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Easy Manicotti with Spinach and Artichokes

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Hello fabulous dinner that skips the fuss and is all about the yum factor! Today we welcome you with open arms, manicotti with spinach and artichokes!

 

Easy Manicotti with Spinach and Artichokes

 

The Christmas vacay is coming to a close along with our laid back and PJs until noon days. It’s been a great couple of weeks hanging out with our kids. We are currently in the middle of watching the entire Harry Potter series and let’s just say it’s quite the test for our three little ones. Those are not short movies, but I am loving them. As for the kids, they go from loving them, to being scared, to boredom, to throwing toys up in front of the TV as we’re watching. I suppose that is why my hubs chooses to watch them with the volume at 65 whereas my comfortable volume level is around 30 but hey I do catch every word when it’s that loud!

I have to admit when the kids are goofing off part of me can relate. I’m pretty sure I used to do the same kinda thing when I was little. Although, I am certain I wasn’t shooting a nerf bow and arrow at the wall by the TV. Ya, don’t think I had one of those. Boys will be boys.

 

Easy Manicotti with Spinach and Artichokes

 

The days are bitter cold right now and short, very short. We’re talking around 6:30 the kids are getting baths and their jammies on and in bed by 8:00. That might be the norm for some families, but that isn’t usually the case for us.

Last summer, our kids were up until 10:00 or 10:30 because we couldn’t convince them it was night until it was dark outside. After dark, there was still more convincing to do in order to actually get them into bed when they knew they did not have to get up early the next day. They’re no dumb dumbs, as my brother would say. 😂

 

Easy Manicotti with Spinach and Artichokes

 

In the winter months, I love the food! I love the homemade soups that can be frozen and a week later pulled out for a delicious and quick homemade meal. I love simple and quick pasta meals. They are easy to put together and great as leftovers. Wait, manicotti…easy?? Huh? YES! Manicotti is simple and oh my goodness it is so delicious!! And if you are looking for some meatless meal options then you found one!

 

Easy Manicotti with Spinach and Artichokes

 

I love pairing pasta with a salad as a way to fill up a large portion of my plate in order to cut back on the portion of pasta I would otherwise eat.

Nifty trick, eh!

 

Easy Manicotti with Spinach and Artichokes

 

Ingredients for this Manicotti with Spinach and Artichokes:

Manicotti Pasta
Egg yolks
Ricotta Cheese
Mozzarella Cheese
Parmesan Cheese
Salt
Spinach
Artichokes
Marinara

Are you ready for this cheesy goodness?!! It’s amazing. For reals.

 

Easy Manicotti with Spinach and Artichokes

 

Easy Manicotti with Spinach and Artichokes

Easy Manicotti with Spinach and Artichokes

Megan
Hello fabulous dinner that skips the fuss and is all about the yum factor! Today we welcome you with open arms, manicotti with spinach and artichokes!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 5 minutes
Course Main Dish
Servings 16 manicotti

Ingredients
  

  • 8 oz manicotti pasta
  • 2 egg yolks
  • 24 oz part-skim ricotta cheese
  • 8 oz mozzarella grated
  • 1 oz parmesan cheese grated or about 1/4 cup
  • Pinch kosher salt
  • Couple grinds fresh ground black pepper
  • 2 10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
  • 1/2 cup jarred quartered artichoke hearts, drained
  • 3 cups marinara sauce divided

Instructions
 

  • Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook manicotti according to package instructions.
  • Let cool and set aside.
  • Preheat oven to 350℉.
  • In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks, ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan. Season with the salt and pepper. Mix well.
  • Squeeze out all excess water from the frozen spinach and chop again if desired. I would recommend it.
  • Add spinach and artichokes to mixture and stir well.
  • In a 9x13 pan, pour 1 cup of marinara sauce on the bottom of pan and spread evenly. Set aside.
  • Using a small baby spoon or measuring spoon, stuff manicotti with filling. Filling should be spilling out both sides.
  • Arrange stuffed manicotti in baking dish on top of marinara sauce. Pack tightly but not overlapping.
  • Pour remaining 2 cups of marinara sauce on top of stuffed manicotti.
  • Cover with foil and bake for 40-45 minutes.
  • Let pan cool about 10 minutes prior to serving.
  • Top with additional parmesan cheese if desired.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit

 

 

Easy Manicotti with Spinach and Artichokes

 

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Easy Chicken, Spinach, and Artichoke Dip

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Get your party off to the right start with this all too tasty chicken, spinach and artichoke dip!

