stuffed shells with ricotta spinach and portobello mushrooms.

Stuffed Shells with Ricotta, Spinach, and Portobello Mushrooms

1 T olive oil

1 large portobello mushroom, chopped

1/2 onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 red pepper, diced

1 15 oz ricotta cheese - I used low fat

1 egg

3/4 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded (divided)

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (divided)

1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and chopped (use a potato ricer to get rid of the water)

1/2 tsp dried basil

Dash of crushed red pepper

Salt and pepper

About 3 cups of marinara sauce (I made my own, you can use store bought)

About 18 jumbo pasta shells, cooked al dente, read box instructions:)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large casserole dish or Pyrex 9 by 13 pan with cooking spray. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Once hot, add the onion, cook until soft. Add in garlic, mushrooms, and red peppers. Remove from heat and cool.

In a large bowl combine the ricotta, 1/4 cup of the mozzarella, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, stir well. Add in the egg, spinach, dried basil, crushed red pepper,salt and fresh cracked pepper to taste. Mix well until creamy. Add the mushroom, onion, red pepper mixture.

Pour 1/2 cup of marinara sauce in the bottom of your sprayed baking dish. Place the cooked shells in the pan. Make sure they are spaced out evenly. Stuff each shell with cheese/veggie mixture. Use a spoon, it might get messy:)

Pour the remaining sauce over the stuffed shells. Add the leftover mozzarella and Parmesan.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes. You want the shells to be bubbling with goodness. Let cool for a few minutes and serve warm.

heres a few recipes.

Tomato Basil Bruschetta

6-7 Roma or plum tomatoes-or whatever you have from your garden

1 clove of garlic, minced

Fresh basil leaves-10 leaves or so, chopped

Salt and pepper to taste

French baguette , sliced on the diagonal, about ½ inch thick slices

Dice the tomatoes and remove the seeds. Combine the tomatoes, garlic, and basil leaves in a small bowl. Stir. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon the mixture onto the slices of baguette. Do this right before serving so the bread doesn't get soggy.

pesto pasta with chicken!!!

ingrediants

• 1 (16 ounce) package bow tie pasta
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces
• crushed red pepper flakes to taste
• 1/3 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, drained and cut into strips
• 1/2 cup pesto sauce

directionss.

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute garlic until tender, then stir in chicken. Season with red pepper flakes. Cook until chicken is golden, and cooked through.
3. In a large bowl, combine pasta, chicken, sun-dried tomatoes and pesto. Toss to coat evenly.

Basil Pesto without Nuts or "Pistou"


3 cups fresh basil leaves
2-3 cloves garlic
About 1/4 cup quality parmesan cheese, grated
Splash of fresh lemon juice
About 1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste


1. In a food processor or blender, chop up the garlic until it is minced.
2. Add in the basil and cheese and start to blend. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil while the machine is running. Blend until smooth.
3. Squeeze in a little lemon juice and add salt and pepper to taste.
4. Taste the sauce and adjust to your likings.
5. Put in a freezer container and freeze if you wish or use it right away.

Plum Nectarine Buttermilk Cake

Adapted from Gourmet

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 stick unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar, divided

1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1 large egg

1/2 cup well-shaken buttermilk

Plums and nectarines, chopped (I used a mix of the 2 fruits-to equal 1 1/4 cups)

Turbinado sugar (I added this)

Preheat oven to 400°F with rack in middle. Butter and flour a 9-inch round cake pan.

Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Beat butter and 2/3 cup sugar with an electric mixer at medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes, then beat in vanilla. Add egg and beat well.

At low speed, mix in flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour, and mixing until just combined.

Spoon batter into cake pan, smoothing top. Scatter chopped plums and nectarines evenly over top and sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar. I also used a little Turbinado sugar. Just sprinkle some over the cake if you wish. It gave it a nice extra sugary crunch.

Bake until cake is golden and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack and cool to warm, 10 to 15 minutes more. Invert onto a plate.

spinach salad and bacon dressing.

