Not Your Mommas Stuffed Shells Recipes

ITALIAN UNSTUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until al dente according to the package directions. Drain and set aside.
• Add the tomatoes to a large bowl and use your hands to crush them into chunky pieces; set aside.
• In a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil. Add the sausage and brown in large chunks until no pink remains, 5 to 8 minutes. Set aside on a paper towel-lined plate. Wipe out the fat from the skillet, leaving about 1 tablespoon behind. Add about a third of the tomatoes to the skillet and stir to pick up any remaining browned bits. Set aside.
• In another large bowl, add the spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, shredded mozzarella, egg, garlic, nutmeg and 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper. Mix to combine. Add the cooked pasta and sausage and gently mix.
• Add the pasta and sausage mixture to the skillet. Top with the remaining tomatoes and then the sliced mozzarella. Bake, uncovered, until heated through and the cheese is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes. Garnish with torn basil before serving.

CHEESY MEATLESS STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add shells and cook, stirring occasionally, until tender yet firm to the bite, about 9 minutes.
• While the shells are cooking, heat olive oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat. Add meatless ground beef and cook and stir until brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Add tomatoes, onion, garlic, 1 tablespoon Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Simmer for 2 minutes; add spinach and simmer until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes more. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed. Remove from heat and mix in ricotta cheese and egg until fully incorporated.
• Pour 1/2 cup marinara sauce into the bottom of a 12-inch cast iron skillet or a 9x13-inch baking dish and spread out with the back of a large spoon.
• Drain cooked shells. Stuff each with about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the "meat" mixture. Arrange in the skillet or baking dish. Pour remaining marinara over the top. Sprinkle with Parmesan and mozzarella cheeses. Sprinkle with remaining Italian seasoning and more black pepper.
• Bake in the preheated oven until cheese is golden and bubbly, 35 to 45 minutes.

NOT YOUR ORDINARY STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Boil and drain pasta shells.
• Mix mashed potatoes, garlic salt, onion salt, dried minced onions and 4oz. of cheese.
• (You may use cold or heated mashed potatoes-I prefer heated).
• Using a small melon scoop, gourmet decorator or an Easy Accent decorator or even a small spoon, fill the shells with the potato mixture.
• Place stuffed shells in a greased 9x13 pan.
• Top shells with remaining cheese, green onions and potato topping, (I place 3 very small dabs of butter on top of the cheese before baking so they wont dry out).
• Bake at 350°F for 30-45 minutes or until ready.

NOT YOUR MOMMA'S STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Cook shells al dente, drain and rinse in cold water. Set aside.
• Brown sausage.
• Add onion, when sausage is almost done, and saute.
• Squeeze water out of spincah, and add it to sausage and onions.
• Place cream cheese in a bowl, make sure it's very soft.
• Add 1/2 cup mozarella cheese to cream cheese and stir together.
• Add sausage mixture to cream cheese mixture.
• Stuff shells and line in casserole dish.
• Pour spaghetti sauce over (be sure there is sauce in the bottom of the dish under the shells, so they don't burn and stick).
• Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup mozarella cheese on top.
• Cover with foil and bake at 375 for 30-40 minutes.