 

easy chicken, spinach, and artichoke dip



 

Holidays are coming! Holidays are coming!! Isn’t it true that sometimes all we need is a good appetizer? Spinach and artichoke dips come in all forms but I prefer mine with a nice addition of blackened chicken. It really ups the flavor factor. Not to mention it adds protein so just maybe we won’t feel like we need to eat the entire bowl of dip.

Appetizers are a funny thing ya know. I mean we don’t just eat them on any night of the week. There’s usually got to be something special going on like a party, holiday dinner, or we are at a restaurant in order to dip our hands into an appetizer. So then what do we do? Fill up on the appetizers! But somehow when supper comes I am always able to continue to eat my dinner. It just happens!

I love spinach and artichoke dips! They are one of my top favs. Gotta say the addition of blackened chicken makes it even better.

easy chicken, spinach, and artichoke dip

 

There are basically 4 easy steps to this dip:
1. The blackened chicken
2. Cooking the onion, garlic, and spinach
3. In a food processor, pulse the cream cheese, greek yogurt, and mayo
4. Combine everything together and bake

 

easy chicken, spinach, and artichoke dip

 

One thing I love about this dip is that I honestly can take a few bites of it and be satisfied! Is it delicious? Absolutely! But given the ingredients, I don’t feel I need a handful’s worth of crackers and a cup full of dip. This dip has a lot of substance and you won’t feel like you are stalking this dip before dinner and constantly “stealing” more bites like you are James Bond.

 

easy chicken, spinach, and artichoke dip

 

So, read on for the recipe and plan to amaze yoself with your mad appetizer skillz!!

 

easy chicken, spinach, and artichoke dip

easy chicken, spinach, and artichoke dip

Easy Chicken, Spinach, and Artichoke Dip

Megan
Easy Chicken, Spinach, and Artichoke Dip that is perfect for your next gathering.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Appetizer

Ingredients
  

  • 4-5 chicken tenderloins
  • 1/2 teaspoon Traeger Blackened Saskatchewan seasoning
  • 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt divided
  • 3/4 teaspoon black pepper divided
  • 10 oz frozen spinach thawed
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil divided
  • 1/2 onion chopped
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 4 oz cream cheese reduced fat or regular
  • 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
  • 1/2 cup mayo
  • 10 oz frozen artichoke hearts thawed
  • 3/4 cup grated Parmesan
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 400℉.
  • In a shallow dish, combine Blackened Saskatchewan seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Spray chicken with olive oil spray or non-stick cooking spray. Coat chicken on both sides with seasoning blend.
  • Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil on medium-high in a fry pan. Add seasoned chicken to pan and cook for four minutes, flip chicken and cook another four minutes or until chicken is cooked throughout. Let cool and then shred.
  • With thawed spinach, squeeze out any excess water using a clean kitchen towel or a couple large paper towels, which is what I prefer to use. Try to remove as much water from the spinach as possible so your dip won't turn out runny.
  • Heat remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium fry pan. Add chopped onion and cook about 8 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and cook for another minute. Add spinach and cook for another 2 minutes. Season with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Set aside.
  • In a food processor, combine cream cheese, greek yogurt, and mayo. Pulse several times until mixture looks smooth, scrape sides, and pulse 1-2 more times.
  • In a large bowl, combine shredded chicken, spinach mixture, cream cheese mixture, and grated Parmesan. Stir well until combined.
  • Transfer mixture to a 1 quart baking dish, sprinkle bread crumbs on top, and bake for 20-22 minutes. or until top is golden brown.

 

 

 

easy chicken, spinach, and artichoke dip

 

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Chicken, Artichoke, & 3 Cheese Calzones from Scratch

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Freshly made calzone dough filled with chicken, artichoke hearts, ricotta, parmesan and mozzarella cheese. These calzones are simply wonderful. Find out how easy it is to make your own dough!

chicken, artichoke, and 3 cheese calzones


It’s August my friends and that means my mom brain switch goes on and I can’t help but bring you a fun and easy recipe that will bring everyone to the table. This recipe serves up to eight because these calzones are B-I-G! When I pulled them out of the oven, they reminded me of the calzones from d’Bronx in KC. Umm, maybe not quite that big, but close and so yummay!

