Jessica's Joyful Kitchen

1 pound corkscrew whole wheat pasta  1 1/2 pounds ground turkey  salt and pepper  2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves stripped and finely chopped  3 cloves garlic, grated  1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes  1 teaspoon Penzey’s breakfast sausage blend , optional  1 egg  3/4 cup fresh bread crumbs  2 boxes thawed and drained, 10 ounces, chopped frozen spinach  3 tablespoons EVOO  2 tablespoons all-purpose flour  1 cup chicken stock  1 cup 1% milk  1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg 1 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano  8 oz reduced fat cream cheese   Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place a large pot of water on to boil for pasta. While the water is coming to a boil, in a large mixing bowl combine the chicken, salt and pepper, thyme, anise/fennel seeds, garlic, crushed red pepper flakes, sausage blend, egg, and bread crumbs. Form 8 large round meatballs, about 3 to 4-inches. Arrange on a lightly oiled baking sheet and ...

Where do I even begin? The first time Ellie Krieger's new food show aired on Food Network " Healthy Appetite with Ellie Krieger " (currently airing Saturday's at 1pm) was the same spring day in 2006 that we were spending a lazy weekend at Lake Cumberland with The Winebarger's. Cooking healthfully had become my hobby several years prior, but I was ready to learn new techniques and skills that would enhance and compliment what I already new and believed. Needless to say, I fell in love with her. Since then I have made EVERY recipe that she has aired and everyone in her previous book "Small Changes, Big Results". By the fall of 2006 I had even contacted an advisor at EKU, and was ready to enroll in courses to become a dietician. However, after reassessing my current life demands and what my goals in life really entailed, I decided I could make my dreams come true without taking out student loans and putting myself into debt. One could basically say she...