New Years Appetizer Recipes: Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

 

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Ingredients:

Yields 24 mushrooms

24 gourmet mushroom caps (stems cut off; set aside brushed with a damp towel)

1 tablespoon Extra-virgin olive oil

Pepper

Salt

For Stuffing:

3/4 pound Sweet bulk Italian sausage

3 slices White bread, toasted, buttered, and chopped into small pieces

20 Mushroom stems, finely chopped

1 10 oz. box Frozen spinach, defrosted, squeezed dry, and finely chopped

1 rib Leafy part of celery and green, finely chopped)

½ red bell pepper small sized; seeded; finely chopped

4 cloves Garlic, finely chopped

½ small onion, finely chopped

1/3 cup grated Romano or Parmigiano cheese

1 1/2 teaspoons Extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F.
2. Take a large frying pan and heat it over medium-high heat. Pour extra-virgin olive oil and add mushroom caps into it. Then, add pepper and salt for seasoning the mushrooms.
3. Saute the mushroom caps until they turn light brown and their edges become tender or for 5 to 7 minutes. Turn the caps up so that the juices get drained away from them.
4. Take a nonstick baking sheet and place the caps there. Clean the frying pan and heat it again over medium-high heat.
5. Heat extra-virgin olive oil to the frying pan and add sausage into it. Cook for 3 minutes or until the sausage becomes brown and crumble.
6. Take a food processor and pulse to chop garlic cloves, mushroom stems, red bell pepper, onion, and celery gradually.
7. Add this vegetable mixture into the frying pan and sauté for 3 to 5 minutes. Keep the heat at medium-high level. Put spinach into the mixture and gradually add bread and cheese. Cook and occasionally toss the stuffing for 2 to 3 minutes or until the bread is soggy and all the ingredients start sticking together. Stop the heat.
8. Use a spoon to fill the caps with stuffing. Now, transfer the caps to the preheated oven and reduce the heat to 400°F. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes. The baking will set the stuffing inside the caps and make the stuffing edges crisp.
9. Serve the stuffed mushrooms hot!

More Easy Appetizer Recipes

Toasted Ravioli Recipe

Maple Glazed Meatballs

Our Best Appetizer Ideas

If you are looking for more quick appetizers that are delicious check out our Thanksgiving Appetizers post filled with creative dishes like Apricots with Bleu Cheese!

These stuffed mushrooms are meant to be a hit either you make them on the Christmas Eve or serve as a New Years Party dish or for your next party into the New Year! You can also use the leftover stuffing in your next day’s breakfast burritos and to stuff pork chops that you might like to try on a nice evening.

For more Snack Ideas on Stagetecture for your next party, click here.

With fall on its way and holidays knocking on our doors, it’s likely that you would want to make this Pumpkin Pie Dip recipe. Not only, do they taste great, they are very quick and easy to make. We point you three fall themed dips and sauces that really stand out and can be made ahead for a stress free entertaining.

Perfect Autumn Dessert: Pumpkin Pie Dip

Image credit: Rachel Cooks

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Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Yields: 30 servings

Ingredients:

8 ounces softened cream cheese

2 cups powdered sugar

1-cup pumpkin canned

1-teaspoon ground cinnamon

1-teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

½-cup sour cream

½-teaspoon ground ginger

Green apples or gingersnap cookies

Procedure:

1. In a bowl, beat powdered sugar and cream cheese until smooth.

2. Add pumpkin, cinnamon, sour cream, pumpkin spice and ginger. Beat until blended.

3. Refrigerate. Serve with apples or gingersnaps.

For more food recipes on Stagetecture, click here.

Bored of your usual breakfast or snack ideas? What about giving a kids a snack they will enjoy after school, or running off to the school bus in the morning? Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. This is why you have to make sure that you serve only nutritious and delicious meal for you and your family.

