1 pound pork breakfast sausage (mild or hot, casings removed if linked)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened (block style, not whipped)
Directions
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil for easy cleanup and lightly coat the foil with cooking spray or a thin film of oil to help prevent sticking.
Clean the mushrooms by gently wiping them with a damp paper towel. Twist and pull out the stems, setting the caps aside in a bowl or on a plate. Finely chop the stems and set them aside in a separate small bowl—these will bulk up the filling without needing any extra ingredients.
In a large skillet over medium heat, add the sausage (no extra oil needed). Cook, breaking it up with a spoon or spatula, until it is browned and cooked through, about 7–10 minutes. If there is a lot of grease, carefully spoon off most of it, leaving just a little for flavor.
Add the chopped mushroom stems to the skillet with the cooked sausage. Cook for another 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the stems are softened and most of their moisture has cooked off. Remove the skillet from the heat and let the mixture cool for 3–5 minutes so it doesn’t melt the cream cheese too fast.
In a medium mixing bowl, combine the softened cream cheese with the warm sausage and mushroom stem mixture. Stir until everything is well blended and you have a thick, creamy filling. Taste carefully (blowing on it to cool) and adjust only if needed with a pinch of salt or pepper, keeping in mind the sausage is already seasoned.
Arrange the mushroom caps, hollow side up, on the prepared foil-lined baking sheet in a single layer. If any caps wobble, you can gently trim a tiny slice off the bottom to help them sit flat.
