Stuffed Shells

March 1, 2012

I wish I had sprinkled some basil on it!

This recipe intimidated me.  Why?  It requires assembly.  And I have to take a pretty picture of something I assembled.  I can't even fold sheets.  Oh, the pressure.

Turns out the shells kind of assemble themselves once you stick a blob of cheese inside.  They don't really have a choice.  Sweet.

Following the theme of this week, this recipe is from Eat at Home Cooks.  Next week, I'll be working from another blog.  Equal opportunity and all.

As Tiffany states in her blog, this recipe makes a LOT.  You can choose to freeze half or make two pans and take the 2nd pan to work for the freeloaders your friends at the office like I'm doing.  No better way to get an honest opinion than from people who aren't afraid to criticize for fear of being served cold sandwiches for dinner until the end... of... time.  :)

Here's what I used.

1 box jumbo shells

4 cups (2 lbs) ricotta cheese

2 cups (8 oz) shredded mozzarella

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

3 eggs

3/4 tsp. oregano

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

2-3 jars or cans of spaghetti sauce (I used the cheap Hunt’s brand sauce for this per recipe suggestion (meat flavored for the carnivores). It worked fine.)

Cook the shells according to the package directions.

 Drain them and cool in a single layer on wax paper or foil.

 Meanwhile, combine the cheeses, eggs, and seasonings.  Use a big bowl.  I learned the hard way.  Now I have to wash two bowls.

Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of the pan.  I used about half the can.

 Fill each shell with 1 1/2 Tbs. of the cheese mixture. Place the shells in the pan in a single layer. Cover with remaining sauce.

Bake covered at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

If you choose to freeze the rest, Tiffany says this,

"I froze the extra shells to use later in a single layer and then placed them in a ziplock bag. To use them, I’ll just assemble the shells and sauce in the pan and bake them a bit longer."

Tomorrow is leftover night to free up some of my dishes and make room in the fridge, but I'll still have a blog with something I'm trying tonight....if its a success!

Christi