October and Halloween are now behind us and we are a week into the new month. November (my personal favorite month!) is here and my thoughts are all about Thanksgiving and getting together with family and friends. Given our love of cooking, it should not be surprising that I have been collecting and testing recipes that we are considering for the holiday menu. We typically get up early on the big day, have a hearty breakfast together and start making all the dishes for the main event while watching one of the Thanksgiving Day parades. Dinner won’t be served until later in the afternoon, so appetizers take the place of the midday meal.

Stuffed mushrooms are a perfect appetizer for lots of different occasions. Typically, they are stuffed with a sausage filling. That is very similar to the stuffing we usually make to go along with the turkey. So, the stuffed mushrooms appetizer before Thanksgiving dinner later this month needs a different filling. And, of course, it had to be something I haven’t done before so I could include it on the blog! (The stuffed mushrooms I have done in the past are Goat Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms and Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms.) I made these Spinach & Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms as an appetizer for dinner with friends last month. They went over very well. I think they will be an excellent choice for Thanksgiving in a few weeks, too!

Spinach & Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms

Spinach & Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms (adapted from tasteofhome.com) Total Time Required: 40 minutes, Prep Time: 20 min. Bake Time: 20 min., Makes about 2 – 3 dozen

Ingredients:

• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 14-ounce can water-packed artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained and finely chopped
• 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 3 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
• 30 to 35 large fresh mushrooms, stems removed
• additional shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Mix the cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, and garlic salt together in a medium bowl.

Mix together the mayo, sour cream and cream cheese.

Combine the artichoke hearts, spinach, mozzarella cheese, and 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese together in a large bowl.

Add the veggies to the cheeses.

Add the mayonnaise mixture to the spinach-artichoke-cheese mixture and combine well.

Add the mayo mixture to the veggie & cheese mixture.

Wash & destem the mushrooms.

Place the mushrooms in a Pyrex dish or on a baking sheet, stem side up. Spoon enough filling into each cap to completely fill it.

Add the filling to the mushroom caps.

Top the stuffed caps with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired. Bake until the mushrooms are tender, about 16-20 minutes. Serve immediately.

Appetizers are ready!

The Thanksgiving menu is coming together!  ~Linda

Spinach & Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms (adapted from tasteofhome.com) Total Time Required: 40 minutes, Prep Time: 20 min. Bake Time: 20 min., Makes about 2 – 3 dozen

Ingredients:

• 3 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 14-ounce can water-packed artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained and finely chopped
• 10 ounces frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1/3 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 3 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese
• 30 to 35 large fresh mushrooms, stems removed
• additional shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Mix the cream cheese, mayonnaise, sour cream, and garlic salt together in a medium bowl. Combine the artichoke hearts, spinach, mozzarella cheese, and 3 tablespoons Parmesan cheese together in a large bowl. Add the mayonnaise mixture to the spinach-artichoke-cheese mixture and combine well.

Place the mushrooms in a Pyrex dish or on a baking sheet, stem side up. Spoon enough filling into each cap to completely fill it. Top the stuffed caps with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired. Bake until the mushrooms are tender, about 16-20 minutes. Serve immediately.