Ingredients

• 24  slices firm-textured white bread
• 3  tablespoons chopped shallots or onion
• 1/4  cup margarine or butter
• 3  cups finely chopped fresh mushrooms
• 2  tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1  cup whipping cream
• 2  tablespoons snipped fresh chives
• 1  tablespoon snipped fresh parsley
• 1/2  teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4  teaspoon salt
• 1/8  teaspoon ground red pepper
•   Dash ground black pepper
• 2  tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
•   Dairy sour cream (optional)
•   Snipped fresh chives (optional)

Directions

1. Lightly grease twenty-four 2-1/2-inch muffin cups. Cut a 2-1/2-inch round from each slice of bread.* Carefully press each bread round into one of the prepared muffin cups to form a shell. Bake in a 400 degree F oven about 10 minutes or until golden brown.

2. Meanwhile, for filling, in a medium saucepan cook shallots or onion in hot margarine or butter for 4 minutes. Stir in mushrooms; cook, uncovered, about 15 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated. Stir in flour. Add whipping cream all at once. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more; remove from heat. Stir in the 2 tablespoons chives, the parsley, lemon juice, salt, ground red pepper, and black pepper.

3. Remove bread shells from muffin cups. Place bread shells in a shallow baking pan. Spoon filling into shells; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake, uncovered, in a 350 degree F oven for 15 minutes. If desired, top with sour cream and additional chives.

Makes 24 appetizers.

*Note: You can use the bread scraps to make soft bread crumbs for casserole toppings or meat stuffings.

To Make Ahead: Prepare the baked bread shells as directed. Place in a freezer container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw bread shells. Fill and bake as directed.