Creamy shells with tuna and spinach

This is an update on the old-fashioned tuna casserole that I found in my Everyday Food magazine.  I could never bring myself to make the traditional tuna casserole because it always seemed so bland, but the spinach and large shells make this dish more interesting.  I added more Parmesan in the shell mixture and I would also recommend adding more on top with the bread mixture. Very creamy and delicious!

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 20-30 mins

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 small yellow onion, diced small

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

4 cups whole milk

coarse salt and ground pepper

2 pieces of bread, torn into large pieces

1/2 cup grated Parmesan

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp red-pepper flakes

1 package (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and excess liquid squeezed out

2 cans (6 oz each) light tuna in water, drained and flaked

6 oz jumbo pasta shells (about 20), cooked according to package instructions

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a medium pot, heat oil over medium-high.  Add onion and cook until softened, about 6 minutes.  Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute.  Gradually add milk, whisking constantly, and cook until slightly thickened and bubbling, about 3 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper and let sauce cool slightly.

In a food processor, combine bread, Parmesan, Italian seasoning, and red-pepper flakes.  Process until fine crumbs form.  Transfer half the mixture to a large bowl and combine with spinach, tuna and half the sauce; season with salt and pepper.

Fill each shell with 2 heaping tablespoons spinach mixture and place in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Top with remaining sauce and breadcrumb mixture. Bake until sauce is bubbling and breadcrumbs and golden, about 20-30 minutes.

Stir-fried chicken with bok choy

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 15 mins

Serves: 4

INGREDIENTS:

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

1 tbsp rice vinegar

2 tsp light-brown sugar

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1lb)

4 tsp cornstarch

2 tbsp vegetable oil

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

2 tsp minced peeled fresh ginger

4 cups sliced bok choy (from 1 head)

1 small red chile or jalapeno, seeded and diced

DIRECTIONS:

In a small bowl, combine soy sauce, vinegar, brown sugar and 3 tbsp water.  Slice chicken into think strips.  In a medium bowl, toss chicken with cornstarch until coated.  In a large wok or skillet, heat oil, garlic, and ginger over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 1 minute.  Add chicken in a single layer, pressing against pan to sear.

Cook, stirring, until lightly browned and just cooked through, 6 to 8 minutes.  Add bok choy and chile and cook, stirring, until bok choy slightly wilts, about 1 minute. Add soy sauce mixture and cook until sauce thickens slightly, 2 minutes.  Serve over rice.

Chiang Mai Curry

Prep time: 20 mins

Cook time: 15-20 mins

Serves: 4-6

INGREDIENTS:

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tbsp finely chopped garlic

2 tbsp red curry paste

3/4lb boneless chicken, cut in bite-size chunks

2 cups unsweetened coconut milk

1 3/4 cups chicken broth

2 tsp ground turmeric or curry powder

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

1/3 cup coarsely chopped shallots

1/3 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, and then add the garlic.  Toss well and add the red curry paste, mashing and stirring to soften it in the oil, about 1 minute.  Add the chicken and cook 1 to 2 minutes, tossing now and then to brown it evenly and mix it with the curry paste.  Add the coconut milk, chicken broth, turmeric, soy sauce, sugar and salt and stir well.  

Bring to a gentle boil and adjust heat to maintain a lively simmer.  Cook about 10 minutes, until meat is cooked through.  Stir in lime juice. Serve warm with rice or Chinese-style egg noodles.

Greek-Style Turkey Meatloaf

This is a fresh take on a classic meatloaf recipe.  I found this recipe in my Everyday Food magazine, but I didn't have any fresh dill (nor did the grocery store) so I substituted with Italian seasoning.  As with all meatloaf, it needs a sauce.  We used ketchup and the flavors were still delicious. 

Prep time: 30 mins

Cook time: 50 mins to 1 hour 15 mins

Serves: 6-8

INGREDIENTS:
2 tsps extra-virgin olive oil

1 small red onion, diced small

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 large celery stalks, diced small

Coarse salt and ground pepper

2 - 2.5lbs ground turkey meat

1 large egg, beaten

2 slices sandwich bread, cut into small pieces

6 oz feta, crumbled 

1 tbsp Italian seasoning mix

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a medium skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onion, garlic and celery and cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are soft, about 7 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine vegetables, turkey, egg, bread, 1 1/4 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.  Using your hands, mix until combined.  Mix in feta and Italian seasoning until well combined. 

Pour mixture into a 9x5 loaf pan.  Bake loaf until cooked through, 60 minutes to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until the loaf reaches 165 degrees in temperature.  Let rest for 10 minutes before slicing.