Mushroom Walnut Thyme Cheesecake Food

SAVORY BLT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan. , In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and butter. Press onto the bottom of prepared pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake 12 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. , In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and cream until smooth. Beat in the bacon, tomatoes, Gruyere cheese, onions and pepper. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Pour over crust. Place springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of boiling water to larger pan. , Bake 45-55 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath; remove foil. Cool cheesecake on a wire rack 10 minutes; loosen edges from pan with a knife. Cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight., Remove rim from pan. Serve cheesecake with toppings and crackers if desired.

CREAM CHEESE-STUFFED MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Remove stems from mushrooms and set caps aside (discard stems or save for another use)., In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, herbs, Worcestershire sauce, nutmeg and pepper. Spoon into mushroom caps. Place on a foil-lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese., Bake at 425° for 8-10 minutes or until mushrooms are tender. If desired, sprinkle with additional parsley.

SHRIMP-STUFFED MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Remove stems from mushrooms; chop enough stems to measure 3/4 cup, discard remaining stems. Place mushroom caps in a foil-lined 15x10x1-in. baking pan, stem side up. Bake 10 minutes. , Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat butter over medium-high heat. Add red pepper, onion, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and chopped stems; cook and stir 2-3 minutes or until tender. Add cream cheese; cook and stir until melted. Stir in shrimp and bread crumbs., Drain liquid from caps; fill with shrimp mixture. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake 15-20 minutes longer or until mushrooms are tender and filling is heated through. If desired, sprinkle with parsley.

EXOTIC MUSHROOM AND WALNUT PATE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread walnuts in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Toast for 10 minutes, or until fragrant and lightly browned.
• In a large saute pan, cook shallots in butter over medium heat until translucent. Then add chopped mushrooms, garlic, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring often, until most of the liquid has evaporated.
• Process toasted walnuts and olive oil in a blender or food processor until mixture forms a thick paste. Spoon in the cooked mushroom mixture, and process to desired texture.
• Pack mixture into well-oiled ramekins or bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.

MUSHROOM AND BACON CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Place a greased 9-in. springform pan on a double thickness of heavy-duty foil (about 18 in. square). Securely wrap foil around pan. , In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese and butter. Press onto the bottom of a greased 9-in. springform pan. Place pan on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack., Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute onion and red pepper in oil for 2 minutes. Add mushrooms; cook and stir for 10 minutes or until liquid has evaporated. Set aside to cool., In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, salt and pepper until light and fluffy. Beat in sour cream. Add eggs; beat on low speed just until combined. Fold in the bacon, feta cheese, parsley and mushroom mixture. Pour into crust. Place springform pan in a large baking pan; add 1 in. of hot water to larger pan., Bake at 350° for 55-65 minutes or until center is just set and top appears dull. Remove springform pan from water bath. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen; cool 1 hour longer. Refrigerate overnight., Remove sides of pan. Top with mushrooms, parsley and additional bacon if desired. Serve with crackers.