There's something inherently awesome about stuffing food into other food. Maybe we started doing it back in our hunter-gatherer days when the pickings were slim, or perhaps it just developed as a tool in doubling our yumm. But whatever the reason, it certainly works. The mushroom certainly was born to be stuffed. It takes entertaining up an ooh-aah notch even though - just between us - it's a whole lot easier than it looks. This recipe is vegan but loved by many meat-eaters, making it an excellent choice for a potluck full of doubtful but ravenous carnivores.

Vegan Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms

Serves 6

Ingredients

Method

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In large pan, add olive oil, carrots, celery and mushroom stems to medium heat. Stir frequently until vegetables start to soften.

Add crumbled sausage, wine, cayenne and lemon juice and heat until sausage begins to brown.

Remove from heat and add bread crumbs and parsley and stir until uniform. You may need to add a bit more liquid (try more wine) if mixture seems too dry.

Spoon mixture into mushroom caps and pat down firmly. The mixture should come up from the base of the cap like a dome shape.

Transfer to oiled baking dish and bake 35-40 minutes. Serve warm.

Optional: top with vegan cheese before baking.

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Image: Rescue Rabbit