Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms

Here's a main supper dish that makes the most of one of my favorite flavor combinations - namely, mushrooms, onions, and peppers. Serve this for a tasty brunch or as a main course for a vegetarian dinner. It's a great way to celebrate Meatless Monday!

Ingredients:

4 whole portobello mushrooms

4 tsp minced frozen cilantro or 1/4 cup minced fresh cilantro- see tip

1 Tbs olive oil

1 Tbs balsamic vinegar

1/2 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 red pepper, diced (1/2 cup)

1 slice onion, diced (1/4 cup)

2 slices cubed day old bread, cubed

1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

2 Tbs fat free milk

2 eggs, beaten

4 Tbs parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove and discard the gills and stems from the portobello mushrooms. Mix the cilantro, oil, vinegar, garlic and oregano, then spoon a little on each mushroom, so that each mushroom has about the same amount. Place the mushroom caps on a baking sheet. Combine the red pepper and onion in a glass bowl, then microwave on high power for 1 minute. Stir and microwave for an additional minute. Add the bread, cheese, and parsley to the bowl and mix. Crack the eggs into a small bowl and beat them lightly with a fork. Add the milk to the eggs. Pour the eggs into the bread mixture, and mix everything together. Divide the stuffing between the mushroom caps. Top each mushroom with 1 tablespoon of parmesan cheese. Cook the mushrooms for 30 minutes, until the cheese has melted on top and the stuffing mixture is cooked.

Serves 4

Stealthy Cooking Tip: Frozen herbs have become more widely available in the last few years. They're a real boon in winter, when fresh herbs are more difficult to obtain. In this recipe, do use the fresh cilantro if it's available. If not, frozen cilantro makes an excellent substitute. Also, this recipe is easily cut in half for two portions, as you can see from today's photo1