Spinach Manicotti with Tomato Cream Sauce

Mmm.... mid-winter's night pasta.  Hot, filling, and plenty of leftovers at the end of dinner for the next three days worth of lunches.

Just a warning, you are going to want to prepare more pasta than this recipe calls for.  The spinach filling makes a LOT of filling.  I ended up cooking up shells after dinner was over to use up the rest of the filling.  Manicotti AND stuffed shells- it's a 2-for-1 dinner!

INGREDIENTS

• Coarse salt and ground pepper
• 8 manicotti shells (from an 8-ounce package)
• 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 container (15 ounces) part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 cup finely grated Parmesan (2 ounces)
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 package (10 ounces) frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 2 cups prepared marinara sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta shells according to package instructions. Drain well and arrange in a single layer on an oiled rimmed baking sheet. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine ricotta, 1/2 cup Parmesan, and lemon zest. Stir in spinach and season filling to taste with salt and pepper.
   
2. Transfer filling to a large zip-top plastic bag. Twist and squeeze bag so filling is in one corner. With scissors, snip a 3/4-inch opening in corner. Pipe filling into both ends of each pasta shell. Arrange stuffed shells in an 8-inch square glass baking dish.
   
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together marinara sauce, oregano, and cream. Pour sauce evenly over stuffed shells and top with 1/2 cup Parmesan. Bake until sauce in center of dish is bubbling and Parmesan is browned in spots, about 30 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.
   

VERDICT

This was quick and easy to prepare, and it made a HUGE dinner!  The sauce wasn't enough to cover the shells I used for the remainder of the stuffing, but it was nearly as good with bottled pasta sauce over the top.

Thank you Martha Stewart for a filling winter meal.  My manicottis didn't look half as pretty as yours, but I'm pretty sure they tasted just the same.

Asian-Style Grilled Tilapia

It's almost summer!  Ok, well it's only the first week of spring, but that's an improvement over the long, Upstate NY winter, right?

Break out the grill! 

INGREDIENTS

1/4	cup soy sauce
2	tablespoons sugar
3	large garlic cloves, minced (about a Tbs.)
1	lime, juice of (2 Tbs or so)
1	teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1/4	teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1	lb tilapia fillets (or other thin mild fish)

DIRECTIONS

1. Combine the soy sauce, sugar, garlic, lime juice, ginger and red pepper flakes in a wide, shallow baking pan that will hold all of the fish in a single layer.
2. Stir briefly to dissolve the sugar.
3. Add the tilapia, then turn it over so that it's coated all over with the marinade.
4. Set aside for 20 min or so.
5. Heat the broiler to high, and move the oven rack to position closest to heat.
6. Slide the pan into the oven, and broil the fish for 5 minute Keep the oven door ajar so the broiler element stays lit.
7. Turn the pan around (back to front), and broil for 5 more minute.
8. If the juices in the pan appear to burn, add a little water to the dry spot to prevent burning.
9. The fish should be opaque and flaky.
10. Spoon the sauce over the fish when serving.

VERDICT

I'm never very confident making fish on the grill.  It's not like a piece of meat you can flip over a few times and be done with.  Fish gets flakey and falls apart, and even when you make it on tinfoil it gets all sticky... it's just not as easy as chicken.

But this recipe is definitely worth trying.  The flavors were great.

Try pairing it with the easy Roasted Cauliflower Recipe!

Szechwuan Beef Stir-Fry

This recipe is adapted from Better Homes & Gardens.  If you want the original, check out their web page.  For our purposes we've doubled the sauce (you can never have too much sauce!)

This makes a TON of leftovers- great for lunches in the next few days!

Serves:  4 (or more!)

INGREDIENTS

• 12 ounces or sirloin steak
• 6 tablespoons orange juice
• 6 tablespoons soy sauce
• 4 tablespoons water
• 4 tablespoons bottled hoisin sauce
• 2 tablespoon grated fresh ginger or 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 4 teaspoons cornstarch
• 2 teaspoon sugar
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 cup thinly bias-sliced carrot
• 1 head broccoli, chopped into bite-sized pieces
• 1 red sweet pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 cups hot cooked rice
• Thinly sliced green onions (optional)  

DIRECTIONS







Trim fat from meat. Thinly slice meat across the grain into bite-size strips . Set aside.

For sauce, in a small bowl stir together sherry, soy sauce, water, hoisin sauce, ginger, cornstarch, sugar, garlic, and crushed red pepper (if using); set aside.

In a wok or large skillet heat oil over medium-high heat (add more oil if necessary during cooking). Add carrot; cook and stir in hot oil for 2 minutes. Add baby corn and sweet pepper. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender. Remove from wok.

Add meat to wok. Cook and stir for 2 to 3 minutes or until meat is slightly pink in center. Push meat from center of wok.

Stir sauce. Add sauce to center of wok. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Return cooked vegetables to wok. Stir all ingredients together to coat. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes more or until heated through. Serve immediately with hot cooked rice. If desired, sprinkle with sliced green onions.

 

VERDICT

THIS is awesome.  And really, really spicy when you accidentally add too much of the crushed red pepper.

The prep seemed to take a while, mostly cutting the veggies and preparing the sauce, but once you start cooking it takes less than 10 minutes to have dinner on the table.

This is a keeper recipe for us!

Thai Chicken Soup

I've been trying a lot of Thai and Indonesian recipes lately.  There's just something about that fragrant mix of peanuts and spiciness that I love.

Similar recipes can be found here:
Thai Peanut Skewers
Thai Peanut Noodles with Chicken

Mixing together the flavors of thai food and the comfort of Chicken Noodle Soup... I give you Thai Chicken Soup!

INGREDIENTS

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger (or a tsp of the ground stuff)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil or vegetable oil
1/4 sweet onion, chopped
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken
1 cup carrot sticks
1 cup green beans, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 can (about 7 ounces) light coconut milk
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
fresh cilantro
roasted peanuts

DIRECTIONS

In a medium Dutch oven or pot, heat oil, ginger and garlic over medium heat for about 30 seconds.  Add onion; cook for 4 to 6 minutes or until onion is tender.
 
Stir in broth; bring to a boil.  Add chicken, carrot, green beans and crushed red pepper.  Return to a boil; reduce heat. 

Stir in coconut milk and bell pepper; heat through.
 

Top with fresh cilantro and peanuts.

 
VERDICT

There is definitely some spice in this recipe!  You may want to go easy on the cayenne pepper until you try a taste first.  The soup is definitely comforting- like chicken soup is when you don't feel well.  But the kick of cayenne definitely opens up your sinuses and will make you feel better instantly!

We both loved this soup- and would make it again with a few minor changes.