Broccoli Stuffed Shells with Creamy Cheese Sauce

I have been thinking a lot about this recipe.  I made regular stuffed shells (with ricotta, etc.) a couple of weeks ago and had half a box left and I wanted to try something new.  I came across a few recipes, but none of them sounded that great.  So, after much research and trial and error (I made 3 different kinds), I give you Broccoli Stuffed Shells with Creamy Cheese Sauce:

Ingredients:
Shells:

• 8 Jumbo Shells
• 4 oz Cream Cheese, softened
• 3/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/4t Salt 
• 1/2t Pepper
• 1 cup broccoli florets (cooked and chopped) 

Sauce:

• 1 cup Cold Milk
• 1T Corn Starch
• 1/4t Salt
• 1/8t Black Pepper
• 1/2 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 3T grated Parmesan

Directions:

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees.
2. Cook shells al dente, according to package directions
3. In a small sauce pan, heat milk, whisk in corn starch, salt, pepper, and cheeses. Continue to stir until cheese is melted and sauce thickens. 
4. Combine cream cheese, 3/4 cup Parmesan, salt, pepper, and broccoli in a small bowl.
5. Spray a medium, glass baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.  Spread about 1/4 cup of sauce on bottom of dish.
6. Stuff shells with broccoli mixture and place open side up in dish.
7. Cover shells with about 1/4 cup of sauce.  
8. Cover with foil, bake for 30 minutes. If you like your shells a little crispy, uncover for the last 10 minutes. 
9. Serve with remaining sauce.

Breaded Broccoli

 

A delicious way to get your picky eaters to eat their veggies! Plus it's only 64 calories and 4.3 grams of fat per serving! (Based on 8 servings)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb broccoli (about 3 crowns), florets only (you can use a bag of frozen, but this recipe turns out better with fresh broccoli)
• 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons butter, margarine, or use olive oil for a healthier version, separated and melted
• 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons grated parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons bread crumbs of your choice (I've used original, Italian style, and Panko... all great turn outs!)
• 1/8 teaspoon seasoning salt (optional)
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler on high
2. Cook broccoli florets in boiling water until tender.
3. While broccoli is cooking, mix 2 teaspoons of melted butter with the rest of the dry ingredients.
4. Once broccoli is done, toss in 2 tablespoons of melted butter and place in 8"x8" baking dish.
5. Sprinkle mixture over broccoli.
6. Broil for 4-5 minutes until top becomes browned/crispy.

BBQ Chicken and Breaded Broccoli

The last thing I wanted to do when I got home last night was cook dinner.  Unfortunately, I had already taken chicken out of the freezer and it needed to be cooked.  Thankfully, I already had a few crowns of broccoli in the fridge, so something chicken and broccoli was a given.

My mom has always had a go-to dish for parties: BBQ Chicken legs.  She loves how easy it is to make, and everyone else raves about how great the chicken is.  So, I decided to make a variation of that with boneless/skinless chicken breasts... even my husband was impressed!

 

Oven BBQ Chicken Breasts

The broccoli dish I made has always been a favorite.  It's very easy to throw together while the chicken is cooking and, since the oven is already hot, all you need to do is switch to the broiler and pop the broccoli in once the chicken is done!

Breaded Broccoli