Stuffed Shells

After our trip to Florida I realized how convenient it is to have many of my favorite recipes on the blog. I can just look them up on my phone whenever and wherever I am. So I took a few pictures while making dinner tonight and decided to add to my virtual recipe collection.  I grew up eating stuffed shells. It’s a hearty meal that feeds a crowd and as a preacher’s family that was called for often. I can’t say they were one of my favorites; mostly because I have a strange aversion to soft white foods (whip cream, pudding, cream cheese, sour cream, yogurt, etc.) and these are cheese filled.  But after being inspired by meat-sagna (lasagna, heavy on the meat, lighter on the cheese) I started making shells with a few tweaks. It is one of my go-to’s for people who need meals. The recipe makes a lot of food; so we can eat dinner and I can take the other half to another family. Or you can freeze it as well! Just add a salad and bread and you’re done.  

 

Stuffed Shells

 

Ingredients:

 

• 1 box large shells

• 3 cups ricotta cheese (or cottage cheese)

• (1) 8 oz. pkg. provolone, shredded

• 12 oz. pkg. mozzarella, shredded

• ¾ cup parmesan, grated or fresh

• 3 eggs, slightly beaten

• 1 ½ tsp. salt

• ¼ tsp. pepper

• ¾ tsp. oregano, crushed

• 2 tsp. chopped parsley

• 4 cups spaghetti sauce

• Meatballs (optional)

* 1 pkg. (approx. 1 lb.) ground turkey 

 

Instructions:

 

Pre-heat oven to 350.

 

Cook shells according to package directions; drain, rinse well with cold water & dry on single layer of paper towel. 

 

Combine cheeses with beaten eggs, salt, parsley, oregano and pepper. Fill each shell with cheese

mixture.

 

Spread a thin layer of sauce in a large baking pan. Place stuffed shells 1 deep in pan and cover with part of the sauce. Sprinkle with additional parmesan and mozzarella if desired.

 

Bake for 35 minutes. 

 

Serve with remaining sauce and meatballs.

 

*Alternate directions (aka. my “tweaks”)

 

Half the amounts of all cheese called for in the recipe.

 

Brown ground turkey (or beef, or sausage, or any meat of your choice!) and season to taste (S&P, Italian seasonings, fresh herbs…)

 

Combine cooked meat, reduced amount of cheeses & all remaining ingredients.

 

Stuff shells and bake as directed above. Now you don’t also have to make meatballs because it’s all combined!