Stuffed Mushrooms

10 – 20 large mushrooms – wipe them clean and pop out the stems (chop these up finely).

goat cheese, balsamic vinegar

cooked brown rice (about a cup)

an onion, 2 carrots, 2 stalks celery all chopped fine

stock of your choice (1/2 C), garlic (2 cloves pressed, wait 10′), dried fruit (1/4 C) toasted nuts or seeds (1/4 C) maybe wine? a few leaves of sage or rosemary

Sauté the onions, carrots and celery ’til a bit browned (called a mirepoix or soffrito depending on if you are feeling French or Italian) add the mushroom bits, 2 cloves of squished garlic, and sauté some more. Add the stock, dried fruit and nuts, herbs, a splash of wine and let it all get acquainted on low heat for a bit. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

meanwhile… put a tiny splash of balsamic vinegar in the bottom of each mushroom cape, add a small scoop of goat cheese, and then mound a handful of filling into each mushroom.

Bake at 350 for about 30 – 45 min.  (top with cheese if you’d like – parm or romano.)  OMGOMGOMG!  nomnomnom!

feel free to experiment and make this your own creation.