Stuffed Shells

Why must the universe give me a totally open week and then make the next week a complete mess? But hey, all that matters is that I survived it. It doesn't help that I kept putting off my homework for grad class until the week it was due but I think I did alright. I'm actually doing a lot better in the class than I thought I would. It's been three years since I've been in school so I was worried about how I would do academically. Of course, my professor hasn't given us actual grades yet but he has given me positive feedback so one can only assume.

The graduate program I'm in is geared toward adults who are already working so they made the courses mostly online. The good thing about this class I'm taking now is that we get to meet with the professor face-to-face. It's only twice out of the whole semester, but the one time we met, we discussed about a lot of interesting policies (the class is called "Public Policy and Community Relations in Education") and I learned a lot from him. It's only six people in the class too so it makes for good discussions. It made me miss being in college and learning new things.

Still, I'm actually glad it's only twice a semester because between getting home from work and driving to class, I'm pretty pressed for time. Granted, the drive is only five minutes but I don't like walking in feeling rushed so I like to give myself some time to settle down once I arrive. Despite trying to get ready pretty quickly, I manage to eat something very nice for dinner thanks to some planning ahead and my freezer.



I've made stuffed shells before with just ricotta and spinach but man, does the sausage one-up it. I love sweet Italian sausage and lots of cheese so this is a great recipe. I really should keep this stocked in my freezer all the time because when nothing else looks good, this will always appeal to my stomach. This recipe makes a lot and can definitely feed a family with leftovers. Serve with a salad or a light soup for a balanced meal!

Stuffed Shells
From Scrumptious and Sumptuous 

1 lb jumbo shells
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan

For the filling
1 lb sausage [I used sweet Italian sausage]
15 oz ricotta cheese
1 to 2 eggs (depending on how dry the ricotta is)1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup chopped spinach
1 1/2 tbsp fresh oregano
1 1/2 tbsp fresh dried basil
1 1/2 tbsp parsley
1 tbsp fresh rosemary
2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Marinara sauce (use your favorite - I used Classico's Spicy Pepper)

In a large skillet over medium heat, brown the sausage, breaking it into small pieces. In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients for the filling. Add cooked sausage; mix well.

To cook the pasta shells: in a large pot, bring 4 quarts of water to a rolling boil, then add 1 1/2 tbsp salt. Add pasta and cook until al dente, about 7-9 minutes. Drain.

Spread a thin layer of the marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9x13 dish. To stuff the shells, I put the filling inside a ziploc bag, closed it, cut off a piece of the bottom corner, and piped the filling into the shells. So much easier than trying to spoon it in! Place stuffed shells, open side face up, into the baking dish. Pour the remaining marinara sauce over the stuffed shells, top with remaining mozzarella and parmesan, cover with foil, and bake at 375F for 30 minutes, removing foil during last 10 minutes of cooking. When done, let cool and serve!

Three Cheese Mac and Cheese

This past weekend, I had a second Thanksgiving dinner. Since my boyfriend and I spent the actual Thanksgiving Day with our respective families, we decided to have our own. Due to poor planning on our part, it ended up being a very late dinner. We started thawing the frozen turkey breast at 6 and it was maybe ready by 8 and we microwaved it a little bit to get it finally in the oven by 9 or 9:30. So by the time the turkey was cooked, rested, and ready to be sliced, it was 11:30 p.m. It was still a delicious late meal.



My boyfriend had seen this recipe for a stuffed turkey breast and it looked so good that we had to make it our main dish. It turned out great and juicy, though a little too herb-y for my tastes. Since the exact measurements for the turkey rub is not provided in the recipe, we just measured out our own and it still turned out well. The other dishes we made were sweet potato fries, Kroger's honey rolls (leftover from my Thanksgiving), Parmesan mashed potatoes (leftovers that my friend brought when she visited me because her mom's mashed potatoes are amazing), and bacon mac and cheese.



The mac and cheese, I loved. I loved everything about this second Thanksgiving dinner, but the mac and cheese is a great recipe that I'll keep in my rotation. Buying three different cheeses may get expensive, but it doesn't use too much so you'll still be able to use them for a lot of other recipes, especially the Velveeta. What I loved about this was the subtle and mild cheese flavor, unlike the strong taste in a traditional recipe using just cheddar. Of course we had to add bacon as we do with almost everything we make, so I baked 4 slices at 375F until crispy, crumbled them up, and mixed them in at the end. Try it! You won't be disappointed.

