Chicken, Bacon, and Sage Fettuccine Alfredo

  I saw someone make this last week on Food Network and decided I wanted to try it. I already know I LOVE fried sage so of course that is what caught my eye. Just a nice way to change up your normal Fettuccine Alfredo, even if you want to leave out the sage- the bacon wrapped chicken would be delicious. But I suggest trying the fried sage. It takes 2 seconds and it is really delicious.

4 Chicken Breast
several leaves of fresh sage
Butter
1 Package of bacon


    Start by putting a few tablespoons of butter in olive oil and melting the butter. Once the oil is good and hot drop in your leaves of fresh sage and fry it for just a second. It will burn quickly, so be careful. You just want to crisp it up a bit. Then pound out your chicken breast to thin them out a bit, place a pad of butter in the middle, along with a 2 or 3 pieces of fried sage. Fold the chicken back over itself and wrap with bacon. Place it seam side down in a greased 9x13 pan. Once they are all wrapped and in the pan bake it at 425 for 40 minutes, or until a meat thermometer says the chicken is done. Then place the chicken under the broiler for a minute or 2 to crisp up the bacon. Now, if your chicken is swimming in a lot of bacon drippings and butter- you may want to drain that off first, otherwise the bottom side will never crisp up. Once the chicken is completely done, slice it into large slices and place it over a plate of Fettuccine Alfredo. Talk about delicious!! I mean.. it is bacon. 

Chicken Parmesan Baked Pasta

Once again, I found this recipe (and a great blog by the way) while searching recipes on pinterest. This one was easy to make and had a great, lighter flavor. I will definitely be making it again and again!!! 

Chicken Parmesan Baked Pasta

By: Tracy's Culinary Adventures

1 (28 oz) can whole peeled tomatoes
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 cups water
1 - 1 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
12 oz pasta (I used shells) 
2 oz (about 1 cup) grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 oz (about 1 cup) shredded mozzarella cheese 
1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and cut into bite-sized pieces
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Preheat the oven to 475 F.

Add the tomatoes to the bowl of your food processor and pulse until coarsely chopped, about 10 pulses. Set an oven-safe 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Add the oil, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, and salt and cook just until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the chopped tomatoes, the water, 1 cup of the chicken broth, and the pasta to the pan, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture to a vigorous simmer, then cover the pan and continue simmering (you may need to reduce the heat slightly) until the pasta is tender, about 16-18 minutes. Stir the pasta frequently as it cooks.

Once tender, remove the cover and stir in 3/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese, the pepper, and the chicken. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper if necessary. If the mixture seems dry, mix in as much of the remaining 1/2 cup of chicken broth as needed to loosen it up (I didn't add any of it). {Note: if you don't have an oven-safe skillet, transfer the mixture to a baking dish at this point.} Sprinkle the top evenly with the mozzarella cheese and the remaining Parmesan cheese. Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and bubbles around the edges. Garnish with the basil then serve.

Avocado Dressing, Chicken Salad

I found this recipe on a blog via pinterest. I decided to make it with what I had in the pantry, which was most of what the original recipe called for, and tuna instead of chicken. It was delicious. The dressing part of this recipe is the best part. I have a zillion ideas for it bouncing in my head as soon as I trasted it. It was great with the tuna, diced tomato, onion, and diced avocado on toasted bread. You could do the dressing, avocado, diced tomato, onion, and chunked chicken and toss it with pasta. I used the dressing alone instead of mayo on my sandwich today for lunch. Put it on tacos, enchiladas, nachos, anything mexican it would be perfect for. Use the dressing as dressing on wedge salad. Use it as a dip with tortilla chips. You get the idea. It's fantastic. And the best part is compared to oh say ranch dressing at the store.. it is remarkably low calorie! 12 calories per tablespoon compared to 70 in a tablespoon of ranch, even the light ranch has 40 calories per tablespoon. The nasty fat free ranch is 15 calories per tablespoon. And the avocado is not only fresh and better for you- it tastes WAY better than fat free or low fat dressing. Plus it was super easy to whip up in just a few seconds. The recipe below is how I made it, click the link to see the original recipe. 

Avacado Dressing / Chicken Salad

From: Framed Cooks

Dressing: 
2 avocados
1 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup diced onion
1 T dried parsley
juice from 2 limes (about 2 T) 


Salad: 
tuna, drained (or chicken as the original recipe calls for.. can use anything you have on hand) 
1 avocado, diced
2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved (or a larger tomato diced) 
1/2 red onion, diced

In a food processor blend all the dressing ingredients until smooth. Toss dressing with salad ingredients and enjoy on toasted bread, tossed with pasta... endless possibilities. 

