Your Friends Will Think You Spent Hours On This 3-Ingredient Trader Joe's Appetizer

The notion that you'd want to convince anyone that you spent all day fussing in the kitchen might, at first, sound a little antiquated. That is, until you begin making arrangements for your next cocktail, dinner, or no-occasion gathering. Once those invitations are out, bags of ice everywhere start calling your name and those convenient, Anthony Bourdain-approved frozen appetizers (like pigs in a blanket), delicious as they are, seem to want more elaborate fare for company. Luckily, making stuffed mushrooms with a dip like Trader Joe's Chunky Artichoke & Jalapeno splits the difference between actual labor and the mere appearance of it.

Using TJ's dip eliminates the need for a multi-step process within the overall stuffed mushroom preparation. Were you to make any kind of artichoke-based dip to use as a filling, you'd probably end up dirtying pans on the stovetop, in the oven, and maybe even breaking out a few small appliances. This readymade option includes the titular ingredients, plus richly creamy Neufchâtel and Monterey Jack cheeses, Greek yogurt, herbs, alliums, and seasonings that you might have otherwise spent an inordinate amount of time shredding, chopping, or mixing. One tub of dip lets you skip all that mess and narrow down the effort so you can get back to batching cocktails for your favorite crowd.

You'll first want to choose the ideal mushrooms for stuffing. We've found that baby bellas are just the right size for snacking, chatting, and sipping at the same time. Trader Joe's website recommends removing the stems from the mushrooms, filling the caps with the dip, and topping it all with butter-toasted breadcrumbs before baking (they'll be ready to eat after half an hour at 350 degrees Fahrenheit). Since mushrooms contain a surprising amount of water, adding a light sprinkle of breadcrumbs inside the caps before spooning in the dip can help to slake that liquid. Just make sure to keep the more robust crumb crust on top, too, for a nicely contrasting crunch.

A shower of cheese makes any dish feel more decadent (and look painstakingly crafted, for those keeping track), and these stuffed fungi are ideal for an extra dose of dairy. Mixing some grated Parmesan into the breadcrumb topping is one stealthily savory addition. Mozzarella, which you'd likely find atop a baked artichoke dip, sends things into even gooier, more soothing territory. You can similarly stuff mushrooms with TJ's Ranch Cottage Cheese Dip for a zesty, protein-rich snack, with the retailer's spicy, tangy Pimento Cheese Dip, or with its Spinach & Kale Greek Yogurt Dip for a lighter bite. As long as it will hold up in the oven, you can basically use any dip in your stuffed mushrooms — and maybe even fib about how long they took to make.