Spinach Stuffed Shells...

I have never made stuffed shells before. I actually bought the shells by mistake when pasta was on sale I grabbed at least 1 of everything. So they sat in my pantry intimidating me for several weeks. So I took the plunge and decided to make them. But how? I went in blind thinking I have watched my husband make a mean lasagna enough times that this was just a little different. They where good.. like really good. They are by no means a quick prep kind of dinner. Maybe over time I could make them faster. I did though prep them during the day so all I had to do was make some garlic bread and pop it in the oven before dinner time so that made up for the long prep time. The best part was that 3 out of 4 kids loved them. My 8 year old is as picky as they come I had a back up meal for her already made because I just know better at this point.

Spinach Stuffed Shells
1 box of large shells cooked according to package directions and drained
reserve 1/2 cup of the water from your pasta
1 pound ground beef (you could use ground turkey too)
1 cup frozen spinach (defrosted, and dried
2 garlic cloves (minced)
2 tbs dried minced onion
1 16oz tub of ricotta cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 tsp sugar
1 large jar pasta sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

cook pasta according to directions drain and set aside, while your pasta is cooking you can also brown your beef. Add your pasta sauce to the beef and allow to simmer on low. After you have cooked and drained your pasta return the 1/2 cup of water you reserved and place back in the pan from your pasta and your spinach, garlic & onion. Simmer this until the onion and garlic is cooked. In a large bowl mix your ricotta, Parmesan cheese, sugar & egg. Take 1/2 of your spinach mixture and mix it with the ricotta, take the other 1/2 of your spinach mixture and mix it in with the pasta sauce. In a 10x13 pan place about a cup or so of your sauce in the bottom of the pan (enough to cover the bottom) you will now start stuffing your shells I used a wooden spoon I figure it was about 1/8 of a cup of ricotta, place them in the pan then cover with the remaining sauce and top with mozzarella cheese.

*at this point I covered it with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge to pop in later for dinner.. when it was cold it took about 45 mins at 400 to fully cook. At room temperature I would estimated 25-30 mins at 400.

Mac n' Tuna Bites

I have decided to no longer title each post with a "Day of the Week" type title it is just not reality that I can blog each and everyday so I will keep it to recipe names and other titles appropriate to the subject. One thing for sure is kids love mac and cheese. Noddles good..cheese good...I fully understand. I have made several types of Mac n Cheese over the years and have no definitive recipe for it. I basically have a simple base of butter, flour & milk and add what ever cheeses I have on hand until it is thick, gooey & tasty lol. I made up a big batch of Mac n' Tuna Bites Wednesday afternoon they are perfect for a after school snack or a quick lunch or dinner. I double them and they are gone with in 3 days. For this batch I only had about 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese so I used that plus 1/4 cup mozzarella, 1/8 cup of Parmesan cheese & 6 slices of Havarti dill cheese The kids said these where the best ones ever I thought they where quite tasty too.

Mac n' tuna bites
8oz macaroni noodles
2 TBS butter
2 TBS flour
1 1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 to 2 cups of cheese of your choice
salt & pepper
1 can tuna drained
3/4 cup frozen peas (cooked)
Ritz or saltine crackers
1/8 cup Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350, spray mini muffin pan with cooking spray
cook 8oz macaroni noodles according to the package (and of course drain)
for the cheese sauce in a sauce pan melt butter then stir in flour it will resemble paste
add in 1 & 1/2 cups of milk and whisk to get out clumps. Add your cheeses of your choice
salt and pepper cheese sauce to taste
In a big bowl combine cheese sauce and noodles with one can of drained tuna &Peas
in a ziplock bag crush crackers & add Parmesan cheese
Scoop 1/4 cup of noodle mixture into each tin and sprinkle on about a tsp or so of cracker mixture. Cook for about 12-15 mins allow to cool slightly before removing. These keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days if they last that long
**I don't like tuna so I keep a little of the noodles separate for myself and they hold up just fine with out the tuna
**Thanks to Cathrine at Weelicious for the inspiration for this recipe

Saturday Soup!

