Best Cottage Shells N Spinach Recipes

SPINACH + COTTAGE CHEESE STUFFED SHELLS ARE HEALTHY AND DELICIOUS

Steps:

• For the sauce, in a large saucepan, cook the onion and grated carrot in the olive oil over medium-low heat until vegetables are softened, about 7 minutes; do not let brown
• Add the garlic and Italian herbs and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes more
• Turn up the heat to high, add the crushed tomatoes, and stir with a wooden spoon
• Once the mixture starts to boil, add the tomato sauce and stock, season with salt and pepper, and bring to a simmer again
• Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes
• In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook the shells according to package directions and remove 1 minute before the suggested cooking time
• Rinse, then place in cold water to prevent sticking
• For the filling, pulse the cottage cheese in a food processor until the large curds are broken down into smaller ricotta-like curds, about 5 pulses
• (Scrape the sides down with a rubber spatula between pulses
• ) Scrape the cottage cheese into a medium bowl and stir in the remaining filling ingredients
• Spoon the filling into a resealable plastic bag, and cut a 1-inch tip open in the corner
• (Refrigerate if waiting before stuffing shells
• ) Preheat oven to 350°F
• Spray a 2½-quart baking dish with nonstick spray
• Spread ½ cup sauce on the bottom of the pan; add 2 tablespoons water if needed to spread the sauce
• Pipe filling into each shell and arrange the filled shells in the pan
• Once shells are filled, pour the remaining sauce on top of the shells, cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes
• Uncover the pan, top with parmesan cheese, if using, and bake for an additional 15 minutes
• Let cool for a few minutes before topping with basil and serving

SPINACH AND COTTAGE CHEESE STUFFED SHELLS (NO RICOTTA)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, combine ingredients "cottage cheese" through "egg".
• Pour half of the sauce in a 9x13 pan (I never measure the sauce, I just pour it from the jar). Fill the shells full with the cheese mixture, and place them into the pan with the sauce.
• Drizzle the remaining sauce lightly over the top of the shells (or spoon sauce from the jar over the shells, like I do). Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
• Cover with foil and bake for 35 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

FOUR-CHEESE STUFFED SHELLS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, Asiago cheese, ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, chives and 1/2 cup spinach (save the remaining spinach for another use)., Spread 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce into a shallow 1-1/2-qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Drain pasta; stuff with cheese mixture. Arrange in prepared dish. Top with remaining spaghetti sauce and mozzarella. , Cover and bake until heated through, 25-30 minutes. Freeze option: Cover and freeze unbaked casserole. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake as directed, increasing time as necessary to heat through and for a thermometer inserted in the center of 2 or 3 shells to read 165°.