I cook it. You read it. And who knows…maybe you’ll give it a try!

The stuffed mushroom is my official dinner party, go-to, must-make appetizer. There are a million recipes out there and believe me, I’ve tried most of them. What makes the stuffed mushroom so beloved at gatherings? Well, for starters, it’s a mushroom. I mean, who doesn’t love a good mushroom? Next, you have the endless possibilities of what to actually stuff in the mushroom. Finally, every great appetizer tends to have that wonderful, hand-held factor going for it. Hello, stuffed mushroom!

In the past, I’ve favored meat options like Italian sausage or ground beef. Currently, I’m all about the cream cheese. This Mouth-Watering Stuffed Mushroom recipe seems to be a crowd pleaser. I recently made it for a small gathering and the entire platter was devoured within minutes.

The recipe itself is very easy to make, although a bit time-consuming due to the mushroom prep work. Personally, I find it somewhat relaxing culling out mushrooms while watching a basketball game. But that’s me. Others might find this step quite boring.

Here’s a tip: always use a small spoon to dig out the mushroom cap and innards. The bluntness of the spoon actually works in your favor. Another tip: place the mushroom cap in the palm of your hand and then go at it with your spoon. Third tip: buy big mushrooms!

Once you’re finished prepping the mushrooms, give the dug-out pieces a good chop and sauté in pan. Just click on the recipe’s link to find the remaining directions. The entire recipe is very easy and absolutely perfect for dinner parties. Why? Because you can prepare these a full day in advance and then just pop in the oven 20 minutes before your guests arrive. Also, feel free to tinker around with the recipe. For example, add bacon bits to the stuffing for a meatier taste. The cayenne pepper seems to really stand out in this recipe (in a good way) but be careful not to be too heavy-handed with this ingredient.

Finally, stuffed mushrooms typically aren’t visually appealing. Remedy that by topping each cap with some finely chopped, vibrant green onions.

Enjoy!