Stuffed Pasta Shells (recipe and picture)

So a little while ago I promised I would post this recipe if I liked the way my experimentation turned out. Well I LOVED it! so here is my recipe!

**Here is a link to my other blog where I also posted the recipe, it has a picture of the stuffed shells I have no idea how to post pictures. Its a real pain! haha so click the link below to look at them!

http://healthywiseandwealthy.blogspot.com/2011/05/stuffed-pasta-shells.html

STUFFED PASTA SHELLS (four servings)

Ingredients:

20 Large Pasta Shells
1/2 Onion Choped Finely
1 Tomato Chopped Finely
1 Handful of Spinach
1/2 C. Cottage Cheese
1/2 Package of Sausage; cooked
1 Tsp. Italian Seasoning
1 Tbs. Diced Garlic
1/2 C. Tomato Sauce (I used left over spaghetti sauce)
2 Tbs. Parmeasan or Mozerella Cheese
1 Jar of Ragu or Safeway brand Light Parmeasan Alfredo Sauce (60-70 calories per serving)

Directions:

Pre Heat oven to 400

In a sauce pan, boil shells about 10 minutes. While shells are being boiled, Combine onion, tomato, spinach,cottage cheese, sausage, italian seasoning, garlic, tomato sauce (or in my case spaghetti sauce) and parmeasan cheese in a bowl and mix together set aside.

Once shells are finished boiling, drain and rinse with cold water immediately, this will cause them to cool and not stick together, you want the shells completely cooled or you will burn your hands.

In a baking dish (big enough to hold all 20 shells) pour 1/3 of the jar of alfredo sauce and spread evenly across the bottom of the dish.

Once that is done, take each shell and stuff with your mixture. There will be enough mixture to stuff the shells quite full. You still want them to close around the ingredients. I used a cereal spoon to measure amount, it ended up being a pretty big scoop. As you fill them lay them in the baking dis with the seam of the shell down, this will help hold in the stuffing.

Once all shells are stuffed and placed in the baking dish, cover with the remaining 2/3 Jar of alfredo sauce. Sprinkle with cheese (optional) and some more italian seasoning. Cover baking dish with tin foil and bake for 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

Enjoy this makes four servings.

Calorie Information:

Pasta shells -aprox 120 calories
Alfredo Sauce -60-70 calories per 1/4 c
Sausage -50 calories
Veggies-20 calories
Tomato sauce (spaghetti sauce) -20 calories
Cottage Cheese-25 calories
Cheese-30 calories


Total Calories per Serving - five pasta shells with sauce 325 Calories.

Pair this with a salad or fresh steamed veggies and you are good to go!

I hope you enjoy! please let me know what you think!