24 large cap mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed
½ pound (8-ounces) Jimmy Dean Hot sausage
½ small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon paprika
Several grinds of freshly ground pepper
4 ounces Velveeta cheese

Preheat oven to 350° F.

Line a baking pan with sides with aluminum foil.  Place mushroom caps, cap side down on prepared pan.  Set aside.

Brown and crumble sausage in a 10-inch skillet over medium heat.  Drain well on paper towels.

In the same pan, sauté the onion and garlic over medium heat for a minute or two.  Return the sausage to the pan; add paprika and pepper.  Stir well to combine, and continue cooking over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until the onions are soft.  Add the Velveeta cheese, cut up into cubes or broken up to the sausage mixture.  Cover and reduce the heat to low.  Cook for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is thoroughly melted.  Remove the cover, and stir well to combine all ingredients.

Stuff each mushroom cap with about a teaspoon of the sausage/cheese mixture.  Bake at 350° F for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the mushrooms have given off their liquid and the cheese is thoroughly melted.  Drain and serve.  Yield:  24 stuffed mushrooms.

Variation: Spread sausage mixture on cocktail rye or cocktail pumpernickel. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until sausage mixture is browned and bread is toasted. Serve hot.