For special occasions, stuffed mushrooms and stuffed artichokes can be the perfect starter! Yes, artichokes can be a little time consuming, with the prepping and all, but that can all be done ahead of time, which makes things alot easier.
In both appetizers I used the same stuffing which consisted of crumbled Italian sausage, sauteed mushrooms, flavored breadcrumbs, fresh herbs and cheese. I love buying crimini mushrooms, if you’re lucky to have a Costco near you, they have a great buy for a huge container of them.
Preparing the Mushrooms:Wipe them off with a damp paper towel, trim away hard tips, snip off the stems, chop them up, then set aside. Place stem side up in a baking dish that was drizzled with olive oil. I used Crimini mushrooms, but you can use what you like.. Ater you stuff them drizzle olive oil over each mushroom.
Prepping The Artichokes:
This does take a little time, but it all can be done a day ahead if you like. Trim about 1/3 off the top of your artichokes, then take a scissor and trim off all the pointy tips. Slice it half length wise, and place in pot of water with squeezed lemon. Simmer till you can just start to stick the point of a knife through, you don’t want them to be falling apart or mushy. Stoves, and the size of your artichokes will vary so its something you just have to watch.
After they cool a little bit, trim them down to the light green and tender leaves that are all edible, scoop out all the pointy and fuzzy stuff, but be careful to leave the heart in tact! What you’ll have left is all edible, even the stem if you trim that up too. Place in a baking dish drizzled with olive oil. After you stuff them, drizzle olive oil over the top of each one.
For The Sausage And Breadcrumb Stuffing:
Squeeze your Italian sausage out of the casing, or buy it in bulk. Brown it up and get it into small crumbles. Drain on paper towel. Drizzle olive oil in pan, saute your chopped mushroom stems and a clove or two of crushed garlic. Add back your sausage, and mix together then take off the stove, add in Italian style dry breadcrumbs, or panko, or day old Italian bread, fresh grated romano cheese, fresh parsley, salt and pepper, and just a little bit of shredded mozzarella to hold it all together. Measurements don’t have to be exact here, you’ll be able to judge the amounts by the way it looks.
Bake at 400F, 15 or 20 min’s, or until breading on top is nice and crispy. When mushrooms come out of the oven I usually place a little warm marinara on top, the flavors are terrific together! The artichokes are served with lemon wedges.
I guarantee your guests will not be able to resist these!
Buon Appetito!!
I’m Marie, a wife, mother, mother-in-law, and gramma of two beautiful girls. My passion is food, clear and simple but especially Italian food, hence the name of my blog, Proud Italian Cook. I want you to feel right at home here so grab a cup of coffee, I’ll get the pastries, take a look around and enjoy your visit! {
INSANELY DROOLING!
Oh mamma, I just baked a cake and now I want salty.
Your fault!
Great job, will attempt soon.
Will stumble it
Ciao
Gabriele
These look so yummy too Marie! I have been gone for a few days.. wow, I come back and see so many new and wonderful posts! I always love your side dishes!!
Both these appetizers have my family written alllll over it!
Where have I been? These llok incredibly delicious. I could eat them as a main course.
Good lawrd! These look yummy. I now think of you every time I see artichokes at the store…. Like today at Trader Joe’s – they were packaged so nicely singing out “Marie makes magic with these.”
xoxox Amy
not a cremini fan
but
those artichokes look wonderful
you are my side-dish hero! that’s 3 great ones for me including the other post!
Yes Marie,
How on earth do you have such perfect photos? They really look better than many cook book photos I see. Honestly!
Thank you, Thank you, everyone! I always love all your comments, you guys are the best!!
Hugs, Marie
My friend, I have just been going through the posts on your blog that I have missed over the past three weeks. I don’t know what other complimentary things to say that I have not said already. I think all that is left is for me to say, can I come live with you and watch you do your magic in the kitchen and with the photographs?
Warm hugs!
Si, si, si! I’ll bring some Greek rose to help wash down the anti-pasti.
I want all of it yum yum
I have a surprise for you in my blog please come see
Marie, I can have those for a meal, forget starters!
You can skip the main course…I’ll have a few more of these delicious starters..
If either of these were on my antipasto platter I couldn’t resist
I have stuffed mushrooms fro every holiday meal –I love them!
I never cut my artichokes in half to stuff them — I will try this next time. I usually only stuff them with bread crumbs and parmesan cheese and a drizzle of EVOO , but they look incredible the way you made them! Thye could be a whole meal!
