Jumbo Stuffed Shells - 3 Cheese

Jumbo Stuffed Shells 

3 Cheese Shells baked in Marinara

Submitted by: ChiChi
Recipe Source: Karen's Own Recipe
Keywords: Italian, casserole, pasta, red, spaghetti, marinara, baked, sausage,

Ingredients:

1 box (12 oz) Jumbo Pasta Shells

Chopped Fresh Basil, for garnish

1/4 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded (reserved) 

Cheese Stuffing:

1 cup Mozzarella Cheese, shredded
1 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
1 lg tub (2 lb) Ricotta Cheese
     - or sm 15 oz tub Ricotta
      + sm 16 oz tub Cottage Cheese
     -or 1 lg 24 oz tub Low Fat Cottage Cheese
1 Egg, beaten
1 tsp Cracked Black Pepper
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 Tbsp Dried Parsley

*1 lg (24 oz) jar Spaghetti Sauce

or make your own...

Karen's Marinara Sauce:
The Base:
1 lg jar (24 oz) Spaghetti Sauce, original flavor
1 can crushed or diced Tomatoes
2 tsp. Dried Garden Oregano
2 tsp. Dried Garden Basil
2 tsp. Dried Garden Parsley
1 Bay Leaf (optional)
Few springs of Dried Garden Thyme
Several Twists of Cracked Black Pepper
Few Twists of Cracked Sea Salt

The Saute:
1/2 Onion, chopped
1 cup Fresh Mushrooms, sliced
 2 cloves Garlic, minced
 Extra Virgin Olive Oil, for saute
1 pat of Real Butter, for saute (optional)
1/4 cup Water or Chianti Dry Red Wine

*Add cooked crumbled sausage, Italian sausage or hamburger if meat sauce is desired.


Preheat Oven to: 375 degrees

Directions:

Prepare the pasta shells:
In an 8 quart pot, bring water to a boil and cook shells for 8 minutes or until al dente (still firm to the bite). Drain and immediately rinse with cold water to cool and stop the cooking process. Drain open side down on towel.

Prepare the filling:

In a medium bowl, combine the rest of ingredients except the spaghetti sauce, reserving 1/4 cup of Mozzarella.

Prepare the sauce:
Use jarred red sauce or prepare your own. See the link to Karen's Marinara Sauce above for complete directions. Saute section: Med heat for 10 min. Base section: Add to Saute, bring to boil then simmer on low for another 10 min. 

Prepare the baking dish:

Place a thin layer of spaghetti sauce into the bottom of a 12 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish. Spoon the cheese mixture into each pasta shell and place open side up, in a single layer, in prepared pan. Pour the rest of sauce over the stuffed shells

Loosely cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes.

Remove foil and sprinkle reserved Mozzarella cheese on top. Bake 5 more minutes.

Garnish with fresh chopped basil.

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