Easy Lentil Soup

Cold, snowy days are the perfect time to cook a BIG pot of soup! This week has been no exception!
This soup was made made in under 2 hours, but sat on the cooktop all afternoon. Since it has no meat in it, I left it there until supper. When I rewarmed it, I added chicken broth to thin it since the lentils had absorbed much of the liquid.  It requires few ingredients, but the flavor is great! The white Balsamic vinegar adds a sweet and sour element. If you're not a huge fan, add a small amount first. You can always add more later! Or omit the white Balsamic vinegar and add a tablespoon of (fresh) lemon juice before serving.

EASY LENTIL SOUP

1 1/2 cups dried lentils, rinsed
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
3 carrots, diced ( about 1 heaping cup diced)
3 celery stalks, diced (about 1 heaping cup diced)
2 gloves garlic, minced
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper (or to taste)
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
7 cups water (or chicken broth)
12 oz canned crushed tomatoes ( I used Pomi, Italian tomatoes in a little box)

Sautee vegetables in olive oil in large Dutch oven. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 1 1/2 hrs. Adjust seasonings as desired. (Now is time to add lemon juice, if you prefer  it to the vinegar!) Serve with freshly cracked black pepper and hearty bread! ENJOY!

Stuffed Shells

One of my 2018 New Year resolutions is to return to sharing recipes with you. I suspect that some of you have seen this one and perhaps even made it, but with the cold weather we are having, it is perfect! 

If you cannot find fresh basil, dried basil will do.. just use 1/2 as much. Shortcut it with commercial marinara sauce and you have a quick meal. This freezes well, so make a whole batch and freeze half!

Happy New Year! Happy cooking! 

Stuffed Shells

16 jumbo pasta shells (Cook a couple of extra shells to allow for a few       breaking while the pasta cooks.)

1-1/2 tbsp olive oil

2 tsp fresh garlic, minced

4 cups (packed) fresh spinach leaves, roughly chopped

12 oz skim milk ricotta cheese

1 cup shredded skim-milk mozzarella cheese

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving

1 egg

1Tbsp fresh basil, finely chopped

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1-1/4 cups marinara sauce

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

         Cook the pasta al dente, according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil begins to shimmer, add the garlic and cook until it begins to brown, about a minute or two. Add the spinach and cook, stirring occasionally, until the leaves begin to wilt but are still bright green, about 3 to 4 minutes. The spinach should be reduced by half. Remove from the heat and let cool.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, egg, basil and salt and pepper until thoroughly combined. 

        Pour 1/2 cup of the marinara sauce into the bottom of a shallow 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish. Stuff each pasta shell with a generous amount of the spinach and ricotta mixture, and place in the baking dish.

Cover with the remaining sauce and bake covered with aluminum foil for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the top begins to brown and the sauce begins the bubble, another 10-15 minutes. Serve warm with a dusting of Parmesan.