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Canadian Inspired Mushroom Bites Celebrating #Canada150

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Yes, we Canadians have unique tastes, flavours, and foods we can call our own. Canadian Inspired Mushroom Bites Celebrating #Canada150 combines 2 famous foods into a great mushroom stuffing.

Mushrooms stuffed with macaroni with Canadian flag topper decoration.

Do you have a favourite iconic Canadian food? I can’t narrow it down to one, but I do have a list of “top picks”. We do have some awesome eats uniquely Canadian.

This post is my submission to the FBC2017 Spotlight Appetizer Contest sponsored by Mushrooms Canada. The prize (should I win) is 1 Full Conference Pass (including 2 nights accommodation/meals and events).

DO YOU HAVE A LIST OF ICONIC CANADIAN FOODS YOU LOVE?

When I first read the requirements for the submission, by mind immediately started thinking of all the unique things I could use to create a truly Canadian appetizer.

Mushroom bites on a plate with more in the background and I Love Canada flags.

I quickly started looking on the web for a list of great food options (some I knew, and some I didn’t). Maple syrup, butter tarts, Montreal bagels, tourtiere, Nanaimo Bars and poutine to name a few. See, how can anyone choose one? In fact, I just went to a butter tart festival last weekend. One of the selections was actually a cross between a butter tart and a Nanaimo bar, so we don’t have to choose which is best. Brilliant!

Since these ideas weren’t getting me closer to creating an appetizer (but they were driving my tastebuds crazy), I had to think a little harder. What did I make in my “early” cooking years? OMG Kraft Dinner! I so remember eating boxes of this stuff, and yes I even made it for my kids.

Kraft dinner in a pot with the package and mushrooms in the background.

Seriously you aren’t Canadian if you have never eaten KD (at least once). That unique “cheese sauce” that magically happens when you mix butter, milk and that little envelope of cheese powder. To lots of people it was a kitchen cupboard staple, and still is. The name change to KD was a great idea, since that is what I have ALWAYS called it anyway.

KETCHUP CHIPS YES OR NO?

Not everyone adds ketchup to their KD, but I sure do. Ketchup takes it to the “gourmet” level, at least I happen to think so. Call me crazy, but hey all I can say is Canadian eh!

A close up shot of stuffing the Kraft Dinner into the mushroom caps.

Ketchup chips, yup they make your fingers red, your lips tingle and are truly addictive. Another great Canadian food, and hey what a great way to add some taste and texture into this cool appetizer.

Canadian Inspired Mushroom Bites are super simple, truly Canadian, and economical (one box makes 30+ mushrooms). I happen to love raw white mushrooms (yes they are safe to eat this way). Just wipe clean and remove the stem, this gives you more room to stuff. You can also cook the mushrooms in the microwave for just a few seconds. This lessens the earthy taste, and softens the texture just slightly.

Canadian Inspired Mushroom Bites Celebrating #Canada150 on a plate with Canadian flags.

Cook the KD to just tender. For this recipe, I only used the cheese packet (no butter or milk). Let cool slightly, crush up some ketchup chips, mix, stuff and eat.

Serving these at room temperature works best. Leftovers that you have placed in the fridge can be easily put in the microwave for a few seconds, just to get the chill off the pasta.

A close up of 1 single mushroom bite on a plate with a Canadian flag.

Bring a little nostalgia to your next party with these Canadian Inspired Mushroom Bites Celebrating #Canada150. They are sure to create a conversation. Truly proud to be Canadian Eh? Happy Birthday Canada.

My submission to last year’s contest was Blended ROCCAN Rolls!!

Canadian Inspired Mushroom Bites Celebrating #Canada150 long pin image.

Canadian Inspired Mushroom Bites Celebrating #Canada150 combines 2 famous foods into a great mushroom stuffing. Proudly Canadian Eh! | homemadeandyummy.com

Canadian Inspired Mushroom Bites Celebrating #Canada150

Course: Appetizer, Party Food
Cuisine: Canadian
Keyword: Happy Birthday Canada
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 30 servings
Calories: 36 kcal
Author: Homemade & Yummy
Canadian Inspired Mushroom Bites Celebrating #Canada150 combines 2 famous foods into a great mushroom stuffing. Proudly Canadian Eh! 
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Ingredients

  • 200 grams (1 box) of Kraft Dinner ( I used Sharp Cheddar flavour)
  • 30 medium sized white mushrooms
  • 1/2 cup Ketchup flavoured potato chips (crushed)

Instructions

  1. Clean mushrooms and remove stems. (This gives you more room to stuff)

    Place mushrooms onto serving tray (stem side up) ready to stuff. You can also cook the mushrooms in the microwave for a few seconds. This lessens the earthy taste and softens the texture slightly.

  2. Crush chips and set aside.

  3. Cook Kraft Dinner noodles until just tender.

    Drain, and mix in cheese powder packet. (NOTE: do not add milk or butter)

    Mix well, and allow to cool for a few minutes.

