Recipe: Italian Stuffed Mushrooms (using soft bread crumbs, Betty Crocker recipe)

ITALIAN STUFFED MUSHROOMS

36 medium whole fresh mushrooms (1 pound)
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/4 cup chopped green onion (3 medium)
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 1/2 cups soft bread crumbs
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
Grated Parmesan cheese, if desired

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Twist mushroom stems to remove from mushroom caps. Finely chop enough stems to measure 1/3 cup. Reserve mushroom caps.

Melt 2 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook chopped mushroom stems, onions and bell pepper in butter about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until onions are softened; remove from heat. Stir in bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper. Fill mushroom caps with bread crumb mixture.

Melt 1 tablespoon butter in (13x9x2-inch) rectangular pan, in oven. Place mushrooms, filled sides up, in pan. Sprinkle with cheese, if desired.

Bake 15 minutes.

Set oven control to Broil. Broil mushrooms with tops 3 to 4 inches from heat about 2 minutes or until tops are light brown. Serve hot.

Makes: 3 dozen appetizers
Source: Betty Crocker