If you are looking for a great breakfast option, try this Walnut Cream Cheese on Raisin Bread recipe. This recipe is packed with flavors and nutrition that you are looking for in your breakfast meal. Also, you don’t have to worry about your cooking skills. The Walnut Cream Cheese on Raisin Bread recipe is so easy to make. You just have to follow a few steps and you can serve it in no time.

Walnut Cream Cheese on Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Image via: Coastal Living

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Ingredients

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup toasted walnuts, chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 8 cinnamon-raisin bread slices
• Butter, softened

Procedure

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Spread cream cheese mixture on 4 bread slices; top with remaining 4 bread slices.
2. Spread outside of sandwiches with softened butter. Cook in a nonstick skillet over medium heat 2 minutes on each side or until cheese melts and bread is golden brown.

The whole process should yield around 4 servings of the delicious Walnut Cream Cheese on Raisin Bread. If you want to do more, feel free to double up the ingredients and you’ll surely have more people to impress. You will definitely love the simple steps involve in making this recipe. And don’t forget how quick it is to actually complete the Walnut Cream Cheese on Raisin Bread ready to serve. So, next time that you serve breakfast to the whole family, consider Walnut Cream Cheese on Raisin Bread. This recipe will definitely satisfy their taste buds and make it their new breakfast favorite.

For more recipes on Stagetecture, click here.

Taters for your tots! Potato tots or tater tots have been a great treat for kids, and even for adults as well.  These deep fried pops of goodness are quick to make and great to enjoy.  This recipe has a twist though instead of regular potatoes it calls for sweet potatoes for the tots.  So you not only get the salty crunch but there is a bursting inside of sweetness added to the taste!  So round up the family and get to eating!

Image via: Little Leopard Book

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Servings: 75-80 tots

Total time: 1hr. 10 min.

Ingredients

2 pounds of Sweet Potatoes
2 tablespoons of Flour
2 Green Onions, green and white parts, minced
1 teaspoon of Salt
A few grind of Black Pepper
Mild-flavored Oil for Deep Frying

Image via: Philly

Instructions

1. Wash the sweet potatoes very well, then take out a pot and put the potatoes in it covering them with water.  Bring the pot to a simmer on medium heat and cook until potatoes are tender firm.  With a knife pierce the potato with a little resistance.
2. Take the pot away from the heat and let them cool, once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, begin to grate the skins on them.  Now it will be fine if some shreds of skin are left on the potato after the grating is down then mix them with the onion, salt, pepper, and flour.

3. Mix and mash it well enough to create a firm dough.
4. Time for shaping the tots: Take a rounded teaspoon of the potato mixture in your hand.  Then squeeze and squash it together.  Next, roll it into a log, stopping along the way to flatten the ends into a stubby little barrel shape with your thumb and forefinger. Roll and flatten the ends again.

Fill a small saucepan with enough oil that the tot will be submerged in.  Again heat over a medium heat until it is very hot.  Start putting the tots into the oil and it should immediately begin to bubble and sizzle, leave the tots in the oil for about 5 min so they can turn a golden brown.

(If they are turning brown to quickly then turn down the heat, if the opposite is happening and they are not bubbling right away then turn up the heat.) And remember not to crowd them in a pan.

5.  Once the tots are done use a draining spoon to take them out of the hot saucepan and onto a cooling rack or paper bags.

If you like some dip, mix together vegenaise, ketchup, and chipotle powder.

For more recipes on Stagetecture, click here.

Are you looking for a unique and delicious snack recipe? Try this combo treat of Apricot and Feta spread, perfect on an English muffin! Just imagine the soft and tender muffin is packed with bits of Apricot preserves and then randomly spread with tasty Feta. This combination will surely capture anyone’s diet.

The flavorful blend of sweet, salty and crunchy bite of English muffins with apricot preserves and feta spread can be your all-time favorite snack. Aside from its delicious taste and mouth-watering aroma, you will be amazed to know how simple it is making this recipe.

