Stuffed Shells with Ricotta, Kale and Sundried Tomatoes

Irene was not very considerate this past weekend...

I know, the picture doesn't look that bad. But just like everyone else on the east coast, I had no access to public transit and was stranded at home. All I can say is, there was a whole lot of Xbox action in the living room and I could do was to hide in my sanctuary...

Just to realize that I didn't have a pot big enough for all the shells.

Imagine this at the grocery store check out line during a half-country-wide emergency situation: lots of strawberries, blueberries, yogurt, ricotta cheese, fresh garlic, kale, lettuce, eggplants, 2 cans of stewed tomatoes, 4 packages of steak, 2 bottles of water. Yup, that idiot would be yours truly... completely devoid of any survival instinct or common sense.

But I can make a pretty good stuffed shell filling...

And then I had a light bulb moment: what if my power goes out just like the other 3 million people on the east coast? Won't the fridge *gasp* stop working?

That's when I realized I needed to use up as much of my groceries as possible before Irene got here.

And so here you go, dinner served. A little bit of meat on the side never hurts!! Hope you had a safe weekend too :)

Stuffed Shells with Ricotta, Kale and Sundried Tomatoes


Makes 4-6 servings

1 package jumbo shell pasta
3 cups ricotta cheese
3 1/2 cups packed raw kale leaves, washed and roughly chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
3 tbsp sundried tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 stalks of green onions, chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 can pasta sauce
Salt and pepper
Dash of olive oil

1. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Salt the water and add jumbo shells, cook until al dante. Drain and rinse with ice water to prevent further cooking.
2. Heat a skillet to medium heat. Add dash of olive oil and cook garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute.
3. Add kale to skillet and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Turn off stove and let cool.
4. When kale has completely cooled down, mix the following together: ricotta cheese, green onions, kale, sundried tomatoes, 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese, a pinch of salt and pepper.
5. Line a baking pan with a little bit of olive oil. Stuff shells with filling and line them up in the pan. Cover and refrigerate until 30 minutes before meal.
6. Preheat oven to 350. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Seared Scallops with Basil Pesto Spaghetti

I hate greens. The better they are for me, the more I hate them. For example:

Raw spinach. Packed with nutrients but taste like rubber.
Raw arugula. Same as above, with bonus bitter taste.
Broccoli. When raw, has a weird texture. When steaming, smells like fart. After eating... you know.
Asparagus. Self explanatory.

I will never eat greens if I don't have to. And so I go down the green spectrum until things become just mildly green- like Romaine lettuce. That I can do, because I mix it with salmon/ chicken/ chickpeas/ red onions/ grilled bell peppers/ sundried tomatoes/ cheddar/ parmesan/ feta/ goat cheese/ vinaigrette so it doesn't even taste or feel salady anymore. I also have a very strong opinion towards self inflicted veganism, vegetarianism, and girls who truly enjoy salads with balsamic vinegar on the side, which they never use. But that's not the point of this post.

The only exception to the above is herbs. I LOVE basil, cilantro, parsley, rosemary and thyme. They have a ton of health benefits and easily elevate the taste of any dishes you are preparing. They also make amazing pesto, perfect to be prepared during the weekend and used during the week.

As you can see, there's no vegetables in this dish, just the way I like it. I did sneak in some extra fiber in there by using whole wheat pasta.

Oh and by the way, guess what's for lunch today. A huge bowl of mixed romaine greens and spinach. The gross after-taste is still in my month, and that explains my vengeance towards greens today. 

Happy mid-week! 

Seared Scallops with Basil Pesto Spaghetti 

Makes 2 servings

(measurements are approximate)
Frozen scallops, unthawed and pat dried
2/3 package of spaghetti
2 cups chopped fresh basil
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts/ walnuts/ almonds, crushed
2/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons minced garlic

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Finely chop basil and transfer to medium sized bowl.
2. Crush or grind pine nuts (ok to substitute with walnuts or almonds) into fine pieces.
3. Add pine nuts, parmesan cheese, minced garlic, salt and pepper to chopped basil. Mix and set aside.
4. Bring a pot of water to boil. Cook pasta until al dante.
5. In the meantime, sear scallops on medium-high heat until brown on both sides. Do not overcook.
6. When pasta is done, drain and save 1 cup of cooking water. Add pesto to pasta, mix well. Add 1/4 cup of cooking water at a time until pesto is not too lumpy.
7. Top with scallops, a few slices of shaved parmesan cheese, and small basil leaves for garnish. Serve immediately.