Spinach and Mushroom Stuffed Shells

Warning: This recipe is not for the faint of heart or those who are dieting.  It is LADEN with cheese.

That being said, I wanted to get this recipe posted today, while I was thinking about it.  I didn't have a link for it on the menu this week.  Sorry.  It is so oooey gooey yummy... mmmmm.... I can't wait for dinner tonight.  I choose to use fresh ingredients for this one, but you can buy frozen or canned products if you want to save time. 

AND AND AND!!! You can freeze this recipe for later if you like - just wrap it tight with heavy duty aluminum foil.  When you are ready to cook it, preheat oven to 400 degrees and cook for 90 minutes. 

Spinach and Mushroom Stuffed Shells

Ingredients:
1 box Jumbo Pasta Shells
26 oz. jar of spaghetti sauce
3 cups Mozzerella cheese
8 oz. Ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
2 cups chopped spinach
1 package sliced mushrooms, minced
3 cloves garlic
3 eggs

Directions:
1. Cook pasta shells according to directions on box.  Drain and set aside.
2. Prepare cheese filling by combining 3 cups of the Mozzerella, Ricotta, and Parmesan cheeses, spinach, mushroom, garlic, and egg in a large bowl. 
3. Pour 1/3 of bottle of spaghetti sauce into an ungreased 9x13 pan.  Spoon cheese filling into shells and place in 9x13 pan.  Pour remaining sauce over tops of shells.  Sprinkle remaining 1 cup of Mozzerella cheese over sauce.
4. Cover with aluminum foil.  Keep refrigerated until ready to cook. 
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cook for 45 minutes or until cheese is melted. 

Note: I NEVER have enough room for all the shells in a 9x13 pan, so I place the remainder (filled) onto a cookie sheet, freeze them for 2 hours, then throw them into a gallon size freezer bag for later.

Tuscan Soup

I love Olive Garden's all you can eat soup and salad lunch.  It is so yummerific.  Oh yeah, that's a word.  Look it up!  Okay, maybe not.  But it should be.  Anyhooser, I am too cheap to pay their prices.  So, I decided to make my own version of their Zuppa Toscana.  Plus, I like my soup a little less greasy, a little creamier, and a little more somethin' somethin'.  So, here is my version.

Tuscan Soup

Ingredients:
1 lb. Italian sausage
1/2 lb. bacon, chopped
3 cups water
2 14.5 oz. cans chicken broth
2 large russet potatoes, scrubbed and cubed into bite size pieces
1 medium onion, peeled and chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups chopped kale
2 cups heavy whipping cream
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. In large skillet or dutch oven, brown sausage, breaking into small pieces while it cooks.  Drain and set aside.  In same skillet, brown bacon, drain.  Combine sausage and bacon in a large colander, rinse, and drain once more.  Set both aside.

2. Put potatoes, onions, and garlic in stock pot.  Cover with water and chicken broth.  Bring to a simmer and cook until potatoes are at tender-crisp stage.  Add meats and simmer for another 10-20 minutes.

3. Add kale and whipping cream.  Heat through.  Add salt and pepper.  Serves 6.

Manicotti

This has to be one of my favorite pasta recipes.  I LOVE me some good manicotti.  For me, this biggest secret is to not cook the noodles as long as the package tells you to.  I always cook the noodles 1-2 minutes less so that they are not soggy after I take them out of the oven.

Manicotti

Ingredients:
1 package manicotti noodles, cooked as directed on package
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 egg whites
1/2 package (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained
15 oz. part-skim ricotta cheese
1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese, divided in half
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided in half
2 cups spaghetti sauce

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium heat. Add mushrooms and garlic; cook 5 min., stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Beat egg whites in medium bowl. Add mushroom mixture, spinach, ricotta cheese and 1/2 each mozzarella and parmesan; mix well. Spoon evenly into manicotti shells.
2. Place shells in greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Cover with spaghetti sauce.
3. Bake covered 30 min.  Remove foil and bake another 10 minutes. Top with remaining mozzarella and parmesan; bake 5 min. or until cheese is melted.

My Infamous Lasagna Recipe

Okay, at the request of my Aunt Karol, I am posting my recipe for Lasagna. Everyone that I have fed this to tends to leave my house with a really full stomach. My aunt and uncle and cousin were no exception tonight. I really like making this, and was recently given a short cut: NOT HAVING TO COOK THE NOODLES! YAY! I love this! Makes it so much more simple. The only thing I recommmend is DO NOT use the oven ready noodles, it makes it a little chewy. So, without further adieu, here's the recipe for my infamous lasagna:

Lasagna

Ingredients:
1 box lasagna noodles
1 lb. ground turkey
1 26 oz. jar spaghetti sauce
4 cups mozzerella cheese
1 12 oz. container small curd cottage cheese
2 eggs
2 Tbs. oregano
1/2 tsp. pepper
2 large portabella mushrooms, sliced thin
1 bunch spinach, washed and stems removed
1 cup cold water

Directions:
1. Brown turkey in a large skillet. Add spaghetti sauce, reserving 1/4 cup of sauce.
2. Mix together in large bowl cheeses, eggs, oregano, or pepper.
3. Spread reserved spaghetti sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Place 1st layer of noodles in pan. Spread 1/3 of meat sauce over noodles, making sure edges are completely covered in sauce. Sprinkle 1/3 of cheese mixture over sauce. Spread 1 of the mushrooms (slices) over cheese. Cover entirely with spinach. Place next layer of noodles in pan and repeat layer. Place 3rd layer of noodles in pan, use remaining meat sauce to again COMPLETELY cover noodles and sprinkle remaining cheese on top. (I learned the hard way that you have to have the noodles covered completely - any exposed noodle will be hard and chewy - BLEAH!)
4. Pour 1 cup of water around edges of pan. Seal tightly with aluminum foil (so that steam will NOT escape in oven).
5. Place pan in preheated 350 degree oven and cook for 90 minutes. Serve hot.

Lasagna (for the freezer)

Lasagna

Ingredients:
1/2 lb. ground beef, cooked and drained
1 26 oz. can spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
8 oz. lasagna noodles
2 cup cottage cheese
1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese

Directions:
1. Mix together beef and spaghetti sauce in a bowl.
2. Mix together Parmesan and cottage cheese in another bowl.
3. Layer in a 9x13 pan spaghetti sauce, cottage cheese mix, and then mozzarella cheese. Repeat until you have 3 layers of noodles. Top with spaghetti sauce and more cheese. Freeze.
4. Cook frozen, covered with foil at 400 for 1 1/2 hrs.

Fettuccine Alfredo

If any of you like Italian or pasta, but you like to eat healthy, you know that you can NEVER have fettucine alfredo. Until now! No cream, no butter, but SOOOOOO good! I got this recipe off of Kraft's website, but it needs a few alterations - so I'm adding them in. :) Jon said that this reminded him alot of Macaroni Grill. Except that it's A LOT cheaper and it feeds 4 people.

Easy Cheesy Fettuccine Alfredo

Ingredients:
Fettuccine, cooked as directed
1 1/4 cups chicken broth
4 tsp. flour
1/2 cup cream cheese spread
4 Tbs. grated parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 Tbs. parsley

Directions:
1. While pasta is cooking, in a large skillet whisk together chicken broth and flour until lumps are gone. Add cream cheese, parmesan cheese, nutmeg, garlic powder, pepper, and parsley. Cook until sauce starts to boil and thickens (approximately 2 minutes), stirring constantly.
2. Drain pasta. Add to skillet with sauce and toss to coat. Serve with more parmesan cheese if desired.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken

I got this recipe off of Kraft's website. It was really yummy, and surprisingly low in fat/calories (PERFECT!). Pretty cheap too! It feeds 4 people, cost about $2/person. They suggest you serve it with asparagus spears, but we just had it with a nice spinach salad.

Parmesan Crusted Chicken in Cream Sauce

Ingredients:
2 cups instant brown rice, uncooked
1 can (14 oz.) chicken broth, divided into 1 1/4 cups and 1/2 cup
9 Ritz crackers, finely crushed
3 Tbs. grated parmesan cheese
4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves
2 tsp. oil
1/2 cup chive and onion cream cheese spread

Directions:
1. Cook rice as directed on package, using 1 1/4 cups of the broth and 1/2 cup water.
2. Mix cracker crumbs and parmesan cheese in shallow dish. Rinse chicken in cold water and gently shake off excess water. Dip chicken in crumb mixture, turning each piece over to evenly coat both sides.
3. Heat oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add chicken, cooking 5-6 minutes on each side or until golden brown on both sides and cooked through. Place chicken on serving plate and cover to keep warm. Add remaining 1/2 cup of chicken broth and the cream cheese to skillet. Cook on medium heat just until mixture starts to boil, stirring constantly. Simmer for 3 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Spoon sauce over chicken. Serve with the rice.