With Thanksgiving now behind us, many home chefs are beginning to prepare their most festive menus of the year. Whether you and your loved ones are celebrating Christmas, Hanukkah or Kwanzaa, we’ve got you covered.
Simple but flavorful meals are a holiday host’s best friend. Such meals, which include the following recipe for “Stuffed Shells With Spinach and Ricotta” from Lines+Angles, give hosts more time to mingle but still ensure a delicious dish makes its way to the table come dinnertime.
Stuffed Shells with Spinach and Ricotta
10 cups frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 cup Parmesan cheese, grated (divided), plus extra to serve
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
33/4 cups marinara or spaghetti sauce
1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook per package directions until al dente. Rinse pasta in cold water to stop cooking process and drain well.
2. Squeeze spinach dry. Transfer spinach to large bowl. Add ricotta, 1/2 cup Parmesan, garlic, and beaten eggs to bowl. Season mixture with salt and pepper, and mix to blend.
3. Preheat oven to 350 F.
4. Spoon 1/2 cup marinara sauce evenly over bottom of 9- x 13- x 2-inch baking dish. Fill each pasta shell with spinach mixture. Place shells, filling side up, in prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan. Cover loosely with foil and bake until heated through and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Spoon remaining sauce over shells. Garnish with Parmesan cheese, if desired, and serve.
If asked to name three foods that could be combined and result in a flavorful bite to eat, a person might take a long while before landing on pears, bacon and Gorgonzola cheese. But that unlikely trio of ingredients can make for a delicious and easily crafted finished product. Those emboldened to give this unique combination a chance can try “Bacon-Wrapped Pears Stuffed With Gorgonzola” courtesy of Lines+Angles.
Bacon-Wrapped Pears Stuffed With Gorgonzola
4 pears, halved lengthways and cored
2 tablespoons lemon juice
4 ounces Gorgonzola, cut into 4 equal pieces
2 tablespoons chopped butter
1. Heat the oven to 325 F.
2. Drizzle the cut side of the pears with lemon juice and place a piece of cheese on four halves.
3. Put the pears back together and wrap in a slice of bacon. Place the pears in a baking dish and top with the butter. Drizzle with the honey and bake for around 20 minutes until golden brown. Baste occasionally with the melted butter.
Dining and Cooking