Stuffed Shells

I'm always on the lookout to try something new.  I think I've made stuffed shells in the past but can't really remember...hence this blog!

Stuffed shells sort of remind me of handy little lasagnas, any I the only one who feels that way? I guess because the ingredients are often time the same.  Anyway, these were awesome.  I loved the creamy ricotta filling smothered in meat sauce. This recipe made plenty for my hubby and I and leftovers for several days afterwards; which is a good thing.  Luckily we both like leftovers but this would be great if you wanted to break it up into to 8x8 pans and freeze one of them for another time. 

First things first, you need to make the filling.  You can just whip this up while the shells are cooking.  Mix the eggs, ricotta, half the mozzarella, half the Parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper together in a bowl.

Fill each of the cooked shells full of the mixture and place them in a 9x13 inch dish.  You want the shells to be al dente and slightly cool before stuffing. I leave my shells in some water so they don't stick together.

I sort of over crowded mine in a 9x13 inch dish, but they all turned out nicely so I guess you can just pack them in there.

In a bowl, mix together your pasta sauce and the reserved mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.  Pour over the top of the shells.

Bake in a pre heated 350 degree oven for about 45 to 60 minutes. 

I served mine with a nice big salad - because that totally cancels out all the calories in the stuffed shells....right? Huh? Never mind.

Recipe found here

1 (12 ounce) package jumbo pasta shells
2 eggs, beaten
1 (32 ounce) container ricotta cheese
1 pound shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
8 ounces grated Parmesan cheese, divided
1 tablespoon dried parsley
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 (28 ounce) jar pasta sauce (I used homemade pasta sauce)
8 ounces sliced fresh mushrooms (our homemade sauce had mushrooms in it already)

Pre heat the oven to 350 degrees.

Start a large pot of salted water to boil over medium heat.  Add the shells and stir to ensure they aren't sticking together. Cook until Al Dente. I add cold water to my shells so they cool off enough for me to handle but also stay wet so they don't stick together.

Mix together the ricotta cheese, eggs, half of the Mozzarella cheese, half of the Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. When the noodles are done and cool enough to handle, begin filling them with this mixture.  Place each shell in a 9x13 inch pan (or two 8x8 inch pans if you plan to freeze half).

In a separate bowl, mix the sauce and the leftover mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses.  Pour the sauce over the shells and then bake for 45 to 60 minutes or until the cheese is melted and it's beginning to get golden brown on top.