Cheesy Stuffed Shells

This morning, things were so hectic. I was fighting with the three-year-old trying to get the house clean in between her whiney demands, and somehow managed to get dishes washed and a load of laundry started before 10am. 

I was able to finally sit in front of the computer after that and got a post written, scheduled, and started in on some social media scheduling when Matt called. He needed me to run across town to meet him with his headphones and lunch because he left the house in too much of a hurry this morning and forgot his bag.

So out the door, Kaya and I went. Of course, since we were already out and about I decided to swing by the grocery store and grab something for supper before we went home. Which meant a Starbucks stop for a White Chocolate Mocha, because forget bringing a toddler to the grocery store without a little bit of a Mommy-reward.

There was the dilemma, though. I had no idea what to make for supper. We wandered around for a little while until Kaya chimed in to tell me she wanted "sketti."

Eh. We have spaghetti way too often around here, so I decided I wanted to try something new.

So we agreed on cheesy stuffed shells.

This recipe is simple and makes enough to feed a family of seven with leftovers. Which is decidedly a good thing, since my niece and her fiance are staying with us right now. She's just entering her second trimester and has been craving Italian food, so leftovers are definitely a plus.

Cheesy Stuffed Shells

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

• 1 (16 ounce) package Jumbo Pasta Shells
• 24 ounce container Small Curd Cottage Cheese
• 2 cups (8 ounces) Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
• 3/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1 (24 ounce) jar Pasta Sauce (Classico Roasted Garlic is our favorite)
• 1 Egg (slightly beaten)
• 1 tsp Dried Oregano
• 1 tsp Dried Parsley
• 1 tsp Ground Black Pepper
• 1 lb Ground Beef

Directions

1. Cook shells according to package directions. Place in cold water to stop cooking. Drain thoroughly.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together cottage cheese, 1 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, egg, and herbs. 

3. Stuff mixture into the shells.

4. Brown ground beef. Drain. Add sauce and herbs as desired. 

5. Spread 1/3 of meat sauce in the bottom of a 15 x 10 inch pan. Place shells open side up, and close together in pan. Spread remaining sauce over top, and sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan and Mozzarella cheese.

6. Bake at 350°F for 30 minutes, or until bubbly. Broil an addition 5 minutes for golden brown cheese.