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<p>Stuffed mushrooms are one of those appetizers that are popular at a party or festive function. They&#8217;re a delicious bite-sized treat &#8212; and I say treat because there&#8217;s a decent amount of prep and work that goes into creating such a masterpiece with fungi (gross, but true).</p><p>For these baby Bella bites, gather about one dozen mini mushrooms, 1 package of cream cheese, shredded parmesan cheese, olive oil, salt, pepper and other seasonings. This is a recipe where you can add or take away different ingredients to suit personal tastes and dietary restrictions. Maybe toss in some bacon if you don&#8217;t plan on eating these on a Friday during Lent.</p><p>Full disclosure: I&#8217;ve always had some trouble sauteing garlic in olive oil without setting off a smoke alarm, so I called my cousin, Michele, for some help.</p><p>After a quick tutorial on how to saute garlic without burning it, she asked, &#8220;Did you clean the mushrooms with water?&#8221;</p><p>&#8220;Umm &#8230; of course I did,&#8221; I answered with authority.</p><p>&#8220;You&#8217;re not supposed to do that,&#8221; she gently scolded.</p><p>Mushrooms absorb water, so the less they come in contact with it, the better they&#8217;ll cook. It&#8217;s best to wipe them clean with a dry or slightly damp paper towel.</p><p>At least I know that for next time.</p><p>After the mushrooms are cleaned, remove the stems and and place the caps on a greased baking sheet. Chop the stems into tiny pieces removing any hard parts. Saute the stems in the garlic and olive oil until they become tender and slightly browned.</p><p>Add in cream cheese, then parmesan cheese to the mixture. Cook the mixture on low-to-medium heat for about 10 minutes.</p><p>Once the cheeses are melted and blended together, spoon about a teaspoon or more into the baby Bella caps. You can create a small mound of mixture in the tops. It won&#8217;t bubble over and make a mess (mine didn&#8217;t, so I&#8217;m pretty sure yours won&#8217;t).</p><p>Once your caps are stuffed, put them in a 350-degree oven and bake for about 15 minutes. Keep an eye on them to make sure they don&#8217;t burn.</p><p>When they come out of the oven, let them cool for a few minutes &#8212; otherwise you stand to suffer a scourged tongue and roof of your mouth.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Once the mushrooms stems are browned, add in parmesan and cream cheese and cook for about another 10 minutes. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_mixture-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Once the mushrooms stems are browned, add in parmesan and cream cheese and cook for about another 10 minutes. </caption0><photoCredit0>Sarah Haase | Times Leader </photoCredit0></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_mushcaps-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Clean the mushrooms, remove stems and place caps on a greased baking sheet. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo1>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_mushcaps-1.jpg</photo1><caption1>Clean the mushrooms, remove stems and place caps on a greased baking sheet. </caption1><photoCredit1>Sarah Haase | Times Leader </photoCredit1></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_mushingredients-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">For stuffed mushrooms, gather mushrooms, cream cheese, parmesan, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper and other spices. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo2>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_mushingredients-1.jpg</photo2><caption2>For stuffed mushrooms, gather mushrooms, cream cheese, parmesan, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper and other spices. </caption2><photoCredit2>Sarah Haase | Times Leader </photoCredit2></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_stuffedmush-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Stuff the mushroom caps with about 1 teaspoon of mixture. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo3>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_stuffedmush-1.jpg</photo3><caption3>Stuff the mushroom caps with about 1 teaspoon of mixture. </caption3><photoCredit3>Sarah Haase | Times Leader </photoCredit3></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_sautemush-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Saute garlic, olive oil and chopped mushroom caps before adding in cheeses. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo4>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_sautemush-1.jpg</photo4><caption4>Saute garlic, olive oil and chopped mushroom caps before adding in cheeses. </caption4><photoCredit4>Sarah Haase | Times Leader </photoCredit4></div><div class="neFile"><img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_finished-1.jpg">
<div class="neCaption">Bake the stuffed mushroom caps for about 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo5>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/02/web1_finished-1.jpg</photo5><caption5>Bake the stuffed mushroom caps for about 15 minutes or until the tops are golden brown. </caption5><photoCredit5>Sarah Haase | Times Leader </photoCredit5></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><subheadMeta>Stuffed mushrooms are a fancy treat for a festive party</subheadMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Sarah Haase</p><p>shaase@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><factboxMeta><p><strong>INGREDIENTS</strong></p><p>10-12 baby bella mushroom caps</p><p>1 16 oz. package cream cheese</p><p>1/2 cup grated parmesan</p><p>1 teaspoon olive oil</p><p>2-3 crushed garlic cloves</p><p>salt</p><p>pepper</p><p>oregano</p><p><strong>PROCEDURE</strong></p><p>Clean and de-stem mushrooms. Place caps on a greased baking sheet. Chop stems into tiny pieces. Saute stems in garlic and olive oil. Add cream cheese, parmesan, salt, pepper and oregano. Saute for another 10 minutes. Stuff caps with mixture and place in a 350 degree oven. Bake until golden brown.</p></factboxMeta></div>

Test Kitchen: Try these baby bella bites to jazz up your next festive party