PSA: these are NOT your typical "stuffed mushrooms"... this recipe teeters on the side of a mushroom bake or a Deviled Ham and Mushroom casserole of sorts. You will see. Good news however is no matter how odd it seems this recipe was absolutely delicious! I learned along the way it also happens to be one of my cousins' favorite family recipes, too so - you know - must be our genes! 😊
GidgetRoots - Episode 5: "Stuffed Mushrooms" (My nomenclature: Deviled 'Shroom Casserole)
If you have been following this journey with me, you will know that so far the success rate of ratios and measurements in our family recipes is slim to fat chance none with a lot of winging it and prayers (and childhood recollection exclamations of "yep, tastes right!). This recipe was surprisingly super simple, and other than a few ingredients had easy to follow measurements! I know, I was shocked, too!
As I mentioned, this is more like a casserole than what one would commonly consider "stuffed mushroom" because you use canned mushrooms. Yep! That's right! The sliced tender earthy morsels of jarred yummies are one of the key players to this recipe. No fresh mushrooms. I personally have thought about the possible lack of availability of fresh good button mushrooms back in the day, but my aunt suggested its possible this was just much easier and faster method to make "basically" the same thing. Deconstructed stuffed mushrooms? Unstuffed Mushrooms? I don't know!
First step was to drain the mushrooms. The recipe called for 4-5 cans of drained mushrooms; however, we used glass jarred mushrooms instead of canned. Because we were halving the recipe, we used about 2-3 glass jars of sliced mushrooms. My aunt used a large cup and mesh strainer to drain the juice out well.
While that was draining, it was time for me to mix the package of cream cheese with two cans of deviled ham (the size of a tuna can). (No really, the recipe literally states "the size of a tuna can" leaving it easy for us to infer the size of the standard 5oz can of tuna! A pleasant relief from previous unknowns in past recipe challenges).
Another recipe prep step you can do at this time is to cube slices of bread into about 1" cubes for the top of the dish. WHAT?! 1" is that another measurement, I see!? (Can you tell this OCD angel is a happy camper today!?)
Once the mushrooms are completely drained, add to a baking dish.
Season the cream cheese and deviled ham mixture with pepper and spread over the top of the mushrooms. Although a spatula probably would work, my aunts had a spreader that worked really well so would recommend using that if you have it.
Once the cheese and meat mixture is slathered over the mushrooms top with the bread cubes. Then you will pour 1 cube of melted butter over the top of the bread crumbs.
ENTER RANT. Let's discuss the butter for a moment. The recipe refers to "cubes" of butter. When I think of a "cube" of butter I literally think about a Tbs of butter. Let's even dare to point out the description of the "breadcrumb" topping was to cut bread in "cubes." Nope. The WHOLE THING (maybe the golden melty goodness is why the recipe is so devilishly delicious, its not just the ham, but the butter, too!?) This was one of the few ingredients that didn't specify the amount other than a generic shape. A "cube" of butter is exactly that. A cubed square (technically rectangle but it is okay I will be fine) whole stick of butter, not sliced, but the whole thing. We melted the butter in a small cast iron pan and it made pouring the luscious liquid really easy.
Once butter has been poured over the dish, season with garlic salt. Quick disclaimer - we didn't use garlic salt. We were going to just use garlic powder and salt. However, quick inventory of the ingredients we made an executive group decision to omit additional salt all together. The deviled ham already had a high salt content and as the mushrooms were jarred I would assume they had some as well. You can always season to taste after. I mean, we didn't need to get salty we were all in a good mood and wanted to keep it that way! (Happy days make me punny and find laughter in the smallest things - so take it with a grain of salt and keep reading!)
Once seasoned with the garlic powder we put the baking dish with our "stuffed mushrooms" into the oven at 350 for about 40 minutes. Once the bread cubes were lightly toasted it was time to take it out of the oven to serve.
What does one serve with unstuffed stuffed deviled ham mushroom casserole? Luckily my aunt remembers it usually being served at holidays so we decided that a turkey would pair well with tonight's recipe. It was a smoked half turkey that was cooked to perfection, golden brown, juicy, and trimmed with grace.
The table was set and the food looked amazing. We sat down, and it was stated it truly looked and felt like a holiday meal (albeit without the overabundance of sweets and extra sides). My aunt placed her hands down on the table and said "Okay - I have to do this... Good food, good meat, good God, Let's eat!" And with a twinkle in her eye and a chuckle in her throat smiled and we knew it was perfect grace for this meal.
My family's "stuffed mushroom" recipe also doesn't plate well. It sort of is a weird goop that splats on the plate with umami mushroom bombs hiding in wait beneath a glob of cheesy devil ham with bread crumb horns. BUT OH MY GOODNESS IT IS GOOD! Who cares about aesthetics when you get happiness, warm comfort deliciousness in every bite?
I am pretty sure every recipe we have made thus far we have had leftovers. Not tonight. We ate all of it. During and after dinner we continued discussing the peculiar style of the dish. We have not discovered a dish even similar to this on the interwebs and have a lot of "why" questions buzzing around our minds. Why is the dish prepared this way? Why is it called "stuffed mushrooms" when it really is more of a casserole? Did it have different origins and morph over time? Even when I try searching online just the ingredients I still don't find anything similar to this. Heck, I even found "The Little Red Devil Recipes" deviled ham cookbook at MSU archives and their "Stuffed mushroom" recipe literally is the traditional / standard "stuffed" mushroom. A puzzle for sure! At the end of the day, I 100% will be making this again, many times.
Lastly, a delicious last minute desert of frozen banana decadence filled our bellies while conversation, laughter, and planning our next adventures filled our hearts.
NEXT 'EPISODE' / CHAPTER: Porcupine in a Bush
No not really a porcupine and not a literal bush. We will be making "Cabbage Rolls", which is a three recipe jump ahead in the cookbook. (We will cook the other three just needed to jump ahead for now). The comedic name stems from the fact that... well... actually nope, not telling! Perfect cliff hanger to make you come back for the next chapter! <3
Until then - find your happy place and never grow up! Cherish memories while making new ones and they will survive beyond your years.
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ORIGINAL RECIPE
STUFFED MUSHROOMS
You will need:
- 2 pkgs of cream cheese
- 4 cans of deviled ham (the size of a tuna can)
- 4 or 5 cans of drained mushrooms
- 2 cubes of butter (or oleo) melted
- Bread crumbs (made from slices of bread that you have cut into about 1 inch cubes)
Not mentioned in ingredients but used in recipe:
- Pepper
- Garlic Salt (optional variation: garlic powder and salt to taste)
Put the well drained mushrooms in a baking dish. Mix together the deviled ham and the cream cheese. Add pepper and spread over the top of the mushrooms. Top this mixture with bread you have cut into cubes. Drizzle the melted butter over the top of the bread cubes. Sprinkle with garlic salt. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 30 to 45 minutes, or until the bread crumbs are toasted a light brown.
