Tea For Two and Two For Tea

Well, not exactly. In subtle attempts to make me more domesticated, my parents bought me a subscription to Taste of Home: Cooking for 2 magazine. It's actually a really cool magazine! Not only does it have recipes, but it has cooking tips, a "Cook Now, Eat Later" section, an index that cross references ingredients (my favorite!) and a ton more!

I know, I know, guys are probably gagging, but the summer issue, for instance, has grilling recipes as well as a recipe for Grilled Seasoned Bratwurst! What boy doesn't like bratwurst?

The recipes have the perfect portion for an individual, or a few people. A yummy dinner with leftovers for lunch! As an added bonus for the health conscious cook, each recipe has the nutritionals listed below it.

Just to give you a taste, here's a recipe from the website, http://www.cookingfor2.com/.

Mexican Manicotti

Combining an Italian pasta and Mexican ingredients created an exceptional dish for Mrs. Larry Phillips from Shreveport, Louisiana. She writes, "This recipe is well-liked even in Cajun Country Louisiana!"

SERVINGS 2 PREP 25 min. COOK 25 min. TOTAL 50 min.

INGREDIENTS

4 uncooked manicotti shells
1 cup cubed cooked chicken breast
1 cup salsa, divided
1/2 cup ricotta cheese
2 tablespoons sliced ripe olives
4 teaspoons minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon diced pimientos
1 green onion, thinly sliced
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
1/3 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

DIRECTIONS

Cook manicotti according to package directions. In a small bowl, combine the chicken, 1/4 cup salsa, ricotta cheese, olives, parsley, pimientos, green onion, garlic and pepper sauce. Drain manicotti; fill with chicken mixture.
Spread 1/4 cup salsa in an 8-in. square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with manicotti shells and remaining salsa. Cover and bake at 400° for 20 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese and bake 5-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and filling is heated through. Yield: 2 servings.

NUTRITIONAL INFO

Nutrition Facts: 2 stuffed manicotti (prepared with reduced-fat ricotta cheese and reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend) equals 395 calories, 10 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 82 mg cholesterol, 795 mg sodium, 38 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 35 g protein.

Printed from cookingfor2.com Aug 8, 2008
Copyright Reiman Media Group, Inc © 2008