Gluten Free Stuffed Mushrooms

We had a fabulous Thanksgiving dinner. It was simple and somewhat traditional. Well, traditional for my family; your traditions are probably different and that is what I love about family traditions. I served a natural, free-range turkey, gravy (thanks for the help Gluten Free Girl and Chef!), mashed potatoes, and veggies (Brussels sprouts, asparagus).

And, instead of stuffing this year, I made stuffed mushrooms. Wow! They were tasty fine! I adapted the recipe from Ina Garten and they were a big hit. They would be a great appetizer to take to a party this holiday season (or anytime) .

Ina had originally marinated her mushrooms in Marsala and olive oil. She suggested that sherry would sub for the Marsala, but upon smelling my sherry, I decided that wouldn't work for my group. I used my favorite Italian vinaigrette (Garlic Expressions Classic Vinaigrette) with fantastic results. The mushrooms were tasty just with that.

Ina also called for marscarpone cheese which may not always be easy to find. I did use marscarpone, but you could substitute 1/2 part cream cheese + 1/2 part sour cream to get the right consistency.

Gluten Free Stuffed Mushrooms

16-20 large white or brown mushrooms
1/2 C GF Italian vinaigrette (I used Garlic Lovers, but any light colored Italian would work)
12 oz Italian sausage (hot or sweet)
1/4 C minced green onions (white and green parts)
2 garlic cloves minced
1/2 to 2/3 C GF plain breadcrumbs (I toasted a piece of bread and processed it into crumbs)
5 oz marscarpone cheese
1/3 C grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Clean the mushrooms with a dry brush or paper towel (do not wash them!). Remove the stems and finely chop. Set aside.

Place mushroom caps in a large bowl and toss with vinaigrette. Set aside to marinate.

Saute sausage over medium heat, breaking up and crumbling until browned, about 7-10 minutes. Stir in chopped mushroom stems and saute for 2-3 minutes. Add in the garlic and green onions and continue to saute for 2-3 more minutes. Add the GF breadcrumbs and stir to combine. Add the marscarpone and continue cooking until it melts into the mixture, making it creamy. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly. At this point add in the Parmesan cheese. You do this off heat so the stuffing mixture doesn't stick to the pan too much. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Allow to cool until you are comfortable handling it for stuffing into the mushroom caps. Fill each one with as much stuffing as possible. Arrange the stuffed caps in a baking dish (I used my large lasagna pan). These should be a tight, single layer. Bake until the stuffing is browned, 35-40 minutes.

Yummy! Enjoy!