Stuffed Shells

This is a bit of a departure from your normal stuffed shell recipe. I like it because it's not as tomato-y as what you may find elsewhere. It also has meat in the stuffing, rather than in the sauce. The meat is completely optional - if you don't add it, add in about 3 cups of shredded zucchini.

yields about 32 stuffed shells

1 box of jumbo shell pasta, cooked to al dente (about 10 minutes)

stuffing:
1 lb small curd cottage cheese
1/2 lb ricotta
12 oz frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained of liquid)
1/2 lb shredded mozzarella cheese
1 lb ground sausage, browned and crumbled
2 eggs
nutmeg (to taste)
Salt and pepper (to taste)

Sauce:
2 Tbsp butter or oil
2-3 Tbsp flour
1 Tbsp garlic
3 c cold milk
1 c grated parmesan cheese
1/2 c cream cheese, cubed and softened
2 cans flavored tomatoes (drained)
salt and pepper to taste

Asiago cheese (topping)

Noodles
Follow the package directions to cook to al dente
Drain and rinse with cold water, separating the shells from one another, until cold

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

Stuffing
Combine all ingredients into a large bowl

Sauce
In a saucepan, melt butter, and mix in flour to make a roux
Blend completely and cook until just starting to smell nutty
Add the garlic and cook about a minute, stirring constantly
Whisk in the cold milk a little at a time, making sure it doesn't get lumpy
Once milk is completely added, add each of the cheeses, blending before adding the next one
Bring to a boil, then reduce to a simmer
Add in the tomatoes and, switching to a wooden spoon, add the tomatoes in
Season with salt and pepper and let simmer about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally

Building The Dish
In a large, 9" x 14" x 4" deep pan, put down a ladle or two the sauce
Stuff the shells individually, and place them side by side until they are all in
If necessary, layer the shells - make sure the layers are even all the way across
Ladle the remaining sauce over the top
Sprinkle with Asiago cheese

Cover with aluminum foil and bake about 35 minutes.

Basic Hash

One of the first dishes I learned to make was a basic hash recipe. Simple, easy, stick-to-your-ribs stuff that was just plain good.

Every time I cook this meal, I'm taken back to my childhood and family. It just makes me happy...

Serves 4 hungry people

1 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 large onion, minced
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 lb mushrooms, sliced (optional
1/2 lb ground meat (your choice of beef, turkey or pork, or a mix)
3 large Russet potatoes (aka Idaho potatoes)
salt
pepper

In a large, non-stick saute pan, heat olive oil on medium low heat.
Add garlic and onion, increase the heat to medium, and saute until onions are soft.
Add butter and let melt.
Add mushrooms and saute until soft and slightly golden brown.
Remove from the pan and set aside.
Add the ground meat and brown.
Add the potatoes and cook until browned, stirring occasionally.
Add onions, garlic and mushrooms back in.
Season with salt and pepper

Serve.

Perfect Turkey Recipe

Pre-heat oven to 500 degrees (trust me on this)

Remove the turkey from the brine (you did brine it, didn’t you? Well, either way...)
Pat completely dry, both inside and out
Place chopped celery and carrots on the bottom of the roasting pan (it works better than a rack)
Place turkey on top, breast-side up
Oil up turkey, and sprinkle both inside and out with salt and pepper
Quarter an onion and stuff inside the turkey
Take a good hand-full of the following herbs: Sage, Rosemary, Thyme, Oregano, Flat-Leaf parsley
Stuff them into the turkey as well
Place bird into the oven and roast for ½ hour - NO MORE THAN THAT.

Reduce heat to 350
Continue to roast turkey until done.

For a 14 lb turkey cooked this way, the average cooking time (unstuffed) is 2 hrs, give or take a bit. For it to be served at or around 6pm, you will want to start it at 3:45, and check the temperature (or attempt to move a leg around) at 5:30 or so. If you have need of it, the Food Network has a turkey calculator that can help you with the time... You want to bring the internal temperature to 162 degrees - remember, removing the bird from the oven doesn't immediately stop the cooking process - there will be carry-over cooking that will bring the temperature up to 165, which is recommended by the FDA...

Let it sit for about a half hour before carving, to allow juices to re-distribute.

Why the carrots and celery on the bottom? Well, it adds to the aromatics that you’ve placed on the inside of the turkey, and will help flavor it… Aroma goes a long way toward flavor…