#649: Three Cheese-Stuffed Shells with Meaty Tomato Sauce

This recipe has been bookmarked for MONTHS on one of my pinterest boards, so I decided it was about time to try it and remove it.   (I remove all recipes/meal ideas once we try it and I post it). 

Anyhow, this recipe comes courtesy of the fabulous Pioneer Woman.  I'll admit though, I changed her recipe to make it easier and I know we sacrificed authentic flavor in doing so.  But in this kitchen (especially since it's the first day of school for us all) ease and quickness of meal won out over the original (fresher) recipe. 

With that said, these were still very good.  I love cheesy stuffed shells though!
At the bottom you will find the original recipe.  The first recipe shown is a combination of the original recipe and my changes.

This recipe makes a lot of shells!  We got 3 meals out of this for our family.  We ate a 9x13 pan for 2 meals, and then I froze a separate 8x8 pan for a later meal. We loved this.  It was good fresh and as leftovers.  Delicious. 

Here is my version:
8 ounces, weight Jumbo Pasta Shells
30 ounces, weight Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
8 ounces, weight Parmesan Cheese, Grated, Divided
1/2 cup Grated Romano Cheese
1 whole Egg
2 tbsp dried basil
2 tbsp Minced Parsley
Salt And Pepper, to taste
1-2 jars of Spaghetti Sauce (I used meat sauce) # of jars depends on how much sauce you want poured over your shells.

Cook pasta shells for half the cooking time; make sure not to overcook. Drain and rinse in cool water. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, mix ricotta, half the Parmesan, Romano, egg, salt and pepper, basil, and parsley. Stir until combined.

To assemble, coat the bottom of a baking dish with sauce. Fill each half-cooked shell with the cheese mixture. Place in the sauce. Repeat with shells until cheese mixture is gone. Top shells with remaining sauce. Sprinkle on extra Parmesan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

Here is the original recipe:
8 ounces, weight Jumbo Pasta Shells
30 ounces, weight Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
8 ounces, weight Parmesan Cheese, Grated, Divided
1/2 cup Grated Romano Cheese
1 whole Egg
12 leaves Basil, Chiffonade
2 Tablespoons Minced Parsley
Salt And Pepper, to taste
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/2 whole Medium Onion, Chopped
5 cloves Garlic, Minced
1/2 pound Italian Sausage
1/2 cup Red Wine
1 whole 28 Ounce Can Crushed Tomatoes
1 whole 15-ounce Can Crushed Tomatoes
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Minced ParsleyCook pasta shells for half the cooking time; make sure not to overcook. Drain and rinse in cool water. Set aside.  Heat olive oil in large skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for a minute or two. Add Italian sausage and brown, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks. Pour in red wine and let it cook for a minute or two.

Pour in cans of crushed tomatoes and stir. Add sugar and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check for seasonings; can add crushed red peppers if you like a little heat.
In a separate bowl, mix ricotta, half the Parmesan, Romano, egg, salt and pepper, basil, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Stir until combined.
To assemble, coat the bottom of a baking dish with sauce. Fill each half-cooked shell with the cheese mixture. Place face down on the sauce. Repeat with shells until cheese mixture is gone. Top shells with remaining sauce. Sprinkle on extra Parmesan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.
Serve with crusty French bread.