CLASSIC RECIPE:
SPINACH SALAD with WARM BACON DRESSING

Hands-on time: 30 minutes
Time to table: 30 minutes
Serves 4

DRESSING

• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 6 tablespoons lemon juice (from about 3 lemons)
• Salt & freshly ground black pepper
• 4 strips bacon (see TIPS)

SALAD

• 12 ounces baby spinach, washed well and dried
• 1 handful radish sprouts (see TIPS)
• 4 fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped (if need be, Perfect Hard-Cooked Eggs)
• 1/2 a small red onion, peeled and sliced very thin into rings

DRESSING In a small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients except the bacon fat. Set aside for the flavors to meld – you know, to get all friendly and cozy together – while prepping the salad. In a small skillet, cook the bacon pieces until crispy, transfer bacon to a plate covered with a paper towel. Reserve two tablespoons of the bacon fat in the skillet, save the rest for another use.

SALAD While the bacon cooks, prep the spinach, mushrooms, eggs and onion.

COMBINE Just before serving, if needed, rewarm the 2 tablespoons bacon fat, then stir in the lemon mixture (it will sizzle). In a large bowl, toss the spinach and sprouts with the warm dressing until the leaves are evenly covered. Gently stir in the cooked bacon pieces, mushrooms, eggs and onion. Transfer to serving plates. Serve and savor!

NUTRITION ESTIMATE Per Serving: 209Cal; 14g Tot Fat; 5g Sat Fat; 125mg Cholesterol; 353mg Sodium; 10g Carb; 2g Fiber; 4g Sugar; 10g Protein; Weight Watchers 5 points This recipe has been 'Alanna-sized' with reductions in fat and increases in nutrient- and fiber-rich vegetables.

homemade thinn mints<3

Homemade Thin Mints
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
6 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/3 cup milk (any kind)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
3/4 tsp peppermint extract

In a small bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder and salt.
In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar. With the mixer on low speed, add in the milk and the extracts. Mixture will look curdled. Gradually, add in the flour mixture until fully incorporated.
Shape dough into two logs, about 1 1/2 inches (or about 4 cm) in diameter, wrap in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 1-2 hours, until dough is very firm.
Preheat oven to 375F.
Slice dough into rounds not more than 1/4 inch thick - if they are too thick, they will not be as crisp - and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Cookies will not spread very much, so you can put them quite close together.
Bake for 13-15 minutes, until cookies are firm at the edges. Cool cookies completely on a wire rack before dipping in chocolate.

Dark Chocolate Coating
10-oz dark or semisweet chocolate
1/2 cup butter, room temperature

In a microwave safe bowl, combine chocolate and butter. Melt on high power in the microwave, stirring every 45-60 seconds, until chocolate is smooth. Chocolate should have a consistency somewhere between chocolate syrup and fudge for a thin coating.
Dip each cookie in melted chocolate, turn with a fork to coat, then transfer to a piece of parchment paper or wax paper to set up for at least 30 minutes, or until chocolate is cool and firm.
Reheat chocolate as needed to keep it smooth and easy to dip into.

Makes 3 1/2-4 dozen cookies.

apple cinnamon muffins

Apple Cinnamon Muffins
2 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground ginger
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 large egg
2 tbsp butter, melted and cooled
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cups diced apple

3 tbsp coarse sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and spices.
In a large bowl, whisk together brown sugar and egg. Whisk in melted butter, vegetable oil and vanilla. Working in two or three additions, alternately stir in flour mixture and buttermilk, ending with an addition of flour and mixing only until no streaks of flour remain visible in the batter. Stir in diced apple.
Divide batter evenly into prepared muffin cups filling each to the top, or slightly over.
In a small bowl, stir together coarse sugar and additional 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon. Sprinkle generously over muffins.
Bake for 15-18 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly pressed.
Cool muffins on a wire rack.

Makes 12.