Friday, December 20, 2013

Stuffed Shell & Mini Bell Pepper Medley with Turkey Meatballs

There's a first for everything...
Stuffed Shells & Mini Peppers! Yum.

Servings: 8-12
Ingredients:
Ground Turkey
2 eggs
3-4 cups of ricotta
2 cups of shredded cheese
1 cup of shaved Parmesan
2.5 cups of grated Parmesan
1/2 onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 package of sliced baby bella mushrooms
1 large can of crushed tomatoes
24-32 oz of your favorite tomato sauce
1-2 cups of bread crumbs
10-12 mini bell peppers
1 package of jumbo pasta shells
Spices: garlic, oregano, salt, pepper, garlic salt, crushed red peppers

Steps:

1. Combine: turkey, 1 egg, 1 cup of breadcrumbs, oregano, salt & pepper. Mix well and form mini meatballs. *If the mixture is too sticky, add more bread crumbs.


2. Pan fry on a higher heat to brown the outsides and set aside.


3. Saute chopped mushrooms, green peppers and onions for 5-10 minutes. Once the onion is translucent add the sauce, crushed tomatoes, 1/2 cup of grated Parmesan, and spices: garlic salt, crushed red pepper (a lot), and oregano. Simmer on low.

4. Cut stems and remove the seeds from the mini bell peppers.


5. Coat the bottom of a large lasagna pan with the veggie sauce. 

6. Mix the ricotta, the remaining grated Parmesan, shredded cheese, 1 egg, 1/2 cup of bread crumbs and spices (garlic salt, pepper, oregano). Pipe the mixture into the mini peppers and cooked shells using a ziploc bag.

7. Arrange the stuffed shells (seam side down) and peppers in the dish on top of the sauce.


8. Add the sauce on top; just enough to cover the peppers and shells. 
9. Place dish in a preheated oven (375 degrees) for 40-45 minutes. Top rack, uncovered.
*Add the meatballs about 15-20 minutes into the cooking.


10. Add the shaved Parmesan cheese during the last few minutes and enjoy!




Next time I am adding:
1. Spinach to the ricotta mixture
2. Minced garlic to the turkey meatballs
3. Whole mushrooms to the baking step at the end
4. Other/more veggies to the sauce!

No comments:

Post a Comment