Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells

I frequently get in the mood to make Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells.  It is one of my all time favorite dinners and is sooo delicious!!  It is pretty easy to make and a beautiful dish to have for company.  This recipe uses spinach but in place of the spinach you could also use a ground meat.  You probably should make this for dinner tonight :)

Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Shells

Ingredients:

• 12oz jumbo shells, cooked according to package

Sauce:

• 28oz can of Crushed Tomatoes
• 8oz can of Tomato Sauce (preferably one with garlic and basil included)
• 2 cloves of garlic, diced into itty bitty pieces
• 1 tablespoon Dried Basil or Italian Seasoning
• 1/3 cup red wine, optional

Stuffing:

• 16 oz. Ricotta
• 2 cups Mozzarella
• ½ cup Parmesan
• 2 Eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 10oz box of chopped frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed to drain

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.

Sauce:

1. Combine all ingredients and bring to a boil.  Reduce to a simmer and simmer on low for at least 30 min. to incorporate flavors (this makes the house smell amazing so feel free to simmer longer!)

Stuffing:

1. Combine all ingredients and mix until they are all incorporated.

Once sauce and stuffing are done you are ready to combine everything!  

1. In a 9x13 baking dish or bigger, place some sauce on the bottom – just enough to cover. 
2. Take cooked shells and place a heaping tablespoon of stuffing in it.  You want enough stuffing in them to be overflowing just a bit.  Place the shell on the sauce in the baking dish.  Repeat until you run out of room (usually what happens to me), run out of stuffing or run out of shells. 
3. If you have extra stuffing, mix it into the rest of the sauce.  No worries if you don’t, sometimes I do and sometimes I don’t, it comes out great either way!
4. Spread the remaining sauce over the shells to cover.
5. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes.  Remove the foil and cook for another 10 minutes.