I don't know about your area but its getting cold here. When its cold outside all I can think about is a nice warm bowl of soup. Now in my household this is no easy task. Aside from my oldest daughter the younger kids will only eat raw veggies and 2 of them wont eat beans. Most soups being either veggies, beans or both...well let is just say its enough to make you want to pull your hair out! I did however find the perfect soup everyone could enjoy. I tried several recipes online before I figured out like most recipes to just go with my gut and what I already have. I get the greatest satisfaction out of using what I already have on hand and not having to shop...

Chunky Chicken Corn Chowder
1 pound of cubed chicken breast
4-5 peeled and cubed potatoes
1 small onion diced
1 can creamed corn
3-4 cups frozen corn (I like to use the white and yellow corn mix)
1 12oz can evaporated milk
2 TBSP corn starch
1/4 cup unsalted butter
salt & pepper to taste
Water
shredded cheese

In a large pot melt your butter and cook onions and chicken. Add potatoes and enough water to cover everything and cook until your potatoes are tender. now add your evaporated milk, creamed corn & frozen corn I usually add about another cup of water now too. Bring to a boil. In a small bowl mix corn starch and a small amount of water add this to your pot and bring back to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste. When in bowls sprinkle a little shredded cheese on top. This makes about enough for 2 adults and 4 small children. if you have a large stock pot you can double it.

I like to go a little Mexican with it sometimes and will add some diced red pepper when I do the onions and will serve with a dollop of sour cream, pico de gaio & tortilla chips.

After reading this...Please take a Moment of Silence to remember the Hero's & Victims of 9/11/01

Thursday Theme (Pizza)

Just ask your child what they want for dinner...is the answer almost always pizza?? We likely eat pizza 2-3 times a week in our house. And no its not delivery or Digiorno lol. Pizza is a very versatile food and its so fun to let your kids help.

Making your own dough is really easy I use my bread machine most of the time but some days I just feel like doing it the old fashion way. Making a traditional pizza with homemade dough isn't the only option. You can make pizza on English muffins, pita bread, bagels, tortillas.. even bread. Its so simple when you are not fussing with dough. When we do little pizza like this the kids get so happy knowing they each get their own little pizza and I let them do their own toppings. Even my 1 year old sprinkles her own cheese on.

When making mini pizza with the kids I give them each a pre sauced pita and place it on wax paper. I line up bowls with toppings across the table starting with the cheese, pepperoni, veggies then Parmesan at the end. They make an assembly line of sorts and pull their wax paper down the line as they pick out their toppings. We then place them on the cookie sheet and bake at 350 for about 8-10 mins.. when you are not dealing with dough you pretty much just need to cook until the cheese is melted.

How about Mexican pizza with your taco night leftovers? We generally will do this on English muffins pretty much the same way as above I just use salsa in place of the sauce and will put out left over beef, beans, rice & cheese.. when the pizzas are cooked they can then add sour cream, pico, lettuce, etc..

My husband also makes a wonderful breakfast pizza..I will have to get the recipe from him soon.

and for extra fun..dessert pizza? This works best on regular dough.. you cook just the dough when it comes out brush the crust with butter and sprinkle on some Cinnamon sugar, then I smooth on some vanilla pudding then top with seasonal berries and drizzle the fruit with a bit of honey... YUM!

Thursday Themes

I thought it might be nice to have a theme day. Where I will maybe share a group of recipes, list of helpful links, and topics. With school in session for most I thought it would be nice to talk about sandwich ideas. Sandwiches seem to be a popular lunch choice because they are easy on moms and what kid doesn't like sandwichs...for a little while anyway. Possibilities are endless when it comes to sandwiches. Here are a few Sandwich ideas for you.

