Recipe: Turkey and Artichoke Stuffed Shells

Last night my parents came over for dinner and I made them a Giada DeLaurentiis recipe that was delish.  These stuffed shells went over way better than my last attempt at a stuffed-shell-eqsue dinner and I think everyone was pleased.  I followed the recipe for the shells as posted here but I cheated and used caned Barilla Aribiatta sauce because I'm lazy and it's good.  Mangia!

Ingredients

• 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 Arribbiata sauce 
• 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella (about 5 ounces)

Directions

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 ground turkey, 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 ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, basil, parsley, and the remaining salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

these are my pictures.  Just imagine that I am as talented as or more so than Giada.  I like to think we're on the same level.

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 (EDITOR'S NOTE: I HAD ENOUGH CHEESE MIXTURE FOR BASICALLY A WHOLE BOX OF SHELLS). Drizzle the 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.)

we got a little distracted between eating a lot and talking non-stop about our upcoming wedding that I forgot to snap a pic of the finished product until it looked like this.  At least you can tell we liked it...

Recipe: Rosemary Skewered Scallops

Today I went on a fun road trip with some of besties to Western Mass to stroll the streets of Northampton and relive our glory days circa 2007.  The last thing I wanted to do when I got home was cook dinner, so thankfully when my love called me mid-afternoon I kindly suggested he pick something up from the store--his choice--for supper.  I was surprised and grateful when I came home to this gem marinating away.  The ingredients are so fresh and simple that you can't and don't want to mess with them too much.  Just trust it and it'll be delicious.


Thanks to my fiance for a fabulous Monday night meal, xo!


1 lb sea scallops
a few springs of rosemary
EVOO
S&P


Wash and dry the scallops well.  Skewer 2-4 (depending on size) scallops on each sprig of rosemary and drizzle the EVOO over each skewer. Sprinkle with salt and a bunch of pepper.   Let marinate in the fridge at least 30 minutes.

Heat your grill to HIGH.  Using a grill pan (you know, like you'd use to steam veggies), grill scallops for about 20 minutes or until golden brown.

gorg!

We made a little tomato-mozzarella to accompany our scallops...because, well, why the hell not.

Guest Blog! WHOOPIE!!!

Remember that time when this happened?  Emily from The Three Bite Rule has been kind enough to return the favor with not only a guest blog, but a guest blog that invloves BAKING.  This is HUGE for NOSH.  Some of you return readers might have caught on that um...I can't bake.  Emily's Oatmeal Whoopie Pie recipe, adapted from one of her fav cookbooks, looks to die.  When I get that big orange mixer on the BB&B registry of my dreams, these are happening.  Thank you to Emily for this delish recipe! Here's her whoopie lovin' below.  Don't forget to check out her blog here!

Oatmeal Whoopie Pies 

I loooove whoopie pies. If I had my way, I wouldn't have had a wedding cake, I would have served whoopie pies. Don't get me  wrong, I ended up loving the cake, but how yummy would that have been?! Seriously, way better than the cupcake craze.  I take the bottom off the cake part and put it on top of the frosting to make it whoopie pie-ish. 

I’m not a big baker but now that I have lots more space and a fancy mixer, I hope to bake more. These came out great which was definitely a confidence booster.

 

Ingredients:

4 tbs unsalted butter, at room temperature

½ cup (packed) brown sugar

¼ cup granulated sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 ½ cups rolled oats (not fast-cooking)

¾ cup all-purpose flour

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp salt

½ cup raisins (optional)

½ cup chopped pecans (optional)

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

 

In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and both sugars on low speed. Increase the speed to medium and beat until fluffy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add the vanilla dn beat until light and creamy, about 3 minutes.

 

In a food processor or blender, process ¾ cup of the oatmeal until it resembles whole grain flour. Transfer the ground oatmeal to a medium bowl and add the remaining oatmeal, flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add the oatmeal mixture to the butter-sugar mixture and beat on low speed until just combined.

 

Using a spoon, drop about 1 tablespoon of batter onto one of the prepared baking sheets and repeat, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Bake one sheet at a time for about 11 minutes each or until the cookies begin to brown. Remove from the oven and let the cakes cool on the sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

 

Makes about 48 two-inch cakes.

 

Classic Marshmallow Cream

 

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups Marshmallow Fluff

1 ¼ cups vegetable shortening

1 cup confectioners’ sugar

1 tbs vanilla extract

Directions:  

In the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the Marshmallow Fluff and the vegetable shortening, starting on low and increasing to medium speed until the mixture is smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Reduce mixer speed to low, and add the confectioners’ sugar and the vanilla, and beat until incorporated.

Increase mixer speed to medium and beat until fluffy, about 3 minutes more.

 

I was really proud of these and they were delicious. I might fill the whoopie pan a bit less next time because they were pretty large. Using the whoopie pan, I made 24 cakes, thus making 12 whoopie pies.

 

The cookbook is cute. I liked that it was casual (makin’ whoopie, beating filling until you forget about it, etc). The pictures are great and there are some great combinations (bacon chive goat cheese filling or pistachio cardimum cakes, or mocha etc).

Recipe: Slow Cooker Stuffed Chicken

What is better than goat cheese? How about goat cheese, spinach, and roasted red peppers stuffed inside a chicken breast?  Yeah it happened.  I followed this recipe as best I could, and the result was pretty tasty.  I will say that this meal prep is kind of messy, but I think the flavors are great.  We didn't even eat this over rice or any starch (for us this is a HUGE victory) so it's really pretty healthy!  If you have leftovers, make sure to take some extra "sauce" from the crock and add it to the tupperware so when you re-heat it will stay...not dry (i can't say the "M" word...grosses me out).  Enjoy!


4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (try to use a pretty thick breast)
1 roasted red pepper, diced
about 1/2 a bag of fresh spinach
goat cheese crumbles
minced garlic
1/2 c. white wine
3/4 cup chicken stock
EVOO
s&p
basil (fresh or dried)




Salt & pepper your chicken.  Gently make a slit on either side of each chicken breast (be sure not to cut all the way through).  Set aside.


In a skillet, wilt the spinach with a bit of EVOO and minced garlic, about 5 minutes.  While that's cooking, stuff the chicken with a few slivers of pepper and as much cheese as you like.  When the spinach is done, add to the chicken.




Add a bit more EVOO to the pan and sear the chicken on both sides, about 3-4 minutes per side. 

 Meanwhile, in your Crock Pot, add the wine and chicken stock.  Once chicken is seared (doesn't need to be cooked all the way through) add to the Crock.  Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.

If you don't like goat cheese, you could use mozzarella or any other favorite!