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Jumbo Stuffed Shells

Jumbo Stuffed Shells

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Yield: 14

Billy Parisi

Video

These amazing stuffed shells recipe is baked in a classic tomato and white sauce with delicious meat and ricotta cheese filling. Prep Time 1 hour, Cook Time: 90 min.

My first batch made at least 40. I froze half on a sheet tray and then they will go in a freezer bag.

  • 12oz box of jumbo shells
  • 2TBS olive oil
  • 1peeled small diced yellow onion
  • 2finely minced cloves of garlic
  • 8oz loose Italian sausage
  • 8oz ground beef 85/15
  • 5oz baby spinach, roughly chopped
  • 2TBS chopped fresh basil
  • 1lb fresh mozzarella, diced small (1/4-inch)
  • 16oz whole milk ricotta cheese
  • 1½cups grated Parmesan cheese
  • 1large egg
  • 24-32oz tomato sauce
  • 1batch béchamel sauce, about 1 qt (see below)
  • salt and pepper to taste

Make the béchamel sauce (below).

Preheat the oven to 425°F.

Boil the shells until al dente in a large pot of boiling salted water, which takes about 8-9 minutes while gently stirring. Remove the shells from the water, chill in an ice bath and then spread out on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper and set to the side.

Add the olive oil to a large rondeau pot over medium heat and cook the onions until lightly browned, which takes about 10 minutes. Next add in the garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Add in the Italian sausage and ground beef and cook until lightly browned and cooked through. Make sure to cut it down into small pieces.

Mix in the baby spinach just until wilted and then transfer the mixture to a large plate and slightly spread everything out and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Once cool transfer to a large bowl along with the basil, ½ the amount of small, diced mozzarella, ricotta, 1 cup of Parmesan cheese, large egg, and salt and pepper, and mix until completely combined.

Using a small spoon or a piping bag stuffed with the meat and cheese filling, stuff each shell until they are completely full. I was able to get 28 stuffed shells.

Evenly pour the tomato sauce into the bottom of a 13×9 casserole dish until it is coated.

Next, randomly pour ¾ of the béchamel sauce on top of the tomato sauce. See Video.

Line up as many stuffed shells as possible over the sauces. You may need to cook some in a separate dish if they all do not fit.

Sprinkle on remaining small, diced mozzarella and ½ cup of grated Parmesan all over the top and bake at 425° for 25-30 minutes or until browned on top.

Garnish with optional chopped parsley or basil.

Make-ahead: This recipe is meant to be eaten as soon as it’s done cooking. You can however keep it warm covered in the oven at 200°F for up to 30 minutes before cooking. In addition, if you want to prepare everything, you can assemble everything if it’s cold and chilled and then refrigerate covered 1 day before baking and serving. Add 10 minutes to your baking time since everything will be cold going into the oven.

How to store: Cover and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. This will freeze covered for up to 3 months. You can freeze in the sauces or separate.

How to reheat: Add the number of stuffed shells with sauce to a saucepan and cover with foil and heat at 350°F in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until hot.

It is ok to have leftover shell pasta as some of them will tear in the cooking and cooling process. Feel free to discard or keep the leftovers after stuffing.

I had 8 shells that did not fit into the casserole dish, so I baked them in a small separate dish.

Béchamel Sauce

Yield: 1 batch
Billy Parisi

Learn how to make a classic béchamel sauce that is incredibly simple to prepare and excellent for sauces and pasta dishes. 25 minutes.

  • 1quart of whole milk
  • 2ounces unsalted butter or 4 TBS
  • 2ounces all-purpose flour or 6 TBS
  • ¼onion peeled but left intact
  • 1bay leaf
  • 1clove
  • pinch of ground nutmeg
  • salt and ground white pepper to taste

Add the milk to a medium-size saucepot over low heat until it scalds, see note.

Make a roux from the butter and flour and stir it in to the warm milk until it is completely mixed in and smooth and bring just to a boil to thicken and then turn the heat back down to low.

