Cheese Stuffed Shells
This recipe is from my Gram. She used to make these every holiday and they always complimented the traditional holiday meal. You can also make these ahead of time and freeze them for a quick weekday meal. Your kids (or cooking-challenged partner) can help fill the shells. Make sure to praise them a lot for their help.
Ingredients
- 1 box jumbo shells
- 4 c. ricotta cheese (2 lbs)
- 2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
- ¾ c. parmesan cheese shredded
- 3 eggs
- 1 tsp dried parsley
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 1 24-oz jar marinara sauce
Instructions
- Cook shells according to package directions. Drain. Cool in a single layer on wax paper or aluminum foil to keep shells from sticking together.
- Combine cheeses, eggs, parsley, salt, and pepper. Fill each shell with about 2 tbsp of the cheese mixture. Spread a thin layer of sauce on the bottom of a 13 x 9 inch baking pan. Place shells in pan, cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle with additional parmesan or mozzarella cheese, if desired. Cover with aluminum foil, bake at 350 degrees for about 35 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
- To freeze, place filled shells on a parchment covered cookie sheet without sauce. Freeze, then place in a sealed container separated by wax paper. To cook frozen shells, follow above directions, but cook for approximately 1 hour.
