Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

Today in my kitchen I would like to share a recipe with you for a Stuffed Portabella Mushroom that is a terrific main event dish.  

I first made stuffing for a turkey when I was 17 years old and it was for a school project.  I planned and prepared Thanksgiving dinner for 9 people.  This was quite an undertaking but at the time I didn’t think about it, I just did it.  The only thing that made me a little nervous was that I included my boyfriend (now my husband) and his parents.  I got an A+ on the project.  With Betty (that’s my Betty Crocker Cookbook) by my side, I could make anything in the kitchen.  Over the years I have altered and adjusted many recipes that originated in Betty’s book. Here is my present stuffing recipe...

                                    BREAD STUFFING 

16  ounces dry stuffing croutons (approximately)

1/2 cup margarine

1 large onion, chopped fine

3 stalks celery, chopped fine

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

1 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

2 15 ounce cans chicken or vegetable broth

salt and pepper to taste

Melt margarine in large fry pan, sauté onion and celery until yellow.  Add the poultry seasoning, parsley and broth.  Combine croutons lightly with mixture and use to stuff turkey, chicken or mushrooms.  

Since our oldest son and his family are vegetarians I use my stuffing to stuff large Portabella Mushrooms.  I wipe them clean and remove the black 'gills' .  Then rub them with olive oil, mound up the stuffing and  put them in the oven at 350˚ for around 30 minutes.  That should be long enough to make the stuffing crispy on top, cook the mushrooms slightly and finish up dinner. I round out our Thanksgiving with our family favorite side dishes and, of course, pumpkin pie for dessert.