Next, make a 1” slit into the top of the onion and push the bay leaf into the slice and press the clove into the onion as well and then place the entire thing right into the bechamel sauce and cook for 15 minutes to infuse the flavor.

Add in the nutmeg, salt, and pepper and mix in with a spoon.

Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer like a chinois or through some cheesecloth in a regular strainer. The sauce should be silky smooth.

Chef notes:

Make ahead: You can make this sauce up to 2 days ahead of time.

How to store: Keep it covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Do not freeze the sauce as it will break when thawing it.

How to reheat: Simply place your desired amount into a small sauce pan and whisk over low heat until thick.

You’ll know it’s scalded if you tilt the pan back to yourself and see bubbles clinging to the bottom of the pan but not sticking to it.

If the sauce gets too thick when making it or reheating it, simply add a ¼ cup of hot milk at a time until it is to a thinner consistency.

You must wait for the sauce to boil after mixing in the roux for it to thicken, other wide it will remain on the thinner side.

Instant Couscous

Instant Couscous

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Yield: 4 Servings

Scott Nowell

Easy, fast, delicious.

  • 1cup instant couscous
  • 1cup stock, water or broth
  • 1 – 2TBS butter or olive oil
  • ½tsp salt

Bring the stock and butter/oil to a boil over high heat.

Remove the pan from the heat and stir in couscous and salt.

Cover and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes.

Fluff with a fork.

Serve.

Options: Add a tablespoon of toasted pine nuts, or two stalks of chopped scallions when you add the couscous.

Italian Chicken Over Lemony Spaghetti

Italian Chicken Over Lemony Spaghetti

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Serves: 2

Italian-spiced chicken, tender zucchini, and al dente spaghetti all coated in a creamy, cheesy, lemon-spiked sauce.

  • 1zucchini
  • 1clove garlic, minced
  • 1lemon
  • 6oz spaghetti
  • 26 oz boneless skinless chicken breast
  • 1TBS Italian seasoning
  • 1tsp red pepper flakes
  • 2tsp Better Than Bouillon chicken
  • 2TBS sour cream
  • ¼cup Parmesan cheese
  • 2tsp olive oil
  • 2tsp cooking oil
  • 1TBS butter


Prep:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.
Trim and quarter zucchini lengthwise, cut crosswise into ½-inch-thick pieces.
Peel and mince garlic.
Zest and quarter lemon.
Cook pasta:
Once water is boiling, add spaghetti to pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente, 7-10 minutes.
Note: Reserve 1 cup pasta cooking water, then drain.

Zucchini:
While pasta cooks, heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large, preferably nonstick, pan over medium-high heat. Add zucchini, cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and softened, 4-6 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Turn off heat, transfer to a plate. Wipe out pan.


Cook chicken:
Meanwhile, pat chicken dry with paper towels and season all over with Italian Seasoning, salt, and pepper.
Once zucchini is done, heat a large drizzle of oil in same pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through (165°F), 3-5 minutes per side.
Turn off heat, transfer to a cutting board to rest.
Once cool enough to handle, slice chicken crosswise.


Make sauce:
Heat a drizzle of olive oil in pot used for spaghetti over medium-high heat.
Add garlic, half the lemon zest, and a pinch of chili flakes. Cook, stirring, until fragrant, 20-30 seconds.
Stir in ½ cup reserved pasta cooking water, BTB chicken, and juice from two lemon wedges.
Simmer until thickened, 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat.


Finish & serve:
Add drained spaghetti, zucchini, sour cream, and 1 TBS butter to pot with sauce, toss to coat.
Add half the Parmesan and season with salt and pepper.
Stir in more reserved pasta cooking water a splash at a time until spaghetti is coated in a creamy sauce.
Divide pasta between bowls. Top with chicken, remaining Parmesan, remaining lemon zest, and a pinch of chili flakes if desired. Serve with any remaining lemon.

