Spinach Artichoke Pasta

Ingredients:

1 (13 oz) box shell pasta
1 tsp butter
2 tsp minced fresh garlic
1 8 oz package reduced fat (not fat free) cream cheese
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream
1T lemon juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1 14 oz can artichoke hearts (packed in water), drained and chopped
10 oz chopped, frozen spinach, thawed, with as much excess water squeezed out as possible
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 cup chopped cooked chicken (optional)
Additional Parmesan for serving

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions

2. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and add garlic. Cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the cream cheese and stir until melted. Slowly stir in milk, then add lemon juice, salt and red pepper flakes. Stir in artichoke hearts, spinach, Parmesan cheese and chicken (if using).

3. Drain pasta and add to artichoke mix. Toss and season to taste with salt and additional lemon juice as needed. Serve with additional shredded Parmesan.

Recipe Source: adapted from allrecipes.com

Spinach Alfredo Pizza

INGREDIENTS (Nutrition)

* 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
* 1 (10 ounce) container Alfredo Sauce
* 1 (6 ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained
* 1 (10 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and quartered
* 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
* 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
* 2 unbaked pizza crusts
* 2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1 (2.25 ounce) can sliced black olives (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spread pizza crusts out onto baking sheets or pizza pans.
2. Place the spinach and Alfredo sauce in a saucepan, and warm over medium heat. Stir occasionally. Spread 1tablespoon of olive oil onto each pizza crust. Spoon half of the Alfredo and spinach onto each crust, then arrange artichoke hearts over the sauce layer. Top each pizza with half of the mozzarella cheese and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle mushrooms and black olives on top.
3. Bake pizzas one at a time for 20 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the bottom is nicely browned.

Tortellini Stew w/Spinach and Zucchini

Ingredients:
1 can (14 oz size) reduced-sodium vegetable or chicken broth
1 package (9 oz size) refrigerated cheese or mushroom tortellini
1 can (14.5 oz size) diced tomatoes
3 cups packed baby spinach
3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons freshly shredded Asiago or Parmesan cheese
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 small zucchini, diced large, sauteed lightly

Directions:
Bring broth to a boil in medium saucepan over high heat. Add tortellini. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer gently 5 minutes.

Gently stir in tomatoes; simmer 4 minutes or until tortellini is tender. Stir in spinach 1 cup at a time just until wilted. Add zucchini. Stir in basil.

Ladle into shallow bowls; sprinkle with cheese and pepper.

As an added delicious touch, once you've turned off the heat, stir in three triangles of Laughing Cow cheese. It adds a lovely richness to the broth, and it also thickens it all up, just a smidge. So good.

Italian Wedding Soup

* 2 (32-ounce) cartons chicken broth
* 1 pound lean ground beef
* 2 eggs, lightly beaten
* ¼ cup bread crumbs
* 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese, plus extra for serving
* 1 (6-ounce) package baby spinach
* 1 cup small pasta, such as ditalini or orzo


In a large pot over high heat, heat the chicken broth to boiling.

While the broth is heating, in a large mixing bowl, combine the beef, eggs, bread crumbs, and Parmesan cheese, working well (or mixing with your hands to thoroughly blend).

Form mixture into small meatballs, less than 1-inch in diameter.

To the boiling chicken broth, add the meatballs, spinach, and pasta. Return to boiling, then reduce the heat to medium, keeping the broth in a small rolling boil.

Cook for about 15 to 20 minutes, until the meatballs are cooked through.

Serve in bowls and pass extra Parmesan cheese.

Gnocchi With Spinach and Ricotta

• 1 (1-pound) package potato gnocchi
• 1 cup fat-free half-and-half
• 1 teaspoon flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 (10-ounce) bag prewashed baby spinach leaves
• ½ cup nonfat ricotta cheese
• 1 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat the broiler and move top oven rack 4 to 6 inches from heat.
2. In a large pot of lightly salted boiling water, cook the gnocchi according to package directions (gnocchi will float to surface when done). Drain and set aside.
3. Meanwhile, in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat, combine the half-and-half, flour, salt, pepper and nutmeg, stirring well to mix with a wire whisk. Bring mixture to a boil. Continue to boil for 2 minutes, whisking frequently.
4. Add spinach in handfuls and cook, stirring frequently until wilted, about 2 to 4 minutes.
5. Remove from heat, then add gnocchi, stirring to mix well.
6. Spoon ricotta over gnocchi in five large dollops and sprinkle with mozzarella. Broil until cheese is lightly browned and bubbling around edges, about 3 minutes.

