Three Cheese Spinach Stuffed Shells Food

THREE CHEESE SPINACH STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 400
• Lightly boil the shells in a large pot of salted water so they open easily - about 15 minutes. Drain and reserrvefor later.
• Heat a saute pan to medium add the oil and saute the onions until the are soft - about 10 minutes. Add the chopped spinach and wilt for a couple of minutes. Remove from the heat.
• In a large mixing bowl combine the ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan egg, lemon juice, rosemary, nutmeg, ground black pepper and spinach mixture then mix well. Leave a bit of the parmesan and mizzarella cheese out of the filling to top the shells witth.
• Take about 1/2 cup of the tomato sauce and spread it out across the bottom of a pie plate or similar sized baking dish.
• Using a large soup spoon scoop a heaping spoonful of the filling and put it inside a shell. Place the shell in the dish and continue filling shells and placing them in the dish until they are all filled.
• Drizzle the remaining sauce over the shells and top with the leftover cheese.
• Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.

SPINACH-RICOTTA STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large wide pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes; season with salt. (You should have about 4 heaping cups of sauce.)
• Make the stuffed shells: Preheat the oven to 375˚ F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta shells and cook as the label directs for baking, about 9 minutes. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Spread out on a baking sheet.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and cook, tossing occasionally, until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to a large plate lined with a kitchen towel. Squeeze to remove any excess liquid, then finely chop.
• Put the spinach in a large bowl and add the ricotta, mozzarella, parsley, Parmesan, lemon zest, beaten egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Stir until combined.
• To assemble, spread about half of the sauce in the bottom of a 10-by-14-inch baking dish. Evenly fill the shells with the spinach-ricotta mixture using a spoon, or pipe it in using a pastry bag. Arrange the shells side by side, open-side up, in the baking dish on top of the sauce, then top with the remaining sauce.
• Cover the dish with foil and bake until heated through and the sauce is simmering around the edges, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until any shells or cheese poking through the sauce are lightly browned in spots, about 10 more minutes. Let sit 10 minutes. Top with more Parmesan and red pepper flakes.

SPINACH AND CHEESE STUFFED PASTA SHELLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bring a large pot of salted water to boil, gently place pasta shells in boiling water; bring water back to boil. Cook until noodles are just tender; drain well.
• Squeeze spinach dry. Combine spinach, ricotta, 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, fennel, basil and garlic in a large mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper; mix well.
• Spread 1/2 cup marinara sauce evenly over the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
• Fill each pasta shell with the spinach cheese mixture. Arrange the shells, filling side up in the baking dish. Spoon remaining marinara sauce over the shells. Sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese on top of the shells.
• Cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven until heated through; about 30 minutes.

SPINACH AND CHEESE STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Cook Shells according to package directions. Be careful not to overcook them or they will tear easily. Drain and set shells out so they don't stick together.
• Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.
• Lightly grease 9 x 13 baking dish (2 if you are doubling the recipe).
• In large bowl, combine all ingredients except spaghetti sauce and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese. Spoon into shells.
• Spread a small layer of spaghetti sauce in bottom of casserole dish. Arrange filled shells over sauce and top with remaining sauce. Cover tightly with aluminum foil. (If you are making one to freeze - freeze after this step.).
• Bake covered for 40 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese and bake uncovered for 5 to 10 more minutes.

STUFFED SHELLS (WITH SPINACH AND CHEESE)

Steps:

• In a skillet, cook onion until tender.
• Transfer to a large bowl.
• Stir in the spinach, cream cheese, and egg.
• Add 1 cup mozzarella, cheddar, cottage cheese, parmesan, salt, pepper, and cinnamon if desired; mix well.
• Stuff shells and arrange in a greased 13x9x2 baking dish.
• Combine sauce ingredients; mix well.
• Pour over shells.
• Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.
• Uncover; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.
• Return to oven for 5 minutes or until cheese melts.