Sometimes recipes just start coming together in your head and you hope the end result is a good as you are imagining it to be; sometimes those kinds of things flop but sometimes, oh sometimes they are better then you even imagined. This, my friends is one of those times. I was grocery shopping a couple of weeks ago and I spotted some sun dried tomatoes, not usually my kind of thing but they screamed buy me. Then a few days ago I saw these big beautiful portabella mushroom caps and my brain just went crazy, what ensued was a beautiful thing. Now, there are a number of ways you could stuff a mushroom cap, but I believe this to be the correct way. Is the bacon necessary? Yes. I mean, you don’t HAVE to add it, but that would just be silly. I had this as an entree with a salad and some crusty bread, but it would be perfect as an appetizer made with regular portabella caps.

Stuffed Portabella Mushroom  (Print Me)

Yield: 2 large stuffed mushrooms

Ingredients:
2 very large portabella mushroom caps, or several smaller caps
4 cups fresh spinach leaves
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup chopped bacon (a little more then 1/2 a pound cooked)
1/2 cup feta cheese
Salt & Pepper
Balsamic glaze*

Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350º. Clean and stem mushroom caps and par-cook for about 15 minutes until softened (for smaller caps reduce to about 7 minutes). When caps are softened remove from oven and set aside.

In a large pan over medium high, heat some of the left over bacon grease (or olive oil) and quickly sauté the spinach leaves and minced garlic for a minute or so just until leaves are wilted and garlic is fragrant.

In a medium bowl mix the sun dried tomatoes, bacon and spinach to combine. Season with salt and pepper then add feta and lightly mix to incorporate. Place mixture into mushroom caps and put back into the oven for about 15 minutes (7 for smaller) until heated through.

Remove from oven, drizzle with balsamic glaze and serve immediately.

*To make balsamic glaze reduce balsamic vinegar for 15-25 minutes until it is syrupy and coats a spoon. The vinegar will reduce by about 2/3 so start with more then you think you will need.

Source: Brooke’s Original Recipe