Thursday, May 21, 2009
Cheese-Filled Jumbo Shells
Makes 8-10 servings.
1 package (12 oz.) American Beauty Jumbo Shells
4 cups (2 lbs.) cottage cheese
2 cups (8 oz.) grated mozzarella cheese
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 tablespoon dried parsley leaves
¾ teaspoon dried oregano leaves
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cups (about 28 oz. jar) spaghetti sauce
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in large bowl, stir together cheeses, eggs, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper. In 13x9x2-inch baking dish**, spread ½ cup spaghetti sauce. Fill each cooked shell with about 2 tablespoons cheese mixture and place in baking dish (layer some on top, if necessary). Pour spaghetti sauce over all filled shells. Sprinkle with some additional Parmesan cheese, if desired. Cover with foil. Bake 35 minutes (or until hot and bubbly) at 350 degrees.
*MAKE-AHEAD DIRECTIONS:
Prepare recipe as directed, but do not bake. Cover with plastic wrap, then foil. Refrigerate up to 24 hours or freeze up to 2 months. Remove plastic wrap; replace foil. Bake refrigerated jumbo shells at 350 degrees for about 1 hour; frozen jumbo shells at 350 degrees for about 2 hours or until hot and bubbly.
**If you’re only feeding 2-4 people, you can split this recipe in two and put each half in an 8x8-inch baking dish; bake one and freeze one for later. Cut baking times down if using smaller dishes (cook until hot and bubbly in the center.)
1 package (12 oz.) American Beauty Jumbo Shells
4 cups (2 lbs.) cottage cheese
2 cups (8 oz.) grated mozzarella cheese
¾ cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1 tablespoon dried parsley leaves
¾ teaspoon dried oregano leaves
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cups (about 28 oz. jar) spaghetti sauce
Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in large bowl, stir together cheeses, eggs, parsley, oregano, salt, and pepper. In 13x9x2-inch baking dish**, spread ½ cup spaghetti sauce. Fill each cooked shell with about 2 tablespoons cheese mixture and place in baking dish (layer some on top, if necessary). Pour spaghetti sauce over all filled shells. Sprinkle with some additional Parmesan cheese, if desired. Cover with foil. Bake 35 minutes (or until hot and bubbly) at 350 degrees.
*MAKE-AHEAD DIRECTIONS:
Prepare recipe as directed, but do not bake. Cover with plastic wrap, then foil. Refrigerate up to 24 hours or freeze up to 2 months. Remove plastic wrap; replace foil. Bake refrigerated jumbo shells at 350 degrees for about 1 hour; frozen jumbo shells at 350 degrees for about 2 hours or until hot and bubbly.
**If you’re only feeding 2-4 people, you can split this recipe in two and put each half in an 8x8-inch baking dish; bake one and freeze one for later. Cut baking times down if using smaller dishes (cook until hot and bubbly in the center.)
Black Bean Quesadillas
My family (and everyone else we've served this to) loves these! And they're really good for you! Smaller families should cut this recipe in half, as it serves 8.
2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, drained
4 tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. crushed fresh garlic
1 very large (or 2 small) red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 large onion, cut into thin wedges
8 homestyle flour tortillas
2 cups shredded mozzerella cheese (or reduced-fat monterey jack or cheddar)
Nonstick olive oil cooking spray
Toppings:
1 cup nonfat or light sour cream
1 cup diced tomato
½ cup thinly sliced green onions
one small can sliced olives
Place the beans, chili powder, and cumin in food processer and blend (or mash with a fork) until the mixture has the consistency of refried beans. Set aside.
Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and preheat over med-hi heat. Add the garlic, peppers, and onion and stir-fry for about 3 minutes, or until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Cover the skillet periodically if it begins to dry out. (The steam from the cooking vegetables will moisten the skillet.) Add a few tsp. of water only if necessary. Remove the skillet from the heat, and set aside.
Arrange the tortillas on a flat surface, and spread 1/8 of the bean mixture over one half of each tortilla, extending the filling all the way to the edge. Layer 1/8 of the pepper mixture over the beans on each tortilla. Sprinkle each with ¼ cup cheese. Fold the top half of each tortilla over the bottom half to enclose the filling.
Coat a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange the quesadillas on the sheet, and spray the tops lightly with the cooking spray. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 4 minutes. Turn them over and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the quesadillas are heated through. Serve topped with sour cream, tomatoes, onions, and olives.
2 cans (15 oz each) black beans, drained
4 tsp. chili powder
½ tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. crushed fresh garlic
1 very large (or 2 small) red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 large onion, cut into thin wedges
8 homestyle flour tortillas
2 cups shredded mozzerella cheese (or reduced-fat monterey jack or cheddar)
Nonstick olive oil cooking spray
Toppings:
1 cup nonfat or light sour cream
1 cup diced tomato
½ cup thinly sliced green onions
one small can sliced olives
Place the beans, chili powder, and cumin in food processer and blend (or mash with a fork) until the mixture has the consistency of refried beans. Set aside.
Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and preheat over med-hi heat. Add the garlic, peppers, and onion and stir-fry for about 3 minutes, or until the vegetables are crisp-tender. Cover the skillet periodically if it begins to dry out. (The steam from the cooking vegetables will moisten the skillet.) Add a few tsp. of water only if necessary. Remove the skillet from the heat, and set aside.
