Sausage-stuffed Mushroom Caps

Here's another easy appetizer to help your holiday entertaining go a little smoother.  You just stuff them, bake them, and they're ready to go!

Here's what you'll need:
20 large mushrooms
olive oil
1 roll breakfast sausage
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper
1/2 c Panko breadcrumbs
1 c mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 375.

Wipe the dirt from the mushrooms with a damp paper towel.  Remove the stems; discard or save for another use.  Roll the mushroom caps in olive oil and place on sheet tray, hole side up.  Set aside.

Brown the sausage in a large skillet.  Add the onion and garlic, cooking until the onion is soft.

Remove from the heat.  Stir in the panko and the mozzarella.  Mix well.

Use a teaspoon to mound the filling into the hole and make a small mountain on the mushroom.

Bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes, until the top is crunchy and the mushroom begins to soften, but still holds it's shape.

Enjoy!

Mozzarella Nuggets

I'll be honest.  I started out attempting a recipe I saw on pinterest for fried mozzarella.  The recipe seemed a little too easy to be true.  And it was.  The results could be featured on "Pinterest Fails".  But I still wanted that cheesy goodness to go with my dinner, so I scoured my fridge and came up with these.

Here's what you'll need:
8 sticks of string cheese
1 tube thin-crust pizza dough
warm marinara sauce, for serving

Preheat oven to 425.

Cut each string cheese into three pieces.

Unroll the pizza crust and cut it into 24 squares.

Place on piece of cheese, diagonally, on a square of dough.

Roll the dough around the cheese until it's covered.  Then, squeeze tightly to seal the dough.  This is THE important step.  Some of mine weren't sealed, and the cheese leaked out when I baked them.  Place them on a sheet tray.

Bake at 425 for 10-12 minutes, until the dough is golden brown.

Serve with the marinara, as a snack or appetizer.  I served them with pasta as the bread.

Enjoy!