Stuffed Shells in a Skillet

Slightly modified recipe from Epicurious

Serves 5

• 20 jumbo pasta shells (about 6 oz.)
• 1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt, divided, plus more
• 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 lb. crimini or regular button mushrooms, chopped in about 1/3″ pieces
• 1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup dry white wine or vermouth
• 6 oz. baby spinach (try using part spinach and part arugula next time
• 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
• 1/2 a yellow onion, small dice
• 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
• 3 cups marinara sauce (24 oz. jar)
• 1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 tsp. Penzey’s Frozen Pizza Seasoning or Italian Seasoning (optional)
• 1 lb. whole-milk ricotta
• 3 oz. finely grated Parmesan (about 1 cup), plus more for serving
• 2 oz. mozzarella, 1/4″ dice
• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh oregano, basil, and/or parsley (or 1 Tablespoon dried)

Highly recommended step: Place the ricotta in a cheesecloth-lined sieve and set the sieve over a bowl. Cover the ricotta with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours or up to one day.

Cook shells in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, about 9 minutes (they will still be quite hard); drain. Run under cold water to stop the cooking; drain again.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over high. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until they release juices, then are dry again and nicely browned, 5–6 minutes; season with black pepper and 1 tsp. salt. Reduce heat to medium, add wine, and cook, stirring, until reduced by half, 1–2 minutes. Add spinach, cover, and cook until beginning to wilt, 1–2 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until spinach is completely wilted and most of the liquid is evaporated, 2–4 minutes more. Transfer mushroom mixture to a large bowl; reserve skillet.

Melt butter in reserved skillet over medium-high heat, add garlic and onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions soften, about 5 minutes. Add marinara sauce, crushed red pepper, Pizza Seasoning or Italian Seasoning, if using, and bring to a simmer over low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until warmed through, 6–8 minutes.

While sauce cooks, add ricotta, 3 oz. Parmesan, mozzarella, fresh herbs, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt to mushroom mixture and stir to combine. Spoon about 2 Tbsp. ricotta mixture into each shell. The shell should be filled to capacity but not overstuffed.

Nestle stuffed shells into hot sauce in skillet, open side up.

Before cooking

Cover and cook over medium heat until shells are soft and warmed through, at least 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit 5 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan and more fresh herbs as desired.

One-pot Pasta with Tomatoes, Ricotta, Spinach and Basil

serves 1

1/2 cup medium shell pasta
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup small diced yellow onion
1 garlic clove (you can leave it whole and remove it before serving, or slice it thinly)
5-6 grape tomatoes, sliced or halved
handful of baby spinach
1/3 cup ricotta
Kosher salt (Diamond Crystal is best)
Parmesan or Asiago, grated, to taste
red pepper flakes
black pepper
5 big basil leaves, chiffonade
chopped parsley

In a 3-quart non-stick pot, cook the pasta lol in salted boiling water until nearly done. Drain and set aside. Put the olive oil, onion and garlic in the pot and cook until the onion begins to soften. Add the tomatoes and spinach and cook, stirring, until the spinach wilts. Add the pasta, ricotta, a big pinch of Kosher salt, and Parmesan or Asiago and stir until the ricotta is warmed through. Pour into a wide pasta bowl and top with red pepper flakes, black pepper, basil and parsley.

Orzo Garden Pilaf with Lemon and Herbs

slightly adapted from a recipe by Ellie Krieger

1 tablespoon olive oil
3 scallions, thinly sliced, white and light-green parts only
1/2 cup whole-wheat orzo pasta
1 cup low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1/2 cup sliced grape tomatoes
1/2 cup grated zucchini (3 ounces)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Optional:

crumbled goat cheese or grated parmesan or asiago

Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once the oil shimmers, stir in the scallions; cook until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the orzo and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes.

Pour in the broth and increase the heat to high; once it comes to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 10-12 minutes, or until the orzo is tender and most of the liquid is absorbed.

Stir in the tomatoes and zucchini; cover and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in the parsley and basil, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and serve topped with cheese if desired.

