Mushrooms. I could seriously eat them every single day of the week. Their earthiness is something I find hard to resist, whether grilled, sauteed, or in this case, stuffed.
I remember making stuffed mushrooms as a kid, with a recipe of Mom’s that involved lots of gooey mozzarella cheese. It was a favorite appetizer that our family made for special occasions, and there were never any leftovers.
This recipe for Mushrooms Stuffed with Bacon, Blue Cheese, & Dried Cherry is a little more involved than the one from my childhood, but incredibly worth the extra time and effort. The meaty bites are packed with flavor. Lots of yummy flavor. I love how the salty bacon and blue cheese is offset by little pops of sweet dried cherry. It’s a fabulous coming together of tastes and textures. My “blue cheese is gross” oldest daughter even downed a few. There really is no resisting.
Ile de France sent me some of their beautiful Roquefort over the holidays. And I have proceeded to enjoy it sprinkled on green salads, on crackers with a drizzle of honey, and as a major component in the awesome Mushrooms Stuffed with Bacon, Blue Cheese, & Dried Cherry. Creamy and robust, this cheese is both versatile and delicious!
Disclosure: Thanks to Ile de France for providing me with yummy Roquefort to sample. You can find Ile de France on facebook and twitter. All text and opinions are my own.
Stuffed Mushrooms with Bacon & Blue Cheese
Ingredients
- 4 slices bacon
- 24 cremini mushrooms, 1½″ to 2″ diameter in size is ideal (about 12-14 ounces total)
- ¼ cup small-diced shallot
- 4 ounces full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature
- 4 ounces crumbled blue cheese
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves, plus additional leaves for garnish
- ⅓ cup small-diced dried cherries (I like the ones from Trader Joe’s)
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons dried bread crumbs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a skillet over medium heat, fry bacon until just crisp.
- While bacon is frying, brush mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel. Pop off the stems and finely mince them. Set aside the minced stems and caps.
- Once bacon is finished cooking, remove it to a paper towel-lined plate to cool. Add minced mushroom stems and diced shallots to the same skillet with the bacon drippings, and give a stir every now and then. Once they are softened (turn the heat down if they start to brown), about 6-8 minutes or so, remove them to another paper towel-lined plate to cool.
- In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese and blue cheese. Stir in the thyme, cherries, black pepper, and the cooled bacon, mushroom stems, and shallots.
- Divide cheesy stuffing mixture between the mushroom caps, pressing the stuffing into the caps and mounding it as needed, to use all of the stuffing mixture. Place stuffed mushrooms in a baking dish and sprinkle with a bit of bread crumbs.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until mushrooms are softened and the stuffing mixture is nicely browned.
- Serve hot/warm, with additional thyme leaves sprinkled over the top.
Bleu on a burger. Love.
YUM! Me, too! :)
I follow you on Twitter!
I like you on FB!
I love all kinds of cheese! One fave is provolone in anything hot and melty!
I HEART stuffed mushrooms- to die for!
Fontina is my fav! I like it baked for dipping!
I just shared the giveaway on Twitter (@bakeuplilsuzy). I may be getting carried away!
Now I’m following you on Twitter! (OK, this is fun)
And I just followed you on Facebook.
My favorite cheese is brie. Either with fruit and crackers, or in the world’s best grilled cheese with ham and apricot jam.
Cheese! What’s not to like. I suppose I am a big fan of anything that melts, but I am slowly loving bleu, especially on a wedge salad or with a steak.
H-m-m, cheese. I like all kinds, especially when it is warm and stringy. But,
connected with my memories with you, I would have to say cheese curds at the Minnesota State Fair!
Cheese curds! What a fabulous favorite, indeed!! :)
I would eat blue cheese sprinkled on a rock if you let me. I really go crazy when Ann brings home a wedge of Maytag (my favorite). My favorite way of preparing it is to make a Blue cheese salad dressing that was handed down from my aunt Marjie Bielmaier. So simple to make and extremely tasty.
Marjie. What a dear memory.
I also follow you on Twitter.
I’m a fan of A Farm Girl’s Dabbles on Fb (as pão e queijo blog).
It’s so hard just to choose one! I guess I would have to say Camembert or another soft-ripened cheese. So yummy.
i like sharp cheddar on broccoli or eggs
I will share you blog on facebook!!!
I’m a fan of Farm girl dabbles!!!
Every type of Cheese is a favorite, but if I have to pick one I would pick Brie Cheese
Gouda- on a simple grilled cheese sandwich