Baked Mushroom Dip

  Whenever I'm looking for party dips to serve, I like to have a variety for my guests. So I'll choose some appetizers that are warm, some that are cold, some that have meat, and some that are meatless. I might do something seafood, and maybe I'll do a simple veggie dip, or even just pretzels and chips. The way I see it, if I have a nice cross section of appetizers, then it's more likely that even the most particular of guests will be able to find something they like.

  It also opens up the possibilities of trying new recipes, which is exactly where this recipe comes in. I wanted to make something for Christmas, but I didn't want to just do the usual spinach dip or chips and salsa, etc. Side note, I usually list the author of the recipes I post, but full disclosure, I can't even remember where I saw this one. I suppose it doesn't really matter anyway since I made a few changes here and there. Oh well, the most important thing is that OMG it's delicious! I brought it to Christmas dinner and it was a huge hit!! It's also really easy to throw together, even for the novice cook.

 So if you plan to host or attend any parties in the near future, give this one a try. It's SO flavorful and it's nice to try something new and a little different.

I bet your friends and family will love it! 

Great then.

 

 

 

1 lb baby bella mushrooms

1-2 cloves garlic

a drizzle of oil or a pat of butter

8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella
1 tbs chopped fresh parsley

Black pepper to taste
1/4 cup breadcrumbs


Preheat oven to 350°F. 

Finely mince mushrooms. Place in a skillet along with the minced garlic and the oil or butter. Saute over medium heat until the mushrooms cook down a little bit and evaporate some of their moisture. Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, combine softened cream cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, mozzarella cheese, and parsley. Mix until well combined. Stir in sauteed mushroom mixture.
Transfer the mixture to a small baking dish, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle the top with breadcrumbs (and a little more Parmesan cheese, if desired). Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until bubbly and the top is lightly golden. Serve with slices of baguette or your favorite crackers.

 

 

 

 

Tips:

Use any kind of mushrooms you like! I happen to like baby bella mushrooms (also known as Cremini mushrooms), but any kind will work. You could even use a couple different kinds, just to switch things up a bit!

This recipe originally called for twice as much Parmesan cheese plus additional salt. I found that to be a little bit salty, so I reduced the amount of cheese and completely omitted the extra added salt. But you do you! Do you like a lot of Parmesan cheese? Add a lot! Come to think of it, I think I might add a little more mozzarella cheese next time, just for funsies. And just to switch things up, I've also served this with the addition of artichoke hearts. Just drain and chop them, then stir them in with the mushroom mixture. 

And if you REALLY wanna be bougie, use it to fill large mushroom caps, then place them on a tray, top with some buttered bread crumbs and bake. Delish!

 

Holiday Cinnamon Rolls

 

  Did you ever see any of those trending videos of people baking canned cinnamon rolls with heavy cream poured over them? Well, this is just a variation of that theme. Only this time, instead of heavy cream, I used egg nog! Now, I know egg nog is sometimes divisive, but frankly, I love it, so I went with it. It turned out perfectly! Seriously, when I made it for our Christmas Breakfast, every single person raved about how delicious it was. I'm not even kidding when I tell you you'll be tempted to go back for a second piece! It's just that good. It's DEFINITELY worthy of a holiday brunch. Make this the next time you want to impress someone. I promise you'll be a hit!

 

2 cans regular Pillsbury cinnamon rolls
1-2 cups egg nog

1/2 cup (1 stick) melted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar

Cinnamon

Nutmeg
Craisins and/or chopped pecans (optional)

 

Arrange rolls in large shallow baking dish. 
Drizzle egg nog around the rolls to fill in all the spaces, just enough to cover the bottom of the dish.
In a small bowl, stir together melted butter, brown sugar, and spices. Drizzle about a tablespoon over each roll. Sprinkle with craisins and pecans, if using. Cover with foil and bake at 350ºF for about 40-45 minutes. Remove foil and check to make sure the center ones are done. If the dough is still raw in the middle, put it back in for a few more minutes, uncovered. When the rolls are done, remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes. Using the containers of icing that were included with the rolls, spread icing over warm rolls and let the icing melt right in. Top with more craisins and pecans. Serve warm. Try not to eat the entire pan of cinnamon rolls in one sitting.


Tips:

I used a large rectangular casserole dish, which fits 15 rolls, perfectly. The problem is that 2 cans of rolls equals 16. So what do we do with the extra roll? I just split it into a couple layers and added them on top of a couple of the other rolls. They bake up together anyway, so who's to know otherwise?

The spices are just to taste. Do you like a lot of cinnamon, add a lot!
Use any kind of nuts or dried fruits you like!
If you don't like the icing that comes with the rolls, mix it with some whipped cream cheese. That'll make it taste more like home made. And seriously, does anyone NOT love cream cheese icing? 

If you're not making this for your holiday brunch, just use regular heavy cream!