Stuffed Shells

I recently came upon a fantastic new blog - Iowa Girl Eats - and have since spent quite a few afternoons browsing through her recipes, pictures, workout suggestions, and more. She really has built up quite an enjoyable and diverse selection of Internet reading.

One of the things I love about spending hours on the Internet scouring Pinterest and Facebook for fun new ideas and finding blogs to follow is that I see so much that inspires me. Not just in the kitchen- in life, in general. Whether it's uncovering a delicious new recipe to try or a new activity to try with my kids, there are a lot of creative, brilliant people out there sharing their ideas with others, and I can only hope to inspire others someday the way I feel inspired when I meander through the random musings of any given fellow blogger or Pinterest addict...

Anyways, back to Iowa Girl Eats... I happened across her recipe for Stuffed Shells last week sometime, and it was one of those recipes that I saw and knew instantly that it would be making its debut on our next weekly menu. It did, and just as I expected, it didn't disappoint!

This recipe is simple to throw together, and it can be made ahead of time, if desired. It would be perfect to assemble on the weekend when you have a little extra time, and then throw it in the oven on a busy weeknight to have a hearty and delectable dinner on the table in less than 30 minutes.

Here is what you will need to make Stuffed Shells:

- 1 box of jumbo shells (approximately 24)
- 1/3 cup reserved cooking water from pasta
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 1/2 yellow onion, diced
- 1 tsp. garlic paste
- salt, pepper, & Italian seasoning to taste (I used approximately 1/2 tsp. of each)
- 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp. 1/3 fat cream cheese
- 1 cup shredded Italian-mix blend cheese
- 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
- 24 oz. marinara sauce

1. Cook shells according to package instructions. Reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain and set aside. If you are doing this step earlier on before you start preparing your meat, you may want to drizzle a little olive oil over the shells to keep them from sticking together.
2. Cook the onion, garlic paste, and beef until it's cooked through and no longer pink. Stir in the seasonings, the reserved pasta water, the Parmesan cheese, the egg, the cream cheese, and the Italian-mix shredded cheese.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. In a 9x13" baking dish, pour approximately 1/2 to 1 cup of the marinara sauce to evenly and thoroughly coat the bottom. Spoon the meat mixture into the cooked shells, then place in the baking dish. Spoon the remaining marinara sauce over the stuffed shells, then top with the mozzarella cheese. (It is at this point where you can cover the dish with foil and refrigerate to bake at a later time.)
4. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until sauce is bubbling and cheese is completely melted. If desired, place dish directly under the broiler for a few minutes to give the cheese a nice, golden brown color.

(Recipe adapted from Iowa Girl Eats - Stuffed Shells Recipe)

We served these cheesy shells of goodness with a mixed greens salad and some good old bread and butter. The meal was filling, well-balanced, and palate-pleasing. The meat filling was so flavorful and had a wonderful, almost creamy texture. The kids loved it, too, so as you know, that always receives bonus points at our house!

These Stuffed Shells really felt like comfort food at its best, but the satisfaction came without the heaviness and guilt that often times follows classic comfort food. Remember, everything in moderation... so eat up and ENJOY!