Three Cheese Mac and Cheese
From Carrie's Experimental Kitchen

1 lb pasta
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup 2% Velveeta cheese, cubed
1/4 cup Asiago cheese, shredded
1/4 cup Pecorino Romano cheese, shredded
1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
1 tbsp melted butter

Preheat oven to 350F. Cook pasta according to package instructions, removing the pasta while it’s still al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, melt 2 tbsp butter in a large saucepan, then stir in the flour forming a roux. Whisk in the milk, then add in the cheese. Stir until all of the cheese has melted and the sauce has thickened slightly.

Add the cooked pasta to the cheese sauce and mix well, then place the pasta in a oven-safe baking dish. Mix together the breadcrumbs and 1 tbsp. melted butter, then sprinkle on top of the macaroni.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are lightly browned and the cheese is bubbling.

Simple Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells

Pasta dishes are my favorite easy meals.



Throw something together in a baking dish and smother it in cheese.



Let it bake and bubble in the oven.



Then devour it.



I got 4 servings out of this dish (6 shells each--I dropped one on the floor while draining it... sad). It looks like a lot of spinach, but it's a good amount and not at all overpowering. The ricotta balances it out. There's no other cheese mixed in with the spinach and ricotta, but it's still yummy. I'm kinda obsessed with stuffed shells now. A taco version sounds yummy. Or maybe even chicken salad for a cold dish. Weekend project!

Simple Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells [Makes 4 to 6 servings]
From Spoon Fork Bacon

25 jumbo pasta shells
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup store bought marinara sauce
1/3 cup Parmesan, grated

2 cups frozen spinach, thawed, drained and chopped
2 cups part-skim ricotta
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 shallot, minced
1 tbsp thyme, minced
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350F.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta, as well as a generous amount of salt, and stir. Cook the pasta until al dente, about 15 minutes. Drain the pasta and toss with olive oil. Set aside.

Pour the marinara sauce into a 8”x 8” baking dish and move around to form an even coat.

In a mixing bowl, combine the spinach, ricotta, egg, shallot, and thyme and stir together well. Season together with salt and pepper.

Using a spoon, scoop a small amount of the filling and stuff into a pasta shell. Nestle the stuffed shell into the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining shells until the baking dish is filled. Top the baking dish with a sprinkle of Parmesan.

Tightly cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for an additional 5 minutes or until the Parmesan begins to bubble and lightly brown. Remove from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Roasted Zucchini Pasta

Whoever says teaching is a part-time job should follow me around for a day and see what it's really like. I teach all levels of Algebra and deal with all grade levels. It's a challenge to keep everybody engaged, especially for such a long ninety minutes. That is difficult even for me because I don't have any experience with block scheduling so sometimes I end up either overplanning or underplanning. And the paperwork? Oh, man...

My day starts at 6:15. I get up, get ready, drive about 40 minutes to school and arrive there at 8. I make whatever copies I need for that day and get myself organized with notes and handouts separated. Homeroom for 10 minutes and then it's first period for the next 90 minutes starting at 9:10. Then a much-needed-but-definitely-not-enough-five-minute break and on to second period for another 90 minutes. I eat lunch at 12:30 and some days I'm done teaching for the day (planning periods) and other days, I have one last class from 2 to 3:35. Teachers are allowed to leave at 4, but I've been staying until 5 because currently, I'm planning on a daily basis. Even if I'm not necessarily done at 5, I try to leave by then because I've still got quite a drive home and by that time I'm hungry. I need to get home before I hit the stage where I want to eat everything and anything in sight.

This is when recipes like the one I'm sharing today come in handy. I had food in my stomach in 30 minutes tops and it was a satisfying meal. I love pasta and I love zucchini and roasting is now my favorite method of eating any vegetable. I didn't have any fresh basil so I used oregano because that's my next favorite herb, but I think fresh basil would have really made this even better. This would also make a great lunch to pack. I could make double the amount one night and then save the leftovers.

I know some teachers don't like bringing work home, but they have years of experience to rely on. I, on the other hand, am really making it up as I go along so I am usually working on lessons until it's time for bed. But I made a promise to myself that I would not stay up at night. I need to take care of myself before I can get up and teach those kids. They really drain the energy out of you! It's a challenge... But I think it'll still be a fun challenge, as frustrating as it may seem right now.



