We’re back!

Round 2 of this year’s Nino’s delicious Lenten-inspired recipes is here!

We hope you and your family are enjoying these tasty recipe ideas and are ready for a few more you can try out before Easter.

In this edition, I have a theme. It’s Stuffed Pasta Shells!

What’s inspiring to me about this shape of pasta is that you can stuff them with so many different things, and you can enjoy them hot or cold.
Let’s start with a recipe you can enjoy cold, as a salad.

Salmon Stuffed Pasta Shells With Creamy Cucumber Dill Dressing

Makes about 4 Servings

For the Stuffed Shells:

1 Dozen Large Pasta Shells
As Needed Boiling Salted Water
1 Lb. Salmon Fillet
2 Stalks Green Onion, Chopped
Pinch Celery Seed
Pinch Granulated Garlic
To Taste Salt & Pepper
1 Package Nino’s Spring Mix Greens

1. Cook pasta shells in (gently) boiling salted water until al dente. Rinse in cold water and drain.
2. Cook salmon fillet by any method you wish (broiling, sautéing, steaming, or even microwaving). Then chill, break into ½” pieces and add green onions, granulated garlic, celery seed, salt & pepper.
3. Stuff each pasta shell until full and set aside.

For the Dressing:

½ Cup Nino’s Dill & Onion Dip
½ Cup Nino’s Fresh American Ranch Dressing
¾ Cup English Cucumber, Peeled, Seeded & Cubed
1 Clove Garlic
To Taste Salt & Pepper

1. Blend all of the dressing ingredients together until smooth and creamy.

Serve salad with a nest of Spring Mix Greens topped with 3 Salmon Stuffed Shells napped with the Creamy Cucumber Dill Dressing. This salad also goes well with shaved fennel, red onions, hard-cooked eggs and capers.

My second stuffed shells recipe can be enjoyed hot.

Ratatouille Stuffed Shells With Sautéed Spinach & Vodka Sauce

Makes about 4 servings

12 Large Pasta Shells
¼ Cup Olive Oil
½ Cup Sweet Onion, Diced ½”
1 TBSP Garlic, Chopped
1 Cup Eggplant, Diced ½”
¼ Cup Yellow Squash, Diced ½”
¼ Cup Zucchini, Diced ½”
½ Cup Grape Tomatoes, Cut in Halves
¼ tsp. Dry Oregano
¼ tsp. Dry Basil
3 Cups (divided) Salvaggio’s Brand Vodka Sauce
To Taste Salt & Pepper

½ Cup Smoked Gouda Cheese, Chopped

1 TBSP Olive Oil
1 – 10 oz Bag Baby Spinach Leaves
1 TBSP Garlic, Chopped
½ Cup Sweet Onion, Sliced
½ Cup Red Bell Pepper, Thinly Sliced
To Taste Salt & Pepper

1. Cook pasta shells in (gently) boiling salted water until al dente. Rinse in cold water and drain.
2. In a medium-hot, non-stick skillet, add olive oil and sauté onion and garlic one minute.
3. Add remaining vegetables and herbs, and sauté until all are tender. Then add ½ Cup Salvaggio’s Vodka Sauce.
4. Simmer 3 minutes, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Chill this mixture, and then stir in the smoked Gouda cheese.
6. Stuff pasta shells and nest together in an appropriately sized, ovenproof baking dish.
7. Top with 1 cup Salvaggio’s Brand Vodka Sauce and ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, and bake at 375 F for approximately 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated through.
8. While stuffed shells are in the oven, in a separate non-stick sauté pan over medium-high heat, sauté garlic, onions and bell pepper in olive oil until tender. Then add baby spinach, and sweat down until the spinach leaves are limp. Season with salt and pepper.
9. To serve, divide spinach mixture into 4 servings and top with 3 shells each. Heat remaining Salvaggio Vodka Sauce and nap over the top of the shells.

I’ve saved the EASIEST recipe for last. In truth, it’s barely even a recipe because Nino’s is going to help you out with this one.

Crispy 3 Cheese Stuffed Pasta Shells with Salvaggio’s Marinara

Makes about 4 servings

Purchase 12 of our 3 Cheese Stuffed Pasta Shells from the Gourmet to Go Department, and bread them in a mixture of seasoned flour and 2 eggs beaten together with 1 cup milk. Then dredge in our Salvaggio’s Italian Bread Crumbs.

Deep fry in canola or vegetable oil at 350 F until golden brown and serve with our delicious Salvaggio’s Marinara topped with grated Romano cheese. Easy Peasy!

I hope you’ve enjoyed this year’s recipes. Check out the other terrific recipes on our website. And when you do, be sure to print off a copy of these recipes so that the next time you come to shop with us, you won’t forget any of the essential ingredients!

For more of Nino’s Lenten suggestions and information, just click on these helpful links.

• Nino’s Fresh Flavor Fillets© Nino’s Exclusive Fresh Flavor Fillets make cooking a delicious fish dinner simple and fast. Choose any one of our filleted, marinated and pre-seasoned Fresh Flavor Fillet entrees, grab the easy-to-follow cooking instructions, and enjoy a great dinner!
• Nino’s Guide to Fresh Fish Cooking© Our easy-to-use guide to which cooking methods are best suited to which fish and how to do it.
• Nino’s Fresh Fish Grilling Guide© Contained in this flyer are some of Nino’s tastiest tips to help you enjoy Lent and fish grilling with confidence and ease.
• “Who You Callin’ a Shrimp?” In the mood for more Shrimp? Well, all shrimp aren’t created equally! Check out this helpful flyer full of information on how to choose and cook the most popular shellfish on the planet!!