Four Cheese Stuffed Shells

Well, I have been MIA this week for 2 reasons. First, I didn't cook AT ALL this week. I made food on Sunday and we've been eating off of it all week! Secondly (and more importantly), we didn't have internet all week! SOB! I was lost! Our wireless router/modem took a dive on Monday and we finally got a new one from our friends at Bell South, so we're back in business! YES!

I want to share this recipe with you. It doesn't get a number because it's not new. It's one of the few recipes I've made quite a few times. I'm going to post my abridged version of it (mainly that I don't make my own sauce), but if you'd like to see the original, click here. These shells are easy to put together and only mildly time consuming to stuff. The recipe makes 2 pans, so you can do like I did and give one away (hi Molly!) or put one in the freezer! I love recipes like this!

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Four Cheese Stuffed Shells

Source: Adapted from a Cooking Light recipe
Yield: 2 casseroles, 5 servings per dish (about 4 shells, and 1/2 C marinara)

This dish goes straight from the freezer to oven - no thawing required. You can also easily vary the filling by adding basil or oregano and a different cheese. (We tried fontina instead of mozzarella and threw in some arugula for a peppery bite.) Make some garlic bread and a green salad and dinner's on.

1 pound jumbo shell pasta (40 shells)
Cooking spray
1 (12-ounce) carton 1% low-fat cottage cheese
1 (15-ounce) carton ricotta cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Asiago cheese
3/4 cup (3 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
6 cups prepared marinara sauce
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and set aside.

Preheat oven to 375°.

Coat 2 (13 x 9-inch) baking dishes with cooking spray; set aside.

Place cottage cheese and ricotta cheese in a food processor; process until smooth. Combine cottage cheese mixture, Asiago, and next 6 ingredients (Asiago through spinach).

Spoon or pipe 1 tablespoon cheese mixture into each shell. Arrange half of stuffed shells, seam sides up, in one prepared dish. Pour 3 cups Smoky Marinara over stuffed shells. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup mozzarella. Repeat procedure with remaining stuffed shells, marinara, and mozzarella in remaining prepared dish.

Cover with foil. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

To freeze unbaked casserole: Prepare through Step 5. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing to remove as much air as possible. Wrap with heavy-duty foil. Store in freezer for up to 2 months.

To prepare frozen unbaked casserole: Preheat oven to 375º. Remove foil; reserve foil. Remove plastic wrap; discard wrap. Cover frozen casserole with reserved foil; bake at 375º for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until the shells are thoroughly heated.

CALORIES 470 (30% from fat); FAT 15.7g (sat 8.8g,mono 4.7g,poly 0.9g); IRON 3.8mg; CHOLESTEROL 47mg; CALCIUM 508mg; CARBOHYDRATE 52.7g; SODIUM 916mg; PROTEIN 28.3g; FIBER 5.3g

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(121) Spinach Gratin

In my book this recipe is hands down the winner of my Christmas meals!! OH HOLY GOODNESS!! I wanted to eat this and not much else. I thought I had ruined it after I added the salt. It calls for a full Tablespoon. I put half of that in there and it was SALTY. But it sat in the fridge while we went to church on Christmas Eve. Then we came home and I baked it. VOILA. Not salty at all - just right! So try a teaspoon or a tsp and a half. You can always salt it on your plate after you serve it!

Also, we used plain swiss instead of Gruyere. Gruyere cost a fortune ($12 for a small square at my grocery store!) and maybe I'm cheap, but I went for swiss. It was still delish! This is a recipe I see getting repeated often.

PS: This seems to yield 12 (or more) servings, not 8.

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Spinach Gratin

Source: Barefoot Contessa Parties
Yield: 8 servings (but to me, more like 12+!)

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
4 cups chopped yellow onions (2 large)
1/4 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups milk
3 pounds frozen chopped spinach, defrosted (5 (10-ounce) packages)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Gruyere cheese

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saute pan over medium heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 15 minutes. Add the flour and nutmeg and cook, stirring, for 2 more minutes. Add the cream and milk and cook until thickened. Squeeze as much liquid as possible from the spinach and add the spinach to the sauce. Add 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese and mix well. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper.

Transfer the spinach to a baking dish and sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan and the Gruyere on top. Bake for 20 minutes until hot and bubbly. Serve hot.

(99) Italian White Bean and Spinach Soup

This was an easy soup to put together. I love how hearty it was, even without meat! And the calorie count can't be beat! It for sure needed some salt and a hit of hot pepper flakes. I will make this soup again!

PS: I did not chop the spinach, rather I tore it with my hands as I threw it in the pot. I used about half a bag of spinach and also needed to add a touch of water to make sure the soup didn't get too thick.

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Italian White Bean and Spinach Soup

Dried shiitake mushrooms lend this appetizer soup rich intensity. It's delightful with a grilled cheese sandwich for a light supper.

Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 cup)
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, November 2007

1 (1-ounce) package dried shiitake mushrooms
2 cups boiling water
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups chopped fresh spinach
1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (16-ounce) can cannellini beans or other white beans, rinsed and drained
1 (14-ounce) can organic vegetable broth (such as Swanson Certified Organic)
Fresh thyme (optional)
Crushed red pepper (optional)

Combine mushrooms and 2 cups boiling water in a bowl; cover and let stand 15 minutes. Drain mushrooms in a colander over a bowl, reserving liquid. Chop mushrooms; set aside.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and mushrooms to pan; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add the reserved mushroom liquid, spinach, and next 5 ingredients (through broth); bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Garnish with thyme and red pepper, if desired.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 78 (22% from fat), Fat: 1.9g (sat 0.3g,mono 1.1g,poly 0.4g), Protein: 2.8g, Carbohydrate: 13.5g, Fiber: 2.9g, Cholesterol: 0.0mg, Iron: 1.3mg, Sodium: 261mg, Calcium: 42mg

(94) Garlic Shrimp Pasta

Oh yeah baby, this is off the hook good!!! It's easy, quick, and healthy, too! Please make this! I'm going to make it again soon, it was that good!!

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Image is from Eat Better America website!

Garlic Shrimp Pasta

Source: Eatbetteramerica.com
Yield: 6 servings

8 oz uncooked multigrain angel hair (capellini) pasta or spaghetti
4 cups fresh baby spinach leaves
1 1/2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
3 teaspoons olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped (1/2 cup)
1 1/2 lb fresh medium shrimp, peeled, deveined and tail shells removed
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/2 cup dry white wine or Progresso® reduced-sodium chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)
1/4 cup Progresso® reduced-sodium chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons butter

1. In 5-quart saucepan or Dutch oven, cook pasta as directed on package. Drain; return to saucepan. Stir in spinach, tomatoes and 2 teaspoons of the oil. Cover to keep warm.

2. While pasta is cooking, in 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat remaining 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook and stir 1 minute. Add shrimp, garlic and pepper flakes; cook and stir 2 minutes.

3. Stir in wine, broth, salt and pepper; cook 2 minutes or until shrimp are pink and firm. Remove from heat; stir in parsley and butter until butter is melted. Add shrimp mixture to pasta mixture in saucepan; toss to mix.

Nutritional Information
Calories 300 (Calories from Fat 80); Total Fat 9g (Saturated Fat 3 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 170mg; Sodium 370mg; Total Carbohydrate 30g (Dietary Fiber 4g, Sugars 3g); Protein 25g

(61) Spinach-Cheese Bake

I thought for SURE this recipe had bombed - it was just so weird looking after it was put together. I was really anticipating having chips and salsa for dinner... but guess what!? It was not a bomb at all! It was VERY tasty! This came out almost like a spinach lasagna - good texture and great flavors. YUM. I cut it as 8 servings vs. 12 and served with breaded pork chops and some fruit. I'll make this again for sure!

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Spinach-Cheese Bake

You can assemble the casserole in less than 10 minutes by using preshredded cheeses. Pair this dish with fresh berry salad and mini muffins for a lovely Mother's Day or graduation brunch.

Yield: 12 servings
Source: Cooking Light Magazine, May 2007

1 tablespoon butter, melted
Cooking spray
2 (6-ounce) packages fresh baby spinach
1 1/4 cups (5 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
3/4 cup (3 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (about 5 3/4 ounces)
1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
1 cup egg substitute
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper



1) Preheat oven to 350°.

2) Pour the butter into the bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray; tilt dish to coat. Place spinach evenly in bottom of dish; sprinkle evenly with cheeses.

3) Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and remaining ingredients in a medium bowl; stir with a whisk until blended. Pour milk mixture over cheese. Bake at 350° for 40 minutes or until lightly browned. Serve immediately.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 157 (34% from fat), Fat: 6g (sat 3.7g,mono 1.7g,poly 0.4g), Protein: 10.8g, Carbohydrate: 15.1g, Fiber: 1.6g, Cholesterol: 18mg, Iron: 2.6mg, Sodium: 494mg, Calcium: 263mg

(22) Spinach Manicotti

Quick and easy and quite tasty. I'll definitely make this again, but next time add a little more garlic to the filling and a little red pepper to the marinara!

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Spinach Manicotti

Source: Betty Crocker
Yield: 7 servings (2 manicotti each)

Comments: Surprise! Less than 10 ingredients and just 15 minutes prep is all you need to whip up this Italian pasta dish. Follow the do-ahead tip and you'll have a doable weeknight dinner.

1 box (8 oz) uncooked manicotti shells (14 shells)
2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend (8 oz)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese
1 box (10 oz) cut spinach, thawed, drained, squeezed dry
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 jar (25.5 oz) Muir Glen® pasta sauce (any flavor)

1. Heat oven to 375°F. Cook manicotti as directed on box. Rinse with cool water; drain well.

2. In medium bowl, stir together 1 1/2 cups of the Italian cheese blend, the red pepper, ricotta cheese, spinach, garlic and egg.

3. In bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish, spread 1 cup of the pasta sauce. Spoon ricotta mixture into manicotti; place over sauce in dish. Pour remaining sauce over manicotti.