chicken, artichoke, and 3 cheese calzones



A couple days ago I didn’t have children old enough to be involved in all kinds of activities causing me to be all “What are we going to do for supper?!” Then I got all sign-up happy and now my calendar looks alarmingly full. We now have a 3 year-old in dance, a 4 year-old that wants to be in soccer, and a 5 year-old that is heading off to Kindergarten and according to him doesn’t want his days filled up anymore than they already are! Oh to be 5 again! He is excited to make new friends, learn new things, but more importantly is pretty concerned we have not found any cool pencil boxes for his school supply list.

chicken, artichoke, and 3 cheese calzoneschicken, artichoke, and 3 cheese calzoneschicken, artichoke, and 3 cheese calzoneschicken, artichoke, and 3 cheese calzones

Between that and my 4 year-old belting out Hey There Georgie Girl in public, don’t be alarmed by the fact that I randomly LOL. It’s just a thing you do when you have a 3, 4, and 5 year-old and I think it is socially acceptable.

chicken, artichoke, and 3 cheese calzones

What is also totally acceptable is making these fabulous chicken, artichoke, and 3 cheese calzones for supper and then eating the leftovers the next night! Leftovers are great after reheating them on a smoker!

chicken, artichoke, and 3 cheese calzones

Fast Facts: Artichokes are one of the highest antioxidant-containing foods. Polyphenols are among the antioxidants present in artichokes. Antioxidants are important for our bodies to reduce oxidative stress and in turn reducing our risk for cardiovascular disease and other chronic health problems.

A study performed in Italy and published in 2014 researched the effects of a diet high in polyphenols and long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in adults with an elevated BMI. Participants included in the study had a BMI anywhere from 27-35 and their ages ranged from 35 to 70 years. Naturally occurring foods high in polyphenols were used to increase consumption in the diet of research participants, including artichokes, decaffeinated green tea, dark chocolate, and decaffeinated coffee. The results showed that diets high in polyphenols led to a decrease in oxidative stress as well as reduced triglyceride and cholesterol levels in a fasting state and following meals.

Reference:

Annuzzi, G. et al. (2014). Diets Naturally Rich in Polyphenols Improve Fasting and Postprandial Dyslipidemia and Reduce Oxidative Stress: a randomized controlled trial. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 99(3): 463-471.

chicken, artichoke, and 3 cheese calzones

Chicken, Artichoke, & 3 Cheese Calzones from Scratch

Megan
Freshly made calzone dough filled with chicken, artichoke hearts, ricotta, parmesan and mozzarella cheese. These calzones are simply wonderful. Find out how easy it is to make your own dough!
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Main Dish

Ingredients
  

Calzone Dough

  • 1 1/4 cup water 110-115℉
  • 1 pkg or 2 1/4 teaspoons dry active yeast
  • 1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour +/- 1-2T and dusting work surface
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil

Calzone Filling

  • 1 cup ricotta cheese
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
  • 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 3/4 cup artichoke hearts
  • 1 egg beaten
  • Topping: coarse salt parmesan cheese (optional)

Instructions
 

  • In a medium mixing bowl, add warm water (110-115℉) and yeast. Let sit for 5 minutes. Add sugar and stir ingredients together.
  • Add salt, flour, and olive oil. Combine ingredients and knead for 10 minutes. If using a stand-up mixer, attach dough hook and run for 5 minutes on medium-low speed instead of kneading by hand. Add tablespoon of flour or two if dough is sticky when removing from mixer. Form dough into a ball shape.
  • In a medium bowl, add 2 teaspoons olive oil. Rub bottom of dough with oil from bowl and then flip over and repeat for the top side. Lay dough in bowl and cover loosely with saran wrap.
  • Allow dough to double in size for 45-50 minutes.
  • While dough is rising, combine calzone filling ingredients from ricotta to artichoke hearts in a medium bowl. Combine and refrigerate until ready to use.
  • Punch dough down. Divide into 4 equal parts and form into balls.
  • On a floured surface, roll dough balls into 4 equal ovals about 1/4'' thick.
  • Add 2 heaping spoonfuls to one side of dough and fold other half over. Pinch edges together well and seal together using fork as shown in picture above. Transfer calzones using 2 metal spatulas to parchment lined baking sheets.
  • Brush egg wash over top of each calzone.
  • Bake calzones for 15-18 minutes.
  • Top with pinch of coarse salt and parmesan cheese if desired.

 

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