Stuffed Shells

Yesterday I was making the grocery list out. When I asked my teenager if there was something I might be missing. Or if there was a certain meal he would like that we hadn't eaten in awhile. He suggested 'Stuffed Shells'. Well, I have never made them before. So, I called my sister up to see how she made them. I can share the recipe but not give exact amounts. As I didn't have them when I created this dish. I also added hamburger and Everglades seasoning. Which she didn't. As Everglades seasoning is not available in her area. My family likes their meals meaty.

Stuffed Shells

1 box of jumbo shells
8 oz cottage cheese
7 1/2 oz of ricotta cheese
1 lb of hamburger
1 pkg of shredded cheese (I used Mexican blend)
1 egg
jar of any flavor of spaghetti sauce
spices (I chose everglades seasoning)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

To begin with you brown the one pound of hamburger, drain. In a large mixing bowl, you add browned hamburger, cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, a nice handful of shredded cheese, egg, and pieces to flavor. Mix all together to mixed well. This is what you will place inside the shells. For a pretty look, other people add parsley in the mixture.

Take a nice side casserole dish. Place some spaghetti sauce in bottom of pan. This is so the shells do not stick. Than take a shell and fill the inside with the mixture. Place in casserole dish. Keep doing this til full. (I had shells left over in box). Than take the spaghetti sauce and pour over the stuffed shells.

Place in oven. You may want to cover with tin foil or lid for a quicker and more even baking time. Otherwise the tops of shells tend to be a little tough or crunchy. You want them tender.

When shells are tender, they are done. This is where you add the rest of the shredded cheese on top of dish. Put back in oven til cheese is melted. Than serve.

Time for me was approx. 45 minutes.

** I will say I thought the jumbo shells were alot bigger than they were. But they were the largest at the store I shopped at. They do work really well. You just have more shells to fill. My family of liked the dish because there was none left over. I was hoping to have a few for lunch.