Stuffed Italian - Mozzarella Meatballs & Gruyere Mushrooms

RECIPE TRIAL:

I love Italian food for so many reasons, but I especially love it because it has so many stuffed foods. Yummy delicious food on the outside -- more yummy (usually cheesy) stuff on the inside. It's all about the layers of goodness with Italian food. I have been wanting to try meatballs stuffed with mozzarella forever. And I love a good sausage meatball. So I came up with these tasty mammoth meatballs.

And on the side? I just had to serve some stuffed mushrooms. Mushrooms are how I get my husband to eat his vegetables or at least something resembling a vegetable. And who can resist these simple stuffed mushrooms? No one I tell you, No one. I used some Alouette and Gruyere for the mushrooms. The Gruyere comes from an artisan cheesemaker in Cedar City for all my Cedar City readers. Nature Hills Farms has some delicious cheeses and one of my faves is her gruyere.

Stuffed Meatballs

1 lb of mild Italian sausage, removed from casings

1/2 lb of ground pork

1/2 Cup of panko bread crumbs

1/4 Cup milk (we used soy milk and they turned out fine)

1 egg

1 Tb Worchestire sauce

1/4 tsp kosher salt (or to taste but the sausage is pretty well seasoned)

2 garlic cloves minced

Few dashes of ground pepper. 

Fresh mozzarella, drained well -- Fresh in the water mozzarella pearls work great. Don't use cheese sticks. The fresh stuff is just better for this recipe.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray.

Combine all meatball ingredients in a large bowl (minus the mozzarella) and stir until combined.

Form meatballs by taking approximately 1/4 cup of meat and forming into ball. Place on cookie sheet and form a well in top of each meatball. 

Add mozzarella  pearls to wells. 

Close tops of meatballs around pearls and cook for 35 to 40 minutes until golden on top and no longer pink.

Serve with your favorite marinara sauce (aka gravy) and some pasta. 

Stuffed Gruyere Mushrooms

So easy it is ridiculous.

Mushrooms, however many you want. Stems removed,

Herbed Alouette spread

Grated Gruyere

Heat oven to 425,

Stuff mushroom caps to top with Alouette.

Sprinkle with gruyere.

Place in a baking pan and bake for 10-12 minutes or until gruyere starts to get golden.

Serve warm.

Like I said -- Easy!

Chicken and Cheese Stuffed Shells

Daily Special Challenge

Pasta is a staple in my menus and my foodstorage. However, I do not believe that pasta only comes in one shape and therefore I keep different pastas on hand in my pantry. Manicotti and Jumbo Shells are two of my favorites. They have so many storage possibilites and stuffed they are delicious.

So, I am going to give you three ways to make these. First. the no boil method which happens to be my favorite, Second, the make ahead directions which can be frozen until ready to use. Oh the possibilities. Finally the standard boil version.

The No-Cook Method (my favorite)

1 Carton of Jumbo Shells (uncooked)

 1 3/4 Cups part skim ricotta ( did you know you can make your own. Will be experimenting with this soon.)

2 Cups shredded mozarella

1/4 Cup grated parmesan cheese. (the canned stuff stores for a little while)

2 TB fresh parsley or 2 tsp dried

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground pepper

1 can or 1 cup of chicken (drained)

3 cups (26 oz. jar) of spaghetti sauce

1 cup water.

Stir together cheeses, chicken, parsley, salt and pepper. Spoon into uncooked Jumbo shells.

For sauce heat sauce and water to boiling.

Cover bottom of casserole dish with a layer of sauce.

Add a layer of stuffed shells, and cover with more sauce.

Add another layer of shells, Cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with additional parmesan cheese.

Cover. and bake at 400 for 35 minutes.

Make Ahead Freezer Directions.

We often do not eat a whole box of stuffed shells, so this recipe works for when you want to make some and freeze the rest for later. Hello instant, impressive Italian meal. OK, almost instant.

The only difference with the ingredients is that you omit the water from the sauce and you do not heat the spaghetti sauce. Boil box of jumbo shells in salted water for 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain in colander. Fill shells with filling. Place in a freezer safe container and layer with sauce, shells, sauce, shells, sauce.

Cover with a plastic wrap or other lid and freeze up to 2 months.

To bake, heat oven to 350 degrees and  bake for 2 hours if frozen or 40 to 50 minutes if defrosted.

Standard Method.

Boil jumbo shells, stuff with filling and layer shells and sauce in casserole. Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes until hot and bubbly.

Grilled Sourdough Pizza Melt

Let's talk pepperoni. Pepperoni is versatile and practical. It can be stored for at least 4 months on the shelf (if you buy the shelf pepperoni), in the refrigerator or longer in the freezer. It is relatively inexpensive and it is well-loved on pizzas everywhere. It is therefore a fun addition to your food storage.

So, in case you are wondering what a pizza melt has in common with the theme of this blog it is that I always keep pepperoni on hand. And when you are eating out of your food storage or pantry it offers a comforting change of pace. You can add it to so many things. Although we are going to discuss canning meat in the next couple months ( I got a new and huge pressure canner) today I am urging you to add a little simplicity and variety to your store of meat. After all, we don't always want to eat tuna fish and canned chicken.