Courtesy ParentsConnect.com

Spinach Artichoke Pasta Sauc

(This is a Rachael Ray recipe apparently, not mine.)

1 10-oz box frozen spinach
2 tablespoons EVOO (extra-virgin olive oil), twice around the pan
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
3 garlic cloves, chopped
1 small onion, peeled and halved
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (eyeball it)
1 14 ounce can artichoke hearts in water, drained and chopped
A couple handfuls grated Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano cheese
Salt and black pepper
1 pound cheese tortellini or flavored tortellini, such as wild mushroom

Bring a large pot of water to a boil to cook the pasta. Microwave the spinach on high for 6 minutes to defrost.

Heat a deep skillet over medium heat with the EVOO and butter. When the butter melts and is hot, add the garlic. Using a box grater, grate the onion directly into the skillet. Saute the onions and garlic for 5 minutes. Sprinkle the flour into the skillet and cook for 1 minute. Whisk in the stock, then the cream, and bring the sauce to a boil. Season the sauce with nutmeg and reduce the heat to low.

Place the defrosted spinach in a clean kitchen towel and wring it dry. Separate it as you add it to the sauce. Stir in the chopped artichokes and a couple handfuls of cheese, then season the spinach-artichoke sauce with salt and pepper.

Salt the boiling water and cook the tortellini according to the package directions, about 3-5 minutes. Drain it well and toss with the spinach artichoke sauce. Serve immediately.

Cheesy Fish Fillets with Spinach

From allrecipes.com

PREP TIME 20 Min; COOK TIME 25 Min; READY IN 45 Min; SERVINGS 4

* 2 tablespoons butter
* 2 tablespoons flour
* 1 teaspoon instant chicken bouillon
* 1 dash nutmeg (I used cinnamon; still good)
* dash cayenne pepper
* 1 dash white pepper
* 1 cup milk
* 2/3 cup shredded Swiss or Cheddar cheese
* 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained (I used fresh, and just sauteed it with some onions first to wilt)
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 1 pound fish fillets (I used red tilapia), cut into serving pieces
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
* Paprika

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat butter over low heat until melted. Stir in flour, bouillon, nutmeg, red pepper and white pepper; cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Stir in milk; heat to boiling and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Add cheese and cook, stirring constantly, just until cheese melts. Set aside. Place spinach in ungreased 12-in. x 7-1/2-in. baking dish or 8-in. square baking dish. Sprinkle with the lemon juice. Arrange fish on spinach; sprinkle with salt. Spread sauce over fish and spinach. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F until fish flakes easily with a fork, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and paprika; return to oven for 5 minutes.

Diabetic Exchanges: One serving equals 4 protein, 2 vegetable, 1 fat; also; 307 calories, 860 mg sodium, 108 mg cholesterol, 10 gm carbohydrate, 31 gm protein, 16 gm fat.

I was kind of leery about this. I thought that the cheese sauce would be way to heavy and cloying, but its not. It's quite good. And the nutmeg (or in my case cinnamon) gives it a really nice flavour. But just use a dash...
I had a lot of liquid that was released in the cooking, so I probably could have thrown some raw rice in there with the spinach as the base, and that would have cooked up beautifully. Maybe next time, that's what I'll do.

Creamed Spinach (serves 6)

Ingredients
3 beaten Eggs
8 ounces, shredded Cheese - Sharp Cheddar
1 (10 oz.) package frozen chopped, drained Spinach
1 ( 16 oz. ) carton Cottage Cheese

Cooking Directions
Combine all ingredients and mix well. Spoon into a casserole dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Orzo w/spinach, asparagus, mushrooms and feta

So good, pretty rich tasting because of the feta, but its all really quite good for you. Tons of vegetables in here. Not for the faint of carb though. Recipe will have to come later.
There are a few turkey meatballs sitting on top there. I'll skip those next time.