Baked Manicotti with Sausage

 

I normally make manicotti with just cheese, but this one sounded good and had Italian sausage in freezer that needed to be cooked. This is company worthy dish. Always nice to breakup steps instead of preparing all at once. 6 servings

Ingredients for Fonduta Sauce:

• 3/4 cup whole milk ( Add 1 tablespoon heavy cream to glass measuring cup & fill to 3/4 cup 1% milk)
• 1/ cup heavy cream
• 2 cups grated Parmesan cheese (Giada's orginal recipe calls for 3 cups grated Pecorino Romano)
• 1/4 cup basil, chopped ( I used parsley)

Directions for Fonduta Sauce:

In medium saucepan, bring the milk and cream to a simmer over medium heat. Reduce to low and whisk in the Parmesan and whisk till smooth. ( I had to increase heat in order for the Parmesan to melt). Remove from heat and add 1/4 cup parsley. Also added fresh cracked pepper and lemon pepper seasoning. Set aside.

Ingredients for Sausage Filling:

• 1 pound sweet Italian sausage, casings removed
• 1 large shallot
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoons EVOO
• salt and pepper to taste ( I tasted once I added the cheeses before I added )
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1/2 cup whole milk ricotta
• 1-2 cups shredded mozzarella

Directions for Sausage Filling:

In large skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat.

Add the sausage, shallots and garlic. Cook until sausage is cooked and vegetable softened; about8 -10 minutes. Break up sausage into bite size pieces.

Increase the heat to high and the wine; cooking till wine evaporates.

Set aside to cool.

Add the ricotta and 1/2-1 cup fonduta sauce. Taste for salt and pepper.

To Assemble:

Preheat oven to 350-degrees

The recipe called for 12 manicotti shells, cooked to packaged instructions.

Spread 13 ounces of marinara sauce on bottom of a lightly oiled baking dish. ( Recipe calls for total of 26 ounces marinara. I used Rao ).

Fill the shells with the sausage filling and arrange in a single layer on the prepared baking pan.

Pour remaining marinara over the top of the shells.

Spoon the fonduta sauce on top and sprinkle with mozzarella. 

Bake until bubbly and golden brown, 30-35 minutes.

Sweet Potato and Cashew Dip

 

This is from Nom Nom Paleo and mine did not turn out as smooth as the picture. However, I love all the ingredients so figured can not go wrong; and I was correct! This makes 8 servings and will keep in the frig for 5 days. Of course I froze extras. 

Ingredients:

• 1 large orange-flesh sweet potato; garnet or jewel
• 5 tablespoons EVOO
• 1 cup diced yellow onion
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup raw unsalted cashews, soaked and drained (see note below)
• 1 teaspoon yellow curry powder, plus more to taste
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• 1/8 teaspoon ground turmeric

Directions to soak cashews:

To 2 cups warm water add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon apple cider vinegar and add cashews. Soak for 2-4 hours. Alternately, place cashews in 2 cups boiling water for 10 minutes. Drain.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400-degrees. 

Prick the sweet potato with a fork and lightly brush with olive oil. Bake for 45-60 minutes. 

Set aside to cool. Peel skin off and mash potato with a fork.

In large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and saute onion over medium heat with a pinch of salt for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute 30 seconds.

Grab you blender or food processor and pour 1/4 cup remaining olive oil with the lemon juice and apple cider vinegar.

Add the onion mixture, mashed sweet potato, soaked and drained cashews, cumin, sweet paprika, turmeric and salt.

Blast till smooth.

Balsamic-Glazed Turkey Meatballs

 

This recipe is from Justin Chapple of FoodNetwork. I have been wanting to try this recipe and so glad I did! Instead of being simmered in a tomato sauce, the meatballs get tons of flavor from a tangy-sweet glaze made with balsamic vinegar and chicken broth. Melt provolone cheese onto sub rolls and you have got yourself dinner! People this is delish!

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 pounds ground turkey ( I use the 93% lean)
• 1/2 cup Italian-style bread crumbs ( I use gluten-free)
• 1/2 cup parsley leaves, finely chopped, plus more for garnish
• 3 scallions, minced ( I used both white and green of scallion )
• 3 cloves garlic, finely grated
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt ( I used WF Lemon Pepper seasoning )
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons EVOO
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1/3 cup balsamic vinegar ( Justin suggested do not need to buy the spendy balsamic for this )
• Splash of soy sauce or tamari
• 4 sub rolls, split
• 12 slices provolone ( bought presliced at WF )
• Freshly grated Parmesan, for topping

Directions:

Combine the turkey, breadcrumbs, parsley, scallions, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl and mix well.

Scoop out mixture into 2 tablespoon-sized meatballs ( approximately 21 meatballs ) and roll out into neat balls. 

Heat the olive oil in a large in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the meatballs and cook, turning occasionally, until browned but not cooked through, 6-8 mintues.

While meatballs are browning, whish the stock, vinegar and soy sauce together in a small bowl. Pour the mixture into the skillet with the meatballs and bring to a boil over high heat.

Reduce the heat to medium and simmer, basting occasionally, until the meatballs are cooked through and the sauce has thickened, 8-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the broiler with a rack about 8-inches from the heat source. Arrange the split sub rolls on a baking sheet and top each with 3 slices of provolone. Broil until the cheese is melted and rolls are lightly toasted on edges, 1-2 minutes. Watch closely.

Fill the subs with the meatballs, spooning some sauce on and top with Parm and chopped parsley. Justin suggested topping with baby arugula, but optional.