Cheesy Crab Stuffed Mushrooms {Fire Caps}

Recipe inspired by the “Fire Caps” at Firehouse Brewing Company, Rapid City, SD

Last weekend my boyfriend stole me away … he suddenly decided we needed to go to the Black Hills and threatened to take his mom instead of me. Ouch. We had a pact, you see. I had agreed to go camping in the Hills with him a while ago, but then other things happened and we ended up visiting my family instead. Then the weather turned cold and I thought that this plan was on hold until spring … but yeah, I was wrong.

I had already agreed to go visit the family (as usual) for Thanksgiving. However, before Thanksgiving dinner had even happened, he’d decided it was time to go to the Black Hills. He wanted to go as soon as the leftovers from the feast were put away, Friday morning. I told him no, you’ll have to wait for me (until I return from mom and dad’s) and, um, I really, really, really, really don’t like the cold.  Inside I was so afraid he was going to make me camp in the snow. I may have grown up in the frozen tundra, but, make no mistake, I am NOT a winter camper!

So … my kids and I returned from from the Thanksgiving trip early evening on Friday. My kids were NOT happy about having the boyfriend steal me away for the rest of the weekend, but I had agreed to go (and I wanted to go!) and so, off we went. My “kids” (late teens/early 20s) were having time with their dad anyway and they are definitely old enough to “survive” for a night on their own.

We left very early Saturday morning with no breakfast in our bellies, just a coffee for him and tea for me. I had forgotten that there is NOTHING to eat on the way to the Hills until after we’d passed any of the relatively good options and then we were stuck with no real food options for hours.

By the time we got to the “SD Mountains” (aka Hills), we were starved for food. He had picked up some tourist-y pamphlets on the way and right away I spotted a brewery. In my experience, breweries always have good food, so I suggested we go there for lunch. He heartily agreed.

He ordered these “Fire Caps” as an appetizer. They arrived, looking like a total melted cheesy mess and we dug right in. I’m sure that our hungry state of mind affected our perception, but they tasted like heaven. These little “Fire Caps” were the beginning of a wonderful trip. I decided I had to try to make them at home–and he did, too. In fact, he decided we should have a little competition. I hate food competitions (especially with boyfriends–they make me SO nervous!) … but I heard myself say “sure” (thinking inside … why am I agreeing to this?). So here’s my take on Firehouse Brewery’s “Fire Caps” … I think they’re dreamy. We’ll see what the “judges” (his sister/mom) say.

By the way, it was snowing heavily, so we got a hotel room in lieu of a campsite. I was SO relieved!

Cheesy Crab Stuffed Mushrooms {Fire Caps}

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 4 - 6 servings 1x

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Ingredients

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• 1 – 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped fine
• 1 – 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 8 – 12 oz. fresh mushrooms
• 1 green onion (with greens), chopped
• 1 – 2 Tablespoons finely chopped or grated yellow onion
• 4 oz. Greek cream cheese (or Neufchatel), softened
• 1 6-oz. can of crab meat, drained
• 1/2 teaspoon powdered Chimayo peppers (or cayenne)
• 1/4 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
• 1 – 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh herbs (I used a mix of parsley, dill, basil, rosemary& tarragon) or 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
• About 1 Tablespoon of fresh chopped cayenne (or salsa) pepper, to taste – or use powdered cayenne, to taste
• 2 Tablespoons white wine
• 1 heaping cup of mixed shredded cheeses (I used baby swiss, smoked cheddar, asiago, and some shredded Italian blend)

For the top: a bit of smoked paprika, Italian seasoning, green onion, fresh parsley

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Choose oven-safe baking dishes that have a little lip on them. Spray with cooking spray or brush lightly with olive oil.
2. In a small bowl, put the garlic in the olive oil and let set for at least 15 minutes, to infuse the oil with garlic.
3. While the oil is partying with the garlic, carefully pull out the stems of the mushrooms and chop them up really well. Chop the onions as well.
4. Heat a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the oil, mushrooms, garlic, and onions and saute until the yellow onion is soft and translucent and a little bit browned.
5. In a small mixing bowl, stir this lovely onion mixture in with the cream cheese, crab, powdered pepper, seasoning and herbs. Add the cayenne to taste. Your taste buds should be singing!
6. Arrange the mushrooms so that they are closely snuggled in your baking dish and use a spoon to fill each cap generously with the fiery crab/cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with the shredded cheese, then using your finger, sprinkle/crumble just a bit of smoked paprika and Italian seasoning over top. Pour just a bit of wine into the pan to moisten the mushrooms while they bake.
7. Bake at 350 F. for about 15 minutes. Sprinkle the tops with green onion and add a little parsley if you like. Serve warm.

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Notes

RECIPE SOURCE: http://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/

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This recipe was shared at Tuesday’s Table, Full Plate Thursday, Foodie Friends Friday, Gluten Free Friday, Foodie FriDIY, Let’s Get Real, Home Matters and Hearth & Soul Bloghop.