Oh these look so delicious! I would love both of them, thanks for sharing!!
They look so good! I love stuffed mushrooms and artichokes.
Looks great and lots of info thanks, I will have to try it! Our members would love this site!! Great work!
Andrew
http://cook-italian.com
What a great looking stuffing! I love how versatile it is! Must try this one at my next party.
oh! Me! Me!
Oooooooooooh yes please Marie…I’d really like some. sadly nothing remotely resembling Costco here….so shall sit & droooooooooool at the pictures!
I’m telling you right now that my guests would not get to taste even a little nibble of these because I would devour them ALL! These are truly outstanding. I’ve never stuffed artichokes before, although I’ve seen them, but these are wayyy better. The ones I saw were whole artichokes with the stuffing shoved down inbetween the leaves. Pretty, but not practical nor easy to eat. Yours, though, would allow diners to enjoy every bite. Love the stuffing. And those mushrooms … oh lordy, I really would eat every single bite!
YUM!
Marie,
I think this may be one of my favorite “must try” posts so far. Can’t wait to make these for a little holiday gathering. Hopefully, I can find some good mushrooms and artichokes in my store. Keeping my fingers crossed …
Love the artichoke recipe…my mom use to make them all the time around the holidays…Mmmmmm
Happy Halloween!
A bread crumb stuffing with sausage sounds awesome. I am the biggest stuffing fan! Your appetizers look so elegant! I’ve yet to stuff anything but my face, lol…I need to try stuffing some mushrooms, these look gooood! 🙂
molto buono! And very colorful.
Antipasti is my favorite part of the meal, Marie — I could make a meal out of these, sans the meat, that is. Beautiful presentation! Ciao!
I seriously hope you’re submitting these to Tastespotting – they’re just gorgeous.
Marie Love these, I want some artichokes please!!!!!! Gloria
These both look delicious. I’ll have to give them a try sometime
Darn you! I literally woke up out of a sound sleep at 2am today, CRAVING your pasta salad skewers and toying with the idea of hosting an appetizer party just to make them. And now you post THIS!?!
These look terrific. They’d be a great starter to our Gourmet Club’s upcoming Italian themed dinner!
Gorgeous Antipasto Marie… Love it… I usually keep the stuffing basic (ex the meat), but roll out the heavier recipe for the holidays. Love the artichokes- like you say, they do take some time- not just to prep, but to eat also. I like to think of them as a “social dish”… this was one of our ‘in-between’ courses growing up… we would sit around using the edible spoons to enjoy the great stuffing and talk about everything- the meal, the day, how traffic was getting over to Gramma’s house… you name it… haven’t had one in a long time but I’ll have to get a few over the weekend.
Thanks again Marie
Johnny T
Be sure to stop in soon… I’m putting together the narrative on my trip home… not to be missed!!
The stuffing sounds wonderful, and all the time you put into those artichokes, I bet definitely worth every minute!
Wow, I know I wouldn’t be able to resist these. Great antipasto 🙂
Ohhhh, my favorite kind of food. I love artichokes. What a great way to serve them.
I don’t usually make or eat artichokes but what a wonderful way to have them! Those look delicious!
OMG, I now have to wipe the drool from my keyboard. Those look and sound completely delectable! Happy Halloween. Wish I would have known about you BEFORE my wedding/showers/baby. Maybe I can crash the next event you cook for at the LPD?
YUMO… I will be making these very soon… Love these recipes… You have the best cooking site… Thanks for being here for me I had to make a special folder just for recipes I love them so… ;-D
Have a Simply Spooktacular Day!!!
Happy Halloween
(((HUGS)))
Donna
Marie,
These are the best looking stuffed shrooms and chokes I have ever seen, no lie.
I made stuffed peppers 2 ways the other night!
Is it warm in Chicago? I am coming over for antipasto!
Happy Halloweenie.
Stacey
Oh yeah! I’d like some, please! These look wonderful. My guests won’t even want to bother with dinner if this is on the menu. I’m definitely going to remember these with the holidays right around the corner!
BTW, I don’t think I ever told you that I made your butternut squash lasagna last week. It was beyond incredible. Even my 14 month old gobbled down adult-sized portions of it and then said “muh, muh” (which I think is “more.”) No doubt that this will be a regular dish in our house during “butternut squash season!”
Oh my! Both of those loo simply amazing. I never thought to stuff an artichoke! Brillant!
I can’t resist them! Those artichokes are stunning,
I can’t help thinking they’d have to be done for someone you love – maybe Valentine dinner for two, or a special birthday.