Spinach-Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms

Neither of us are vegetarians, but I am trying to incorporate more meat-free meals into our weekly menu. When I saw these on Pink Parsley, I thought they looked, and sounded delicious. I've always been wary of spinach-artichoke dip after a bad experience many, many years ago. Then I learned the dip was made with mayo, and that turned me off even more. But over the past year or so I've warmed up to it again, and couldn't wait to make these mushrooms.

This was such an easy meal to make, and it turned out absolutely delicious. Our grocery store only had one pack of portobello mushrooms, but I made the recipe as it was written, and put the rest in a small baking dish and we snacked on it with some baked tortilla chips. The best part about this was the red pepper flake in the filling. It doesn't add a lot of spice, just puts a little heat in the background. So go make these. And if you're not a fan of mushrooms, make the filling by itself and serve it at a party you may be having for a stupid football game in a couple of weeks...

Spinach-Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms
(Adapted from Pink Parsley)

Ingredients:

• 3 Tbs olive oil
• 4 garlic cloves; minced
• 4 medium portabello mushrooms; stems and gills removed
• 4 oz of softened cream cheese
• 3 T. plain Greek yogurt 
• 1 t. dried thyme
• 1/2 t. of red pepper flakes
• 10 oz frozen chopped spinach; thawed and squeezed dry
• 14.5 oz can of artichokes; drained, dried & chopped.
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
2. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil and the chopped garlic. 
3. Brush the insides of the mushroom caps with the mixture and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.  Arrange the mushrooms in a single layer on a baking sheet, oiled-side up. Roast until just tender, about 10 minutes. If the mushrooms gave off excess water, use a paper towel or kitchen towel to blot up the moisture.
4. While the mushrooms roast, mix the cream cheese, Greek yogurt, the thyme and the red pepper flakes in a medium bowl. Stir in the spinach and artichokes and season well with salt and pepper.
5. Toss the breadcrumbs and the panko with the remaining olive oil and garlic. 
6. Fill the mushroom caps with the artichoke-spinach mixture and top with the breadcrumbs. Bake until the crumbs are golden-brown, about 10-12 minutes. 
7. Serve immediately.