SAUSAGE-STUFFED MUSHROOM CAPS

"Perfect for holiday cocktail parties, these stuffed mushrooms will stay hot if you bake them in an attractive quiche dish you can use for serving, too. If you can't find spicy sausage and are using mild, try adding a couple of dashes of Tabasco sauce to the beaten egg."

24 medium mushrooms, wiped clean with a damp cloth
1/2 pound spicy bulk sausage meat
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon minced green onion or chives
1 small egg, well-beaten
2/3 cup soft white bread crumbs or 1/3 cup fine dry bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon soy sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut off the mushroom stems. Set aside the caps and coarsely chop the stems.

Cook the sausage, mushroom stems, garlic and green onion in a medium skillet for 5 to 8 minutes over moderately low heat, breaking up any large sausage lumps, until the meat is lightly browned.

Remove from heat, cool for 15 minutes, then mix in the egg, bread crumbs and soy sauce. Mound the sausage mixture in the mushroom caps, then arrange in an ungreased 9- or 10-inch quiche dish or ovenproof 9-by-9-by-2 baking dish.

Bake on the middle oven shelf for 10 to 12 minutes or until bubbling and browned. Serve hot.

Makes 2 dozen
Source: A Love Affair with Southern Cooking by Jean Anderson