"I'm Back...Back in a Cooking Groove!"

Okay, so the title is cheesy and it is referring to the song by KISS "Back in a New York Groove", but I got your attention, didn't I? Since my travels this week and Klint taking Sophie to the Father/Daughter Dance here in town, we are getting back in the "cooking at home groove: and I can honestly say I love it! I hated that we had food in the house just sitting and I wasn't doing anything with it. I'll admit that it is nice to eat out every now and then, but cooking for my family and having our family time feels so much better!

Sophie was so excited! Klint wanted to take her and I am so glad he did! He said she was the dancing queen! She has asked him every night since then when they are going dancing again. 

So sweet!

Friday night I came back in major cooking fashion making Bacon Wrapped Chicken and Twice Baked Potatoes with Feta Tomatoes. The chicken was wonderful and pretty easy to do. Klint said it definitely needed to go into the recipe rotation. The Twice Baked Potatoes are always a big hit with us! It was a wonderful meal followed by ice cream because Sophie had a good potty training week!

Saturday I made Chicken and Spinach Stuffed Shells. One thing that appealed to me about this recipe was that it made a pan for dinner and a pan to freeze. I am planning a trip in March and will be gone for a week (say a prayer for me and Klint please) and I wanted to have something on hand for Klint that he could cook for him and Sophie. I will probably be freezing a couple of more meals before I go. 

Here is the recipe:

Chicken and Spinach Stuffed Shells

-1 (12-ounce) box uncooked jumbo pasta shells (I used two boxes in case so split and had more than enough)

-2 cups chopped cooked chicken

-2 cups fresh chopped spinach (I used frozen chopped)

-1 onion, chopped

-2 cloves garlic, minced

-1 (15oz) container ricotta cheese

-2 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened (I just used one)

-1 (5oz) package shredded Parmesan cheese (about 1 2/3 cups)
-1 large egg, lightly beaten
-1 Tablespoon dried parsley flakes
-1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-1/2 teaspoon pepper
-2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided (We used more, but we like a lot of cheese)
-2 (26oz) jars prepared spaghetti sauce (I used a jar for each pan, the one I froze and the one we ate for dinner and it was perfect)


1. Cook shells according to package directions. Be careful not to overcook them or they will tear easily when trying to fill them. Drain and set aside. 

2. Preheat oven to 350°. Lightly grease two 9x13 baking dishes.

3. In a large bowl, combine chicken and all the rest of the ingredients except mozzarella and spaghetti sauce. Stir in 1 cup mozzarella. Spoon into shells. (I'll admit, I forgot to stir in a cup of mozzarella and it was just as good. I used a spoon to fill the shells. The original recipe says to use a gallon size bag with a hole cut in it, but I couldn't make it work because the shells rolled up too much.)

4. Spread half of spaghetti sauce into prepared baking dishes. Arrange shells over sauce; top with remaining sauce. Cover tightly with heavy-duty aluminum foil. If you are freezing one of the 9x13 prepared pans, freeze it after this step. Include a baggy of the remaining mozzarella for when you cook it.

5. Bake, covered, for 40 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining 1 cup mozzarella. Bake for 5 to 10 more minutes.

Below is the pan that I froze. I used the Gladware containers that come with a lid. The can go straight from the freezer to the oven as well (and then to the garbage)!

Klint asked me why I had to put a note on it. I told him that I would have to put a note on it even if it was just for me! 

The finished product.....YUMMY!!! Only appropriate that this was originally a Paula Deen recipe and I am using a Paula Deen stoneware baking dish!













Klint said that these have definitely got to go in to the rotation now too! I told them these were a weekend recipe unless I had some frozen from a time before. Filling them was a little time consuming!










I highly recommend these if nothing else to have two meals in one! Happy eating!