Stuffed Shells with Spicy Sausage Marinara

Stuffed Shells with Spicy Sausage Marinara

You need:
1. ½ lb spicy Italian sausage (I used turkey sausage)
2. 2 cloves minced garlic
3. ½ medium white or yellow onion, chopped
4. 1 packet spaghetti seasoning
5. 6 oz can of tomato paste
6. 15 oz stewed tomatoes
7. 1 tspn parsley
8. ¼ tspn red pepper flakes
9. 1 package cheese stuffed shells (I used Rosetto)
10. ½ cup grated Mozzarella cheese (optional)

You do:
1. Preheat oven to 400F.
2. Remove sausage from casings and brown in medium saucepan. Add garlic and onion while browning.
3. Once meat is browned, add seasoning and stir to coat meat.
4. Add tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, parsley and red pepper flakes to meat. Stir well.
5. Spread shells, open side down, in an oven-safe dish like Pyrex or Corning. At a minimum, you’ll need an 8”x8” dish with deep sides—this makes more than I thought it would!
6. Pour tomato mixture over shells. Do not stir.
7. Cover dish with lid or aluminum foil.
8. Cook 45 minutes at 400F.
9. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top if desired.
10. Serve alongside a salad and bread for an easy, yummy Italian meal!

Nom! Nom!

Sicilian Spaghetti

Delicioso! Or, something like that! This is a yummy recipe for mostly made-from-scratch spaghetti that will have your house smelling like Sicily! Just grab your honey and go for a gondola ride when you're finished eating! :)

You'll need:

1. 1 lb lean ground beef
2. 1 medium onion, chopped
3. 2 cloves garlic, minced
4. 2 15oz. cans tomato sauce
5. 5 oz. can Italian (or regular) tomato paste
6. 1/4 cup sugar
7. 1 tspn basil
8. 1 tspn dried parsley
9. 1/2 tspn crushed red pepper flakes
10. 1 box thin spaghetti or vermicelli

You'll do:

1. Heat medium pan over med-hi heat.
2. Add ground beef, onion.
3. Cook, using a wooden spoon to break up beef, until beef is browned completely and onion is tender.
4. Drain meat and wipe out pan with paper towel.
5. Place meat/onion mixture in medium-sized pot on medium-hi heat.
6. Add garlic to pot.
7. Add tomato sauce and tomato paste.
8. Fill 1 empty tomato sauce can with water, and add to pot.
9. Add basil, parsley, sugar, and red pepper flakes to tomato sauce in pot.
10. Bring sauce to a boil and then decrease heat to low.
11. Allow sauce to simmer for 1 to 1-1/2 hours.
12. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente.
13. Serve sauce over pasta, with bread and salad.

Nam! Nam!

Artichoke Chicken Pesto

A quick, easy blend of yummy flavors! Artichokes and spices make this chicken and pasta dish spunky! Add some grilled garlic bread for a complete meal.

What you need:

1. 2 chicken breasts

2. 1/2 box of whole wheat thin spaghetti

3. 14 oz can artichoke hearts, quartered

4. 1 tspn lemon juice

5. 1/2 tspn olive oil

6. 1/2 tspn lemon pepper seasoning

7. 1 envelope pesto mix

8. 1/4 cup olive oil

9. 3/4 cup water

What you do:

1. Bring medium-size pot of water to boil on stove. Add chicken to boiling water. Allow to cook through. About 5-8 minutes, depending on thickness.

2. Meanwhile, boil pasta in separate pot according to package directions.

3. Place chicken on cutting board. Discard water.

4. Dice or shred chicken into bite-size pieces (I like my shredded.)

5. Add chicken pieces back to pot.

6. Drain artichokes. Roughly chop artichoke hearts. They should be already quartered, so you'll only want to make them slightly smaller. Add artichokes to pot with chicken.

7. Mix lemon pepper, 1/2 tspn olive oil, and lemon juice to pot. Simmer on low, stirring occasionally.

8. Add pesto mix, 3/4 cup water, and 1/4 cup olive oil to small pot. Whisk constantly. Once ingredients come to a boil (about 2-3 min), remove from heat and place to side.

9. Drain pasta and place in large mixing bowl or serving dish.

10. Add chicken/artichoke mix to pasta.

11. Carefully pour pesto sauce over pasta and chicken.

12. Toss so that everything gets coated with pesto. Serve immediately.

This pairs great with bread. Just spread some butter on slices of french bread. Add garlic salt to each slice, and sprinkle with dry or freshly chopped parsley for color. Put in oven on hi broil until butter is melted and bread edges are brown.

Don't forget the wine!