This is an easy meal. It mixes up in no time. Just have your kids help you stuff the shells. It's fun!
Cheese Filling
4 cups ricotta cheese
2 cups mozzarella, shredded (1 cup for filling, 1 cup for topping)
1 egg, beaten
1 pkg. frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and as much water as possible squeezed out
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon sea salt
Fresh ground black pepper
1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce
1 box of large pasta shells, cooked
Mix all filling ingredients. Spoon a tablespoon or so of the cheese filling into each shell. Pour about half the jar of sauce into the bottom of a baking dish that will fit all of the shells. Place the filled shells on top of the sauce. Cover with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with 1 cup of shredded mozzarella. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 20-25 minutes or until cheese is melted on top and the cheese filling is warmed through.
We all love hush puppies, but I don't like to deep fry. These pancake-like patties are pan fried, fun and easy. Serve
with spicy cocktail sauce.
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp sugar
1 egg
1 cup buttermilk or coconut milk, maybe more
2 tablespoons green onion, minced
dash hot pepper sauce
Olive oil for pan frying
Combine the cornmeal and flour with the salt and sugar. Whisk in the egg, green onions, and hot sauce. Add enough buttermilk or coconut milk to make a batter similar to pancake batter. Heat up a couple tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Drop batter by spoonfuls and pan fry until golden. This just takes a few minutes on each side. Drain on paper towels or on a rack. Keep warm in a low (170 degrees) oven until ready to serve.
I love to undercook these and then cut a piece while it's still warm and top it with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or whipped cream. It is a gooey, warm dessert that hits the spot every time.
2 cups dark brown sugar
3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter
3 Tbsp of good instant coffee dissolved in 1-2 Tbsp hot water
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract
2 cups flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp sea salt
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup pecans, chopped (opt.)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Heat the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan over low heat just until the butter melts. Mix well. Remove from heat. Add the coffee. Let cool to room temperature (if it's too warm, the chocolate chips will melt when you add them). Mix in the eggs and vanilla. Sift the flour, baking powder, and sea salt together and then stir into the butter mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips and pecans.
Spread batter in an 11 x 8-inch buttered baking pan. Bake approximately 25 minutes.
