Butternut Squash and Turkey Shells

This is a nice fall recipe.  This makes enough for about 40 shells so you may need to split it in a couple of pans.

Butternut Squash and Turkey Shells

1 box jumbo stuffed shells, cooked per instructions.

Filling
2 T. olive oil
4 c. butternut squash, diced
2 t. salt
6 cloves minced garlic
2 lbs. ground turkey
4 t. italian seasoning (make your own seasoning blend with this recipe!)
2 t. crushed red pepper flakes
2 t. pepper
4 c. fresh spinach
2 t. salt
24 oz. ricotta cheese
8 oz. mozzarella
2 eggs
1/2 c. parm cheese

Sauce (or by a jar of alfredo--I did!  You will use about 1/2 a jar or so)
4 T. butter
4 T. flour
2 c. milk
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper

Heat olive oil in a large pan.  Add the squash and 2 t. salt and saute for a few minutes.  Add the turkey, garlic, italian seasoning, crushed red pepper, and pepper and stir until meat is cooked through.

Add the spinach and 2 t. of salt until spinach is wilted.

In a large bowl, add the ricotta, eggs, cheeses and a pinch of salt and pepper.  Mix well.

Add the cooked squash-turkey mixture to the bowl and combine.

For sauce,  melt the butter in a saucepan.  Add the flour and cook until it turns light brown.  Add the milk and stir until the sauce thickens.

Spread the sauce in the bottom of a casserole pan.  Stuff each shell with the stuffing mix and place on on top of the sauce.

Bake at 400 degrees for 30-40 minutes.

Sprinkle with a bit of parm and a bit of mozz cheese and bake for an additional 5 minutes until cheese melts.