UPDATE: I made this last night with chicken and poured it over nachos. Just some good tortilla chips with shredded cheddar, stick it in the oven (or microwave) to melt the cheese then I globbed the chicken salad over the top and spread it around. It was delicious! 

Artichoke Spaghetti

I found this recipe on The Pioneer Woman website. Finally made it for dinner tonight and it was DELICIOUS- as ALL Pioneer Woman recipes are. All of them. Mine came out a little runny so next time I make it I am thinking I will drain the diced tomatoes. I also think I would like trying it with more cheese and putting it all in the oven for just a minute to let the pasta soak up some more of the sauce before serving it.. Not that it wasn't absolutely delicious the way I made it tonight- but just a few tweeks I might try next time around. If you don't like artichokes- skip this one. It has an amazing yummy artichoke taste to it. 

Artichoke Spaghetti 

By: Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• 3 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1/2 whole Medium Onion, Finely Diced
• 1 can Artichoke Hearts (14.5 Oz. Quartered Or Whole) Drained
• 1 can Diced Tomatoes With Juice (14.5 Oz.)
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• 1/2 cup Chicken Broth (More As Needed)
• 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 1 pound Thin Spaghetti
• 1 cup Parmesan Cheese, Freshly Grated
• 2 Tablespoons Fresh Chives (or Other Herbs) Chopped

Preparation Instructions

Cook spaghetti till al dente. Drain and set aside.

Melt olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.

Add artichoke hearts and tomatoes. Stir and cook for 8 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to low. Stir in cream and chicken broth. Add salt and pepper to taste (do not undersalt!) Cook over low heat until heated through, then turn off heat.

Place drained pasta in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 cup Parmesan. Pour sauce over the top. Add chives. Toss lightly to combine and coat; add a tiny bit of reserved pasta water if sauce seems too thick.

Cheese Ravioli with Broccoli Cream Sauce

This is a recipe I found on a website... and now I can't find which one to credit it! Sorry! This really comes out a simple way to make an Alfredo Sauce without using butter, and then tossing it with cheese ravioli and broccoli. It is delicious. It was really quick to throw together, even easier than it looks. Enjoy! 

Cheese Ravioli with broccoli cream sauce

From: ???

Ingredients:

1/4 cup olive oil
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup dried red pepper flakes
1 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 lb. fresh broccoli
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
15 oz. package frozen cheese ravioli, cooked

Directions:

1. Heat oil in medium saucepan. Add garlic, salt, pepper and red pepper.

2. Saute until garlic is lightly browned, 5-7 mins.

3. Add cream; cook 20 min. to thicken, stirring occasionally.

4. Meanwhile, cut broccoli into 1-1/2" flowerettes. Place in separate pan, cover with water and cook until tender, drain and set aside.

5. Add Parmesan cheese to sauce mixture, stir to blend.

6. Add broccoli to sauce and pour over ravioli.

Note: I used frozen broccoli, threw it in the microwave and heated it as I normally would and then tossed it with the sauce and poured over the prepared ravioli. It was yummy, and a little easier than cooking fresh broccoli if you are wanting to save time. 

Rigatoni with Eggplant Puree

I have seen Giada make this so many times on her show and every time I think I wanna make it and then think that Jeff won't like it and talk myself out of it. I finally decided to make it and I'm glad I did. It was good, and Jeff liked it! I think next time I might add chicken to it. 

Rigatoni with Eggplant Puree

By: Giada De Laurentiis

1 medium eggplant, cut into 1 inch cubes

1 pint cherry tomatoes

3 garlic cloves

3 T olive oil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

1 tsp red pepper flakes

1 lb. rigatoni pasta

¼ cup fresh mint leaves

3 T extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup grated parmesan

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl combine eggplant, cherry tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Spread the vegetables out in an even layer on the baking sheet. Roast in the oven until the vegetables are tender and the eggplant is golden, about 35 minutes.

Meanwhile boil pasta until tender but still firm to the bite, and reserve 1 ½ cups of the cooking liquid.

Transfer the roasted vegetables to a food processor. Add the torn mint and the extra-virgin olive oil. Puree the vegetables.

Transfer the pureed vegetables to the bowl with the pasta and add the parmesan. Stir to combine, adding the pasta cooking liquid ½ cup at a time until the pasta is saucy.  

Spaghetti Stoup

Another good looking recipe from Gena!

