SHELL PASTA (CONCHIGLIE) WITH CHICKEN AND RICOTTA

You might have to go to a specialty pasta store to get these large shells, I don’t think they’re readily available at my local supermarket, but it would probably be worth the trouble. Smaller noodles would work, but the large ones look terrific and set the dish above the average pasta bake.

SCALLOP AND BACON BITES

I love scallops, but cooking them can be a bit tricky. If you’re pan frying them you need to cook them just before eating and you need to make sure they’re not overcooked. Not everyone will like this recipe as between the marinade and the bacon the scallop flavour is altered, but it does make cooking them easier and appealing to serve with drinks.

CHEESE AND VEGETABLE MOUSSAKA

Dietary requirements for friends visiting isn’t as easy as it used to be. Back in the day, we just decided on a menu, cooked it and people ate it. That seems like Good Old Days!!! Now there’s a lot more things to consider, gluten free, dairy free, vegetarian, etc. This recipe works for vegetarians and even the gluten free with a slight change to GF flour in the cheese sauce, so maybe it’s a problem solver.