Healthier Stuffed Shells

Original Recipe HERE

 

I abhor making stuffed shells.  I boil the noodles, and a quarter of them rip to the point of being unusuable.  Several more tear as I try to pry them apart and put filling inside.  Upon serving and cutting, they fall apart further and the cheese oozes out like I just disemboweled the shell.  So I only make them every two years or so: enough time for my memory to fade, and I'll come across a recipe and say, "Hmm, maybe THAT one will work!"  Never.  They still taste good, but the effort and frustration is still not worth it.

 

That said, I'm keeping this recipe because I liked the filling: tasty and a bit healtheir than I usually find.  I can probably use it in lasagna (another pasta dish I always end up rueing my decision to prepare) or another pasta/sauce/filling smorgasbord...baked ziti, perhaps?

 

Ingredients

1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

1 cup fat-free cottage cheese

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 Tablespoon dried oregano

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

3 cups tomato sauce

1 lb pasta shells [approximiately 24 shells], cooked [I had 30+]

shredded mozzarella [optional]

parmesan [optional]

 

Directions

(1) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

(2) Spread a few tablespoons of sauce on the bottom of a 9x13" baking dish.

(3) Mix together cheeses, salt, garlic powder, oregano, basil, and pepper.

(4) Fill each shell with cheese mixture; place in baking dish.  Repeat with all shells.

(5) Pour remaining tomato sauce over shells.  Sprinkle mozzarella and parmesan on top if desired.

(6) Cover dish with foil.  Bake 20 minutes.

 

Kid Participation:

* Mix together filling ingredients

* Pour sauce

* Sprinkle cheeses

* Practice knife skills at dinner and have Mama need to step in and put your shells out of their misery