This Pizza Melt is a different way to grill up some pizza heaven. If you are a bread baker you can always whip up some of your own sourdough bread. I cheated and bought the daily discount bread from the bakery. $1.45 for a loaf of heavy bakery bread is a steal and I would be lying if I told you I always bake my own bread.

The Pizza Melt

butter or margarine
a pack of pepperoni slices.
shredded cheese ( stock up on shredded cheese when it is on sale and throw it in the freezer.)
1/2 cup of pizza sauce.
sourdough bread slices
olives -- optional

Heat a grill on the stove to medium. Butter one side of each slice of bread. Coat one slice with pizza sauce, layer with cheese, pepperoni and olives. Top with remaining slice of bread and grill until golden. Turn and repeat.

Easy!

Baked Sausage, Spinach 4 Cheese Penne

This baked penne turned out so addicting, I am sitting here two days later craving more. Wow it was good. Of course, I am self avowed pasta addict but this creamy cheesy pasta dish has me hooked. The surprising part for me (this recipe is the result of a sample from Bertolli courtesy of the Foodbuzz tastemaker program) is that it involves using a canned cream sauce. I actually have issues with most canned Italian cream sauces. They always have a funny consistency and aftertaste to me. I am kind of a fresh cream sauce snob. So I went into the review of Bertolli's new 4 Cheese Rosa Sauce with a little trepidation. I wanted to love it. I mean look at the gorgeous package they sent me. But as I said I have past issues with cream sauce. I decided to do a little alteration on one of the recipes they sent me.

Two reasons for this recipe: It sounded like it was right up my alley and secondly, I have a friend who reads this blog that has told me she needs recipes for her Italian sausage. So, Heather this one is for you and for anyone else that needs an absolutely decadent grown up version of baked mac and cheese. We have mentioned my cheapness on this blog before and I rarely buy pre-made sauces unless they are the cheapo Hunts or I make it from scratch.

So, I priced out Bertolli sauces today; because seriously I have every intention of keeping a bottle of this stuff in my pantry just so I can have it on hand to whip up a delish dish for company. Bertolli sauces run about $2.50 to $3 in my neck of woods. But considering the large quantity this dish makes I think it is worth the splurge. Because this dish really can feed 8 to 10 people (Excuse me, am I gushing).

Without further ado my new favorite Rosa Cream sauce pasta dish:


1 Cup ricotta cheese
2 Cups shredded Italian cheese mix or mozarella.
1 Tb dried basil
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/8 tsp pepper
1 lb Italian sausage removed from casings and cooked and crumbled
1 cup fresh spinach
1 jar Bertolli Four Cheese Rosa Sauce
8 oz of penne or rigatoni pasta, cooked and drained
2 Tb Italian seasoned dry bread crumbs
2 Tb grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook sausage until brown. Saute spinach in sausage drippings until slightly wilted. Combine ricotta cheese, 1 1/2 Cups shredded cheese, basil, egg, and pepper. Toss hot rigatoni with sauce, sausage and spinach in large casserole dish (11 x 7-inch). Stir in ricotta mixture.
Top with remaining shredded cheese, bread crumbs and parmesan. Bake covered for 25 minutes. Remove cover and bake an additional 5 minutes or until bread crumbs and cheese begins to brown and cheese is melted.

Next I am going to give their arrabbiata sauce a try.

Puffy Artichoke Pockets

Featured Pantry Item/Food Storage: Artichoke Hearts and canned spaghetti sauce

When I was given my first opportunity to participate in Foodbuzz's tastemaker program, I was excited. Who doesn't love puff pastry? So, I have waited for genius to strike as my Pepperidge Farm puff pastry sheets waited in the freezer. I really wanted to find a way to stay true to the theme of this blog. And then I finally remembered how I have been wanting to feature artichoke hearts as a pantry staple. OK maybe you don't stock up on marinated artichoke hearts. But I really can't live without them. Perhaps you have a small jar stashed in your fridge or on a back shelf. But I have to buy the Costco size container. You see, artichoke hearts truly are a vital ingredient in my food storage. They bring a little zing and sophistication to any dish. In my world they are comfort food.

I am also a huge fan of pizza and spaghetti sauce. I can't help myself, I am part Italian. I consider it a personal affront to my ancestors when my daughters tell me they don't like spaghetti sauce. But they will learn. They will have to. And so I combined three of my Italian favorites with some puff pastry and the result was a keeper. I will make this again and again. These little artichoke puffs make a great side dish or an appetizer. You can also trade out the artichoke hearts with zucchini slices.

Puffy Artichoke Pockets

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed

9 marinated artichoke heart halves or zucchini slices

9 tsp of spaghetti sauce

freshly shredded Parmesan cheese

1 egg

1 tbsp water

Thaw and unfold one puff pastry sheet.

Cut at folds and then cut each section into 3 squares.

Beat egg and water. Brush onto puff pastry. Place 1 tsp of sauce on each square, add a pinch of freshly grated Parmesan cheese and top with 1 artichoke half. Fold opposite corners over each other to form a square envelope. Seal edges. Brush with more egg wash.

Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 400 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until flaky, puffed and golden. Let cool at least 5 minutes.