Smoky Loaded Portobello Caps

I really wanted to do a healthy-ish super bowl menu this year. Mostly just to leave caloric room for all of the beer that currently resides in my house. This was great in theory, but I still ended up eating massive amounts of all of the healthy food. So oops.

I had a couple favorite recipes from the evening but my very favorite was the Loaded Portobello Caps. The smoked sea salt AND the smoky bacon added a ton of flavor. And  subbing the mushrooms for the carby, calorie-heavy potatoes but leaving all of the good stuff is a perfect compromise to enjoy a football-friendly appetizer. Not to mention, it fills you up a little less so you can drink a hell of a lot more. It’s all about priorities!

Make game day snacking your bitch.

Smoky Loaded Portobello Caps
12 portobello caps
garlic-infused olive oil
smoked sea salt
⅓ lb applewood-smoked bacon, cooked to a crisp, drained and chopped into tiny pieces
6 oz cheddar cheese, shredded
sour cream
1 bunch of chives, finely chopped
½ cup panko bread crumbs

Preheat your oven to 375°.

Cut out the stems of your mushroom caps, hollow them out and wipe the dirt off with a wet paper towel.

Place the mushroom caps on a baking sheet and drizzle with garlic-infused olive oil. Stuff each cap with as much cheddar cheese as you possibly can.

In a separate bowl, mix bread crumbs with 3 tbsp of olive oil. Sprinkle over cheese-stuffed mushrooms. Follow with a sprinkle of smoked sea salt on each cap.

Bake for 30 minutes. When you remove from oven, cheese should be melted, breadcrumbs should be browned and mushrooms should be a little shriveled.

Top with a dollop of sour cream, as much bacon as your heart desires and a sprinkle of chives.

Serve warm. With beer, preferably.