Ricotta & Spinach Shells with Meat Sauce

Source: Girl from the North Country

I've never had ground turkey before. Recently there was a really good sale at our local grocery store, and H pushed me to buy a few packages of it. I also found this recipe and was willing to use the ground turkey it called for, instead of using ground beef.

Ingredients

• 12 oz Jumbo Shells
• 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 lb 99% lean ground turkey (we used natural 97% fat free beef and drained all the fat)
• 32 oz crushed tomatoes
• 1 tbsp basil
• salt and pepper
• 2 cups part skim ricotta cheese
• 2 cups reduced fat mozzarella cheese, shredded
• 1 egg
• 10 oz package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
• 1/4 cup Parmesan Reggiano

Preparation

• Boil water and cook shells according to package directions, make sure to make them al dente.
• Meanwhile, saute onions and garlic in oil.
• Add turkey or low-fat beef and salt and brown until cooked, breaking up in small pieces. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper and basil, then simmer on low, covered.
• Preheat oven to 375.
• In a large bowl, beat the egg. Then add the ricotta, spinach, mozzarella, and parmesan and mix together.
• Once shells are cooked and cool, fill shells with the cheese mixture and place in baking dish with a little sauce in the bottom.
• Cover shells with half of the sauce, cover with foil and bake 40 minutes, uncover foil and bake 5 more minutes. (used all the sauce to cover shells, didn't reserve anything)
  
• Serve with additional sauce on top.

Next Time- I wasn't really a fan of the ground turkey in the sauce. The shells were really good. I'd make this recipe again with that one change. Although it is very similar to the other stuffed shells I've made before.