John's Favorite Cheesy Stuffed Shells with Meat Sauce

My husband loves this dish (hence the name).  It is one of the first things that I cooked for him when we were dating.  Actually, I should clarify...It's not really the first thing that I cooked for him, but it's one of the first things that I cooked WELL for him.  So naturally, it became his favorite. My culinary skills have evolved some over the years & now he has many favorites but this one was his first and so it will always be special to us. 

Ingredients:

(for the meat sauce)

1 lb lean Ground Beef

1- 28 oz can diced Tomatoes

1- 6 oz can Tomato Paste

6 oz Water

1- medium Yellow Onion, chopped

2-3 Garlic cloves, minced

1 1/2 tsp dried Italian Seasoning

Salt & Pepper

Olive Oil

(for the shells)

24 Jumbo Pasta Shells (a little less than 1, 1lb box)

1- 15oz container of Ricotta Cheese

2 cups Mozzarella Cheese, shredded (plus extra for topping)

1/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, shredded (plus extra for topping)

2 tsp dried Parsley

2 tsp Garlic & Herb Seasoning

2 Eggs, lightly beaten

Directions:

In a dutch oven or large sauce pan, add a drizzle of olive oil & brown your beef over medium high heat.

When the meat is starting to brown, add the chopped onions & saute with the meat. Season with salt & pepper.

Add the garlic & cook 1-2 minutes. 

Add the tomatoes (with all the juices), the tomato paste, and warm water.  (I use the tomato paste can to add the water.) Add the dried herbs & stir well to combine. Cover the sauce & let it simmer on low while you boil the pasta shells.

  Cook the shells slightly al dente (you will be cooking them longer in the oven.)  Drain them in a colander.

While the shells are cooking, combine the ricotta, mozzarella, & parmesan cheeses with the eggs & herbs.

Turn the heat off on the meat sauce & check your seasonings, adjust if needed. 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.  Spray your casserole dish with nonstick spray.  If making the whole batch in 1 dish, use a 9X13.  Or you can use individual dishes like I am doing here.  I actually made half the shells in 3 individual dishes.  Then I made the second half of the shells in a 7X11 & froze it for another meal. 

Place a little bit of the meat sauce in the bottom of the casserole dish, just enough to coat the bottom.

Fill the pasta shells with 1-2 tbsp of the filling & place on top of the sauce. 

Spoon more sauce over the top of the shells.  Then top with some additional cheese (optional). 

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, until bubbly. 

Let cool 10 minutes or so before serving.  Enjoy!

I made a Caesar salad to serve on the side. 

Yummy, Cheesy filled Shells! 

To make & freeze this for a future meal, assemble the whole dish then freeze before you bake.  Let it thaw in the refrigerator before you bake it.  The whole batch will serve 8-10 people.