Apricot Preserves and Feta Spread Recipe

Image and recipe via

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Ingredients

• 4 ounce block feta cheese
• 4 ounces cream cheese (at room temperature)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons good-quality olive oil
• 4 English muffins, split and toasted
• 1/4 cup apricot preserves
• 1/4 cup Marcona almonds

Directions

1. Prepare all the ingredients and ensure the cleanliness of the cooking tools and utensils.
2. Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, feta cheese, and olive oil until soft and fluffy. Be careful in doing this step as you might spill out some of the ingredients and make a mess in your kitchen. Start with slow speed setting then slowly advance to the nest.
3. Spread a dollop of the feta mixture in the English muffin and then followed by a dollop of apricot preserves and a few almonds. Make sure that you will distribute the apricot preserves and the almonds evenly so that all muffins have pieces of each bit. Continue with remaining English muffins.

Savor your first bite and you will surely forget all the flavored muffins you tried before. The whole ingredients can make around four to six muffins depending on the size of your molder. The English muffins with apricot preserves and feta spread can be a welcome variation of your typical muffin recipe.

For more food recipes and international cuisine, click here.

Need a healthy alternative to typical Buffalo chicken? Check out these delicious cauliflower bites  recipe that are made in the traditional way that chicken would be made!! Yummy… you may not feel quite as guilty eating these bite-sized veggie delights!

Thanks Buns in My Oven blog for the wonderful idea!

Buffalo “Chicken” Cauliflower Bites

All images via

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Ingredients

• 1 head of cauliflower, chopped into pieces
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup milk
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup Frank’s Red Hot Sauce
• 2 tablespoons butter

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Mix together the flour, milk, garlic powder, and salt to form a thin batter.
3. Coat the cauliflower pieces in the batter and place on a shallow baking sheet.
4. Bake for 18 minutes.
5. While the cauliflower is baking, heat the hot sauce and butter together over low heat until the butter has melted.
6. Toss the baked cauliflower gently in the hot sauce mixture.
7. Return to the baking sheet and bake for another 5 minutes.
8. Serve with ranch dressing or blue cheese, for dipping.

For more food recipes on Stagetecture, click here.

So, what’s for dinner? Simple question that sometimes may be so hard to answer. But this recipe can help you out with this problem. The Chicken Fingers with Curried Ketchup can rejuvenate your body from the stress brought about by work or school activities. This is very easy to prepare and quick recipe to cook.

Chicken Fingers with Curried Ketchup Recipe

Thanks Food Network for this yummy recipe for Chicken Fingers with Curried Ketchup

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Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons curry powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• Kosher salt
• 2 cups panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• 3 skinless, boneless chicken breasts (1 1/2 to 1 3/4 pounds), cut into 1-inch-wide strips
• 1 bunch broccoli, cut into florets
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• Juice of 1 lime

Image via

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Set a rack on a baking sheet and mist with cooking spray. Whisk the eggs, mustard, 1 teaspoon curry powder, the cumin and 1 teaspoon salt in a shallow bowl. Mix the panko with 1/2 teaspoon curry powder in another bowl.
2. Dip the chicken strips in the egg mixture, letting the excess drip off, then coat with the panko. Place the chicken on the rack and mist all over with cooking spray. Bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, bring about 1 inch of water to a boil in a large pot with a steamer rack or basket in place. Add the broccoli, cover and steam until crisp-tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Mix the ketchup, lime juice and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon curry powder in a small bowl. Serve the chicken strips with the curried ketchup and broccoli.

This is a perfect recipe for the whole family. The ingredients are all available in your nearest supermarkets. It’s a crunchy and tasty dinner treat to seal the day. You may add some spice like chili powder if you want it hot and spicy. Go ahead and give your whole family a treat!

For more food recipes on Stagetecture, click here.

For the next 2 weeks the world will be eating, sleeping, tweeting, and drinking in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, England.  Whether you are a fan of sports or not, you can’t help to get into the spirit of the world gathering the best of the best to compete and have the world celebrate them!

Image via

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Today, as I gathered my snacks and drinks I thought – what a good idea it would be to have simple snack & cocktail ideas to cheer on the world with?! Here are a few I found, let me know if you have some great ones to add!

