This time of year brings the comfort food to my house. I'm able to bake to my heart's content. I can run my oven all day long and not break a sweat. And pasta is one of my favorite comfort foods. All that yummy melted cheese stuffed into a pocket of pasta just appeals to me.
One of my favorites are stuffed shells. My mom would make stuffed shells all the time when I was a child. And while they still have a special place in my heart, I choose to make meatless. I love stuffing them full of spinach and mushrooms with the cheeses. Add some garlic and it's just a fantastic combination. Sauce matters too. I really like Ragu pasta sauces, and when I make a stuffed pasta like Stuffed Shells, I like something non-traditional. I really like sauces with garlic and sundried tomatoes. It gives more depth to the flavors in the dish.
Spinach and Mushroom Stuffed Shells
Ingredients:
1/2 box jumbo pasta shells
26 oz. jar of spaghetti sauce
4 cups Mozzerella cheese
8 oz. Ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
1 package frozen spinach, thawed and drained
1 package sliced mushrooms, minced
3 cloves garlic
3 eggs
Directions:
1. Cook pasta shells according to directions on box. Drain and set aside.
2. Prepare cheese filling by combining 3 cups of the Mozzerella, Ricotta, and Parmesan cheeses, spinach, mushroom, garlic, and egg in a large bowl.
3. Pour 1/3 of bottle of spaghetti sauce into an ungreased 9x13 pan. Spoon cheese filling into shells and place in 9x13 pan. Pour remaining sauce over tops of shells. Sprinkle remaining 1 cup of Mozzerella cheese over sauce.
4. Cover with aluminum foil. Keep refrigerated until ready to cook.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook for 45 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Serves 6
Updated 10/8/2013