Spaghetti Stoup

From: Gena

Ingredients
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 carrot, peeled and chopped into a small dice
1 medium yellow skinned onion, chopped
2 small ribs celery from the heart, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 cups tomato sauce or 1 (14-ounce) can plus 1 (8-ounce) can
3 cups chicken stock, available in a box on the soup aisle
1 pound ground beef, pork and veal mix (meatloaf mix) available at butcher counter
1/2 cup grated cheese, Parmigiano or Romano, plus more to pass at table
1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs, a few handfuls
1 large egg, beaten
2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
1/2 pound spaghetti, broken in half
1 cup basil leaves, torn or shredded
1 loaf Italian crusty bread, for dunking

Directions
Preheat a medium soup pot over medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, carrots, onions, celery, garlic and saute 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and stock and cover pot. Turn up heat and bring to a fast boil.

While soup comes to a boil, mix the ground meat with cheese, bread crumbs, egg and parsley. Roll into 1 1/2 to 2-inch balls.

Remove lid from soup and slide balls into soup. Bring back to a boil then stir in spaghetti. Reduce the heat and simmer soup 10 minutes more, until pasta is tender and balls have cooked through. Stir in basil and remove "stoup" from the stove. Serve soup with bread and cheese.

Easy Tortellini Soup

This looks delicious! I can't wait to try it. This was sent to me by my cousin, Gena. Thanks Gena! 

Easy Tortellini soup

From: Gena

Ingredients

3 uncooked Italian sausage links
1 quart water
2 (14.5 ounce) cans Italian stewed tomatoes
1 (10.5 ounce) can condensed French onion soup, undiluted
2 cups broccoli coleslaw mix
2 cups frozen cut green beans
2 cups frozen cheese tortellini
grated Parmesan cheese


Directions Cut sausage into 3/4-in. pieces; brown in a Dutch oven or soup kettle. Drain. Add water, tomatoes, soup, coleslaw mix and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Uncover; add tortellini. Cook for 3-5 minutes or until pasta is tender. Garnish with Parmesan cheese if desired

Pasta Salad- Mix and Match!

This is a great article I found in the last issue of Food Networks Magazine. I had been looking for a GOOD pasta salad and this was a great answer. It gives you lots of options to change it up, and to pick according to your tastes. First I will post the article with all the options, and then I will tell you what I picked to put together at the end. Here is a link to the article online as well. 

Mix and Match Pasta Salad

Food Network Magazine

1. Choose a Pasta

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Cook 1/2 pound of any of these pastas as the label directs; drain and rinse under cold water. Transfer to a large bowl.

2. Pick a Protein (Optional)

Add 1 cup of any of these ingredients, if desired.

Chicken, cooked and chopped

Steak, cooked and chopped

Ham or salami, cubed

Roast beef, chopped

Canned tuna, drained and flaked

Lump crabmeat, picked over

Shrimp, cooked and chopped

Eggs, hard-boiled and chopped

Baked tofu, chopped

3. Pick Your Vegetables
Add 2 of these vegetables or beans, 1 cup each. (To blanch vegetables, boil until crisp-tender, then drain and cool in ice water.)

Broccoli florets, blanched

Corn kernels, blanched

Carrots, shredded

Cherry tomatoes, halved

Green beans, blanched and chopped

Frozen peas or snap peas, blanched

Celery, sliced

Cucumber, diced

Red onion, diced

Bell pepper, diced

Asparagus, blanched and chopped

Canned chickpeas or white beans, drained and rinsed

4. Pick a Mix-In
Add 1/3 cup of any of these ingredients.

Sun-dried tomatoes, chopped

Roasted red peppers, chopped

Olives, pitted and chopped

Any cheese, shredded or crumbled

Any nut, toasted and chopped

Bacon, cooked and crumbled

5. Dress the Salad
Make one of these dressings, then pour over the pasta salad and toss. Season with salt and pepper. Chill for up to 3 hours.

Vinaigrette

Whisk 1/3 cup olive oil, 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar, 1 minced shallot, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and pepper to taste.

Creamy Herb

Whisk 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 3 tablespoons sour cream, 1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1/2 cup chopped mixed herbs, and salt and pepper to taste.

Garlic Oil

Cook 3 thinly sliced garlic cloves and a pinch of red pepper flakes in 1/3 cup olive oil over medium heat, stirring, 3 minutes; let cool. Season with salt and pepper.

Creamy Parmesan

Mix 1/4 cup each mayonnaise and sour cream, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon finely grated garlic, 3/4 cup grated parmesan, and salt and pepper to taste.