Beef Flautas

Beef Flautas

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with Pico de Gallo & Lime Crema
Yield: 2 Servings

Surprisingly, Jed likes these. Simple to make and very tasty.

  • 1yellow onion
  • 2TBS Tex-Mex paste
  • 1Roma tomato
  • 10oz ground beef

For southwest spice blend:

  • 2tsp garlic powder
  • ¾tsp cumin
  • ¾tsp chili powder

For assembly & serve:

  • 6flour tortillas
  • ½cup Mexican cheese blend
  • 1lime
  • 4TBS sour cream
  • salt
  • 2tsp cooking oil
  • 1TBS olive oil

Prep:

Adjust rack to middle position and preheat oven to 425°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and brush with oil (or coat with nonstick spray).

Wash and dry produce.

Halve, peel, and thinly slice onion, mince a few slices until you have 1 TBS.

Make spice blend:

Mix garlic powder, cumin and chili powder in a small dish.

Make filling:

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add sliced onion, cook for 3 minutes. Add beef and spice blend, cook, breaking up meat into pieces, until beef is browned, and onion is softened, 4-6 minutes. Stir in Tex-Mex paste and 1⁄3 cup water. Simmer until mixture has thickened and beef is cooked through, 2-4 minutes more. Turn off heat.

Assemble & bake:

Meanwhile, drizzle tortillas with 1 TBS olive oil, brush or rub to coat on both sides. Place tortillas on a clean work surface. Once beef filling is done, add a heaping ¼ cup filling to one side of each tortilla, then sprinkle each with 1 TBS Mexican cheese blend. Roll up tortillas, starting with filled sides, to create flautas. Place, seam sides down, on prepared sheet.

Make sure the flautas are snug on the sheet—this will prevent them from unrolling. Bake on middle rack until golden-brown and crispy, 8-12 minutes.

Make Pico de Gallo:

While flautas bake, finely dice tomato. Zest and quarter lime. In a small bowl, combine tomato, minced onion, half the lime zest, and a squeeze of lime juice. Season with salt.

Finish & serve:

In a separate small bowl, combine sour cream, remaining lime zest, and a squeeze of lime juice. Add water 1 tsp at a time until mixture reaches a drizzling consistency. Season with salt.

Divide flautas between plates.

Top with Pico de Gallo and lime crema. Serve.

Tex-Mex Paste
6          oz can tomato paste,
3          cups water,
3          TBS vinegar,
1          TBS dried onion flakes,
2          tsp salt (or salt substitute),
2          tsp cornstarch,
½         tsp cayenne pepper,
1          tsp sugar,
¼         tsp onion powder,
1          dash garlic powder

Apricot-Sumac Chicken

Apricot-Sumac Chicken

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with Roasted Veggies, Lemony Bulgur & Almonds
Yield: 2

Tasty and simple. Sumac has a nice lemony flavor. Bulgur wheat? A lot like brown rice.

  • 1zucchini
  • 1lemon
  • ½cup bulgur wheat
  • 1tsp sumac
  • 1yellow onion
  • 1garlic clove
  • 1tsp chili powder
  • 2tsp better than bouillon chicken (BTB)
  • 25 oz chicken cutlets
  • 1apricot jam
  • ½oz sliced almonds
  • 4tsp cooking oil
  • 1TBS butter

Prep:

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 450°F. Wash and dry produce.

Trim and halve zucchini lengthwise, slice crosswise into ½-inch-thick half- moons. Halve, peel, and cut onion into ½-inch-thick wedges. Peel and mince or grate garlic. Zest and quarter lemon.

Roast veggies:

Toss zucchini and onion on a baking sheet with a drizzle of oil, chili powder, salt, and pepper.

Roast on top rack, tossing halfway through, until tender and browned, 14-16 minutes.

Cook bulgur:

While veggies roast, heat a drizzle of oil in a small pot over medium-high heat. Add half the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds.

Stir in bulgur, 1 tsp BTB chicken, 1 cup water, and a big pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce to a low simmer. Cook until water has absorbed, and bulgur is tender, 12-15 minutes.

Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.

HFA

Cook chicken:

Meanwhile, pat chicken dry with paper towels, season all over with salt and pepper.

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add chicken, cook until browned and cooked through, 3-5 minutes per side. Lower heat if chicken begins to brown too quickly.

Turn off heat, transfer chicken to a plate to rest. Wipe out pan.

Make sauce:

Heat a drizzle of oil in same pan over medium-high heat. Add remaining garlic, cook, stirring, until fragrant, 30 seconds.

Stir in jam, 1 tsp BTB chicken, and ½ cup water. Simmer until thickened, 2-3 minutes.

Reduce heat to low. Stir in sumac, 1 TBS butter, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Finish & serve:

Return chicken (and any resting juices) to pan with sauce, turn to coat. Transfer chicken to a cutting board, thinly slice crosswise.

Drain any excess water from bulgur, if necessary, fluff with a fork. Stir in lemon zest and a big squeeze of lemon juice, season with salt and pepper. Add half the veggies to pot with bulgur and stir to combine.

Divide bulgur mixture between bowls, top with chicken and remaining veggies. Spoon any remaining sauce from pan over chicken. Garnish with almonds and serve.

Balsamic Fig Chicken

Balsamic Fig Chicken

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with Roasted Potatoes & Mixed Greens

Yield: 2 Servings

The fig jam adds a delicious fruity sweetness to the chicken.

  • 24oz potatoes
  • 1lemon
  • 1fig jam
  • 1shallot
  • ¼oz rosemary
  • 25-6 oz chicken cutlets
  • 5tsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2tsp better than bouillon chicken (BTB)
  • 2oz mixed greens
  • 4tsp olive oil
  • 1TBS butter

Roast potatoes:

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 450°F.

Wash and dry produce.

Dice potatoes into ½-inch pieces. Toss on a baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper.

Roast on top rack, tossing halfway through, until browned and tender, 20-25 minutes.

Prep:

While potatoes roast, halve, peel, and mince shallot.

Strip 1 tsp rosemary leaves from stems, finely chop leaves.

Halve lemon.

Cook chicken:

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season all over with salt and pepper.

Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.

Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through (155°F), 3-5 minutes per side.

Transfer chicken to a cutting board. Lower heat to medium.

Make sauce:

Add shallot, chopped rosemary, and a drizzle of olive oil to same pan. Cook, stirring, until softened, 2-3 minutes.

Stir in vinegar and jam. Simmer until syrupy, 1 minute.

Stir in stock concentrate and ½ cup water. Cook until thick and glossy, 2-3 minutes.

Add a splash of water if sauce seems too thick. Turn off heat.

Stir in 1 TBS butter. Season with salt and pepper.

Make salad:

While sauce simmers, in a medium bowl, toss mixed greens with a squeeze of lemon juice and a drizzle of olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Finish & serve:

Thinly slice chicken crosswise.

Divide chicken and potatoes between plates.

Drizzle chicken with sauce.

Serve salad on the side

Cranberry Thyme Chicken

Cranberry Thyme Chicken

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with Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Carrots & Onion

Yield: 2 Servings

Cranberry thyme chicken with a jammy cranberry glaze. Served with crispy-edged, tender red onion, Brussels Sprouts, and carrots medley.

Prep: 10 Cook: 35

  • 8oz Brussels Sprouts
  • 1lemon
  • 2tsp garlic powder
  • 2tsp onion powder
  • 2tsp paprika
  • 1red onion
  • 6oz carrots
  • 10oz chicken cutlets
  • 1tsp dried thyme
  • 1oz chicken stock concentrate
  • 1TBS cranberry jam
  • 2tsp olive oil
  • 1tsp cooking oil
  • ¼tsp sugar
  • 1TBS butter

Prep:

Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425°F. Trim and halve Brussels sprouts lengthwise. Halve, peel, and cut onion into ½-inch-thick wedges. Trim, peel, and cut carrots on a diagonal into ½-inch-thick pieces. Quarter lemon.

