Saturday, August 24, 2013

Pregnancy Belly | Beef & Cheese Italian Stuffed Shells

Beef & Cheese Italian Stuffed Shells | NewMamaDiaries.blogspot.com
I love Italian food or rather Italian-inspired food.  I was prompted to make these shells after seeing a few recipes around the ‘net and Pinterest.  I also saw someone making them in a Youtube video I was watching recently, and thought they’d be a good entrée to try out.  I honestly was just smitten with the giant version shells that you make them with.  It wasn’t until recent years that I actually learned of these large shells that you could stuff. 

Anyhow…I could go on and on about my fascination with oversized and miniature versions of normal sized things, but I’ll spare you.
Alright, so let’s get to it!
What I used:
1/2 box of large pasta shells
1 cup of ricotta cheese
1 cup of Italian mix shredded cheese
1 egg
1 tsp of Italian seasoning
1 tsp of Oregano
Dash of basil
12 oz spaghetti/tomato sauce
1 lb of ground beef
How I did it:
I simply followed the directions for the pasta that were on the back of the box.  I used Barilla brand pasta shells, and there was a actually a recipe included for stuffed shells.  I referenced the part of the recipe for how to prepare the shells for stuffing, since every brand of pasta is different.  Basically all it required was emptying a half of a box of shells, boiling them for roughly 8 minutes, and draining.
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Next, I prepared the meat/tomato sauce mixture.  I browned the pound of ground beef, drained, and returned to skillet.  I then added in the spaghetti/tomato sauce and let simmer.  Meanwhile, I prepared the cheese mixture, combining the ricotta, egg, shredded cheese, and seasoning together.  I mix well, until the mixture resembled an almost cottage cheese look.
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I lined a 9”x13” pan with foil and put down a layer of the meat sauce mix and cheese.  I stuff the shells with the cheese mixture as I went.  Once all the shells were stuffed, I topped them all off with the meat sauce mixture and more shredded cheese.
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I baked on 400 degrees fahrenheit for 30 minutes uncovered (only because I ran out of foil).  The recipe on the box said to bake covered, but I think mines still turned out just fine.  However, I will cover with foil next time around.
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They turned out great and yummy, and I served with a side of good ol’ kale.  Hubs approved and really enjoyed the few shells I’d made specifically for him that were stuffed with the meat sauce only and topped with cheese. 
You can get as creative as you want with this recipe, adding meat to the cheese mixture, stuffing the shells only with a meat sauce, or using chicken, steak, or whatever other type of meat or meat substitute you desire.
I’ll definitely be making these again in the future, and switching things up as well.  The preparation is the part that takes the longest, but it’s a relatively easy dish to put together and bakes in just 30 minutes.
Let me know what you think!  How you tried stuffed shells before?  Have you tried them with different types of meats or other cheeses?
I’d love to hear about your spin on this dish!
Happy bumping!
xxoo,
Tenns Sig

23 comments :

  1. This pasta dish looks delic! I must say that the greens are looking good right along side. As soon as the weather cools, I'm making more pasta dishes like this.

    Sharon
    http://makeitorfixit.com

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much! I love pasta dishes too, but have never given these a go. I like to balance out my carbs with some good ol' veggies and I'm loving kale right now. Its a great complement to any main entree.

      Thanks so much for visiting again!

      ~Tenns

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  2. I have stuffed shells before but am anxious to try your recipe which looks, Amazing! Thanks so much for sharing with us at Ivy and Elephants, we loved having you!
    Hugs,
    Patti

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much! I'll definitely be stopping by and linking up again in the future!

      ~Tenns

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  3. Something about stuffed shells. I love them. These look delicious.

    Thank you for linking to Raising Imperfection.
    Please come back Friday to see if you were featured. :)

    ¤´¨)
    ¸.•*´
    (¸¤ Lanaya | xoxo
    Raising-Reagan.com

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    Replies
    1. I tell you they are a real indulgence. Its the perfect balance of pasta, cheese, and meat.

      I'll definitely be linking up again in the future and checking back to see if I've been featured,

      ~Tenns

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  4. We love Italian food and will have to give this a try. It looks very good. Thanks for sharing at DIY Sunday Showcase.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Your absolutely welcome! I'll definitely be stopping by to link and share again in the future.

      I hope you enjoy them if you end up giving them a go!

      ~Tenns

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  5. Yum! This looks great! I was just thinking I needed to try a stuffed shell recipe! Thanks for the great idea!

    I would love for you to share this (and any other post!) at my Life of the Party link up if you get a chance. Im going to poke around your blog a little more!
    http://thegrantlife.com/life-of-the-party-1/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much! Its a quick and easy, and relatively inexpensive recipe. It also makes plenty to feed an entire family. I hope you like them if you end up giving them a go.

      I dropped by your party and linked up. Thanks for inviting me over. I look forward to linking up again in the future.

      ~Tenns

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  6. that sounds delicious! thanks for sharing at wake up wednesdays

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    Replies
    1. Thanks! Your absolutely welcome. I look forward to linking up again in the future!

      Delete
  7. Thanks so much! I've headed over to link up and share!

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  8. These sound great :) I think my kids will love them, they love anything pasta related!
    Sara Howe

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much! I hope they do love them, you can never go wrong with pasta. I'm a big pasta fan too, always been, even since I was a kid. :-)

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  9. This makes me want pasta! Been a while since I have had stuffed shells! Sounds great! Thanks for sharing at Sweet & Savory Saturdays #27!

    ~Amber @ DessertNowDinnerLater.com

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    Replies
    1. Thanks so much!

      It had honestly been a while since I'd cooked a good creative pasta dish, so I really enjoyed these. I'll definitely be linking up again in the future!

      ~Tenns

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  10. YUMMO! I love a good, hearty pasta recipe! This looks delicious! Thanks so much for sharing at Tips & Tricks! :)
    -Heather

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    Replies
    1. I will tell you that these are hearty for sure and they go a long way! Thanks so much for stopping by. I look forward to linking up again in the future.

      ~Tenns

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  11. This looks very awesome! I'm featuring you tonight on the new linky!! Best wishes, Linda PINNING also.

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    Replies
    1. Wonderful! Thanks so much for featuring me. I'll be heading over to link up again this week as well.

      Thanks so much for pinning too!

      ~Tenns

      Delete
  12. :) This recipe will be included in my Feature Me Friday post, tomorrow... thanks again for sharing it with us at Stringtown Home... still looks delicious to me! YUM!

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    Replies
    1. Wow, thanks so much for the feature! Can't wait to link up again in the future. :-)

      Delete

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xxoo,

Tenns

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Full-time Marine, wife, jewelry designer, and blogger. Creating is what I love and its what I do.