breads

whole wheat sandwich bread

whole wheat pita bread

flat bread

wraps

tortillas

pancakes

waffles

English muffins

bagels
matzo crackers

Melba toast

Spreads & fillings

Hummus

Cream Cheese

Cheese/cream cheese spreads

Sun or Nut Butters

Jams & Jellies

Cheeses & sandwich meats

alfalfa Sprouts

lettuce

shredded carrots

cucumbers

pickles

leftover turkey & chicken

egg salad

tuna salad

ham salad

chicken salad

Another thing I have found a great love for is Sandwich cutters and large cookie cutters. It's much more exciting to open you lunchbox to a Sandwich shaped like a heart or a star. I keep the trimmings of the sandwiches for my own lunch at home so their is no waste. Pinwheel sandwiches are also fun for the kids. Experimenting a few days ago I made some pinwheel sandwiches with lemon almond chicken salad (recipe coming soon) and sprouts they where a huge hit. Its so simple to just slather a spread and veggie on a tortilla roll it up and cut into fourths.

Chicken Ravioli Bomb Bomb Bomb Casserole

I was inspired by watching "Good Eats" on food net work this evening Alton was making some very random casseroles. All I could think is BEEN THERE DONE THAT You can go a few ways here from elaborate homemade raviolis and sauces to store bought.. I admit I usually don't have that kind of time. So feel free to use the easy version if you like! this is a crowd pleaser! And According to my 8 year old who is the pickiest kid in my kitchen its "Bomb Bomb Bomb"

Ravioli Bomb Bomb Bomb Casserole
1 8oz package Frozen Cheese Ravioli (we like Rising Moon Organics)
2 cups steamed broccoli (you can use frozen if you like)
Alfredo Sauce *you can use jarred we use Simply Organic mix which you will need milk, butter & Parmesan cheese*
1 1/2 cups cooked cubed chicken
1 cup mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, Cook Ravioli according to package directions and drain. Combine Broccoli, Alfredo sauce & chicken in a large mixing bowl and toss in carefully Ravioli. Transfer mixture into a casserole dish and bake for 15 minutes, Then top with mozzarella cheese and cook for additional 15 minutes or until cheese is nice and melty.

We serve this with a nice salad & Garlic bread

Taco Tuesday!

Taco's and pretty much anything Mexican gets lots of cool points for mom around here. Taco's are quite versatile and give kids lots of choices for their fillings. Cady (21 mts) is happy with just beef, sour cream and pico de gaio (no shell) Morgan (5 years old) pretty traditional soft taco, beef, cheese, lettuce, sour cream & taco sauce, Aria (8 yrs old) is all about hard shell with beef or chicken with cheese & sour cream. Erynn (11 yrs old) Beef, beans, cheese, lettuce & ranch. I always give lots of topping options and not always beef, ground turkey & chicken. Sometimes even Mexican rice & guacamole make it to the "Taco Table" as the kids call it. My one major gripe with tacos is the mess. Anything to avoid messes gets an A+ around here. So we came up with mini taco pizza's.

Mini Taco Pizza's (makes 12 mini pizzas)
1 Package whole wheat English muffins
1 pound ground beef (chicken or ground turkey are good as well)
1 package taco seasoning (we like simply organic)
Salsa (you can make your own or we like Newman's Own Salsa)
Shredded Cheddar cheese (we like extra sharp)
sliced black olives (I leave these off mine I am not an olive lover but all my kids adore them)
toppings of your choice such as guacamole, sour cream, lettuce, beans etc.

Directions
Preheat oven to 350, brown meat and follow directions on taco seasoning.
Split English muffins and spread about a table spoon of salsa over them, then cover with beef, then cheese & place olive slices on top. Cook for about 10-15 minutes or until cheese in well melted. Then add what ever toppings you like. By placing the cheese over the beef you cut down on pieces of greasy meat hitting your nice clean floors.

With out additional toppings added you can freeze these and you can pop them in the toaster oven for a nice afternoon snack. Or even defrost and warm up in the oven on a cookie sheet. My kids like these as is with out the extra toppings. I like to double or triple most of my recipes so that on nights when we need something quick I have a few go to favorites on hand.