Spinach and Mushroom Stuffed Shells

On Sunday, Katie made stuffed shells.  She had the pasta, sauce, spinach and mushrooms.  I had ricotta, parmesan, and mozzarella.  We combined our ingredients and she had all the makings for a really delicious side dish, served with chicken breasts that she sliced and pounded into cutlets, breaded and fried. For an impromptu weekend dinner, it was really delicious!  It's a nice switch from spaghetti or lasagna and would be great made ahead for a party, too (Superbowl?)...  While we were cooking, I let Henry take some photos with my camera.  He's a surprisingly good photographer, being three and all!  Some of his photos are at the bottom of this post...


SPINACH AND MUSHROOM STUFFED SHELLS


Oven 375 degrees F
13 x 9 baking dish, or equivalent
Makes a whole bunch

olive oil
1/2 sweet onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, crushed
fresh mushrooms, sliced (standard container)
1 lb. bag spinach
1 lb. ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 cups mozzarella cheese
1 lb. box jumbo shells pasta, cooked and drained according to directions on box
3 cups red sauce (your own or a good quality jarred sauce)

In large sautee pan over medium heat, cook onion in olive oil until softened.  Add garlic and continue to cook for a few minutes, but don't let the garlic brown.  Add mushrooms and spinach and cook until spinach wilts.  Remove from heat and let cool down for about 10-15 minutes.  In large mixing bowl, mix ricotta cheese with eggs and half of the parmesan cheese (1/4 cup).  Stir in 1 cup of the mozzarella cheese.  Stir in spinach and mushroom mixture.

Spread 1 cup of the sauce on the bottom of a baking dish.  Fill pasta shells with a good tablespoon full of the spinach mushroom mixture.  Arrange shells in baking dish over sauce until you can't fit any more.  You'll have shells left over.  Spoon remaining sauce over shells.  Sprinkle with the rest of the parmesan and mozzarella cheeses.

Cover dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 375 degrees F.  Remove foil and bake for 5 minutes longer.

I didn't get a photo of the finished pasta.  Henry had possession of my camera much of the day and here are some of his shots (all taken by Henry, I swear!)...

Henry's first photos... (even took a pic of his lunch!)

I did manage to get ahold of my camera long enough to take a photo of the cake I made for 3-year-old Finn.  Reviews were very positive - the tractor cake was a hit!

Finn's birthday cake - Happy Birthday Finn!!!!

Homecoming

Can't wait to see that smile!

Tonight around midnight my daughter Meghan boards a plane in Los Angeles for her flight home.  It's her first trip east since she and her boyfriend Mark (and two dogs, and a cat) loaded up the van and left for Long Beach just after Christmas 2009.  I'm sorry that Mark isn't able to join her on this trip, but hopefully next time..  Meghan will be here for five days, and while she may have more than a few things scheduled, I have no real plans other than a welcome-home cook-out here at our home in Middle Grove, and to just spend as much time as possible together.  To prepare for the unknown number of guests for our cook-out, among other things I made a HUGE macaroni salad with egg and tuna.  It's pretty simple.  Other menu items include burgers, dogs, black bean burgers, Carolyn's baked beans (the best), a fruit salad, Katie's (Mrs. Hofmann's) German potato salad, and Kathryn's lasagna.  Should be great!

My sea shell macaroni salad

Most of my day has been spent in the kitchen.  I made over 100 cupcakes and an 8" layer cake for the cupcake wedding cake for tomorrow (some cupcakes stay here for the party)  - I'll set that up on location tomorrow, and then head to Albany Airport around noon to greet Meghan.  Katie, Henry, and Pete will be with me as we welcome Meghan home.  It's been such a long time, and we're all excited.  Pete finally gets to meet his auntie! 

Henry hanging out at Gwa's house
today while I baked...

Meghan, now a California girl...

Here's the recipe for the massive macaroni salad I made for tomorrow's party:

SEA SHELL MACARONI SALAD

2 lbs. medium sea shell pasta, cooked al dente and drained
6 hard boiled eggs, chopped
2 cans solid white tuna, drained and flaked
4 ribs celery, diced
1/2 vidalia onion, diced
10 green olives with pimento, chopped

2 tablespoons olive juice
salt and pepper to taste
2 cups mayonnaise

In very large bowl, mix together chopped eggs, tuna, celery, onion, olives, olive juice, salt and pepper, and mayonnaise.  To that, stir in mayonnaise and combine well.  Stir in drained pasta, and mix it all up very well.  Chill.  If it needs more mayo, add a little mayo and a splash of milk.  Let it sit in the fridge overnight (if you have time) to let the flavors blossom.