Arrange the tortillas on a flat surface, and spread 1/8 of the bean mixture over one half of each tortilla, extending the filling all the way to the edge. Layer 1/8 of the pepper mixture over the beans on each tortilla. Sprinkle each with ¼ cup cheese. Fold the top half of each tortilla over the bottom half to enclose the filling.
Coat a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Arrange the quesadillas on the sheet, and spray the tops lightly with the cooking spray. Bake uncovered at 400 degrees for 4 minutes. Turn them over and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the quesadillas are heated through. Serve topped with sour cream, tomatoes, onions, and olives.
White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
1 cup butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 2/3 cups white chocolate chips
4 oz macadamia nuts, chopped
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large mixer bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until light and fluffy.
3. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually blend into butter mixture.
4. Stir in vanilla chips and macadamia nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 9 minutes. (Do not over bake; cookies will be soft. They will puff while baking and flatten upon cooling.) Cool slightly, then remove from cookie sheet to wire rack to cool completely.
Makes 4 dozen
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 2/3 cups white chocolate chips
4 oz macadamia nuts, chopped
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a large mixer bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until light and fluffy.
3. In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually blend into butter mixture.
4. Stir in vanilla chips and macadamia nuts. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 9 minutes. (Do not over bake; cookies will be soft. They will puff while baking and flatten upon cooling.) Cool slightly, then remove from cookie sheet to wire rack to cool completely.
Makes 4 dozen
Knock-You-Nakeds (AKA Turtle Brownies)
1 German chocolate cake mix
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 cup evaporated milk, divided
1/2 cup butter, melted
60 caramel candies, unwrapped
1 cup chocolate chips
Combine dry cake mix, nuts, 1/2 cup of the evaporated milk, and butter; mix well. Press half of this mixture into the bottom of a greased 13" x 9" baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes and remove from oven. Melt caramels with the other 1/2 cup of evaporated milk in a heavy saucepan or double boiler, over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Spoon carefully onto baked mixture (it will be very soft, so avoid pouring caramel on, as it may go through to bottom of pan). Sprinkle chocolate chips over caramel layer. Drop (crumble) the rest of the dough evenly over the top. Bake for 15 more minutes. Cool completely before slicing.
Makes 20 servings.
1/2 cup chopped nuts
1 cup evaporated milk, divided
1/2 cup butter, melted
60 caramel candies, unwrapped
1 cup chocolate chips
Combine dry cake mix, nuts, 1/2 cup of the evaporated milk, and butter; mix well. Press half of this mixture into the bottom of a greased 13" x 9" baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes and remove from oven. Melt caramels with the other 1/2 cup of evaporated milk in a heavy saucepan or double boiler, over medium-high heat, stirring constantly. Spoon carefully onto baked mixture (it will be very soft, so avoid pouring caramel on, as it may go through to bottom of pan). Sprinkle chocolate chips over caramel layer. Drop (crumble) the rest of the dough evenly over the top. Bake for 15 more minutes. Cool completely before slicing.
Makes 20 servings.
Carrot Pineapple Cake
It's been a while since I made this, but I remember it was really good.
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
3 cups flour
2 cups carrots, shredded
1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple, drained
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts
Cream sugar and oil. Add eggs; beat well. Add remaining ingredients and beat. Pour into a greased and floured 9" x 13" pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool and frost.
Frosting:
3 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 tbsp milk
1 cube margarine (I'd probably cut this in half)
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
2 tsp vanilla
Beat all ingredients together until smooth.
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
3 eggs
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
3 cups flour
2 cups carrots, shredded
1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple, drained
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped nuts
Cream sugar and oil. Add eggs; beat well. Add remaining ingredients and beat. Pour into a greased and floured 9" x 13" pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool and frost.
Frosting:
3 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 tbsp milk
1 cube margarine (I'd probably cut this in half)
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
2 tsp vanilla
Beat all ingredients together until smooth.
Marla's Eclairs
These are kind of messy, so although they are a HUGE hit whenever Marla takes them anywhere, I think I'd just make them for my family. Marla is one of my neighbors (used to be my counselor), if you're wondering.
CREAM PUFFS:
Boil 1 cup water. Add 1 cube of margarine to water. Reduce heat.
Add 1 cup flour and 1/4 tsp salt to water/butter mixture. Mix to form a ball. Cool and add 4 eggs, one at a time. Beat until smooth.
Drop onto greased cookie sheet. Bake on highest oven rack at 450 degrees for 13 minutes, then 325 degrees for 15 minutes.
FILLING:
Mix 1 large vanilla pudding & pie filling mix, following instructions for pie filling. Stir in 8 oz of thawed frozen whipped topping. Place into an icing bag (use a tip with a large hole) and insert filling into cream puffs.
Top with your favorite chocolate frosting recipe (made a little thinner so it's more of a glaze than frosting).
CREAM PUFFS:
Boil 1 cup water. Add 1 cube of margarine to water. Reduce heat.
Add 1 cup flour and 1/4 tsp salt to water/butter mixture. Mix to form a ball. Cool and add 4 eggs, one at a time. Beat until smooth.
Drop onto greased cookie sheet. Bake on highest oven rack at 450 degrees for 13 minutes, then 325 degrees for 15 minutes.
FILLING:
Mix 1 large vanilla pudding & pie filling mix, following instructions for pie filling. Stir in 8 oz of thawed frozen whipped topping. Place into an icing bag (use a tip with a large hole) and insert filling into cream puffs.
Top with your favorite chocolate frosting recipe (made a little thinner so it's more of a glaze than frosting).
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