CrankyCakes

Z. is a noodlehead.  Seriously in love with pasta.  So it was no surprise when he picked the stuffed shells recipe from Jane Yolen’s Fairy Tale Feasts.

I like this family cookbook and recommend it for two reasons that have little to do with the food.

1.  It’s a cookbook with stories.  Even if you can’t get your own little monsters into the kitchen to cook with you, at least you’ve read a story together.  Quality parenting, that.

2.   The stories are not only the Disney-fied usuals.  There are strange folk stories in here, from many cultures.  Some have questionable, ambiguous endings that leave children a little confused.  Good stuff, that fodder for thinking.

And the recipes themselves seem fine.  We’ve only actually made the baked apples that followed Snow White.  And by dinner prep time on Monday, I couldn’t actually FIND the book, so we improvised our version of this.  It turned out to be the best dish I’ve yet prepared with my 4 year old helper because there was so much he could independently do: oiling the pan, spreading the sauce, mixing the cheeses, stuffing the shells.  Better and more fun for him than all the precision and measuring that baking can require.  We’ll be making variations on this again for sure.

Shells with Seaweed
Serves 6

1. Do not put water on to boil.  Seriously: do not precook pasta that you’re going to bake.  Likewise, when you buy the pasta, do not waste your money on the no-boil variety.   I’m sorry – that’s kind of bossy.  What I mean to say is, “Go right ahead if you want to but when you do, just remind yourself that Cranky Cheryl is shaking her head in disbelief at how you’re wasting time and money.”  But it’s entirely up to you.
2. Preheat oven to 375.
3. Grease a 9 x 13 pan, and spread across the bottom:

• 1/4 c. marinara sauce, then set aside.

4.  Mix together in a medium bowl:

• 2 c. ricotta
• 1 c. shredded mozzarella
• 1 c. frozen spinach (or any greens), chopped fairly fine, or if fresh, chopped and wilted by a quick steam or saute
• Optional: a little pepper, nutmeg, chopped garlic clove

5.  With the prepared pan and bowl of cheeses at hand, take out:

• 12 oz. canneloni, large shells, manicotti, or other pasta for stuffing.  (We had these pretty striped ones that I found for $.99 at the local cheese place that also has some cool discounted food.)

6.  Use a spoon to stuff the pasta, then place each in the prepared pan.  When completed, top with:

• 1 1/2 c. marinara sauce, then
• 1 c. shredded mozzarella.

7.  Bake for 35 minutes, or until browned and bubbling.  Save some for leftovers, if your own noodleheads leave any behind.