Cheese Manicotti with Homemade Shells

This is a recipe I like to serve for very special occasions ~ and one of my son-in-law's favorites ;o) The homemade manicotti shells have the texture of crepes and are amazingly delicious!  To make it a bit more healthy, add some spinach to the filling. I hope you like it too❤️

Serves12

Sauce Ingredients

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 large clove garlic
• 1 large can of tomatoes
• 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 2 Tbsp parsley
• 2 tsps salt
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 1 tsp dried basil
• Dash of pepper

Manicotti Ingredients

• 6 eggs
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 tsp salt

Filling Ingredients 

• 2 lb ricotta cheese
• 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, shredded
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp of pepper
• 1 Tbsp chopped parsley
• Additional 1/4 cup parmesan cheese for sprinkling on top just before baking
• 10 ounce package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dried, if desired

Make sauce: In hot oil in Dutch oven, sauté garlic a few minutes, until lightly browned. Add rest of sauce ingredients; mashing tomatoes with fork or potatoe masher. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and then simmer, covered, 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

Make manicotti: 

Add all ingredients to a medium bowl and beat until smooth, using an electric beater. Let stand for at least 30 minutes. 

Over medium heat, slowly heat 8" non-stick skillet. (Using the right size non-stick pan is a must!) Pour 3 tablespoons of batter, rotating skillet quickly to spread batter evenly. Cook until top is dry but bottom is not brown. 

Turn out in wire rack to cool. Continue until batter is used. When manicotti is fully cooked, move to wax paper (no sooner or manicotti will stick to paper). 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Make filling: Combine 3 cheeses, eggs, salt, pepper and parsley (and spinach, if desired); blend together. Spread 1/4 cup of filling down the center of each manicotti and roll up.

Put 1 cup sauce on bottom of two 12" by 8" by 2" baking dishes (or other available dishes). Place 8 filled manicotti, seam down, single layer. Put 1/2 cup sauce on top on manicotti. Top with 5 more and cover with 1 cup of sauce. Sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.

Bake uncovered for 30 minutes, or until bubbly around edges and hot throughout. To freeze: Line baking dish with foil, with extra on both sides for covering; assemble as directed. Fold foil to seal; freeze in baking dish. When frozen, remove dish. To serve: unwrap, place back in baking dish; thaw at least one hour. Bake, covered, 1 hour at 350 degrees, or until bubbly around edges and hot throughout.  And enjoy❤️

~Adapted from The New McCalls Cookbook, 1973

Feel Full with the Least Amount of Calories

Dr. Fuhrman claims that appetite is controlled by fiber, nutrient density, and calorie density ~ and not by the weight of the food we eat.

He rates foods that make us feel full with the least amount of calories... And no surprise, green vegetables take the gold. In fact, he states that the more of them you eat, the more weight you will lose! He encourages his patients (and readers ;o) to eat at least 1 pound of raw veggies a day; and an additional pound of cooked or frozen green - or non-green nutrient-rich veggies as well. 

Fresh fruits take the silver and legumes take the bronze. 

So don't forget to eat your veggies if you want to shed a few pounds after eating all those Holiday snacks...

Butternut Squash & Brussels Sprouts Casserole

Try this healthier-version of a traditional comfort food. The base is butternut squash seasoned with coriander, cinnamon and ginger ~ and the casserole is topped with gouda, parmesan and toasted walnuts. Serve it with a salad for a complete meal.

Serves 4-5 Servings

-6 ounces whole wheat rigatoni pasta

-4 ounces brussels sprouts, very finely sliced

-Large butternut squash; peeled, pulp and seeds removed, and cut into 1" pieces

-3 Tbsps flour

-1 tsp ground coriander

-1/2 tsp ground cumin

-1/4 ground cinnamon

-1/4 tsp ground ginger

-3/4 cup milk

-3 ounces fresh gouda cheese, grated

-1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs 

-1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated

-2 Tbsps walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Boil pasta in medium pot of salted water for about 12 minutes, or until noodles are just slightly firm. Drain and reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

2. Prepare fresh produce and other ingredients as identified above (squash, brussels sprouts, gouda cheese, walnuts).

3. Boil squash pieces in a second medium pot of salted boiling water for about 10 minutes, or until squash has softened. Drain thoroughly and return to pot. Using fork or potato masher, mash slightly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside in warm place.

4. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in pan on medium-high heat until hot (can re-use pasta pan). Add flour and spices and cook about 1 minutes, whisking continuously. Add milk and reserved pasta water; bring to a boiling and then reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until thickened, whisking frequently. Add gouda cheese and stir until melted and thoroughly combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.

