Stuffed Shells

I love this recipe. It's not mine, but I have it written on an old piece of paper, and I need to get it here before I lose it. I can't find one just like it!

This is not a hard recipe, but it does have several steps. Start early in the day. Trust me. This is not a recipe you can throw together at the end of the day or you won't eat until 8 o'clock at night. Don't ask me how I know this. And there's nothing wrong with eating at 8 at night, but since that's my kids' bedtime, I try to not push that back. Because they need their sleep. Not because I'm tired. You know, at 8. 

Anyway.

Prepare one box of jumbo shells according to package directions. Perhaps this is easy for the average person, but for me, this can be challenging. The first time I did this, I ended up with a bowl full of torn up noodles. 

You can't stuff those. 

Unfortunately.

So. I add about 2 tablespoons of olive oil to my water. And stir occasionally, but not too much. And if the package says to cook for 12-14 minutes, I only cook for 10. Al dente shells are easier to stuff that fully cooked ones. And if some are stuck to the bottom of the pot, which mine always are no matter how big the pot is or how much water I add, then just add some water to the ones that are stuck and let that sit. Then you can come back and get them out with a spoon.

I'm sure it's not supposed to be that hard.

Anyway.

Let the shells cool. This is one reason you have to start early in the day. It's not easy stuffing hot shells. Not that I have or anything.

Stuffing:

1 1/2 pounds ground meat

1 medium onion

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley (or I use less dried parsley)

1 clove garlic, minced

1/2 t basil leaves

1/2 t oregano 

1 cup bread crumbs (1 toasted pieces of bread, crumbled in food processor or prepared ones)

1 egg slightly beaten

1 10 oz package frozen chopped spinach, cooked and drained

1 28 oz can whole tomatoes, drained and chopped

3 cups prepared sauce

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1c Mozzarella cheese (or more to taste)

Cook ground meat and onion. Drain and cool. Combine next eight ingredients with meat mixture. Spread a thin layer of sauce in a 13 X 9 inch baking dish (It always takes one large dish and one smaller dish for mine) Fill shells with filling. Place shells in a single layer, top with remaining sauce and sprinkle with cheese. Cover with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

(I put that in bold because if you forget this step, the whole dang thing will burn. Not that I have done this or anything. *ahem*)

I actually brown the first 6 ingredients in a skillet and then transfer to a bowl to cool. Then I add in bread crumbs and egg. I don't add the tomatoes because the kids aren't fans, and so I always have some shells left over, but the kids do love those, so it all works out. 

This does freeze well also. We never have any left over, though!

I read a recipe that added cream cheese to the meat fixture, and that sounds really good. I'm not looking to add any calories or fat to this dish, so while that sounds good, I think I'll pass. But I thought I'd throw that out there, since I just came across that idea.