Vegetable and Three Cheese Stuffed Shells

Tessa is getting really good at finding recipes she wants me to make for dinner. (Original recipe here.) This one I thought might have a similar taste profile to my favorite lasagna recipe. However, it has its own unique flavor. I served it with a mixed green salad dressed with a homemade balsamic vinaigrette, feta crumbles, and chopped walnuts.

It's also chock full of veggies (and cheesy goodness), which I like, and was pretty quick to make (30 minutes start to finish). My only regret is that I couldn't find whole wheat jumbo shells, so I had to settle for regular ones.

16 jumbo shells (from a 12-oz box, and whole wheat, if you can find them)
2 cups marinara sauce
2 handfuls of fresh, organic spinach
2 cups organic broccoli florets
1 15-oz container of part-skim ricotta
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 cup part-skim mozzarella, shredded
1/4 tsp garlic powder
sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Cook the pasta 1 minute less than package directions (it will finish cooking in the oven). Drain and leave in a colander to cool. Do not rinse.
3. Spread the sauce onto the bottom of a large broiler-proof baking dish.
4. Finely chop the spinach and broccoli and place in a large bowl. Stir in the ricotta, Parmesan, 1/2 of the mozzarella, the garlic powder, and about 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper.
5. Spoon the mixture into the shells (about 1/4 cup each) and place on top of the sauce. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and bake until the shells are heated through, 10 to 12 minutes. 

6. Increase heat to broil. Broil the shells until the cheese begins to brown, 2 to 3 minutes.

Serves four to five.

Wait. You... eat...?

Vegetarian Lasagna

My dad is the oldest of seven, so when his side of the family has reunions, they're quite large. Luckily, his brother Pete makes this killer lasagna that feed lots of people. This is my version of his recipe.

It's vegetarian, and is the basic building block to which you can add ingredients of your choice. For example, if you're a meat eater, you can add a layer of cooked ground turkey, italian sausage, or shredded chicken. If you're a vegetarian, you can add in a layer of eggplant, mushrooms, sliced summer squash, broccoli, etc.

1 jar tomato sauce
1 container part skim ricotta
1 1/2 cups fresh baby spinach, shredded
1 egg
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 bag grated mozzarella cheese (at least 12 oz; 16 is better)
1 box oven ready lasagna noodles ("no boil" noodles-- whole grain if you can find them!)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
5-6 leaves fresh basil (optional)
9x13 baking dish
Oven preheated to 375

1. Start by mixing the ricotta and the egg and 3/4 of the parmesan cheese in a bowl. Add the garlic powder, then mix in the spinach and (optional) basil.
2. Spray the baking dish with nonstick spray, then put a few ounces of the sauce in the bottom of the pan, and spread it around. This prevents your lasagna from sticking.
3. Place a layer of lasagna noodles across the bottom. If you need to break one in half, go ahead, the idea is to cover then entire bottom of the pan. Spread some of the ricotta mixture in, then a layer of anything you might be adding (meat or other veggies), then about a third of the sauce and then some mozzarella. Layer some more noodles, and repeat. You should get three total layers.
4. After the last of the noodles are on top, pour any remaining sauce on, and top with mozzarella and parmesan.
5. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 45 minutes (55 if using whole grain noodles). Let stand ten minutes after it's out of the oven before serving.

Serves approximately six.

Enough said.

Brontosaurus (Chicken) Burgers

I used to crave nice, meaty hamburgers on a regular basis until Tessa introduced me to the chicken burger at PYT in Philly. I was totally hooked, and when we moved out of reach, chicken burgers (or Brontosaurus burgers-- so named because of the newfound relation between birds and dinosaurs, and, you know, the Flintstones) became her number one dinner request. I found one we both love, originally found here. A friend's boys (age five and seven) also love it. Plus, it's a moist, delicious, healthy alternative to beef patties.

