A family favorite in our house is Stuffed Shells. Sienna got to decide what we had for dinner last night and her request was stuffed shells. Check out this crowd pleaser below. It takes probably a good 45 minutes to an hour from start to finish, but totally worth it. You will need a large casserole dish or two smaller. If you use 2 smaller ones than you can freeze one for a later date and have dinner ready in a flash. One large casserole dish will feed at least 6 generous portions. This is a pretty large recipe but many go back for seconds and makes great next day lunches.
24 oz container of cottage cheese
fresh basil (one container, or 4-5 sprigs if you have a plant)
1-2 sprigs fresh cilantro
4 tsp of garlic salt (more to taste)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp minced garlic, or fresh
29oz can of tomato sauce
14.5 can of petite diced tomatoes
3 tbsp granulated sugar
1/4 c grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1- 1.5 lbs of ground beef, turkey or venison
12 oz box of jumbo pasta shells
3 cups shredded Italian blend or Mozzarella cheese
I always start by boiling my water for the pasta. You will need a large pot so it takes a good amount of time to bring to a boil. Remember to add a few generous shakes of salt to the water to prevent the pasta shells from sticking together and to the bottom of the pot. You can also preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
Next we will make the cheese to stuff the shells with. You will need a food processor to get a good consistency for the cheese. Place the entire container of cottage cheese in a mixing bowl. I prefer the taste of cottage cheese over ricotta and it is usually more affordable. Cut up 3 sprigs of fresh basil and the cilantro, add 2 tsp of garlic salt, add the olive oil, and finally add the garlic to the bowl and combine everything. Place the entire mixture into your food processor. You may not be able to combine everything at once depending on the size of your processor. I turn the processor on for about 2 minutes, you want the consistency to be slightly creamy, with a few little curds showing through. It will look a lot like ricotta now. Put this mixture aside.
Brown your meat in a pan, salt and pepper to taste, and add a few swirls of the bottle of balsamic as well. While that is browning you can prepare your sauce. If you would like to use a jar of pasta sauce, that is a possibility as well but I like to create my own flavors. In another bowl, pour the tomato sauce and petite tomatoes together. Add about 2 tsp of garlic salt, another sprig or two of chopped up basil, all of the sugar, about 2 tbsp of balsamic vinegar, and about 1/4 cup of grated Parmesan cheese (or 3-4 generous shakes). Mix the sauce together. Once the meat is browned, I always strain and rinse for a healthier choice. Return the meat to the pan and add all the sauce mixture to the meat. This can simmer for about 20 minutes or more. By this time your water is probably boiling and your noodles can cook.
When the shells are done to al dente, strain a rinse well with cold water. I would recommend spraying your casserole dish with cooking spray for easy clean up. It is time to stuff the shells. I use just a regular kitchen teaspoon and put about one spoon full in each shell. Please them opening side up in the casserole dish. As you go you may run out of space, the shells can be stacked on top of each other. When all the shells are stuffed, sprinkle about 1 cup of the shredded cheese over the shells, and then pour your meat and sauce over the shells. If your container is not big enough, the sauce may run over the sides and cause a mess in the oven, which is why you may need to use two separate dishes. Add the remainder of your shredded cheese over the sauce and place in the oven. I usually bake for about 20 minutes, until the cheese is slightly brown and bubbling. Take out of the oven and serve. I served with a spinach salad as a side. I hope you enjoy one of my family's favorite dishes. Anyone can make this simple Italian favorite!
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