06

May

Lowfat Stuffed Shells

I’m a sucker for pasta. Pretty much every kind I’ve tried. There’s something really wonderful about Italian food…

  • homey, hearty
  • rustic with simple ingredients
  • beautiful dishes, yet not TOO pretty to eat
  • a little mysterious (I didn’t grow up with an Italian grandmother sharing all of her secrets)
  • and, best of all, it is meant to be shared!

 So let’s share some shells…
Stuffed shells were a treat in college. Living in Boston and having a tight budget, ordering Italian takeout was a treat. It was especially good because I don’t think I ever had REAL Italian until moving to Boston. And there are a ton of great Italian places in the city…mmm, it makes my mouth water just thinking about it. One of my roommates turned me on to stuffed shells. They were humongous, full of melted cheese and had this amazing sauce. The flavor was spectacular! 

So here’s my first shot at making the home-version, which has a LOT less fat but hopefully is full of flavor still. This one uses jar marinara but, if you have time/access, I strongly recommend fresh sauce and fresh basil. Yummm.

Lowfat Stuffed Shells
serves 8 (4 shells each)

32 shells + 2 quarts water + large pot + dash salt
step one: In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil. Let pasta cook according to instructions on package. Once the shells are cooked, drain the water and lay the shells out in one layer on a dry towel. Set aside.

1 TB olive oil + large saute pan + 4 garlic cloves, chopped + 1 bell pepper, chopped + 1 onion, chopped
step two: Heat the saute pan on medium-high, adding oil. Saute bell pepper and onion and cook for 3 minutes. Then add garlic and saute for 2 more minutes. Set pan aside. 

large bowl + large spoon + 1 pint fat free cottage cheese (or ricotta) + 1/4 cup parmesan cheese + 16 oz. chopped spinach (if using frozen, thaw and squeeze out water) + sauteed veggies from pan + 1 TB Italian seasoning (or 3 TB fresh chopped basil) + 1 egg + 2/3 cup Italian breadcrumbs
step three: Combine all of these ingredients in a large bowl. This is your “stuffing” for the shells.

3 cups marinara + 9X11 baking pan + 8X8 baking pan + non-stick cooking spray
step four: Spray each baking pan with spray. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spread 1/2 cup marinara in the bottom of each baking pan. 
step five: Using a spoon, stuff 2 TB of cheese mixture into each shell and place opening-down in each pan. Repeat the process until all of the shells are stuffed. [20 shells fit in the large pan and 12 fit in the smaller pan!]

1/4 cup parmesan + 1 1/2 cups ‘Italian blend’ shredded cheese [use mozzarella, more parm, pecorino romano, or your favorite cheese blend] + 1/2 cup Italian breadcrumbs [optional]
step six: After all of the shells are stuffed and arranged in the pans, pour the remaining 2 cups marinara over the shells. Sprinkle cheeses over the top and breadcrumbs [if you want a little extra crunch]. Bake for 30 minutes.

Adapted from: Recipe Girl, Live Better America

There you have it, stuffed shells! Serve with steamed veggies or a giant salad on the side. Enjoy the flavor without all of the takeout guilt. 🙂

   

Happy eating!
Laurel
~Laurel~

13 years ago Short URL

////

22

Apr

Homemade ‘Bisquick’

There’s no shame in making your life easier.

From simple home organization to major changes (like moving closer to your work and social activities), most of us try hard to make life a little less crazy/time-consuming/chaotic. Bisquick, the beloved baker’s shortcut, was created in the 1930s and is still used. The problem: hydrogenated oils, pricey for what you get, etc. If you make a big batch of homemade ‘baking mix,’ you can use a cup here and two cups there in all sorts of ways for meal/snack shortcuts. Here is how I use it:

  • Garlic cheese biscuits
  •  Pancakes
  • Chicken pot pie
  • Breading for chicken or shrimp
  • Pies
  • Muffins
  • Scones
  • Etc, etc, etc…

