CHEESY STUFFED SHELLS

Kat Baldwin, Kyle Baldwin, Recipe #1

Ingredients:
1 container ricotta or cottage Cheese
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, well drained (optional)
1 cup Shredded Reduced Fat Mozzarella Cheese, divided
1/4 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
20 jumbo pasta shells, cooked, drained
1 jar Marinara sauce

PREHEAT oven to 400°F.
Mix ricotta cheese, spinach, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese, the Parmesan cheese and seasoning until well blended. Spoon evenly into shells.
SPOON half marinara sauce into 13x9-inch baking dish. Place shells, filled-sides up, in baking dish; top with remaining sauce. Cover with foil.
BAKE 25 min. or until heated through. Top with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake, uncovered, an additional 2 min. or until cheese is melted.

Make Ahead:
Assemble recipe as directed; cover. Refrigerate up to 24 hours. When ready to serve, bake, covered, at 400°F for 35 min. or until heated through.
Freeze Ahead
Reserve 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Assemble recipe as directed, but do not top with the remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Wrap casserole in foil; freeze. When ready to serve, preheat oven to 400°F. Bake, wrapped, 30 min.; remove foil. Bake an additional 25 min. or until heated through. Top with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Bake an additional 2 min. or until cheese is melted.

Prep Time:30 min
Total Time:57 min
Makes:Makes 5 servings, four stuffed shells each.