With the holidays fast approaching I can't help but think about all of the good things I'm planning on eating. My mom always taught me that when others invite you into their home for a party, dinner, or just a get-together, you need to bring something for the gathering. Appetizers are always a good option because no one will turn down food! 

An old favorite of mine, but still a delicious one, is stuffed mushrooms. They are very versatile from beef to pork or mixtures of cheeses and herbs, you can use what you have on hand and adapt the recipe to your liking.

My recipe for beef stuffed mushrooms use sage and smoked gouda cheese. The ground beef is relatively cheap and adds extra protein to the dish, rather than filling up on straight carbs. 

After I clean the mushrooms and remove the stems, I chop the stems in a food processor to add back into the filling. What I love about this step is that it reduces waste and gives you the most bang for your buck. 

The seasoned beef is then used to fill the hole in the cap of the mushrooms. If I have any extra filling leftover, I either save it for later or make meatballs out of it. 
Sometimes if I am craving stuffed mushrooms for an entree I will make the filling and stuff portobello caps instead of button mushrooms. 

Just a few more tips and tricks when making these stuffed mushrooms:

• These can be made up to two days in advance. After filling the caps, cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and refrigerate. When you are ready to bake, remove the plastic or foil and bake.

• If you plan on making the recipe for a more sophisticated pallet, try substituting the smoked gouda for blue cheese. It pairs really well with beef.

• When platting the finished dish, finely chop extra sage or parsley to sprinkle over the top. The vibrant green really adds another dimension to the final product making them picture perfect.

Beef Stuffed Mushrooms 

Ingredients:

1/2 pound ground beef

36 small cremini mushrooms

1/3 cup smoked gouda, shredded

¼ soft bread crumbs

3 tablespoons chopped sage

2 teaspoons steak seasoning

minced fresh sage for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Remove and reserve stems from mushrooms. Place mushroom caps on a greased baking sheet and season with salt; set aside.

2. Mince stems to yield ½ cup: discard remaining stems.

3. Combine beef, gouda, bread crumbs, sage, and seasoning. Spoon mixture evenly into caps.

4. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle with additional sage for garnish, if desired.