I also tried to find a sauce that came close, and while it's not a perfect match, this simple caramelized onion sauce (which I found here) adds a richness and depth of flavor that really makes this recipe. It's a little time consuming (the sauce, I mean), but it's soooo worth it. Its sweetness balances the (slight) heat from the red pepper and garlic in the burger. It makes around two cups, which leaves a lot of extra to spice up chicken or pasta.

10/12/11 EDIT: I made this recipe tonight with ground turkey instead of chicken, without breading the patty, and, herbed goat cheese in lieu of the caramelized onion sauce, and it was fantastic. This was a nice, quick-fix option, and the turkey patty, though made from a slightly leaner protein, was equally juicy and delicious.

Caramelized Onion Sauce

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon butter (optional)
4 cups thinly sliced yellow onions
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups chicken stock

1. In a large saute pan or cast iron skillet, over medium heat, add the oil and butter. When the oil is hot, add onions. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Saute until caramelized (approx. 30 minutes), stirring every few minutes to allow browning but prevent burning.
3. When onions are caramelized to your liking, add the stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and using a food processor, puree until smooth. Taste, and re-season if necessary. Set aside to cool.

Brontosaurus Burgers

1 lb ground white meat chicken (you can get it at the butcher counter in most grocery stores)
2 cups fresh bread crumbs, divided (toast bread/extra buns, break into chunks, and pulse in food processor)
1/2 cup milk (I use almond milk)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt
Fresh cracked black pepper
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Fresh baby spinach

Whole wheat hamburger buns

1. Put chicken in a mixing bowl. Using a rubber spatula, fold in milk, 1/2 cup bread crumbs, garlic, cayenne, salt, and pepper. Warning: the mixture will be very wet which means the patties will be hard to form. Place remaining 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs on a dinner plate or cookie sheet.
2. Divide chicken meat into 5 equal portions, and using your hands, shape into patties. Coat each patty with bread crumbs.

3. Heat olive oil in a large non-stick or cast iron skillet (I use the same one from the onions) over medium heat and "grill" until golden brown and cooked through (3-4 minutes per side).
4. Toast the top and bottom of the hamburger bun in a toaster or oven. Spread caramelized onion sauce on bottom bun, add bronto patty, and spread more sauce on top. Finish it with spinach and the top bun, and enjoy!

Serves five, plus a lot of extra sauce.

Psst... I think I know what I want for dinner!

Potato and Spinach Hash

This next recipe, to my chagrin, was born from a Rachel Ray cookbook that belonged to my mother. We made the original recipe first, and then I began editing, first for my own preferences (onions -> leeks), then for the dietary needs of others (- ham), until it became this, which I make once or twice a month. It's vegetarian, it's delicious, and it's filling. My version can alternately be used as a delicious and nutritious side dish, alongside some lovely roasted chicken, perhaps.

Recently everyone (including my girlfriend) has been making a fuss about potatoes being nutritionally void. If you're worried about that, here's a few tips: 1) Skin on. The nutrients are in the skin. It follows, then, that the smaller the potatoes, the more nutritional bang you get for your buck. 2) If you're still worried, though, try a colored-flesh variety, like Yukon Gold or Peruvian Purple. They contain more nutrients than their white-skinned kin. Google it if you don't believe me.

Health notes: Vegan? Double the olive oil, lose the butter and cheese.

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter
8-10 small potatoes, halved and thinly sliced
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tsp fresh thyme*
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper*
1 leek, chopped
8 oz of ham, diced (optional)
2 cups baby spinach, chopped
10 leaves fresh basil
parmesan cheese, to taste

1. Add olive oil and butter to a large skillet or saute pan over medium-high heat. Once the butter has melted, add sliced potatoes. Season with cayenne pepper, thyme, salt, and black pepper. Sautee, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are tender and browned (approx. 10 minutes).
2. Add the chopped leek (and ham, if you're doing this non-veggie style) and cook for 3-4 more minutes.
3. Reduce heat, and add chopped basil and spinach. Stir until spinach has wilted; remove from heat. Serve topped with parmesan cheese.

*Note: These spice amounts are from the original recipe; I don't measure.

Serves two to three.

Mmmm... leeks