Roast veggies:

Toss Brussels sprouts, onion, and carrots on a baking sheet with a large drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper. Arrange Brussels sprouts cut side down. Roast on top rack until golden-brown and tender, 20-22 minutes.

Season chicken:

Make chicken seasoning by mixing 2 tsp each garlic powder, onion powder, paprika in a small dish.

Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season all over with salt, and pepper, chicken seasoning and ¼ tsp thyme.

Cook chicken:

Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until browned and cooked through, 6- to 8-minutes per side.

Tip: If chicken is on the thicker side, reduce heat to low, cook 2- to 3-minutes more per side. Turn off heat, transfer chicken to a cutting board to rest. Wash out pan, let cool 1 minute.

Make pan sauce:

Return pan to medium-high heat, add chicken stock concentrate, jam, ½ cup water, ¼ tsp thyme, and ¼ tsp sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce has thickened, 2- to 3-minutes. Turn off heat. Stir in 1 TBS butter and juice from one lemon wedge.

Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add another squeeze of lemon juice if desired.

Finish & serve:

Slice chicken crosswise. Divide chicken and veggies between plates. Drizzle chicken with as much pan sauce as you like. Serve with remaining lemon wedges on the side.

Chicken & Vegetables with White Sauce

Chicken & Vegetables with White Sauce

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Yield: 4 Servings

Adapted from Fortunecooking

A very simple clean tasting stir fry made with vegetables and left-over chicken. Your choice of vegetables. I usually use broccoli, snow peas, mushrooms, carrots, celery and sometimes water chestnuts.

My white sauce was not as white as the original. It is fixed now. 😊 😊

  • 2cups total:
  • broccoli florets
  • pea pods
  • button mushrooms, sliced or quartered
  • carrots, sliced thin on a diagonal
  • celery, sliced thin on a diagonal
  • sliced water chestnuts
  • chicken, cooked and sliced 
  • 1heaping tsp garlic, minced
  • 1heaping tsp ginger, minced
  • 2cups water or stock
  • salt & pepper
  • 1TBS cornstarch mixed with 1 TBS water for slurry
  • 1sesame oil to taste (optional)


Blanch vegetables:

Bring 2 cups of stock or water to a boil in a wok or pan.

Add the 2 cups vegetables and chicken and cook for about 1½ minutes.

Reserve some of the vegetable cooking water and set aside.

Season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning. 

Chicken & sauce:

Add ginger and garlic and cook for 30 seconds. 

Add slurry and stir to thicken.

If desired, add sesame oil to taste.

Serve.

Shrimp Boil

Shrimp Boil

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Sheet Pan Dinners

Yield: 4 Servings

Adapted from: CarlsbadCravings

This sheet pan version of the Shrimp Boil is loaded with succulent shrimp, tender potatoes, sweet corn and smokey sausage all enveloped in Cajun seasonings then baked to perfection then drizzled with Lemon Parsley Butter.

Note: Came out spicier than expected. Might use less Old Bay.

  • 1lb fingerling or baby potatoes
  • 4TBS extra virgin olive oil divided
  • 1TBS + 1 tsp Old Bay seasoning divided
  • 1tsp garlic powder
  • ½tsp ground mustard
  • ½tsp ground coriander
  • ½tsp dried dill
  • ¼tsp pepper
  • ¾tsp salt divided
  • 3ears sweet corn, cut into 4 pieces (12 pieces total) or kernels removed from cob
  • 111-12 oz pkg. smoked Andouille sausage sliced ½-inch thick
  • 1zucchini, sliced ½-inch thick (optional)
  • 1red or yellow onion, cut into ½-inch wedges (optional)

Parsley lemon butter: (optional)

  • 4TBS melted butter
  • 1½TBS finely chopped parsley
  • 1½TBS lemon juice

For serving:

  • chopped parsley
  • lemon slices
  • hot sauce


Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a half-sheet pan with foil and lightly spray with cooking spray, set aside.

