I found the Cheesy Shells and Greens recipe in the November issue of Woman's Day magazine. I'm really not sure what to make of it, in all honesty. I had to substitute apple pie spice for nutmeg, because it was the only thing I had that came closest to pure nutmeg. It made the dish sweeter than it would have been, but it's not a bad taste. Also, this recipe calls for using the broiler. I am not a broiler user. Everything I cook under the broiler burns. Including the bread crumb topping on this meal (it was only in the oven for like a minute!!!).
What little bit that wasn't burnt I could taste, tasted pretty decent. Definitely not one of my favorite meals, but decent none-the-less. I'm going to have to cook it again one day, using the regular old oven instead of the broiler.
This isn't a very healthy recipe, but good for something quick and as a good alternative to regular mac and cheese. Overall for my taste (minus the burnt topping): about 3 stars. Not the worst I've ever had, but definitely not the best.
Here's the recipe, if you would like to try it out:
Ingredients:
12 oz medium pasta shells
1 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole milk (I used skim)
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1/8 tsp freshly grated or ground nutmeg
Pinch cayenne (optional)
6 oz extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (I used regular sharp)
Salt, Pepper
1 bunch spinach, thick steams discarded, leaves roughly chopped
1.) Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
2.) Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes; whisk in the milk. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 5 minutes.
3.) Whisk in the mustard, nutmeg, cayenne (if using), 1 cup Cheddar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper. Add the pasta and spinach and toss to combine.
4.) Heat broiler. Transfer the mixture to a 1 1/2 quart broiler-proof baking dish or four 12 oz ramekins. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar and broil until golden brown, 3-4 minutes.
For the topping (optional)
Pulse 4 slices of bread in a food processor to form coarse crumbs (I used about a 1/4 cup of bread crumbs). Stir in 1/4 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley and 2 tbsp olive oil. Sprinkle over the pasta before broiling.
Nutrition Info per Serving:
- 593 Calories
- 22 grams fat (14 grams saturated fat)
- 61 mg cholesterol
- 677 mg sodium
- 25 gram protein
- 73 grams carbs
- 4 grams fiber
What little bit that wasn't burnt I could taste, tasted pretty decent. Definitely not one of my favorite meals, but decent none-the-less. I'm going to have to cook it again one day, using the regular old oven instead of the broiler.
This isn't a very healthy recipe, but good for something quick and as a good alternative to regular mac and cheese. Overall for my taste (minus the burnt topping): about 3 stars. Not the worst I've ever had, but definitely not the best.
Here's the recipe, if you would like to try it out:
Ingredients:
12 oz medium pasta shells
1 tbsp unsalted butter
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups whole milk (I used skim)
1 tbsp dijon mustard
1/8 tsp freshly grated or ground nutmeg
Pinch cayenne (optional)
6 oz extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (I used regular sharp)
Salt, Pepper
1 bunch spinach, thick steams discarded, leaves roughly chopped
1.) Cook the pasta according to the package directions.
2.) Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes; whisk in the milk. Cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened, 5 minutes.
3.) Whisk in the mustard, nutmeg, cayenne (if using), 1 cup Cheddar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper. Add the pasta and spinach and toss to combine.
4.) Heat broiler. Transfer the mixture to a 1 1/2 quart broiler-proof baking dish or four 12 oz ramekins. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup Cheddar and broil until golden brown, 3-4 minutes.
For the topping (optional)
Pulse 4 slices of bread in a food processor to form coarse crumbs (I used about a 1/4 cup of bread crumbs). Stir in 1/4 cup finely chopped flat leaf parsley and 2 tbsp olive oil. Sprinkle over the pasta before broiling.
Nutrition Info per Serving:
- 593 Calories
- 22 grams fat (14 grams saturated fat)
- 61 mg cholesterol
- 677 mg sodium
- 25 gram protein
- 73 grams carbs
- 4 grams fiber
It sounds like an interesting recipe. I love pasta, even though I should probably eat less of it! lol
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