What I picked: I chose a regular rotini pasta, boiled 3 chicken breast and cut them into chunks, diced celery, diced green bell pepper, shredded mozzarella, and sliced greek olives. The dressing I chose was the creamy herb and it was delicious! For the mixed herbs I bought a tube of herbs in oil from the produce section of cilantro and basil and used about a tablespoon of each one instead of chopping them fresh. It worked out perfectly. I wasn't totally in love with the olives with this mixture, would be better in one of the vinaigrette dressings I think, but mom loved them. Next time I make this with the creamy herb dressing I think I will do boiled eggs instead of the olives, and I think tomatoes would have been perfect in this as well. I can't wait to try the other 3 dressings and different ingredients to find the right mixture for the right dressing. It was fun! :-) Pasta salad doesn't have to be boring and tasteless- this was delicious and I will make it again!!

Tip: Another reason I like this dish is it is a good way to use what you have in your pantry already. The chicken I used was leftover from homemade pizza I made. I boiled the whole package and only used 1 chicken breast so I had it in the fridge ready to go for this one. Most of the vegetables I used I had cut fresh in my fridge for snacks and I just diced them into smaller pieces. So this is a good way to use leftovers up or use up any fresh produce you may have before it goes bad. It seems I always have a tupperware container of something in my fridge that I end up having to throw out because I bought more than we needed. This way I didn't have to do that this week! Yay!  

Seafood Manicotti

This is a version of my Stuffed Manicotti that I thought to try tonight for something a little different. It's easier than it sounds, and it turned out really good. I served it with my favorite Greek Salad. Can't beat it. Yummm. Enjoy! 

Seafood Manicotti

By: Christi

1 stick butter

shredded parmesan cheese

heavy cream

2 eggs

1 box jumbo shell pasta

1 large carton ricotta cheese (or 2 regular size)

1 medium bag small frozen shrimp (ready to eat) 

shredded mozzarella cheese

First boil pasta according to directions on box, drain,  and set aside to cool.

In a mixing bowl mix eggs and ricotta cheese, salt and pepper to taste. 

In a colander run cool water over shrimp to thaw slightly, and drain well. Mix shrimp into ricotta and egg mixture. (You don't want it to cook because it is already pre-cooked and it is going into the oven.. if you cook it too much they will be really tough and icky) 

With a large spoon start filling cooled pasta shells with cheese and shrimp mixture and place the stuffed shells into the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Keep filling shells until all ingredients are used or the pan is full. 

Once pan is full, place in 350 oven for 30 minutes. 

While pasta is baking, make your Alfredo Sauce and set aside. 

When pasta has baked for 30 minutes take it out of the oven, cover with your Alfredo Sauce, then top with shredded mozzarella cheese. Place back in oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese and heat up the sauce. Serve while hot with french bread! Enjoy! 

Notes: Obviously the list of various seafood you could add to this is endless. You can add any kind of meat or vegetable that will fit into the shells and change the sauce from Alfredo to a tomato sauce or even a Tomato Cream Sauce to go with your stuffing choices or just to change it up once in a while. And to be honest when I made this tonight I also added a can of lump crab to the mix. But it just got lost in the cheese and you couldn't taste it- so I wouldn't add that again unless you really like it and wanna use enough of it to overcome the ricotta cheese. 

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Cajun Chicken pasta

From Gena

Ingredients:

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips
4 ounces linguine, cooked al dente
2 teaspoons cajun seasoning
2 tablespoons butter
1 thinly sliced green onion
1 -2 cup heavy whipping cream
2 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:
Prep Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 25 mins
1 Place chicken and Cajun seasoning in a bowl and toss to coat.
2 In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté chicken in butter or margarine until chicken is tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. 3 Reduce heat add green onion, heavy cream, tomatoes, basil, salt, garlic powder, black pepper and heat through. 4 Pour over hot linguine and toss with Parmesan cheese.

Philly Cream cheese Cooking Cream

OK So this isn't really a NEW recipe, it's a variation of my Alfredo. Last night I made my normal homemade sauce with some spaghetti noodles I already had. Only I decided to try the new Philadelphia Cream Cheese Cooking Cream.   It was sooo good! I will definitely be trying the other flavors very soon. I just mixed the container into my finished sauce while it was hot then tossed it with the pasta, I also added some sliced Italian sausage I got at Sam's that was Garlic flavor and stuffed with cheese. Yum! Oh! The Cooking Cream flavor I tried first was the savory garlic. For those of you, like myself, that do not like a lot of garlic flavor- this is a good one to use. It is very mild and doesn't have an overwhelming GARLIC taste to it, especially after mixing it with the sauce. I would definitely try these if you haven't already. Here is what I plan to try next time I make this....

