Portabellini Mushrooms Stuffed with Basil, Tomato, Bacon & Goat Cheese

Right now mushrooms are pretty popular around here. Not only do they house adorable little blue guys (and girl) on the big screen but around here Brad and I really enjoy eating them too! We love them on pizza, over steak, in salads, in soups ... the list is, quite honestly, endless. So it should come as no surprise that for the past week or so Brad and I have been on a HUGE mushroom kick. We've been making dishes that include button mushrooms, portabello as well as it's little cousin the portabellini! Fungus never tasted so GOOD!!

Sadly, not all of the people in our house are happy about this mushroom phase. I'm not going to name names but it's the three people who all call me Mom. 'Nuff said. I think if I serve one more dish featuring fungus they will indeed mount a revolt!

With this being the last mushroom dish that I'll make for a bit (gotta keep my peeps somewhat happy!) I thought I'd share this dish with you all. This is a dish I whipped up because A) I had a hankering for goat cheese, B) my plum tomato and basil plants were humongous and C) because I wanted the taste of bacon without being tempted to eat a half a pound of bacon in one sitting.

This is where this appetizer/side dish comes in! I got my goat cheese and bacon itches scratched and used up the bounty from my garden!! Yay me! I have to admit that I've actually made this dish twice in 5 days. I told you we were in a mushroom phase!! That's a lot of fungus in one week, my friends! The first time I made it I used goat cheese. OH-EM-GEEE! They were delicious! The soft goat cheese not only tasted heavenly but also helped to hold the mixture together.

NOTE: I am NOT happy with the picture that I've attached to this post. It doesn't do this dish justice but I was in such a hurry to eat one of these mushrooms that I quickly took a picture and sowed down. Not the most 'food bloggery' thing do to but it is what it is. When I make this dish again (and I will!) I'll try to have more self control. :s

Tonight we had my Mother-in-Law over for supper. We started dinner with an appetizer (my Double Tomato Balsamic Bruschetta -- I TOLD you we had a plethora of tomatoes!!). I made my stuffed mushrooms as a side dish but changed it a bit and used crumbled feta instead of goat cheese and it was mouth-watering too! It had more of a bruschetta texture so the filling was a little messier -- not a big issue for us. The best thing? I impressed my wonderful MIL! Oh ya! Gotta love kudos from my MIL! (I say that honestly without an ounce of sarcasm. I love my MIL!).

I do have to say that my obsession with the mighty mushroom may have to take a hiatus though. Too much of a good thing and all that! Until I get the urge to inhale fungus again (give me a week or so) I leave you with this recipe. Enjoy!

Portabellini Mushrooms Stuffed with Basil, Tomato, Bacon & Goat Cheese
From: The Baking Bookworm
Yield: 6 servings

3 tbsp olive oil or grapeseed oil
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
6 slices of bacon
1 small onion, chopped
2 large plum tomatoes - seeded and chopped
1 tbsp fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/3 cup goat cheese OR 1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
6 portabellini mushrooms - wiped and stems removed

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly grease. Set aside.

In a small dish, combine 3 tbsp olive oil and 3 tbsp of balsamic vinegar. Set aside.

Cook bacon and drain on paper towels. Crumble bacon. Remove all but 2 tbsp of the bacon grease from the pan. Add onion to pan and cook until the onion has softened.

Combine bacon, onion, plum tomatoes, basil, goat cheese, 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper in a medium bowl.

Brush balsamic/oil mixture over each mushroom. Set mushrooms on prepared baking sheet, gill side down. Bake mushrooms for 5 minutes. Remove from oven and carefully flip mushrooms over. Baste with balsamic and oil mixture again. Bake for another 5 minutes.

Remove mushrooms from the oven and fill with the tomato mixture. Return mushrooms to the oven and cook for another 5 minutes or until heated through. Serve immediately.

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