Italian Stuffed Mushrooms

 

36

medium whole fresh mushrooms (1 pound)

2

tablespoons butter or margarine

1/4

cup chopped green onion (3 medium)

1/4

cup chopped red bell pepper

1 1/2

cups soft bread crumbs

2

teaspoons Italian seasoning

1/4

teaspoon salt

1/4

teaspoon pepper

1

tablespoon butter or margarine

Grated Parmesan cheese, if desired

• 1 Heat oven to 350ºF.
• 2 Twist mushroom stems to remove from mushroom caps. Finely chop enough stems to measure 1/3 cup. Reserve mushroom caps.
• 3 Melt 2 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chopped mushroom stems, onions and bell pepper in butter about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are softened; remove from heat. Stir in bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Fill mushroom caps with bread crumb mixture.
• 4 Melt 1 tablespoon butter in rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches, in oven. Place mushrooms, filled sides up, in pan. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 15 minutes.
• 5 Set oven control to Broil. Broil mushrooms with tops 3 to 4 inches from heat about 2 minutes or until tops are light brown. Serve hot.