Pasta Noodles
Homemade Alfredo Sauce (or canned if you like)
Philadelphia Cream Cheese Cooking Cream (Garlic flavor)
Crumbled Cooked Bacon
Cooked Fresh Spinach

Prepare all ingredients as directed. Mix all well and serve while hot. Enjoy!
Obviously the variations are endless. You can mix any meat - seafood or chicken- and any veggie you like with the pasta, sauce, and cooking cream and keep it different or to use up what you have on hand already.

Baked Macaroni & Cheese

Baked Macaroni & Cheese

From Nelline

2 Cups Cooked Macaroni Noodles

2 Eggs

1-2 Cups Milk

Salt & Pepper to taste

2 Cups Sharp Grated Cheddar Cheese (more if you want it real cheesy)

½ Cup Mozzarella Greated Cheese (I use a little more)

Mix eggs, milk, salt & pepper together.

Add Cheese & Stir.

Add cooked & drained noodles & stir

Pour in baking dish

dot top with butter and more shredded cheese

Cook 30-40 minutes at 350 (until it starts to brown)

- To make less half the recipe and use a smaller dish.  

Turkey and Artichoke Stuffed Shells

I was watching Food Network the other day when Giada was making this, and I just HAD to try it. I of course made a short cut or two. I made these last night and it was sooooo good. Make sure to read the notes at the end for a few tips and shortcuts.  I made it with my Not So Greek Salad and sliced some french bread. Also- there is a new note on my recipe for Not So Greek Salad about a new dressing I tried. This recipe takes a little more time because you have to stuff the shells, but it is worth it. Trust me. 

Turkey and Artichoke Stuffed Shells

From: Giada

• 1 (12-ounce) box jumbo pasta shells (recommended: Barilla)
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 pound ground turkey
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus 1/4 teaspoon
• 1 (8 to 10-ounce) package frozen artichokes, thawed and coarsely chopped
• 1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
• 3/4 cup grated Parmesan
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil leaves
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 5 cups Arrabbiata Sauce, recipe follows
• 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella (about 5 ounces)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and partially cook until tender but still very firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain pasta.

Meanwhile, in a large heavy skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and the garlic and cook until the onions are soft and starting to brown, about 3 minutes. Add the groundturkey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is slightly golden and cooked through. Add the artichoke hearts and stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool.

In a large bowl combine the cooled turkey mixture with the ricottacheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, basil, parsley, and the remaining salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

To stuff the shells, cover the bottom of a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking dish with 1 cup of Arrabbiata sauce. Take a shell in the palm of your hand and stuff it with a large spoonful of turkey mixture, about 2 tablespoons. Place the stuffed shell in the baking dish. Continue filling the shells until the baking dish is full, about 24 shells. Drizzlethe remaining Arrabbiata Sauce over the shells, top with the grated mozzarella. If freezing, cover tightly with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 1 day and up to 1 month.

To bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake until the shells are warmed through and the cheese is beginning to brown, about 60 minutes (20 minutes if shells are unfrozen.)

Arrabbiata Sauce:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

6 ounces sliced pancetta, coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons crushed red pepper flakes

2 garlic cloves, minced

5 cups jarred or fresh marinara sauce

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the pancetta and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute until tender, about 1 minute. Add the marinara sauce and red pepper flakes and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat and let cool until ready to use.

Notes* I didn't make the Arrabbiata sauce, I used a jar of classic Prego sauce instead of adding the pancetta, etc. And if you are like Mom and Jeff and like everything drowning in lots of sauce- you may want to get either the extra large jar or 2 regular size ones. I thought 1 jar was just perfect because I don't like a lot of sauce. 


The recipe says to cover with cheese before you bake it. I think I would bake it for most of your cook time first, take it out and cover it with cheese and bake the last 5-10 minutes to melt the cheese. I did it as the recipe said and the cheese was melted to oblivion. 

Also- I couldn't find any frozen artichokes so I used a jar of non-marinated artichoke hearts and it was just right. I used a bit more than what the recipe called for and really, since I LOVE artichokes, I think I could have used even more. I wouldn't use the marinated ones because I think the flavor would take over the whole dish. 
Also I found a jar of Arrabbiata sauce at Aldi's. I bought it but was afraid I wouldn't like it because it is supposed to be spicy, so I also bought the Prego. I was glad I did because the Arrabbiata is a little spicy for my taste- Mom loved it though. You could buy this and add some Panceta to it and that would be a great shortcut as well. (Or just use the jar by itself)


This is how the shells looked before I covered them in sauce and baked them...