Roasted Zucchini Pasta [Makes 4 servings]
From Ezra Pound Cake

2 lb medium zucchini, trimmed, cut into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
1 small sweet Vidalia onion or 4 shallots, thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
4 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
8 oz penne or ziti, dry, preferably whole grain
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup grated Pecorino Romano cheese
Feta or goat cheese, to taste (optional)
Optional additions: sun-dried tomatoes, sliced plum tomatoes, fresh corn, black olives, mushrooms, toasted pine nuts, pesto, roasted red pepper

Preheat oven to 425F. Toss zucchini, onion, garlic and 3 tbsp oil in bowl. Spread into a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast until zucchini is lightly browned, turning once, 15 to 20 minutes.

In the meantime, prepare the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1/2 cup of cooking liquid before draining the pasta. Return pasta to pot. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil; cover and set aside.

Stir the roasted vegetables into the pasta. Add 1/4 cup pasta cooking liquid, and stir over medium heat until heated through. Add basil and cheese. Toss, adding reserved cooking liquid by tablespoonfuls to moisten if dry. Taste, and adjust your seasonings. Serve immediately.

Spaghetti with Artichokes and Capers

I wish we had a bigger fridge. Or a bigger kitchen, but let's start small. My mom tends to push things into the fridge, sending everything to the back and then forgetting about what's in the back and letting it get old. Now that I'm home, I inspect the back frequently to see what I can throw out and clear up some much needed space. But sometimes, nothing can be thrown out and there's absolutely no more room. It doesn't help that my parents and I eat different foods now since I like to cook, so the fridge is twice as full as it normally would be.

Same goes for the freezer. I noticed a bag of frozen artichokes in the freezer the other day. In an attempt to make more space, I decided I needed to make something with those artichokes. We also have a ton of spaghetti after somebody gave us a pack when we already had some. I thought spaghetti and artichokes would make a great meal. This is a very simple recipe that can be doubled or quadrupled easily. You can add or subtract to your liking, too.

It doesn't look like anything has been taken out of the freezer, but I'll take it one item at a time... Maybe by the end of the month, we can open the freezer without getting attacked by a random piece of frozen meat. That hurts like no other when it lands on my foot.



Spaghetti with Artichokes [Makes 1 serving]

- 3/4 cup frozen artichokes hearts
- 2 oz spaghetti
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tbsp capers, drained (optional)
- Extra virgin olive oil
- Salt and pepper
- Red pepper flakes (optional)
- Parmesan cheese, grated

1. Put large pot of salted water on to boil. Add pasta when water begins to boil and cook according to instructions on pasta package. When pasta is just about al dente, drain well and return to pot. Reduce heat to low.
2. Add artichokes, capers, garlic powder, enough olive oil so pasta won't stick to pan, and salt and pepper to taste. Toss around for a minute or so, until artichokes are thawed.
3. Transfer to plate. Top with Parmesan cheese and red pepper flakes.

Mexican Pasta Skillet

Wait a minute. Are there really only 3 days to Christmas?! When did this happen? I'm so not ready. The only part of Christmas dinner that I have planned is dessert, as always. I should probably get everything set tonight so I can go shopping tomorrow and not on Christmas Eve when the stores will be even more crowded than usual.

I finally got into the Christmas spirit when I watched the Christmas episode of Warehouse 13 yesterday. The mushy scene at the end of an episode where everybody is gathered at the table for dinner and having a good time always gets me. Then I proceeded to wrap everyone's present and got so happy when I thought of the faces on my family's faces when they see what I got them!



While I was shopping for wrapping paper at Target, I also did all my food shopping for this recipe. However much I love self checkout, it was much more convenient to shop for everything at one place. I couldn't find any other brand name salsas other than Target's own Archer Farms, so I grabbed the cilantro kind. It took me a while to choose because there were so many choices! I'm happy with the cilantro though because it tastes great (and smells amazing as it simmers). There is a tiny bit of heat to the salsa from the two peppers, but I think it's better than an overwhelming spicy flavor in this dish. This can also act as a great base recipe, but I like it as simple as it is now. It took me just 30 minutes from start to finish.



Healthified Mexican Pasta Skillet [Makes 5 servings]
From Eat Better America

- 1 lb extra-lean ground beef [I went for ground chicken]
- 16 oz salsa
- 1 cup tomato sauce
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 2 cups uncooked macaroni or shells
- 1 cup frozen corn
- 1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese [I omitted]

1. In 12-inch skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain.
2. Stir in salsa, tomato sauce and water. Heat to boiling. Stir in macaroni and corn. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until macaroni is tender.