Easy Holiday Entertaining

November 21, 2011

Easy Holiday Entertaining

The holidays are an exciting time of year, full of parties, entertaining and out of town guests. However, they become trickier to navigate if you or someone you love has a dietary restriction, such as a gluten allergy. Suddenly the loaded buffet table is a minefield: Are the Swedish meatballs or Sausage-stuffed mushroom caps mixed with bread crumbs? What is in the salad dressing?

If you’re unable to read all the ingredient labels to the beautiful table spread, it can be easier to stick with only raw vegetables at the party, but where’s the fun in that?

Whenever I am invited to a cocktail party or potluck, I offer to bring a delicious appetizer or dessert that I know I’ll be able to indulge in. These Mushroom Brie Bites are a spin on a childhood favorite. Every Christmas, my family would bundle up, load the car with presents and fudge and head over to the Willis house to eat, drink and have a Merry Christmas. This is a quick version of the homemade puffpastry hors d’oeuvres Mrs. Willis always made, and the biscuit mix takes the guess work out of baking gluten free.
Easy Mushroom Brie Bites

For the garlic-mushroom mixture:

3 large portabello mushrooms (about 1 pound total)

2 cloves garlic, minced

¼ cup unsalted butter

2 teaspoons white wine

1 teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon cracked black pepper

12 ounces brie cheese, very cold

Wipe the portabello mushroom caps with a slightly damp paper towel to clean them and then dice the mushroom caps and stems into 1/4-inch pieces.

In a large sauté pan, melt the butter over medium heat and then add the minced garlic cloves. Saute until the garlic is beginning to turn golden brown and then add the diced mushrooms. Saute the mushrooms in the garlic butter until the edges start to caramelize and turn brown. Add the wine, salt and pepper and stir to combine. Set the mushrooms aside to cool while you make the biscuit base.

For the biscuit base:

2 cups gluten-free all purpose flour mix (such as gluten-free Bisquick or Pamela’s Ultimate Gluten-Free Mix)

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ cup butter

2/3 cup milk

3 eggs

Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Great a 24-cup mini muffin tin with gluten-free pan spray and set aside.

Make the biscuit dough:

Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, blend the all-purpose flour mix, garlic powder and butter together until the mixture looks like coarse pea-sized crumbs. Stir in the milk and eggs until a soft dough forms.

Drop a tablespoonful of dough into each muffin cavity and with wet fingers, press along the sides of the muffin holes to form a hole inside each biscuit. Add a teaspoonful of mushroom mixture to the center of each biscuit cavity and bake until the biscuit edges are golden brown and set.

Slice the brie into slices an eighth of an inch thick by an inch wide and lay a slice of brie over each mushroomy biscuit. Return to the oven for 2 to 3 minutes to melt the brie over the mushroom filling.

Remove from the oven and serve warm.

Enjoy!

Crave Bake Shop

www.cravebakeshop.com

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