 So here are the ingredients in the big Yellow box:
Enriched Flour Bleached (Wheat Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamin Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Partially Hydrogenated Soybean and/or Cottonseed Oil, Leavening (Baking Soda, Sodium Aluminum Phosphate, Monocalcium Phosphate), Dextrose, Salt.
 (courtesy of http://blog.fooducate.com/2010/08/29/bisquick-a-shortcut-loaded-with-trans-fat/)

Ick. But here are two homemade recipes:

Homemade Bisquick Mix 
Thanks to Pennies & Pancakes for her recipe

  • 6 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 tablespoons baking powder
  • 1 tablespoon salt 
  • 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter 

 Combine the first three ingredients in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter or the back of a fork, chop up the butter in the same bowl and combine it with the flour mixture.

Transfer to an airtight container and keep in your fridge for up to 4 months. Scoop out the mix as needed.

Homemade Wheat Bisquick Mix
Thanks to Thrifty Housewife for her recipe

  • 4 Cups unbleached flour
  • 4 Cups whole wheat flour
  • 1/4 Cup baking powder
  • 4 Teaspoons salt
  • 1 Cup shortening or oil
  • 1 1/3 Cups dry powdered milk

In large bowl, blend unbleached flour, salt, and baking powder. Add shortening (or oil) and mix until crumbly. Stir in powdered milk, and then the whole wheat flour.

Store in an airtight container for up to 2 months; refrigerate if made with the oil.

***USE BOTH OF THESE MIXES AS YOU WOULD NORMALLY USE BISQUICK.

 And, on that note, a simple Bisquick recipe…that I’ve been making since high school.

Garlic Cheddar Biscuits (like from Red Lobster)
Makes 8, but easily doubles
2 cups Bisquick mix (either regular or wheat version)
3/4 cup milk (or 1 cup milk for wheat version)
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 t. garlic powder
2 TB butter or margarine, melted

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except butter.

Spoon out small ‘biscuit-sized’ portions of dough on a nonstick baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden on top.

Once you take the biscuits out of the oven, quickly brush the melted butter on top of them. Serve warm or at room temp. 

*These go great with anything, but we usually serve them with pork, ribs, stew, or something hearty. If you’re serving with fish, you might want to add 2 dashes of dill to the dough.

Happy eating!
Laurel

~Laurel~

13 years ago Short URL

///

05

Apr

Strawberry Black Pepper Sorbet

I’ll admit it…my great Aunt Betty (who’s turning 80 pretty soon and is pretty awesome) gave us one of the coolest wedding gifts. An ice cream maker. And, while I LOVE LOVE LOVE ice cream and this gift in particular, 4 1/2 years have passed and the gift is still in the sealed box. Sorry, Aunt Betty. The positive? It’s time to unleash the beast!! I’m so excited!

Strawberry Black Pepper Sorbet
Fresh fruit, a little sugar and a kick of black pepper mixes sweet with a little bite. Enjoy ripe red strawberries in late Spring or Summer, when they’re naturally sweeter. From Cooking Light

1 cup water 
3/4 cup sugar
2 pounds strawberries (about 6 cups sliced)
2 TB lemon juice
2 teaspoons crushed black peppercorns

1. DISSOLVE: In a medium saucepan, heat water and sugar on medium heat. Bring water to a boil, and stir until sugar dissolves completely. Stir in peppercorns and set the syrup aside.

2. CUT: Cut leafy tops off of strawberries and slice each strawberry in half (2 pieces). 

3. BLEND: In a blender, combine half of the strawberries, 1 TB lemon juice and half of the syrup. Blend until mostly smooth (I prefer a few strawberry pieces to remain). Pour the strawberry mixture into the freezer can of your ice cream maker, and repeat the process of blending the rest of the strawberries, lemon juice and syrup.

4. FREEEEZE: After all is poured into your ice cream maker, watch the magic happen! (And don’t forget to put the stirring paddle into the bowl, like I did the first time.) Voila! A healthy, tasty, sweet sorbet treat! Scoop and serve.




  

Happy eating! Laurel

~Laurel~

13 years ago Short URL

///

Proudly powered by WordPress
Theme: Esquire by Matthew Buchanan.