Seafood Manicotti with a Mediterranean Spinach Salad

Take out equipment and ingredients.

The night before: Fill a stove-top pot with water and bring to a boil.

Add manicotti pasta to boiling water and cook for 3 minutes.

When timer rings for pasta, drain pasta in a colander and rinse under cold water. Place pasta in a bowl.

Drizzle with olive oil and mix gently to coat. Let cool. Once cooled, cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge overnight.

When you get home for dinner: In a nonstick fry-pan melt butter and oil at med heat.

Wash and chop green onion adding to hot butter as you cut. Add scallops. Stir and cook for 1 minute.

Sprinkle with flour and stir. Add wine gradually, stirring until smooth.

Add cream, milk and salt. Reduce heat to med-low, stirring occasionally.

Add cooked shrimp and stir. Remove from heat and let cool.

Heat oven to 350º F. With a slotted spoon, scoop up a few Tbsp of solid seafood mixture and fill the center of each manicotti noodle.

Place in oven proof baking pan as you stuff. Pour remaining seafood sauce over manicotti.

Sprinkle grated cheese over top.

For those who love mushrooms, slice and sprinkle over top. Bake in preheated oven. Set timer for 45 minutes.

Combine Italian seasoning, olive oil and balsamic vinegar in a measuring cup.

Whisk and set aside.

Slice peppers into chunks adding to a salad bowl as you cut.

Slice onion into strips and tomatoes into chunks and add to bowl.

Slice cucumber into chunks and add to bowl.

Add feta cheese and mandarins.

Pour dressing over salad and toss to coat.

Serve salad on a bed of baby spinach leaves.