5. Add mashed squash to gouda cheese mixture and stir until combined. Add cooked pasta and finely sliced brussels sprouts. Transfer to baking dish lightly sprayed with cooking oil. 

6. In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese and moisten very lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle mixture evenly over squash mixture. Sprinkle with toasted walnuts. 

7. Bake 10 minutes, or until hot and bubbly around sides.

~adapted from Blue  Apron

Butternut Squash & Brussels Sprouts Casserole

Try this healthier-version of a traditional comfort food. The base is butternut squash seasoned with coriander, cinnamon and ginger ~ and the casserole is topped with gouda, parmesan and toasted walnuts. Serve it with a salad for a complete meal.

Serves 4-5 Servings

-6 ounces whole wheat rigatoni pasta

-4 ounces brussels sprouts, very finely sliced

-Large butternut squash; peeled, pulp and seeds removed, and cut into 1" pieces

-3 Tbsps flour

-1 tsp ground coriander

-1/2 tsp ground cumin

-1/4 ground cinnamon

-1/4 tsp ground ginger

-3/4 cup milk

-3 ounces fresh gouda cheese, grated

-1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs 

-1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated

-2 Tbsps walnuts, toasted and roughly chopped

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Boil pasta in medium pot of salted water for about 12 minutes, or until noodles are just slightly firm. Drain and reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water.

2. Prepare fresh produce and other ingredients as identified above (squash, brussels sprouts, gouda cheese, walnuts).

3. Boil squash pieces in a second medium pot of salted boiling water for about 10 minutes, or until squash has softened. Drain thoroughly and return to pot. Using fork or potato masher, mash slightly. Add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside in warm place.

4. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in pan on medium-high heat until hot (can re-use pasta pan). Add flour and spices and cook about 1 minutes, whisking continuously. Add milk and reserved pasta water; bring to a boiling and then reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes, or until thickened, whisking frequently. Add gouda cheese and stir until melted and thoroughly combined. Add salt and pepper to taste.

5. Add mashed squash to gouda cheese mixture and stir until combined. Add cooked pasta and finely sliced brussels sprouts. Transfer to baking dish lightly sprayed with cooking oil. 

6. In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese and moisten very lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle mixture evenly over squash mixture. Sprinkle with toasted walnuts. 

7. Bake 10 minutes, or until hot and bubbly around sides.

~adapted from Blue  Apron

Roasted Acorn Squash

 Serves 3-4 

This is a surprisingly delicious, healthy ~ and pretty ~ dish. It's one of my favorites! The acorn squash, Granny Smith apples, walnuts and blue cheese is a tasty combination ~ and the honey adds just the right amount of sweetness. 

-2/3 cup farro

-2 acorn squash; cut in half lengthwise, scoop out pulp and seeds, and cut into 1/2" pieces

-1 Granny Smith Apple; peel, core and dice into 1/2" pieces

-1 lemon; mince to get 2 tsps zest; cut in half; remove seeds and squeeze juice (do not combine zest and lemon juice)

-1/2 pound endives; thinly slice

-4 Tbsps butter 

-1 Tbsp honey 

-1/4 cup blue cheese; crumble

-1/4 cup walnuts; roughly chop and toast

-2 tsps nutmeg

-Salt and pepper, to taste 

1. Wash, dry and/or cut up the produce and other ingredients (squash, apple, lemon, endives, walnuts) as stated above.

2. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. In medium sauce pan, bring salted water to a boil; add farro and cook 15 minutes. Drain; transfer to a large bowl and set aside in warm place.

3.  Add 2 Tbsps olive oil into a large zip lock bag (or bowl with lid). Put 1/2" pieces of acorn into bag and shake to thoroughly coat. Arrange in a single layer on sheet pan lightly sprayed with cooking oil; season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. Roast for 25 minutes.

4. While squash roasts, on medium-high, heat 2 tsps of olive oil in same medium sauce pan until hot. Add endives and cook, stirring occasionally,  5 minutes, or until softened. Add apples and cook, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Transfer to bowl of farro. Add lemon zest and stir to combine. 

5. In then same medium sauce pan, heat butter on medium-high until melted; continue cooking, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes, or until butter turns golden brown, ensuring butter does not burn. Reduce heat to a simmer; stir in honey and the juice from the lemon.

6. Add the browned butter mixture to bowl of farro, endives and apples; toss to combine; season with salt and pepper to taste. 

7. Divide roasted squash between plates; add large scoop of farro mixture to each plate. Top with blue cheese and toasted walnuts. Garnish with fresh mint, if desired. And enjoy ;o)

~adapted from Blue Apron