to me.   I  also  made some Blooming Onion bread, the last time I made it, people loved it. Which was back in May, so decided it was time for that again. 

Stuffed Mushrooms
1 lb. fresh mushrooms, wiped clean
8 oz. cream cheese
stems from the mushrooms
1 cup grated Swiss Cheese
1/2 doz. chopped green onions or scallions
1-2 cloves fresh garlic
Panko bread crumbs
Butter

Prepare the mushrooms by wiping them off, and then using a twisting motion, take out the stem and set aside.   Place the mushrooms in an oven proof pan, stem side down, and bake for about ten minutes, take out and let cool while preparing the filling.

Place the mushrooms on a cooling rack inside the pan you baked them in and let the moisture drain out after they've cooked for the ten minutes.

Collect that juice and add to the filling.  This is good stuff.

Chop the mushroom stems, I do this by cutting them lengthwise in several slices, then turning them and cutting again while holding the stem together.  Then I cut them crosswise and it makes for a very nice dice.

 Throw them in the pan with the mushroom juice and a cube of butter, about a tablespoon or so.

Saute them for a little bit and add some diced scallions, a minced clove of garlic, then add some cream cheese, about 8 ounces or so.  Turn off the heat.

Stir it around until it's all melted together, then add a cup of grated Swiss Cheese.  Stir it all together and by now you're ready to stuff those mushrooms.

Mound a good tablespoon or more into each mushroom cap, and round them off.   Dip the top of the mushroom filling into a bowl filled with some panko crumbs that you've mixed with some melted butter.

Then place them in the baking pan and bake for about 10 or 15 minutes, until the cheese has melted.

If the tops haven't browned up, place them under the broiler for just a minute or so.

And serve to your guests.   I have to say, these disappeared in short order, and they were suitable for the vegetarians in the group.