Mushrooms never cease to be popular

The National Mushroom Council informs me that this is National Mushroom Month. I have news for them. In my house, every month is Mushroom Month.

Be they button, portobello, shiitake or something fancier, such as the tiny enoki or elusive morels, mushrooms always have been a favorite of mine.

I stuff the button caps with their chopped stems, minced garlic and herbs, run them under the broiler and serve them as appetizers. I make soup with them, add to sauces or enjoy a grilled portobello as a stand-in for a burger. I also use mushrooms in place of ground beef to make a luscious wild mushroom lasagna that my daughter loves.

Here's yet another way to enjoy mushrooms, which you can serve at a party or present at a brunch or light dinner, or simply serve as a snack.

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Mini Quiche Caps

Recipe courtesy of the Mushroom Council and mushroominfo.com

1 cup mushrooms

Nonstick cooking spray

1/4 cup finely diced green onion

Bacon, 3 strips, cooked

1/4 teaspoon salt

Pinch of freshly ground black or white pepper

3 large eggs

2 large egg whites

2 tablespoons half-and-half

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

2 ounces shredded Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray mini muffin pans with nonstick spray. Slice 3 mushrooms for garnish.

Heat a 10-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat and spray with cooking spray. Add a single layer of mushrooms, and cook, without stirring, for about 5 minutes or until mushrooms become red-brown on one side. Turn and cook about 5 minutes or until other side is same color. Set mushrooms aside.

Chop remaining mushrooms and add with onions, bacon, salt and pepper and sauté, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes, until onions are soft and all moisture has evaporated. Remove from the heat and let cool.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs, half-and-half and mustard. Stir in mushroom mixture and cheese.

Divide egg/mushroom mixture among muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Top each cup with one slice of mushroom, and lightly spray with nonstick spray. Bake about 20-25 minutes until puffed and set. Let cool in the pan 5 minutes. Using a teaspoon, gently run the spoon around the edge of each cup and scoop each quiche to remove. Place a sautéed mushroom slice on top of each quiche and serve. Makes 18.

Per serving: 35 calories; 2 g fat (1 g saturated fat; 51 percent calories from fat); 0.5 g carbohydrates; 40 mg cholesterol; 76 mg sodium; 3 g protein; 0 g fiber.

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