I am a sucker for stuffed mushrooms. Over the holidays I was on crutches after a nasty fall down a flight of stairs days after Thanksgiving. I had torn 3 ligaments and had multiple contusions and was just a big lumpy mess. I couldn’t walk even on crutches for about a week and then it was only as needed for weeks. When Christmas rolled around I was on crutches but I had to sit in order to cook. Stuffed mushrooms were something I could sit on a stool at the counter and make without too much moving around. So I decided to make the most wonderful indulgent ones I could for the Family Christmas party. I also planned on torturing my husband with recipes of it in the meantime. After multiple, and sometimes dry or bland, attempts at these. I found that this sauce I prepared, makes everything about the stuffed mushroom a million times more delicious. So don’t skimp and not add the sauce you will need it!

I brought them to the Christmas Party along with Chef Chloe’s Pumpkin Tiramisu for dessert. They were both a hit. The mushrooms were so well-loved that I overheard my cousin’s wife telling him he had to try the mushrooms they were ridiculous. (Which is good). He at them and was like these are awesome, who made them. Then I had to fess up that I made them and they were vegan and he said “Then I probably don’t want to know what is in them”. His wife said she did and to email her the recipe. The recipe was mailed out to several people and everyone went home happy!

RECIPE
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Sundried Tomato Bechamel Sauce: Preparation

1/3-1/2 of a small jar of sundried tomatoes in olive oil
Olive Oil
2 tbsp dehydrated Onions (or you can use onion powder or fresh if you choose)
1 tbsp Salt (to taste)
1 tsp Basil
1 8oz tub of Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese
1/2 block of Daiya Garlic Havarti Cheese (or Daiya Cheddar and add garlic to taste)
1/3 cup Tofutti Sour Supreme Sour Cream

Place saucepan on medium low. Add Sundried Tomatoes with oil, onions, and salt to a sauce pan until onions brown lightly (add extra olive oil if needed to cover bottom of pan thinly). Then add all other ingredients slowly (sour cream first the block cheese will splatter) and whisk until combined and melted. Chopping cheese will aid this process.

Stuffed Mushrooms: Preparation

9 large Portobello caps
1 package of Pepperidge Farms Herb Stuffing
2 cups hot water
2 tsp Thyme
2 tbsp salt ( I use Kosher)
Olive Oil Spray or Cooking Spray
Optional: Galaxy Foods Vegan Parmesan and Pecans/Walnuts

Spray a large lasagna pan with oil spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Take a spoon and scrape the black insides of 6 mushrooms into a large mixing bowl. Also use the stems and dice them and toss into bowl. Scrape the other 3 but you can toss out the insides so they don’t overwhelm the stuffing.

Place the mushrooms in the lasagna pan sprinkle with a pinch kosher salt and then spray with oil. Place in oven to soften them. It will take about 10 minutes or well they start to sweat into the bottom of the pan and create juice. Take out, drain, set aside.

Next add stuffing to the mushroom insides in mixing bowl. Add 1-2 tbsp salt and 1 tsp thyme. Add 2 cups of hot water.Toss until combined and all stuffing is wet and soft. You can add nuts here if you would like them for crunch.

Use a 1/2 cup scoop and add stuffing to the mushrooms. It will take between 1/2 and 1 cup to fill each.

Place in oven until crispy on top about 15-20 minutes. (Make sauce while they are in the oven to save time)

Take out, add sauce, sprinkle with thyme and parmesan, and serve.

XOXOX, The Hippie Gypsy