Cruising on a sunny afternoon

By Sandy Holthaus

I am writing this column while I am hours away from boarding a plane to go on a Caribbean cruise with my mom and dad. I am so excited, yet this is a hard time to get away. I feel I have been going non-stop for the past two weeks just to get ready for the trip. I plan to go offline the entire 14-day cruise! I have been feeling some guilt about this trip. It seems an extravagant gift to myself, and a generous gesture from my husband Mike. Then I was reading about enjoying life while you can. I don’t know my health for a year or even next month. When opportunity gives you a wave, grab that hand and hold on for dear life. I just read a quote that, if you start to look like your driver’s license photo, you need a vacation. I must say, my picture isn’t half bad, but I look tired each and every day. 

Never have I ever spent time away in December. Yet preparation for this trip has me reevaluating gift-giving this year. I am choosing unique gifts over the number of gifts. My children are older now and appreciate the message of the season over presents. On my side of the family, each person makes a handmade gift, spending no more than $20 on supplies. I treasure these gifts more than anything. It’s also fun to see how creative the family can be. We have knitters, woodworkers, bakers, and craft people of all kinds. Pinterest is an excellent resource for this project.

Just coming off from a Thanksgiving turkey high, I can say we have so many things to be thankful for this year. It has been hard with the loss of family members and a good friend, but I wouldn’t change a day or the time I was given to say goodbye. On the upside, I have my health and the health of my parents to enjoy 14 days of cruising!

Peace, Sandy

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So, throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.    ~ Mark Twain

Roasted Vegetable Stuffed Shells

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 small eggplant, diced

1 small zucchini, diced

1 Tablespoon olive oil

Salt and black pepper to taste

21 jumbo pasta shells

15 oz. ricotta cheese

1 large egg

1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1/4 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

Pinch of nutmeg

Salt and black pepper to taste

2 1/2 cups marinara sauce

Chopped fresh basil for garnish,
if desired

Preheat oven to 400º F

Place the diced red pepper, eggplant, and zucchini on a large baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil and toss. Season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, or until veggies are tender, stirring once. Remove from oven and set aside. Turn the oven down to
350º F.

Cook the pasta al denté, according to package directions. Drain and place the shells on large plate or cutting board so they are not touching. This will prevent them from sticking together.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, stir together ricotta, egg, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, spinach, roasted veggies, basil, and oregano. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste.

Pour 1 cup of the marinara sauce into the bottom of 9” x 13” baking dish. Stuff each pasta shell with a generous amount of the roasted veggie ricotta mixture, and place in the baking dish.

Cover shells with the remaining sauce and sprinkle remaining mozzarella cheese over the top. Bake covered with aluminum foil for 25 minutes. Remove the foil and continue baking until the top begins to brown and the sauce begins the bubble, another 10-15 minutes. Garnish with fresh basil, if desired, and serve warm.

Note: For easier filling, fill a gallon Ziploc bag with the roasted veggie ricotta filling and cut a hole off the corner of the bag. Pipe the filling into the shells. The stuffed shells freeze well. I like to bake the pan, let them cool, and then put them in a freezer container. Reheat when ready to eat.

Make Ahead Breakfast Bagels

3 plain bagels, sliced

6 large eggs, beaten

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Salt and pepper, to taste

10 fully cooked bacon slices (microwaved according to package instructions), crumbled

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 415° F

Place bagels on an ungreased cookie sheet and set aside.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together eggs, garlic pepper, salt, and pepper.

Cook/scramble in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Remove eggs from heat and evenly distribute scrambled eggs over bagels.

Sprinkle bacon over eggs.

Toss together mozzarella and cheddar cheeses, and cover the bacon/eggs with cheese mixture.

Bake at 415° F for 10 minutes.

Pizza bagels will be extremely hot right out of the oven, allow them to cool briefly before enjoying.

These also freeze very well: wrap cooled pizza bagels tightly in plastic wrap (I usually place them in an airtight container or in a large Ziploc bag for good measure) and freeze.

Defrost in microwave or toaster oven before enjoying at a later time.

Easy Pot Pie

Single pie crust

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

1/3 cup chopped onion

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 cup sliced carrots

3/4 cup sliced celery

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 cups regular chicken broth

1/2 cup milk

2 cups vegetables*

2-3 cups cooked shredded or cubed chicken or turkey*

1. Heat the butter in a 10-12 inch oven-safe skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, and celery. Sauté for around 5 minutes as the veggies let off some juices and become soft. Add flour, thyme, salt, and pepper. Stir and cook for 3 minutes.

2. Pour in the chicken broth and milk. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Gravy will thicken. Stir in the vegetables and chicken/turkey. Cook for
1 additional minute. Remove from heat and allow to slightly cool for
10 minutes (and up to 1 day: cover and store in the refrigerator).

3. Preheat oven to 375°F (191°C).

4. Cover with prepared pie crust. Seal edges over skillet and cut slits for steam.

5. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the top of the crust is golden brown. After the first 20 minutes of bake time, I place a pie crust shield on top of the skillet to prevent the edges of crust from burning.

6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving. Leftovers keep well in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Reheat as desired.

Notes

1. Make-ahead instructions: Filling can be prepared 1 day in advance, cover and chill in the refrigerator as noted in step 3. Continue with the recipe and bake the next day as directed. You can also prepare and freeze the filling for up to 3 months. Thaw before covering with crust and baking.

2. Veggies: 1-2 cups of any veggies work. I use 1 cup of frozen peas and 1 cup of sliced mushrooms. Use your favorite: Chopped broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, leeks, bell peppers, corn, etc.

3. Chicken: I use meat from a store-bought rotisserie chicken.