Having a big Olympics party? Bring on the finger foods!

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Having a sit down party – Use the drinks as a centerpiece

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Healthy finger foods displayed beautifully is a hit for any party

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For more entertaining ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

The 4th of July holiday is a celebration of our nation’s first steps toward sovereignty and freedom when the Founding Fathers drafted and signed the Declaration of Independence. Every year families and friends gather together congregating in the backyard for fun, food and good times. The smell of delicious and flavorful foods being cooked over the grill drifts through the air and into the olfactory systems of everyone within the area.

Image via: Pottery Barn

Because the 4th of July is all about traditions, values and freedom, many backyard get together feasts consist of old, reliable and comforting dishes like hamburgers, hot dogs, corn on the cob, potato salad, deviled eggs, and apple pie. Often the decorating and tableware reflect the event of the day with red, white and blue items and US flags hung for all to see. This color theme is generally carried over into the dessert dishes to liven up the festivities and enhance the significance of the day.

Now to get down to the nitty-gritty purpose of this article – creating a memorable and delightful 4th of July culinary concoctions certain to bring a smile to all your guests and have them begging for seconds.

Image via: Bower Power

Condiments and dips 

Fresh hamburger and hotdog buns, ketchup, mayonnaise, mustard, sweet and/or dill pickle relish, iceberg lettuce leaves, sliced tomatoes, butter/margarine, seasoned salt, BBQ sauce, sliced red onions, cheese slices assortment (American, Cheddar, Swiss and Monterrey Jack), guacamole (see recipe below), sliced pickles, chili con carne (get your favorite brand), and salsa (again, get your favorite brand). Have all of these items prepared and laid out like an assembly line with the plates and cutlery at one end so your guests know where to begin fixing their plates.

Hamburgers

Get enough raw hamburger meat (preferably ground chuck) to feed at least one 5 – 6 oz. patty to each person. In a large bowl crumble up the raw hamburger and then add the following ingredients for each 2 pounds of meat: 1 – egg, 2 – T black pepper, 1 – T onion powder, 3 – T Worcestershire sauce, 3 – dashes of salt. You will want to get the BBQ grill started and hot before consider cooking. A hot grill will sear or seal in the juices of the meat. Be sure to not pack the patties too hard or tight and also place a small thumb indentation in the center of each patty. Once the grill is good and hot, place the patties on there and let them cook for 5 to 6 minutes on side – only turn once and DO NOT smash or squish the patties with the spatula as this will cause them to dry out. A good burger is moist and juicy not charred and dry.

Hotdogs 

Grilling hotdogs is relatively easy and affords no preparation work. Choose your favorite hotdog brand at the grocery figuring 1 to 2 dogs per person (I recommend getting the “all-beef” marked). Again, you want a hot grill before you begin cooking. Place the hotdogs individually separated on the grill and let them cook. Turn them every 2 minutes until they reach a nice pinkish red color, a plumped up and have grill or char lines on them.

Image via: HWTM

Corn on the cob

On your kitchen stove, heat a large caldron of water to boiling. Add in ½ cup of sugar and stir until dissolved. Now place as many ears of corn as possible (leave room for movement – do not stuff them in there solid). Once the water begins to boil again, start your timer at 8 minutes and let the corn cook. After the time ends, remove the corn from the pot and spread and roll the butter/margarine all over the ear of corn. Add seasoned salt to taste.

Potato Salad

Use 4 to 5 pounds of red potatoes. Remove the peeling and slice the potatoes into the size of 1” to 2” cubes. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add 2 – T of salt to the water. Once boiling, add in all of the chopped potatoes. Let them boil until tender (about 15 minutes). Place 2 eggs in another pot of water and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover the pot and remove from the heat and let the eggs steep for 12 minutes. Place the now hard-boiled eggs under cool running water and let me cool off until you can pick them up and peel the shell off. Chop up one small red onion, 4 celery stalks, and a small (16 oz. jar) of sweet pickles. Pour the potatoes out of the pot and into a colander and them return them to the empty pot. Add in the chopped eggs, red onion, celery, sweet pickles, 1 cup of mustard, ¾ cup of mayonnaise, 1 – T of salt and 1 – T of black pepper. Use a large spoon to mix everything together. Pour the potato salad into a serving bowl, cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 5 hours to cool.

