When I was waiting at Rock Bottom...

(well, waiting tables at Rock Bottom Brewery, but literally at my rock bottom- a brewery is not a good place for any young adult to be spending too much time) I did the unthinkable- I tried a dish that had mushrooms in it.  And to my surprise I loved it!  It was called Asiago dip, and it was divine.  The mushrooms were indistinguishable in it- but it had an earthiness that I had never really experienced before.  I then realized that it wasn't the taste of mushrooms that had been bothering me all along, it was the slippery, slimy texture.  This appetizer is an ode to that dip.  Mushroom haters, this one's for you!

Mushroom Wonton Cups

2 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp butter

1 small onion, chopped

1/2 cup pine nuts (walnuts work well here, too)

3 cups  chopped button mushrooms

1 1/2 cup parmesan

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp sriracha  

1 tsp salt
a pinch of pepper

About 24 wonton cups
2 cups mozzarella, shredded
1 tbsp butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350F.

In medium-sized frying pan, heat oil and butter over medium high heat.  Add onions and mushrooms and cook until onions are translucent.  Add garlic and let cook for just about 30 seconds, being careful not to burn.  Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.  Let cool a bit.  I use this time to grease muffin pans and form wonton cups.  Brush tops of wonton cups with butter and place in oven for 5 minutes until golden around edges.  In food processor, pulse pine nuts until fine, then add cooled (never, ever put hot ingredients in processor- I learned this so you wouldn't have to) mushroom mixture, sriracha, and parmesan.  Blend well.  Give it a taste and add salt and pepper accordingly.  Fill cups 3/4 of the way with mushroom filling, then sprinkle mozzarella over each.  Return to oven and cook 10 minutes, until melty and brown.  

Now apologize.  To mushrooms.  You had them all wrong.