Pre-cook potatoes: Depending on size, chop potatoes in half or thirds. Transfer cut potatoes and onions to a prepared half-sheet pan and spread out into an even layer. Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes.

Mix: Meanwhile, in a very large bowl, whisk together 3 TBS olive oil, 1 TBS Old Bay seasoning, garlic powder, ground mustard, coriander, dill, pepper and ½ tsp salt. Add par cooked potatoes, corn, zucchini, and sausage. Stir until evenly coated.

First Bake: Pour bowl onto prepared half-sheet pan and spread out into an even layer. Reduce heat to 400°F and bake for 15 minutes.

Season Shrimp: Meanwhile, add shrimp to the same bowl (don’t wipe out). Drizzle with 1 TBS olive oil, 1 tsp Old Bay Seasoning and ¼ tsp salt. Stir until evenly coated.

After 15 minutes, remove the half-sheet pan from oven and give everything a good stir. Add shrimp and spread everything into a single layer.

Second Bake: Place pan back into oven and bake for an additional 10-12 minutes, or until the shrimp is opaque and cooked through.

Parsley Lemon Butter: Meanwhile, whisk Parsley butter ingredients together, set aside.

Serve: As soon as the shrimp is done, drizzle the entire pan with Parsley Lemon Butter. Serve with additional freshly cracked salt, pepper, lemon wedges, parsley, Old Bay seasoning and hot sauce on the side.

Sumac Spiced Chicken Legs

Sumac Spiced Chicken Legs

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with Cauliflower and Carrots

Sheet Pan Dinners

Yield: 4 Servings

Adapted from: CookingLight

This one-pan supper embraces two trends we love: sheet pan cooking (both the main and side cooking together on a single pan) and embracing less-familiar spices (in this case, lemony ground sumac, available at most supermarkets). Sumac is also delicious sprinkled over grilled vegetables or in vinaigrettes. Bone-in chicken thighs and drumsticks will stay moist and become beautifully bronzed in the oven as the vegetables become golden brown and tender. The vibrant parsley mixture brings the entire dish together. Serve with hot cooked whole-wheat couscous, if you like.

  • 6TBS olive oil, divided
  • 1TBS sumac
  • 1¼tsp kosher salt, divided
  • 1tsp light brown sugar
  • 1tsp paprika
  • ground red pepper to taste
  • 1lb cauliflower florets
  • 2(6-oz) pkg. small rainbow carrots, halved lengthwise
  • 1lb bone-in chicken thighs, skinned
  • 1lb skinless drumsticks
  • 1small lemon, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
  • 1small red onion, cut into ¾-in. wedges
  • ½cup finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
  • ½cup chopped fresh cilantro
  • 1TBS fresh lemon juice
  • 1small garlic clove, minced


Preheat oven to 425°F.
Line a half-sheet pan with foil, parchment or a Silpat.

Oil Mixture:

Combine 3 TBS oil with sumac, 1 tsp salt, brown sugar, paprika, and red pepper in a medium bowl.

Place cauliflower and carrots on the half-sheet pan. Add half of oil mixture, toss to coat.

Add chicken thighs, drumsticks, and lemon slices to sheet pan. Rub the remaining oil mixture over chicken. Bake at 425°F for 20 minutes.

Stir vegetables. Sprinkle onion wedges over pan. Bake at 425°F for 20 more minutes or until chicken is done, (185°F in thickest part).

Parsley mixture:

Combine the remaining 3 TBS oil, ½ cup parsley, ½ cup cilantro, 1 TBS lemon juice and minced garlic in a small bowl.

Spoon parsley mixture evenly over chicken and vegetables.