Here's a nice care package idea: Stuffed shells, ready to be baked, garlic bread, asparagus with pesto, corn chowder, and brownies.
Stuffed Shells:
Wash, de-stem and finely chop 1 bunch swiss chard. Dice 1 small-medium onion and 1 or two cloves of garlic. Heat some oil in a pan, add red onion, saute till soft, add the garlic, a pinch of oregano, a pinch of red chilli flakes, salt and pepper. Add chopped swiss chard and saute till it completely shrinks down and is dry. Remove in a large bowl and let cool completely. Add 1 15 oz container of whole milk ricotta, about 1/2 cup each of grated romano and parmesan cheese each, 1 egg, a couple table spoons of chopped parsley and basil, a pinch of oregano, red pepper flakes, granulated garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix everything properly. Boil 1 12oz. pack jumbo shells in a large pot of salted water (9 minutes). Drain and let the shells cool for a bit. In a 9X12 baking pan, spread a few spoons of marinara sauce (I used Rao's classic marinara). Now stuff about a tables spoon of filling into each shell and line them up sideways in the baking tray. Spread the remaining sauce all over the shells, and sprinkle some grated permesan, an 8 oz pack of grated, whole milk, mozzerella, and a bit of chopped parsley. Cover with foil.
Garlic Bread:
Soften 1 stick of butter, add about a tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano, red chilli flakes, granulated garlic, chopped parsley, chopped basil, and about 4-5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped. slice open a big loaf of Italian bread, and spread the butter on both sides. Cover tightly with foil.
Asparagus with Pesto:
In a small chopper, blend together basil, garlic, salt, pepper, parmesan cheese, walnuts, and olive oil. In a pan, heat some oil, add chopped asparagus, salt, pepper and saute for a minute or so. Add washed cherry tomatoes and pesto. Stir around and transfer to a container.
Corn Chowder:
Heat oil in a large pot, add diced onion (one), celery (3-4 stalks), carrots (2), russet potatoes (2), a pinch of thyme, one bay leaf, salt and pepper. Once the potatoes soften a bit, add two cups of water, and half of veg boulion cube. Add 5-6 ears of corn (seeds removed). Let it boil. Add 1 8 oz container of half and half. Now use a hand blender to roughly blend a little bit of the soup (keep lots of texture). Simmer for a few minutes, add some freshly chopped parsley and transfer to a container.
Brownies:
Preheat oven to 350, grease an 8 or 9" square pan, and line with parchment. In a glass bowl, melt 1 stick of butter and 1 4 oz bar of chocolate (I used ghirardeli 60%) with about 1 minute in the microwave. With a rubber spatula, melt any remaining bits of chocolate, add 2 tbsp coco powder, 2 eggs, 1 cup of sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, and 2/3 cup flour. Pour the batter in the prepared pan and back for about 25 mins, until soft in the center. Let cool, remove and cut into desired size. Pack in a ziplock bag.
Pack it all up and send it out to a family that could use a few nice, hot meals and a big hug :-)
Stuffed Shells:
Wash, de-stem and finely chop 1 bunch swiss chard. Dice 1 small-medium onion and 1 or two cloves of garlic. Heat some oil in a pan, add red onion, saute till soft, add the garlic, a pinch of oregano, a pinch of red chilli flakes, salt and pepper. Add chopped swiss chard and saute till it completely shrinks down and is dry. Remove in a large bowl and let cool completely. Add 1 15 oz container of whole milk ricotta, about 1/2 cup each of grated romano and parmesan cheese each, 1 egg, a couple table spoons of chopped parsley and basil, a pinch of oregano, red pepper flakes, granulated garlic, salt, and pepper. Mix everything properly. Boil 1 12oz. pack jumbo shells in a large pot of salted water (9 minutes). Drain and let the shells cool for a bit. In a 9X12 baking pan, spread a few spoons of marinara sauce (I used Rao's classic marinara). Now stuff about a tables spoon of filling into each shell and line them up sideways in the baking tray. Spread the remaining sauce all over the shells, and sprinkle some grated permesan, an 8 oz pack of grated, whole milk, mozzerella, and a bit of chopped parsley. Cover with foil.
Garlic Bread:
Soften 1 stick of butter, add about a tbsp olive oil, salt, pepper, oregano, red chilli flakes, granulated garlic, chopped parsley, chopped basil, and about 4-5 cloves of garlic, finely chopped. slice open a big loaf of Italian bread, and spread the butter on both sides. Cover tightly with foil.
Asparagus with Pesto:
In a small chopper, blend together basil, garlic, salt, pepper, parmesan cheese, walnuts, and olive oil. In a pan, heat some oil, add chopped asparagus, salt, pepper and saute for a minute or so. Add washed cherry tomatoes and pesto. Stir around and transfer to a container.
Corn Chowder:
Heat oil in a large pot, add diced onion (one), celery (3-4 stalks), carrots (2), russet potatoes (2), a pinch of thyme, one bay leaf, salt and pepper. Once the potatoes soften a bit, add two cups of water, and half of veg boulion cube. Add 5-6 ears of corn (seeds removed). Let it boil. Add 1 8 oz container of half and half. Now use a hand blender to roughly blend a little bit of the soup (keep lots of texture). Simmer for a few minutes, add some freshly chopped parsley and transfer to a container.
Brownies:
Preheat oven to 350, grease an 8 or 9" square pan, and line with parchment. In a glass bowl, melt 1 stick of butter and 1 4 oz bar of chocolate (I used ghirardeli 60%) with about 1 minute in the microwave. With a rubber spatula, melt any remaining bits of chocolate, add 2 tbsp coco powder, 2 eggs, 1 cup of sugar, 1 tsp vanilla, and 2/3 cup flour. Pour the batter in the prepared pan and back for about 25 mins, until soft in the center. Let cool, remove and cut into desired size. Pack in a ziplock bag.
Pack it all up and send it out to a family that could use a few nice, hot meals and a big hug :-)
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