1 box (9 oz) Green Giant® frozen spinach, thawed, squeezed to drain
1/2 teaspoon dried basil leaves
3/4 cup finely shredded carrots (1 medium)
1 jar (25.5 oz) Muir Glen® organic Italian herb pasta sauce
Some items were left out entirely from my first try as I do not like carrots and Jay doesn't like spinach. The plan, next time is to split the stuffing into two bowls, one with spinach for me and one with carrots for Jay.
Other things were changed out for what I was able to obtain. For sausage the site says you can simply use Italian pork sausage. That's what I did, I chose the Jimmy Dean brand because I know it, I've used it before and it's really good. The Italian cheese blend according tot he site can be substituted for 3 cups mozzarella shredded cheese. Again this is what I did. The ricotta cheese i was simply UNABLE to find. I was going to use Provolone instead but it's expensive for 15 ounces so I settled for the Hy-vee shredded Pizza blend which is a blend of mozzarella, provolone, romano, and parmesan.
Alright now that we've got all of THAT out of the way lets get to cooking!
First your going to fill a nice BIG pot with water. Not all the way, but you ARE going to be cooking BIG shell noodles so make sure it's enough so the shells can move around while boiling. Then set your over pre-heat to 350. Next you get to pull out a pan and brown up your sausage. Same rules as burger, nice and brown with no pink.
ALRIGHT! So while that's going on, take all of your Ricotta (or the replacement of your choice) and get it all in a good sized mixing bowl. Add in all but 1 cup of the Italian blend (or Mozzarella if you replaced it) and also the Basil. I added a TON of basil just because I love it. Half a teaspoon isn't enough for me haha! This is also the time where you add in your spinach and carrots. When I do use the spinach I plan on using fresh leaves no frozen crap. Use your hand (make sure they're clean) to fold in the basil, spinach and carrots. There is so much cheese the only way to get it all well blended is to use your hands. It's too think to get a spoon of any size through there. Just fold it through with your hands and BE SURE to get the cheese in the center and at the bottom, that was the hardest to get at to mix in.
Okay by this time your water should be boiling, go a head and pure your shells in.
Alright so now you get to pull out your casserole dish. A 13x9 is recommended but work with what you've got I like to say :) Use non-stick cooking spray, or coat the dish in a light layer of butter. Now the site says to put half a cup of the tomato sauce in the pan and spread it around, but that is really VERY little sauce. I used a cup of it instead and a rubber spatula to spread it out.
You should have been keeping an eye on your cooking meat during all of this. Just like cooking up ground burger. It should be nice and brown.
Strain out the little bit of grease into a bowl or a pan. Then you can put the ground sausage into the bowl with the cheese and basil and other good things. THIS TIME you do want to use a spoon to mix it around. That meat is still hot. It's gonna fight against you, the meat will try to melt the cheese a little bit but it won't be too bad. And don't worry if you forget to strain the meat. The grease makes the cheese taste insanely good.
Your shells only need to cook for at the MOST 15 minuets. Any longer and they're over cooked. 15 is even pushing it. When they're done, strain them out and rinse them in nice cold water. This allow then to stiffen up a little as well as make them ale for you to handle them. be sure while rinsing them, that you take apart shells that have slipped inside each other. They fit so well like puzzle pieces that they just slide one inside another while cooking lol.
Right, so now you get to start stuffing the shells! WHHOOO!!! This is a little messy, but it's fun. The original recipe on the site says to fill each shell with 3 tablespoons. NOT gonna happen. 1 you won't have enough filling, and 2 the shells barely hole a single generous tablespoon. Here is what you do. Fill each shell with just a single generous table spoon of the cheese, sausage, basil, etc mixture. And place in the sauced baking dish with the open side up.
Keep filling the shells in this way and lining the pan. If you have any of the cheese and sausage mixture left over, go a head and fill in any shells that look like they could use some more. :) I had extra shells left over i put them in the fridge knowing i can cover them in some sort of sauce tomorrow for lunch. Here was my finished stuffing product.
Now take the rest of your sauce and spread it out over the top of the shells.
Now get some tin foil and spray it with non-stick, and cover the pan. Place it in the over for 40 min. Don't have to check on it, or anything, just leave it for 40 minuets, and it'll be just fine. Then take it you and take that last cup of cheese that you left out of the mixture earlier...remember that? Haha, sprinkle the cheese on top after removing the foil.
Toss the foil and place the dish in the oven for just a few minuets, until the cheese has melted.
Now you're ready to serve it up!
I wound up taking too many shells and had to put 3 back int he pan later! But It is so amazingly yummie!
LEFTOVERS! You'll have a lot left over. Put them in a container and in the fridge. If you want a quick snack, take one out and eat it cold. Good finger food since everything is held in the shell :)
Who will like this: KIDS! The shells are big something they aren't used to seeing and since it's less physically on their plate, they're more likely to eat it quickly since they don't view it as a lot. They'll also like the finger food snack option with the cold leftovers :)
That is all for tonight my loves. This was a super easy meal just takes some time. So if you have a free night, give it a try, it's worth it and with so much for left overs, you'll have snacks and lunch for the next few days :)