  4. Mix crushed chips into the pasta.

  5. Stuff each mushroom with the pasta/chip mixture.

  6. ENJOY!!

Recipe Notes

These are best served at room temperature. Leftovers should be stored in the fridge. You can slightly heat them in the microwave when you take them out of the fridge. This takes the chill off the pasta.

Nutrition Facts
Canadian Inspired Mushroom Bites Celebrating #Canada150
Amount Per Serving
Calories 36
% Daily Value*
Sodium 18mg 1%
Potassium 86mg 2%
Total Carbohydrates 6g 2%
Sugars 1g
Protein 1g 2%
Vitamin C 0.8%
Calcium 0.9%
Iron 2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  2. Such a brilliant idea Gloria to combine 2 appetizers into one. And when you think about it.. .the mushrooms make for the perfect little edible bowl. I’m already imaging all the other tasty things they could hold. But I love what you did with the KD. The nice fiery color is definitely eye catching.

    Reply

    • Thanks…fingers crossed for the contest. They were fun to make and fun to eat too.

  4. I saw these in my Pinterest feed and stopped to click because they are just too adorable! I’ve never had ketchup chips, but they sound really unique and I’d love to try them!

    Reply

  7. Im a firm believer in any thing in that blue box KD or Kraft dinner being a complete comfort food! I really like the idea of it popped in a mushroom for a bite for a party appetizer too. Ill definitely be giving this a try for a Friday night cocktail hour at our house!

    Reply

  11. Its so interesting to learn about food from various countries. I’ve never heard of ketchup chips before. This look so festive with the little flags – best of luck with the contest.

    Reply

  13. As an expat Canadian I totally grew up on KD – loved it! The UK version pales in comparison and my kids won’t eat it, lol! Love the sound of this recipe!

    Reply

    • HAHAH…thanks so much. I did wonder how the different versions of KD in the other countries compare. Guess we have the best!!

    • Well they were fun to create…and the decorations just added that extra touch.

  20. Ha these are so fun. We went to Canada for the first time last year and absolutely loved it. We missed out on the KD and the ketchup chips, but there are some seriously amazing eats you have over there!! We had so much good food there was some serious detoxing happening when we got home 🙂

    Reply

  21. What a unique appetizer! My kids would absolutely love this. I have actually never added ketchup to mac and cheese. Definitely need to try it.

    Reply

  22. I think these appetizers will be real winners. It’s a combination of good ole comforting mac and cheese and delicious little mushroom morsels. Very creative of you!! I love the crunch of the ketchup flavored potato chips. I’ve never tasted them — I must be living a sheltered life. 🙂

    Reply

    • Ketchup chips ONLY in Canada I’m afraid Marisa. YES….I would LOVE to win for sure.

  24. HI there! Hubby and I were on vacation and couldn’t really celebrate Canada Day this year! And such a big one it was, as well! Shame on us. Maybe we should have a belated celebration, which would also be the perfect occasion to try your mushroom bites! They look sooo delish! What a creative recipe! (I am also really curious about this nanaimo-butter tart hybrid you mentioned …that must have been delicious!!) Cheers, Kiki

    Reply

    • HAHAH…these were fun to make…and fun to eat. AS for the the butter tart…YES…along will all the other ones we bought too!!

  33. Sometimes it’s so hard thinking of a recipe for a particular brief, and then inspiration strikes! Loving the combination of mac and cheese with mushrooms in a canape sized bite! And oh my god did you say butter tart festival? Drooling!

    Reply

    • Yes BUTTER TART festival LOL!! I did drool!!! These little apps were fun to create.

  35. AHahah! Kraft dinner isn’t the first thing that comes to my “Canadian” mind when I think of food from home! but now that you’ve done this, totally should! What a brilliant idea those little bites! By the way, i’m living abroad, and was missing the ketchup chips soooo much…. I’ve dehydrated some heinz ketchup and tried to make my own… wasn’t as good:( Someone should start exporting those!

    Reply

    • HAHAH..that is funny about the ketchup chips. This was a fun little project to do, and we loved eating them. They did not last long!

  37. There have been many times when I eat mushrooms raw — I love them too. These appetizers are so cute! I think if I found them in front of me I wouldn’t be able to stop eating them. I can see making them with various cheeses and giving them a cuisine taste.

    Reply

  38. Oh Canada.. I need to try some of your food!. Btw the Canadian Kraft mac + cheese is packaged differently than ours- that’s interesting! And I’m sure mac+cheese inside a mushroom would be delicious, because I like mushrooms INSIDE my mac and cheese. Awesome idea!

    Reply

    • Yes it is packaged differently….and we call it KD..hence the rebrand. Hope you give it a try…it is a fun little appetizer for sure.

  43. lol, I love the nostalgia here Gloria! I hope you win 🙂 We certainly ate a lot of Kraft Mac and Cheese growing up, but I didn’t know they called it “Kraft Dinner” in Canada. I don’t eat a lot of processed foods anymore – but I am hungry for this now! 🙂

    Reply

    • HAHAH…thanks so much. If nothing else, it was fun to create…and they are fun to eat too.

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