Stuffed Mushrooms

i know it seems I jump around a lot with the recipes, but this recipes was my girls favourite, and since it will be their birthday soon, I want to relay the recipe, so they have it in their inbox. Use 1 large portabello mushroom cap per person if it is an appetizer, or if using white or brown domestic mushrooms, use 2-3 per person. This recipe is for 12 white/ brown large cap mushrooms. Oven 350 degrees F, prep time 30 minutes, cook time 20 minutes approx.

Stuffed Mushrooms

12 large white mushroom caps 1 inch or more in diameter
Stems and scraping from inside these mushrooms, chopped finely
1/2 pound smoked bacon, cut into small lardons
Reserve the bacon drippings
3 tablespoons butter
3-4 green onions, white part chopped, green part reserved
1- large clove garlic, minced
2 stems fresh thyme, leaves picked off stems
Salt and pepper to taste
4 tablespoons cream cheese
1/2 cup Gruyere cheese, shredded
2 tableoons butter, melted
1 cup fine breadcrumbs

Wash and dry each mushroom, snap off the stems, being careful not to break the mushroom cap, with a small sharp teaspoon, (grapefruit spoon works here) scrape each mushroom cap free from the brown gills and making the mushroom cap a little deeper in order to fill it with lots of stuffing. This should be done for any type of mushroom that you are using. Place the mushrooms cap side down, (underside up) on a baking sheet, salt the inside of each mushroom cap.
In a medium sauté pan, cook lardons of bacon til almost crisp, remove from pan, drain on paper towels, leave the bacon drippings in the pan and add 3 tablespoons butter, add the chopped mushroom stems and scrapings from the mushroom caps, let the butter and bacon drippings coat the chopped mushroom pieces stir until it starts to brown, and looses its moisture, add the chopped white part of the green onion, the garlic, thyme, salt and pepper, to taste, cook and stir until the onion is just soft, but not brown. Remove from heat, add back the bacon lardons, the cream cheese, stir well, taste for salt and pepper. Let the mixture cool slightly, then fill each Mushroom cap generously. Sprinkle each mushroom with the shredded Gruyere. Mix the melted butter and the breadcrumbs together, sprinkle mixture over each filled mushroom, bake at 350 degrees F for 15-20 minutes, until hot and bubbly, garnish with reserved chopped green onion tops. Serve as an appetizer or side dish with bbq steak and baked potatoes.