Stuffed Shells

I love stuffed shells, not only because it's delicious, but I love the shell shape because it's cute. I think this would be a lovely meal to make for guests and you could definitely prepare it ahead of time and just bake it when you're ready.

Ingredients [serves 4 to 6]:
1/2 lb jumbo shell pasta (about 1/2 a box)
1/2 lb Italian sausage
15 oz. container of ricotta cheese
1/2 package mushrooms
1/2 onion
3 to 4 cloves garlic
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
1-1/2 cups tomato sauce
+ crushed red pepper flakes
+ olive oil

Start by dicing up the onion.

And chop up the mushrooms.

And mince the garlic.

And score the casing on the sausage.

And grate the mozzarella cheese.

And grate the parmesan cheese.

Heat a skillet with a bit of olive oil and then add in the sausage (casings removed). Let the sausage brown up and add in the onion and mushroom and garlic and saute until the vegetables are soft and browned. Add in a bit of crushed red pepper flakes for a kick.

In a large bowl, mix together the ricotta cheese with about half of the sausage mixture. And then add in all of the parmesan cheese and half of the mozzarella cheese.

With the other half of the sausage, add in some tomato sauce.

Look at how cute the shells are!

After you're done admiring the shells, boil them in some salted water until they're tender (al dente) and then drain and rinse in cold water.

To assemble the dish, spread a bit of sauce in the bottom of a casserole pan.

Fill each shell with a bit of the ricotta cheese mixture.

Then, place the shells in the dish, cover with a bit of tomato sauce, and then sprinkle the remaining mozzarella cheese on top.

And bake in a 350 degree oven for 20 to 25 minutes until the cheese is bubbly.

Serve hot while the cheese is ooey gooey melty.

Yum! Enjoy.

Here's the recipe page: