Cheese And Vegetable Stuffed Shells Recipe 55 Food

THE BEST STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• For the marinara sauce: Heat the oil in a medium heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until very soft, 8 to 10 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, if using, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the garlic has softened but not browned, about 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat, add the basil and dried oregano, partially cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thickened, about 45 minutes.
• Remove the basil sprig. If the sauce is still too chunky, mash the larger chunks of tomato with a potato masher. Season with salt and pepper. Let cool.
• For the shells and filling: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the dried pasta shells cook, stirring occasionally, until softened slightly but not cooked. (The pasta shells should flexible enough to be filled but remain very al dente; they will continue to cook during baking.) Drain, then run under cold water to stop cooking. Drain well again.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Mix together the ricotta, mozzarella, Parmigiano-Reggiano, parsley and egg in a large bowl until well combined and uniform. Season liberally with salt and pepper. Transfer the filling to a large disposable pastry bag or large resealable plastic bag (or use a spoon for filling directly from the bowl).
• Spread 2 1/2 cups of the marinara sauce in a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. Snip off the end of the pastry bag and squeeze the filling into the shells one at a time. Arrange the shells open-side up in a tight single layer in the baking dish as you fill them. Top with the remaining marinara sauce. Cover the pan tightly with foil and bake the shells until the sauce is bubbling throughout and the filling is heated through, about 35 minutes.
• Remove the foil from the pan and continue to bake for 10 more minutes to reduce the sauce. Let cool slightly before serving. Top with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano.

ULTIMATE VEGETABLE STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Pasta -- Cook shells in boiling water until al dente according to directions. Don't over cook. Remove to a pan lined with parchment so they won't stick and just let them cool.
• Filling -- Now a food processor is what you need for this, and it will take a few times to use but you will see how easy it is. First - Add the cottage cheese and puree until smooth. Add to a large bowl.
• Second - Add red pepper and pulse a couple of times until fine minced, NOT a puree, just minced. Then add to the bowl with the cottage cheese.
• Third - Add the mushrooms and again, just pulse a couple of times until minced. Again add to the cottage cheese bowl.
• Fourth - Add the spinach, same thing, don't make it a puree, just well minced. Then add to the bowl.
• Fifth - Add the shredded zucchini, shallots and chopped olives.
• NOTE: I shred the zucchini and then lay on a paper towel with just a sprinkle of salt to let it drain so it is not too wet or watery. It really helps.
• Six - Add seasonings, bread crumbs and cheeses to the vegetable and cottage cheese mix and blend.
• Shells -- Stuff your shells. Don't worry, over stuff and fill them good.
• Casserole time -- Add about 1/2-3/4 cup sauce to the bottom of a 9x13 pan (sprayed with pam) to coat the bottom of the pan. Add the shells, it should be just the right amount to fill in the pan. Spoon the extra sauce over the top, be sure to get a little of sauce on each shell. Then top with the remaining mozzarella, a little on each shell.
• NOTE: Make sure that the shells fill up the pan you don't want them rolling around in the pan. You want a tight fit or where they are all snug. You can always use a smaller pan if necessary, but for me a 13x9 usually works out well.
• Bake -- 375 for about 40 minutes (note, I have made this in a couple of different ovens and one time it was bubbly and hot in 30 minutes, so just check after 30 minutes to be safe. It really has to do with you oven temperature, but I have found 375 seems to work best). I covered for 30 minutes and then uncovered for the last minutes of cooking time to get the cheese bubbly.
• Enjoy! Trust me, even meat lovers will love these.

CHEESE- AND VEGETABLE-STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 11x7-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook and drain pasta shells as directed on package.
• Meanwhile, in 10-inch skillet, heat oil over medium heat until hot. Cook onion, bell pepper and garlic in oil 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender. Add zucchini; cook 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Stir in olives and 1/4 cup of the pasta sauce. Cook, stirring frequently, until hot. Remove from heat.
• In medium bowl, mix ricotta cheese, egg, Parmesan cheese and 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese blend. Stir in zucchini mixture until well mixed.
• Fill each cooked pasta shell with about 2 tablespoons zucchini mixture. Place in baking dish. Pour remaining pasta sauce over shells.
• Cover with foil; bake 30 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese. Bake uncovered 5 to 10 minutes longer or until bubbly and cheese is melted.

FOUR-CHEESE STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, Asiago cheese, ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, chives and 1/2 cup spinach (save the remaining spinach for another use)., Spread 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce into a shallow 1-1/2-qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Drain pasta; stuff with cheese mixture. Arrange in prepared dish. Top with remaining spaghetti sauce and mozzarella. , Cover and bake until heated through, 25-30 minutes. Freeze option: Cover and freeze unbaked casserole. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake as directed, increasing time as necessary to heat through and for a thermometer inserted in the center of 2 or 3 shells to read 165°.

CHEESE STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Boil shells according to package directions. Remove from pot with tongs to avoid tearing and allow to cool on a sheet of wax paper.
• Combine eggs, cheeses, and seasonings in bowl.
• Spoon about 3 Tbls. cheese mixture into each cooked shell.
• Spread 2 Tbls of the spaghetti sauce in bottom of 13"x9" baking dish.
• Arrange shells in dish over sauce.Pour remaining sauce over stuffed shells.
• Sprinkle cheese over sauce.
• Bake in 350F degrees oven for 30 minutes.

STUFFED VEGETARIAN SHELLS

Steps:

• Cook pasta according to package directions. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta, broccoli, mozzarella, egg whites and seasonings. Drain pasta and rinse in cold water., Spread half the spaghetti sauce into a 13x9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Stuff pasta shells with ricotta mixture; arrange over spaghetti sauce. Pour remaining sauce over pasta shells. , Cover and bake at 375° for 25 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake until heated through, about 5 minutes longer.,