Tasty Tuesday: Turkey Artichoke Stuffed Shells

Have you had your fill of Thanksgiving leftovers?  Neither have we!  While the turkey sandwich and turkey soup has been done to death, we were pleasantly surprised when our buddy Kate S. for sending us this creative solution to leftovers.  If you've recently made the Spinach and Artichoke dip, you might already have some artichokes on hand.  If you had a few dozen people at your holiday table, like we did, then chances are you have some turkey on hand as well.  If you're tired of it taking up room in your fridge, your problem is solved.

And with that, we present to you:

Turkey Artichoke Stuffed Shells

1 (12oz) box jumbo pasta shells
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 large yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 lb broken up turkey sausage (about 5 links)**
1/2 tsp kosher salt, plus 1/2 tsp
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper, plus 1/4 tsp
1 tsp red pepper flakes
8-10 oz chopped artichokes
1 – 2 (15oz) container(s) ricotta cheese
3/4 cup grated Parmesan
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/4 cup (heaping) chopped fresh basil leaves
3 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 1/2 cups shredded or grated mozzarella

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and partially cook until tender but still very firm to the bite, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain.
2. In a large 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 turkey, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper and peperoncino and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is slightly golden and cooked through (if you're using leftover Thanksgiving turkey that's already cooked, you just want to warm it up a bit and soften it just a little more but be careful, you don't want to dry it out).
 3. Add the artichoke hearts and stir to combine. Remove from heat and let cool. In a large bowl combine the cooled turkey mixture with one 15 oz container ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, eggs, basil, parsley, and the remaining salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
4. Cover the bottom of a large baking dish with 1 cup of sauce. Take a shell in the palm of your hand and stuff it with a large spoonful of turkey and cheese mixture, about 2 tablespoons. Place the stuffed shell in the baking dish. Continue filling the shells until the baking dish is full. Drizzle Sauce over the shells (Kate said she used a cream sauce), top with the mozzarella.
5. To bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake until the shells are warmed through and the cheese is beginning to brown and the sauce is bubbling away, about 20 minutes (60 minutes if shells are frozen.)


**If you're looking to use up leftover turkey from Thanksgiving, just grate or chop up the already carved pieces until you have roughly a pound.** 


Serve and Enjoy!

QUESTION OF THE DAY: What's your favorite leftover Thanksgiving recipe?