Stuffed Mushroom Casserole

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 2-quart casserole dish.

1. Heat a tiny bit of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Chop mushrooms and saute in the skillet with the chopped onion until mushrooms are brown and liquid has evaporated. (Don’t crowd the mushrooms or they won’t brown.) Add thawed, squeezed spinach and chopped sundried tomatoes (discarding oil). Stir together and cook for one minute, or until liquid has evaporated. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add flour, salt, pepper, basil and oregano. Stir until flour is very lightly toasted. Whisk in milk. Continue whisking until lumps are gone and sauce is bubbling and thickened. Remove from heat and stir in gouda. Set aside.

3. Separate eggs. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Whisk egg yolks into the cheese sauce (temper yolks by mixing them with a small amount of sauce before adding to the pan, if necessary).

4. Mix the vegetables into the thickened sauce. Gently fold egg whites into the veggies/sauce. Pour into the prepared dish. Sprinkle the top evenly with crumbs and parmesan.

5. Bake immediately for 40-50 minutes, or until the top is browned and center is set.

Because this casserole is basically a souffle, it will begin to sink as soon as you remove it from the oven. This is not a problem, but it is best served just after baking. The chilled or reheated leftovers have a slightly different texture, but are very yummy (if there are any!).