Big batch cooking

Cheese and Spinach Shells

 

1 package large pasta shells (manicotti works just as well)

15 oz container ricotta cheese

10 oz frozen chopped spinach

1 egg

1 ½ c shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)

½ c grated parmesan cheese

Salt & Pepper

2 T dried parsley

1 jar pasta sauce

 

-Cook spinach in microwave. Let cool then squeeze out as much liquid as you can.

-cook shells in a large pot of salted water (1 T salt for the pot) drain and rinse with cool water. Leave in a large bowl of cool water until you are ready to fill them.

-in a large bowl, mix together ricotta cheese, spinach, 1 c mozzarella cheese, ¼ c parmesan cheese, egg, ½ t salt, ½ t pepper and parsley. Pour a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of a baking dish (9x13 inch). Use a spoon to fill each shell. Place cheese side up in the pan. When shells are all filled, pour remaining sauce over the shells. Sprinkle with ½ c mozzarella and ¼ c parmesan cheese.

-Bake 375 degrees for 45 minutes. (This can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw before cooking)

Bacon Wrapped Chicken (Giant batch)

6 chicken breasts

1 container chive and onion cream cheese

12 slices bacon

 

-Cut chicken breasts in half horizontally or pound into ½ inch thickness then cut in half)

-Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Put 3 T of cream cheese on each chicken breast. Wrap 1 slice of bacon around chicken and cheese.

-freeze individually on a baking sheet. When completely frozen, place in a Ziploc bag.

-To cook: thaw. Put chicken on a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper beneath. Bake 400 degrees for 35 minutes. If you want the bacon crispy, finish dish by turning on the broiler and baking for 3-5 minutes or until the bacon is crisp.

 

Taco Chicken Filling

Sauté in a large frying pan on medium high heat 3 t butter and 3-4 cloves smashed garlic

Add 2 T seeded and diced chipotle chili in adobo sauce, ½ c orange juice, ½ a bunch cilantro, 1 T Worchester Sauce and 4 chicken breasts.

Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove chicken from pan. Remove cilantro from sauce and toss. Turn heat to high and reduce pan sauce by half. Chop or shred chicken. Add 1 t mustard to the sauce. Pour sauce over chicken and serve.

 

Twice baked potatoes

 

10 russet potatoes

1 package bacon, diced and cooked

1 stick butter, melted

1 c sour cream

2 c shredded cheddar cheese

 

Wash potatoes and poke with a fork. Bake potatoes in oven at 400 degrees for 1 hour.

Let potatoes cool.

Cut in half and scoop out the middle, leaving skin intact like a boat.

Mash potatoes with butter, bacon, sour cream and cheese. Fill potato skins with the mashed potato mixture.

Freeze on a cookie sheet them transfer to a Ziploc bag.

Bake 400 degrees for 35 minutes.

 

 

Pesto Lasagna

1 box lasagna noodles (no boil or regular cooked as box says)

1 jar pesto sauce

Big batch of Béchamel sauce (recipe below)

1 ½ c shredded mozzarella cheese (divided)

½ c grated parmesan cheese

Salt & Pepper

2 T dried parsley

 

Béchamel sauce:

½ c butter

½ c flour

4 ½ c milk

Pinch nutmeg

Salt and pepper taste

 

-Make béchamel sauce as you’ve learned in macaroni and cheese lesson

-cook noodles. Once drained put the noodles in a large bowl filled with cool water. (noodles won’t stick this way)

-spoon ½ c of béchamel sauce in a 9x13 inch pan. layer 3 noodles in pan. Layer noodles with a thin layer of pesto (1/4 c?) then ¼ c parmasean cheese, ½ c mozzarella cheese, and 1 c béchamel sauce. Repeat until pan is nearly full (about 9-12 noodles total).

-Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes. (freeze if you like, but be sure to thaw it before cooking)