Stuffed Shells!

Now you didn't think I would post a recipe for tomato sauce without providing you something to put it on, did you?

This recipe is loosely based on the recipe for Three Cheese Stuffed Shells found in my Better Homes and Garden (aka red checkerboard) cookbook. It is the yummiest, and by far one of my favorite pasta dishes. Here is how you make it!

What you need:

Pasta Shells, Parsley, Oregano, 1 beaten egg, cottage cheese, shredded cheese, salt, parmesan cheese.

For the filling: Measure out 2 cups of cottage cheese in a bowl.


Add in 2/3 cup dried parsley and 1/4 cup dried oregano


Add in your beaten egg:


Then throw in a good handful of shredded cheese. I used a mozzerella and cheddar mix.


Then throw in 1/4 cup parmesan cheese


Mix it all together and you have your filling! Yum Yum!


In the meantime, get a large pot of salted water boiling:


Throw in your shells. I used about 15


Let them boil for about 12 minutes. You want them to be only slightly flimsy.


Strain them however you like. I love this spoon strainer!


I put them directly into the casserole dish they will be cooked in.


Grab a shell and start stuffing!


Here's one! I like to pack 'em up nice and full.


Here's the whole group!


Next, pour some tomato sauce (canned or homemade) over the top:


Spread evenly:


Then cover with even MORE cheese. This is making me hungry.


Here you go! Put it in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes.


Let cool for a few minutes then enjoy! I did not get a picture of the finished product because it was gone faster than my little hands could get to the camera! I hope you make these soon!

I would love to hear about any of the recipes you try on this site or any others, so feel free to leave comments or e-mail me. I love e-mail!

~Katie

Tomato Sauce

Do you know how easy it is to make your own sauce for spaghetti/pizza/stuffed shells? Well, it is! I used to buy and try all kinds of different sauces, but the picky eater in me was always dis-satisfied with something and I ended up altering each recipe by adding meat or straining out chunks (yes, I am that picky. Chunks are GROSS, OK?!)

Then one day I was in the grocery store scanning the sauce aisle and I came across these tiny cans called tomato paste. Keep in mind as you're thinking "this girl is an idiot, how can she just have discovered tomato paste?!", I was 19 and had just started going to the grocery store without my Mommy, cut me some slack people!

Anywho, I bought a couple of cans and came up with a sauce. It did not take long at all, so those of you who think a good sauce must be simmered all day long are wrong! I have always used dried herbs in it, but I imagine if you have fresh ones, this sauce would be even better.

Lets get to it! Here's what you need...not much!


Tomato Paste, Parsley, Oregano, Basil, Garlic Salt, Salt.

Empty your tomato paste into a bowl:


Run your bowl under the tap for a few seconds:


Whisk it together and slowly add more water by the tablespoon until you get your desired consistency:


This is my desired consistency. I usually go a little thicker for pizza sauce, though.


Next, add some dried oregano (just under 1/4 cup). Out of oregano, basil, and parsley; oregano is my favorite so I use more of it. If you prefer another, add more of it! You can totally taste as you go!


Next? Basil. I add about half of the amount of oregano I used, so 1/8 cup.


Next? Parsley. I just do a pinch because it's my least favorite.


Then I throw in a teaspoon of salt.


And lastly, garlic salt. I put in a pretty fair amount. Probably 2 Tablespoons.


If it tastes too salty, add a little sugar. Whisk it all together and you have yourself some sauce!

New Recipes Coming, I promise

Banana Nut Muffins

Here's some trivia about me that you may not know...I think bananas are disgusting. I think they smell gross, their texture is too squishy, and taste? I won't even go there. But I am the minority in my house, so I am happy to peel them for the girls and bake with them for the hubster. I now present to you...banana nut muffins! I apologize for the quality of some of these pictures...the lighting in my kitchen at night is not ideal for taking pictures, but that's when I got the motivation, so pardon some of the yellow-ness and blur you will see.

This recipe makes 12 jumbo muffins, probably 18 regular muffins, and approx. 2,375,888 mini muffins. ;)

Here's what you need:


Flour, Sugar, Baking Powder, Salt, Eggs, Milk, Vegetable Oil, Bananas, Walnuts


Start by adding 3.5 cups of flour (all-purpose), 2/3 cup of sugar, 4 teaspoons of baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt into a large bowl. Whisk and make a hole in the center.


In a smaller bowl, crack 2 eggs:


Measure 1 cup of milk (skim is fine - it's what we use)...


...and add it to the eggs


Then do the same with 1/2 cup vegetable oil:



And beat them all together!

Now, set that aside for a second and grab your bananas.

The easiest way I have found to mash up bananas is to squish them in the peel first.


Then peel them and squish them into a measuring cup using a fork, until you have about 1.5 cups, which was about 3 medium/large bananas.


Next, head over to your cutting board and roughly chop some walnuts:




Now, back to the bowls! Slowly pour the egg/milk/oil mixture into the flour mixture.


Then add your squished bananas:


I use the whisk again here and slowly whisk it all together, it will still be lumpy, which is OK.


This is about where I stop:



Next, you are going to add your roughly chopped walnuts and fold them in with a spatula.




Now, you are ready to scoop! I find the easiest way to get the batter into the muffin tins is to use an ice cream scoop. You can spray it with cooking spray to help ease the batter into the tins.


Use a heaping scoop to put in your muffin cups:





Then pop them in the oven (400 degrees) for about 15 minutes (this is for jumbo muffins).


They will be nice and brown on the top when they are done. I have no picture of the finished product (it was too dark when I finished baking them) so you will just have to make them yourself to see!

It happens to all of us

right?

I guess the last week or so there has been so much going on that I simply have not had time to document any baking. I honestly have not made much food or goodies, except Friday when I made a chocolate cake for company coming over and then made the same chocolate cake (this time with a different frosting) again yesterday because, well because I felt like it. Both were last minute decisions so, alas, the picture taking and documenting did not take place.

But I do urge you to click on the link below and try this recipe out, it looks amazing and I plan on making it very very soon!

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/