Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells

I frequently get in the mood to make Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells.  It is one of my all time favorite dinners and is sooo delicious!!  It is pretty easy to make and a beautiful dish to have for company.  This recipe uses spinach but in place of the spinach you could also use a ground meat.  You probably should make this for dinner tonight :)

Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells

Ingredients:

• 12oz jumbo shells, cooked according to package

Sauce:

• 28oz can of Crushed Tomatoes
• 8oz can of Tomato Sauce (preferably one with garlic and basil included)
• 2 cloves of garlic, diced into itty bitty pieces
• 1 tablespoon Dried Basil or Italian Seasoning
• 1/3 cup red wine, optional

Stuffing:

• 16 oz. Ricotta
• 2 cups Mozzarella
• ½ cup Parmesan
• 2 Eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 10oz box of chopped frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed to drain

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

Sauce:

1. Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and simmer on low for at least 30 min. to incorporate flavors (this makes the house smell amazing so feel free to simmer longer!)

Stuffing:

1. Combine all ingredients and mix until they are all incorporated.

Once sauce and stuffing are done you are ready to combine everything!  

1. In a 9x13 baking dish or bigger, place some sauce on the bottom – just enough to cover. 
2. Take cooked shells and place a heaping tablespoon of stuffing in it.  You want enough stuffing in them to be overflowing just a bit.  Place the shell on the sauce in the baking dish.  Repeat until you run out of room (usually what happens to me), run out of stuffing or run out of shells. 
3. If you have extra stuffing, mix it into the rest of the sauce.  No worries if you don’t, sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t, it comes out great either way!
4. Spread the remaining sauce over the shells to cover.
5. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove the foil and cook for another 10 minutes.

Sweet Potato Turkey Shepherds Pie

I was searching for new recipes one day when I came across this one for Sweet Potato Turkey Shepherd’s Pie.  I had ground turkey in the freezer and sweet potatoes from the market so it was a perfectly delicious use of both of them.  It came out great and ideal for a cozy winter night in.

Sweet Potato Turkey Shepherd’s Pie (Original Recipe from Skinny Taste)

Ingredients:

For the potatoes:

• 1-1/2 lbs sweet potatoes, peeled, diced
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/2 cup 1% milk
• 1/4 cup chicken broth
• 2 tbsp sour cream
• salt and pepper to taste

For the filling:

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 2 parsnip, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, diced
• 8 oz mushrooms, diced
• 10 oz frozen mixed vegetables 
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp freshly chopped rosemary
• salt and pepper
• paprika

Directions:

1. Boil sweet potatoes and garlic in a pot of salted water until cooked and soft. Drain and mash with chicken broth, sour cream, salt and pepper.  
2. Preheat oven to 400°F.
3. In a large saute pan brown turkey; season with salt and pepper. When cooked, set aside on a plate. Add olive oil to the pan, and then add the onion and sauté one minute. Add the celery, parsnips, salt and pepper to taste; cook about 12 minutes, until celery is soft.
4. Add garlic and mushrooms; sauté another 3-4 minutes. Add flour, salt and pepper and mix well. Add frozen vegetables, chicken broth, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce, rosemary, cooked turkey, and mix well. Simmer on low about 5-10 minutes. 
5. In a 13x9 dish (or 6 individual dishes) spread the meat mixture on the bottom of each dish. Top each with the mashed sweet potatoes. Use a fork to scrape the top of the potatoes to make ridges; sprinkle with paprika. Bake 20 minutes or until potatoes turn golden. Remove from oven and let it cool 10 minutes before serving.

Cranberry Relish

Since we have been married I have joined Brent up in Ohio with his family for Thanksgiving.  We are there for a couple days so I enjoy making a dish to contribute to Thanksgiving dinner.  This year my yoga teacher sent out a recipe for a Cranberry Relish.  It was a great combination of delicious fruit and it will be a dish we will make throughout the year!

Ingredients:

• One 12-16 ounce bag of fresh cranberries 
• All of the seeds from one large pomegranate
• 2 clementines sectioned
• 1 apple, diced or shredded (optional to peel)
• 1 pear, diced or shredded (optional to peel)
• 1-2 tsp cinnamon depending on taste

* Optional, you may add a small amount of honey to sweeten to taste.

 

Directions:

Put all ingredients into a blender and blend to desired consistency.  Serve chilled and enjoy!