4. Cover tightly with foil; bake about 30 minutes or until sauce is bubbling. Uncover dish; sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Italian cheese blend. Bake uncovered 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Increase first bake time to about 45 minutes.


Substitution:The Italian cheese blend adds a nice flavor twist to this dish, but you could use mozzarella instead.
Do-Ahead: You can make this recipe up to 24 hours ahead. Just cover and refrigerate until ready to bake. You can expect about 15 minutes extra baking time.

Nutrition Information:
1 Serving (2 Manicotti): Calories 380 (Calories from Fat 130); Total Fat 15g (Saturated Fat 8g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 80mg; Sodium 770mg; Total Carbohydrate 41g (Dietary Fiber 4g, Sugars 6g); Protein 22g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 70%; Vitamin C 6%; Calcium 45%; Iron 15% Exchanges: 2 Starch; 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 2 1/2 Medium-Fat Meat Carbohydrate Choices: 3
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

(8) Greek Bulgur (or couscous!) Salad

Greek Bulgur (or couscous!) Salad

This recipe was one of those 'suggested sides' recipes along with the Pork Chops Oreganata. They suggested you use hot cooked bulgur but I didn't have that on hand, so I used couscous. Because couscous isn't very moist on it's own and doesn't retain heat well, I had to microwave the couscous + spinach to get it to wilt.

3 cups hot cooked bulgur
5 ounces baby spinach
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup (1 ounce) crumbled feta

Combine hot bulgur and spinach. Cover and let stand 15 minutes or until spinach wilts. Stir in cherry tomatoes, lemon juice, olive oil, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese.

(3) Spinach with Pine Nuts and Golden Raisins

Looking for a simple, but somewhat different side recipe, I ran across this one. It's not rocket science, but it was a nice twist on the traditional garlicky sauteed spinach. The golden raisins gave a nice sweet bite in with the stronger flavors. I'll definitely repeat this one!

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Spinach with Pine Nuts and Golden Raisins

Source: Cooking Light Magazine, August 2006
Yield: 4 servings (1/2 cup each)

CL Comments: This Spanish-inspired side dish is a sweet-savory combination of garlicky wilted spinach, buttery pine nuts, and golden raisins. One serving is a tasty way to pack in 114 milligrams of magnesium--about 25 percent of your daily needs.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup boiling water
1/3 cup golden raisins
2 (9-oz) bags baby spinach
2 Tbsp water
1 tsp olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
4 tsp pine nuts, toasted

Preparation:

1) Combine 1/2 cup boiling water and raisins; let stand 15 minutes or until raisins are plump. Drain.

2) Combine spinach and 2 Tablespoons water in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook 3 minutes or until spinach wilts, stirring frequently. Remove from pan. Wipe pan with a paper towel.

3) Heat oil in pan over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring frequently. Add spinach, raisins, salt, and pepper; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated. Stir in pine nuts.

Nutritional Information:

Calories: 121 (23% from fat), Fat: 3.1g (sat 0.3g, mono 1.4, poly 1.1g), Protein: 3.9g, Carbohydrate 24.1g, Fiber: 6.7g, Cholesterol 0.0mg, Iron 4.5mg, Sodium 352mg, Calcium 100mg

Spinach Post Mortem...

I'm happy to report that I used the rest of last night's spinach today and YUM. I made an omlette with the spinach/mushrooms, the leftover caramelized onions, and Swiss cheese. Served with leftover roasted potatoes that doubled as hash browns. Happiness!! I'm glad I had them on hand...

Sauteed Wild Mushrooms with Spinach

Tonight's dinner was, in spite of myself, pretty tasty! I bought ground beef 2 nights ago to make Italian Burgers from a recent Cooking Light. Took the beef out and it looked like it was working on growing legs, sooooooooo plain burgers from the freezer made an appearance. The only actual recipe that got made was this one for Sauteed Wild Mushrooms with Spinach. We're seriously lacking in the green/vegetable department, so this was perfect!!

For this recipe, I used an 8oz carton of sliced button mushrooms and an 8oz carton of creminis. You definitely need to sautee the spinach in batches. It looks like a ton, but it's really not. The spinach comes out flavorful, but not overly flavorful. I also felt that it needed a pinch or 2 of salt at the end. This recipe isn't earth shattering, but it was tasty and a nice mild side item for dinner!

Source: Quick Fix Meals with Robin Miller (Food Network)
Yield: 4 to 6 servings


Ingredients

2 teaspoons olive oil

1/4 cup minced shallots

3 cloves garlic, minced

4 cups mixed wild mushrooms (any combination of shiitake, porcini, chanterelle, oyster, portobello, and cremini)

3 tablespoons dry sherry wine

1 1/2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

2 (10-ounce) bags fresh spinach

Directions

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add shallots and garlic and saute 1 minute. Add mushrooms and cook 3 to 5 minutes, until mushrooms are tender. Add sherry and soy sauce and bring to a simmer. Add spinach (add spinach in batches if necessary), and simmer 1 to 2 minutes, until spinach wilts, turning frequently.