Makes 4 servings

Per serving: Calories (using low-sodium vegetable broth and no cheese) 240; Total Fat 8g (Saturated Fat 1g); Cholesterol 0mg

Sodium 240mg; Total Carbohydrates 36g; Dietary Fiber 8g; Protein 7g

Smitten Kitchen Fettuccine with White Ragu

from “Smitten Kitchen Keepers: new classics for your forever files” by Deb Perelman

serves 4-6

2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped carrot (omit for Sean)
1/2 cup finely chopped celery
2 garlic cloves, minced
Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and red pepper flakes
1 pound ground pork
1/4 cup dry white wine (I used a couple of tablespoons of white Modena vinegar)
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 cup milk
1 bay leaf
water, as needed
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 pound dry fettuccine, or 1 pound fresh
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan, to serve
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley, to serve

Build the sauce:

Heat a medium-to-large heavy pot or Dutch oven (4-5 quarts) over medium-high heat. Add 2 tablespoons olive oil, and once it is warm, add the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic; season well with salt and black pepper and/or pepper flakes, to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, until the vegetables are lightly browned all over. Don’t worry if anything sticks. Add the pork, season it generously with salt and pepper, and cook, breaking it up with your spoon, it until it has browned, about 8-10 minutes. Add the wine (or vinegar) and scrape up any stuck bits; cook until the wine disappears (1-2 minutes). Add the broth, milk, and bay leaf, and bring to a simmer; then reduce the heat to the lowest simmer, leaving the lid off. Congratulations, you’ve now reached the “walk away” portion of the recipe.

Cook the ragu:

Here’s how the next 1 to 1.5 hours will go: Keep a glass of water by the stove. Check in on the sauce from time to time, adding more water if needed to keep it loose, but not enough to submerge the meat (which would boil, not braise–shudder). Taste it from time to time, and add more seasoning if needed. The sauce is done with the meat tastes tender, butter, and rich; this takes 60 to 90 minutes. There’s little harm in going a little longer (up to 2 hours) if real life is more interesting. Do a final taste for seasoning, and cook any remaining liquid down to a saucy puddle. Remove from heat; discard the bay leaf. Add the cream, and stir to combine.

To finish:

Cook your pasta 1-2 minutes shy of done in well-salted water. Before you drain it, ladle a cup of the pasta water int a glass by the stove. Drain the pasta, and add it directly to the ragu, along with a quarter to a half of the reserved water. Cook the pasta and sauce together until the pasta is as as done as you like it, adding more pasta water if needed to keep it moving. Serve in wide bowls, finished with Parmesan and parsley as desired.

Sean = yes

Sam = OK

Cheeseburger Mac

1.5 cups dry elbow macaroni
1 lb ground beef
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, chopped fine
1 clove garlic, pressed
1/4 cup tomato sauce
3/4 cup heavy cream (this was too rich. I will try half-and-half next time)
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese, divided
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook the pasta according to package directions until just tender – do not overcook. Drain in a colander and set aside.

While the water is heating up and the pasta is cooking, brown the ground beef in a large skillet over medium heat. After it is brown, season with salt, pepper, chili powder and cumin.

In a small pan, cook the onion in olive oil until very soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

To the pan that the pasta was cooked in, add the seasoned cooked beef, onion, tomato sauce, half-and-half, and 3/4 cup of each cheese (save the other 1/4 cup of each cheese for the top. Stir well until the cheese is melted. Then add the pasta and stir again until well combined. Pour into an 8×8″ casserole dish (no need to grease it) and top with the remaining cheese.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until bubbly.

Sean = yes
Anna = yes
Ma = yes
Sam = didn’t try

One-skillet Orzo with Tomatoes and Eggs

from Epicurious

Next time Sam wants to try it with marinara sauce rather than chunky tomatoes and onions.

• Active Time 30 minutes
• Total Time 40 minutes

Pizza meets eggs in purgatory. This one-skillet pasta recipe (you don’t even need your oven!) is punchy from tomatoes, creamy from starchy orzo and melty mozzarella, and ready in under an hour. You’ll need most of one 28-ounce can of whole tomatoes. Transfer the remainder to an airtight container and keep in your fridge (or freezer!) for the next time you’re making soup.