Deviled Eggs

In a large pot of water, place 1 dozen eggs, 1 – T of vinegar and bring to a rolling boil. Once boiling, cover the pot and remove from the heat. Let the cover pot stand for 12 minutes so the eggs will be hard-boiled. When done, place the pot of boiled eggs in the sink and run cold water over the eggs until they are cool. Now, remove the shell from each egg and slice each one in half lengthwise. Gently remove the yolk from both halves and place them in a small bowl. Using a potato smasher, mash up the cooked yolks and then add in 1 – tsp salt, 1 – ½ tsp red pepper, ¼ cup sweet pickle relish, 1 – ½ tsp onion powder, and 1 – ¼ cup mayonnaise. Mix all together and spoon mixture into each egg white half where the yolk was. Sprinkle each deviled egg with paprika. Place in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 hours to cool and set.

Image via: Pinterest

Apple Pie

You have already made several wonderful homemade dishes, so why not buy a nice frozen or freshly made apple pie at the grocery or bakery.

And there you have it – the quintessential 4th of July menu – all favorites and all easy to do.

For more 4th of July ideas on Stagetecture, click here.

Happy DIY Saturday! Today we are talking about the 4th of July, and after fireworks what is the best part about the holiday? (Well except for being off of work))…. FOOD!! Whether you are having a barbecue in your backyard or you’re visiting your neighbors party make sure you don’t show up empty handed.

Image via: Skinny Taste

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I think patriotic red, white, and blue desserts are the best! There are so many ideas to create simple and delicious treats for your friends, family and neighbors. Today, watch a video from Hershey’s Kitchens for creative desserts, and then take a look at Martha Stewart’s ideas for some festive 4th of July desserts!

Happy 4th of July everyone!

Video – Patriotic Recipes from Hershey’s Kitchens

Image via: Party City

4th of July Desserts from Martha Stewart

Red, White and Blue Berry Trifle

Image via: Martha Stewart

Ingredients

Directions

Cook’s Note

We used cake sparklers on this trifle. They should only be used outdoors, according to package instructions; alternatively, look for sparkle candles, which will give you a similar look. Both are available from many online baking-supply stores. Recipe via

Fireworks Cookies

Image: Martha Stewart

Ingredients

• FOR THE COOKIES

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • Coarse salt
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Directions

1. Make the cookies: Sift flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt into a large bowl.
2. Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture, then vanilla. Refrigerate dough, wrapped in plastic wrap, for at least 1 hour.
3. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Roll out dough to a scant 1/4-inch thickness on a floured surface. Cut out cookies using a 1 3/4-, 2 1/4-, 2 3/4-, or 3 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, rerolling scraps once. Transfer to a baking sheet. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
4. Bake until edges just start to brown, 17 to 19 minutes. Transfer cookies to a wire rack, and let cool completely.
5. Decorate the cookies: Pipe an outline of white icing around edge of 1 cookie, leaving a 1/4-inch border, then “flood” with more white icing to cover.
6. Immediately pipe a red or blue dot in the center of cookie. Then pipe concentric rings of colors around the center dot (using the same color as the dot, or alternating colors).
7. Immediately drag a toothpick through the colors to create bursts, starting from the center dot and working toward the edge, then alternate dragging inward and outward as you work around the cookie. (Or drag around the cookie in 1 direction or curve the lines for a pinwheel effect.) Let dry. Repeat with remaining cookies and icings. Recipe via

For more 4th of July crafts, ideas, and recipes on Stagetecture, click here.

For more DIY Saturday ideas, see Stagetecture’s You Tube Channel!