Baked Portobellos
I have mentioned in the past my long relationship with portobello mushrooms, their meatiness without being meat, and how well they work as a base for pizza and all things baked. This recipe relies on the mushrooms to utilize leftover chopped onions and sausage. Easy to put together and slide in the oven, I set them up then piddled while they were busy cooking. I was able to to shower, we made ice cream for dessert and even cleaned up the house a bit. Don’t worry. The flavor combination was nice a balanced, with the dressing flavoring the mushroom and the sausage and onion dancing well together. After dinner there was not much left to do but cuddle and read and chat with my family on our big green couch. That is the way I like spending weekday evenings after a busy day – a full stomach from a satisfying meal, and do nothing time, which dones more than nothing for us. That, or the beach, but the beach was for another day.
Baked Portabellos
4 large portabello mushrooms
1/2 – 3/4 cup ranch dressing
1/2 pound ground hot Italian sausage
3/4 cup white onion, chopped
8 slices cheese
1 batch guacamole (optional)
Gently cook sausage in a frying pan over medium heat, breaking it up into bite-sized pieces, but not too small. It can be left slightly pink (it will finish cooking on the mushrooms). Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place mushrooms cap side down on work surface, leaving the stems attached. With the back of a spoon spread dressing on the gills of the mushrooms. Place sausage pieces on the gills, surrounding the stem. Sprinkle onion on top of the sausage. Place two pieces of cheese on top of each mushroom, lining them up unevenly so most of the sausage and onion is covered. Place mushrooms on baking sheet. Place sheet in oven and bake for 45 minutes to one hour. The cheese should be melted and starting to brown. Remove from oven and let cool for five minutes. Serve plain or with guacamole.