Scrappin’ Recipes

Cheesy Stuffed Shells

Sauce
* Kosher salt
* 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
* 1/2 cup grated carrot
* 1/2 cup grated zucchini
* 1 small onion, finely chopped
* 1/2 cup chopped celery
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 teaspoon dried basil
* 1 teaspoon dried oregano
* 2 tablespoons tomato paste
* 1 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
* Freshly ground pepper
The Shells
* 1 12-ounce box jumbo pasta shells
* 8 ounces silken tofu, mashed
* 1 10-ounce box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
* 1 1/2 cups cottage cheese
* 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
* 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
* 1 large egg, lightly beaten
* 1 clove garlic, minced
* Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the carrot, zucchini, onion and celery and saute until soft but not brown, 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the basil, oregano, tomato paste, crushed tomatoes and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, prepare the shells: Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook for 8 minutes; drain. Mix the tofu, spinach, cottage cheese, parmesan, 1/2 cup mozzarella, the egg and garlic in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper.

Mist a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spread about 1 cup of

the sauce in the dish. Stuff the cheese mixture into the shells and place in the baking dish, open-side up. Pour the remaining sauce over the shells. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup mozzarella and bake for 15 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.

Creamy Cajun Shrimp Linguine

1 cup water
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
6 ounces uncooked linguine
1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 1/2 tablespoons butter
1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms
1 large red bell pepper, cut into (1/4-inch-thick) slices
2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup half-and-half
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

Combine 1 cup water and broth in a Dutch oven; bring to a boil. Break pasta in half; add to pan. Bring mixture to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 8 minutes. Add shrimp to pan. Cover and simmer for 3 minutes or until shrimp are done; drain.

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and pepper to pan; sauté 4 minutes or until moisture evaporates. Add flour, seasoning, and salt to pan; sauté 30 seconds. Stir in half-and-half; cook 1 minute or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add pasta mixture and parsley to pan; toss.

Lasagna Rolls

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Sauce:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
Pinch ground nutmeg

Lasagna:

(15-ounce) container whole milk ricotta cheese
(10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
3 ounces thinly sliced prosciutto, chopped
1 large egg, beaten to blend
3/4 teaspoon salt, plus more for salting water
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil
12 uncooked lasagna noodles
2 cups marinara sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella (about 4 ounces)

Directions

To make the sauce: Melt the butter in a heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the flour and whisk for 3 minutes. Whisk in the milk. Increase the heat to medium-high. Whisk the sauce until it comes to a simmer and is thick and smooth, about 3 minutes. Whisk the salt, pepper, and nutmeg into the bechamel sauce.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.

Whisk the ricotta, spinach, 1 cup Parmesan, prosciutto, egg, salt, and pepper in a medium bowl to blend.

Add a tablespoon or 2 of oil to a large pot of boiling salted water. Boil the noodles until just tender but still firm to bite. Drain. Arrange the noodles in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent them from sticking.

Butter a 13-by-9-by-2-inch glass baking dish. Pour the bechamel sauce over the bottom of the prepared dish. Lay out 4 lasagna noodles on a work surface, then spread about 3 tablespoons of ricotta mixture evenly over each noodle. Starting at 1 end, roll each noodle like a jelly roll. Lay the lasagna rolls seam side down, without touching, atop the bechamelsauce in the dish. Repeat with the remaining noodles and ricotta mixture. Spoon 1 cup of marinara sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle the mozzarella and remaining 2 tablespoons of Parmesan over the lasagna rolls. Cover tightly with foil. Bake until heated through and the sauce bubbles, about 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cheese on top becomes golden, about 15 minutes longer. Let stand for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the remaining marinara sauce in a heavy small saucepan over medium heat until hot, and serve alongside.

Devilish Shrimp and Spaghetti

For sauce you will need:

1 lb. 12 oz. can crushed tomatoes
1 long hot pepper with seeds (chopped)
5 cloves garlic (crushed and chopped)
1 tablespoon dried oregano
½ cup fresh basil (chopped)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 box favorite spaghetti

Heat large frying pan with olive oil, garlic, basil,dried oregano and long hot pepper. Let simmer for a few minutes, until garlic becomes slightly golden.

Add crushed tomatoes and continue to simmer while preparing shrimp.

For shrimp you will need:

1 lb. fresh medium size shrimp (cleaned)
2 cloves garlic (crushed)
½ teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon black pepper
1 tsp. oregano
3 tablespoons olive oil

Combine all spices in small bowl and coat shrimp with spice mixture.

In medium frying pan, heat garlic with olive oil. Add shrimp to hot olive oil and turn over once.

Set aside while preparing spaghetti as directed on box.

Drain Spaghetti and add to tomato sauce.

Top with shrimp and garnish with Romano cheese and fresh basil.

One of my favorite salads to make and it lasts a long time in the fridge.  Goes great at BBQ’s.

Summer Pasta Salad

14 oz mixed tri-colored twisted pasta
1 can black olives, sliced
2 small cans of sliced mushrooms
8 oz. mozzarella cheese
1 small onion, diced
1 small green pepper, diced
Sliced pepperoni
Parsley and black pepper to taste

Dressing:

1 cup sugar
1 cup vinegar
1/2 cup oil
1 pkg. Italian dry dressing

Mix all ingredients and set in fridge for a few hours before serving.

