#5 Stuffed Shells with Sausage and Spinach

One of my favorite websites is Pinterest--to put it simply:  I'm addicted to it.  That is where I found this recipe. If you haven't explored Pinterest yet, you don't know what you are missing! There are so many wonderful and interesting things, including hundreds and hundreds of recipes for everything imaginable. 

Most of the recipes that I have pinned are desserts or snacks, so far, but this one caught my attention one day when I was looking for something for dinner.  It is really a simple, simple recipe to put together, and so worth it. It was so yummy that I had it for dinner on Sunday, and then lunch and dinner on both Monday and Tuesday!  Sounds silly, I know, but I loved it, and it was such an easy left-over to heat up again.  And you know what, I just might make it again this weekend for my grandkids because I think they will like it too!  Give it a try and let me know if you like it as much as I do!

The ingredients:  16-18 jumbo pasta shells; 1 pound fresh pork sausage links, casing removed; 1 tbs minced garlic; 1 (14 oz) can diced tomatoes; 1 cup frozen spinach, thawed and squeeze dry; 1/2 cup ricotta cheese; 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese; salt & pepper.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and fill a large bowl with cold water and ice, set aside.  Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add pasta shells and cook according to package directions.  Drain well then add to ice water until ready to stuff.

Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add pork sausage then use a wooden spoon to break up the sausage, cook 5-6 minutes until browned.  Add garlic and cook 30 seconds, then add tomatoes and spinach; cook 1 minute.  Remove pan from heat and stir in ricotta cheese.

Using a spoon, fill pasta shells with pork filling and arrange in a baking dish (9"x9" works well.) Sprinkle tops with shredded cheese then bake in the oven, 25-30 minutes until cheese has melted and tips of shells begin to crisp and brown.  YUMMY!

#4 Farmhouse Barbecue Muffins

My favorite day of the week is Wednesday. Why? Because every Weds. is "dinner with the grandkids" day.  It is the perfect day to try out new recipes because the kids are usually up for trying anything new, and usually I can get one of them to help me cook.  Reading recipes and cooking is such a fantastic learning time for kids, and my grandchildren love it.  Baking is what they love to do the most, especially sugar cookies, but I think that's because it's usually quite messy and they get to sneak licks of frosting (but who doesn't love to do that!)

Well this Wednesday, I tried a recipe called "Farmhouse Barbecue Muffins."  The boys were too busy playing to help this time, but Clarabelle did help after she woke up from her short nap.  Sometimes when she comes home from school she is such a sleepy little soon-to-be five year old!  She was in charge of pressing the muffins into the muffin tins and did a fabulous job!

For dinner, we paired the wonderful meat-filled muffins with an Italian pasta salad that I make and kid favorite cottage cheese (I think Connor would eat an entire container of cottage cheese if you let him!)  The new recipe was such a success.  Austin declared, "Grandma, this is one of my favorite things you have ever made!"  Now, in all fairness, Austin is always very generous with his compliments, and he says that quite often about things I make (he's such a nice boy and enjoys his meals!) but I know it's a good meal when every single plate is completely empty.  Simply, my grandkids (and my son and daughter-in-law) loved this recipe!    Give it a try!

Farmhouse Barbecue Muffins
1 tube buttermilk biscuits, 1 pound ground beef, 1/2 cup ketchup, 3 Tbs brown sugar, 1 Tbs cider vinegar, 1/2 tsp chili powder and 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese.
Separate dough into 10 biscuits; flatten into 5-in circles. Press each into the bottom and up the sides of a greased muffin cup; set aside. In a skillet, brown ground beef; drain. In a small bowl, mix ketchup, brown sugar, vinegar and chili powder; stir until smooth.  Add to meat and mix well. Divide the meat mixture among biscuit-lined muffin cups, using about 1/4 cup for each. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from tin and serving.