Ingredients

4 servings

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter

1 small or medium onion, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

½ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes

1 cup orzo

2 cups canned whole peeled tomatoes with juices (from one 28-oz. can), cut up with kitchen shears (I used canned diced tomatoes and it turned out great)

1¼ tsp. kosher salt

4 large eggs

4 oz. mozzarella, coarsely grated (about 1 cup)

Freshly ground black pepper

Torn basil leaves (for serving)

Step 1

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook onion, garlic, and red pepper flakes, stirring often, until onion is softened and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add orzo and stir until coated in butter, about 30 seconds. Add tomatoes and juices and cook, stirring, until liquid is reduced and tomatoes are starting to stick to skillet, about 4 minutes.

Step 2

Add salt and 2 cups water, increase heat to medium-high, and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low, cover pan (a baking sheet works well if you don’t have a lid), and cook 8 minutes, stirring halfway through. Uncover and simmer 1 minute—mixture should be fluid but not watery. Stir again, then remove from heat and crack each egg into a quadrant of pan.

Step 3

Cover pan, set over low heat, and cook, rotating pan every 2 minutes or so, until eggs are nearly set, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle cheese over, avoiding eggs, cover pan, and cook until cheese is melted, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and top with a few grinds of pepper and basil to serve.

Salmon Pasta Salad

Slightly modified from Ellie Krieger’s Pasta Salad with Salmon, Peas & Herbs

1/3 cup plain Greek-style nonfat yogurt
4 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (optional)
1/2 teaspoon minced fresh dill, or 1 teaspoon dried
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
7 oz can wild red salmon, drained, skinned and boned, and cut into chunks
4 oz frozen peas, defrosted
1/3 pound mini bowtie pasta, cooked according to package directions and cooled
1 green onion (white and green parts), minced (about 2 Tablespoons)
lettuce and/or micro-greens

Combine the yogurt, lemon juice, mayonnaise, lemon zest, dill, salt and pepper in a bowl and whisk to incorporate. Add the salmon, peas, pasta, and scallions and stir. Serve on chopped lettuce, and/or with micro-greens on top. The pasta salad will keep up to 2 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Spaghetti with Zucchini, Mushrooms & Goat Cheese

Serves 1

6 medium mushrooms, halved and sliced
1 medium zucchini, grated on the large holes of a box grater
1/4 of a small onion, finely chopped or grated
1 or 2 cloves garlic, minced
olive oil or butter
salt and pepper to taste
fresh or dried herbs as desired
1 serving of cooked spaghetti, warm (or other pasta) (I like whole wheat spaghetti, broken into thirds)
A few tablespoons of goat cheese

In a medium skillet, saute the mushrooms and onion in a tablespoon or so of olive oil or butter until soft. Push the mushrooms and onion to the side, add more oil or butter if necessary, and add the grated zucchini and cook until softened, a few minutes. Push to the side with the mushrooms, then cook the garlic for a minute or so, until fragrant. Stir everything together, add your pasta, herbs if using, crumbled goat cheese, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir (or not) and serve.

Lighter Fettuccini Alfredo

From Cooking Light Magazine

1 tablespoon butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 ⅓ cups 1% low-fat milk
5 ounces fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, shredded (about 1 1/4 cups), divided
2 tablespoons 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
½ teaspoon salt
4 cups hot cooked fettuccine (8 ounces uncooked pasta)
2 teaspoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (or more!)
Cracked black pepper (optional)

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add garlic; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Stir in flour. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk. Cook 6 minutes or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Add 1 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, cream cheese, and salt, stirring with a whisk until cheeses melt. Toss sauce with hot pasta. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and chopped parsley. Garnish with black pepper, if desired. Serve immediately.

Cold Sesame Noodles

Slightly modified version of a recipe by Cathy Thomas in the 7/18/21 San Jose Mercury News

4-6 servings

Sauce
3 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar (rice vinegar is the same thing)
1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes, or to taste
2 Tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar or granulated sugar, or to taste
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger
1/2 cup chicken broth or vegetable broth

1 lb whole wheat spaghetti

4 green onions, thinly sliced (including dark green parts)

cucumber, in thin matchsticks
toasted sesame seeds

Cook the spaghetti according to package directions, until al dente. Drain, rinse in cold water, then drain again and put spaghetti back in the empty cooking pot. Add the sauce and green onions and stir well. Serve at room temperature topped with cucumber and sesame seeds. Grated carrot might be a good topping, too.