MY VERSION: I use turkey pepperoni for a lighter version

Grilled Chicken and Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Montreal Steak seasoning
1/2 pound penne pasta
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ cup chicken broth
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 to 1 tsp salt & pepper (to taste)
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
6-8 fresh basil leaves, chiffonaded

Rinse chicken breasts in cold water. Layer between sheets of wax paper and pound to even thickness. Season both sides with Montreal Steak seasoning. Preheat grill for medium high heat, lightly oil grate, and grill chicken breasts on medium high heat for 6-8 mins each side. OR heat 2 tbsp butter & 2 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once the butter and olive oil is nice and hot, add chicken breasts and cook 5 mins each side. Set chicken aside to cool. In a large pot, boil water with 1 tbsp salt. Add 1/2 lb penne pasta noodles and boil according to package directions. Heat 2 tablespoons butter and 2 tablespoons olive oil in the skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring occasionally, until garlic is tender, but do not let the garlic turn brown (about 3-5 mins). Add the chicken broth to the pan and allow to reduce by half. Meanwhile, slice chicken. Once the broth has reduced, stir in tomato sauce. Add the heavy cream and stir well to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Turn heat to low. Chop the parsley and basil, add to sauce and mix well. Drain pasta and add to sauce. Stir well to coat. Serve pasta on plates, top with sliced chicken.

I love pasta and here is a great recipe by Rachel Ray.  We all love her and every recipe I have tried of hers has been great.

4 Cheese Stuffed Shells

Salt
8 pieces jumbo pasta shells
1 1/2 pounds ricotta cheese or part skim ricotta cheese
1 pound mozzarella, diced
1/2 cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
1 cup shredded Asiago
1/4 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
6 or 7 leaves fresh basil, torn or shredded

 Preheat oven or broiler to 450 degrees F.Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt water and add pasta. Cook shells 12 to 15 minutes, they should be softened but still undercooked at the center. Drain pasta and cool.

Combine ricotta, 1/2 of the diced mozzarella, a couple of handfuls of Parmigiano and 1/2 of the Asiago. Add parsley to the cheeses and stir to combine.

To a small saucepot over moderate heat add oil, garlic and onions. Saute onions and garlic 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and season sauce with salt and pepper. Simmer sauce 5 minutes and stir in basil leaves

Pour a little sauce into the bottom of a shallow medium sized casserole dish. Fill shells with rounded spoonfuls of cheese mixture and arrange them seam side down in casserole dish. Top shells with remaining sauce and remaining mozzarella and Asiago cheeses. Place shells in very hot oven or 8 inches from hot broiler and cook 6 to 8 minutes to melt cheeses and bubble sauce.

A great easy and light meal for a quick meal.

Rigatoni with Grilled Peppers and Onions

2 medium red onions, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick rings
2 large red bell peppers, cut into quarters
1 tablespoon olive oil
Kosher salt and pepper
12 ounces (4 to 5 cups) rigatoni
1 bunch spinach, stems trimmed, or one 5-ounce package
1 cup (about 3 1/2 ounces) grated Parmesan
3/4 cup basil leaves, thinly sliced

Bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high.

In a large bowl, toss the onions, bell peppers, oil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Grill, turning occasionally, until tender, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board and cut into bite-size pieces.

Cook the pasta according to the package directions. Reserve 1 cup of the cooking water, drain the pasta, and return the pasta to the pot. Add the grilled vegetables, spinach, the reserved pasta water, and 3/4 cup of the Parmesan to the pasta and toss to combine. Top with the basil and the remaining Parmesan before serving.

I love meat and pasta with a great sauce and here is a recipe with all that and more.  Great for supper and everyone will love it!!

This tasty recipe was supplied by Barb

Sausage and Pepper Pasta (adapted from a Rachel Ray recipe)

1 box rigatoni or penne pasta
8oz spaghetti/pasta sauce (I use a kind that has no corn syrup in it)
1 can diced tomatoes, drained (or use diced fresh if you have them!)
Six chicken sausages, cooked (grilled, sauteed, or broiled) and cut into pieces
1 red pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 C jarred mild yellow peppers, drained (or chopped banana or pepperoncini peppers)
1 med onion, chopped
olive oil
garlic
kosher salt
black pepper
1 16oz carton ricotta cheese
Parmesan cheese

Heat oil in a non-stick skillet and saute onions, peppers, and garlic until soft. Add chopped sausage and cook five minutes more.  Set aside. 

While cooking vegetables, boil the pasta until al dente and drain.  Add back to the pot.  Add pasta sauce, tomatoes, and ricotta cheese and gently stir until the cheese has combined well with the sauce. 

Spread veggies and sausage mixture in the bottom of a baking dish.  Pour pasta and sauce over the top of the sausage and peppers.  Top with parmesan cheese and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

This was very easy to make, it used staples that were in my pantry and fridge, and the family loved it! Give it a try and let me know what you think.

This recipe has taken a standard casserole loved by everyone and made it better!  What great comfort food this is.

Macaroni and Cheese with Bacon and Onions

1 tablespoon salt
1 pound elbow, shell or other bite-size shaped pasta
2 (12 fluid ounce) cans evaporated milk
1 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup flour
1 1/2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly ground black pepper
1 pound grated extra-sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 pound thick-sliced bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
2 large onions, thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

Bring 2 quarts of water to boil in large soup kettle. Add salt and pasta. Using package directions as a guide, cook until al dente. Drain. To prevent sticking, drain and immediately pour onto a large lipped baking sheet and let cool while preparing sauce.

Meanwhile, microwave the milk and chicken broth in a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup or bowl until hot and steamy (not boiling). Melt butter in the empty pasta pot; whisk in flour, then hot milk mixture. Continue to whisk until thick and bubbly, 3 to 4 minutes. Whisk in mustard, Parmesan and pepper. Turn off heat, stir in cheddar until melted.

Add drained pasta (and optional flavoring ingredients, see notes) to sauce, and stir until everything is well combined over low heat. Stir to heat through, and thin with a little water if the sauce is too thick.

Fry bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat until crisp, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Pour off all but 3 tablespoons of bacon drippings. Add onions and thyme; saute until soft and golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Stir bacon and onions into macaroni. Serve hot