Stuffed Macaroni Shells

Lately I've been wanting to try a new stuffed shells recipe. The stuffed shells recipe that I usually make has spinach in it, and I wanted to make one with just cheese. My grandmother gave me a cookbook a few years ago called The Roseto Cuisine Cookbook and it had just what I was looking for.

Stuffed shells require few ingredients and are very easy to make. I use a potato masher to mix the cheeses and eggs. I boil the shells a few minutes less than the package says so they are easier to fill and don't break apart. Then I layer the filled shells on a baking sheet lined with wax paper or plastic wrap and put them in the freezer until they are frozen (it's easier to freeze them in bags after the cheese is already frozen in the shell).

I left only 6 shells out, enough for two night's dinners for me, and put the rest in ziploc bags and froze them for future dinners. I put the shells that I left out in two separate small dishes, opened a small can of tomato sauce and divided it between the two dishes, sprinkled the sauce with a little Italian seasoning, then covered them with foil and baked them. I paired my shells with a salad and focaccia - it was a delicious Sunday dinner!

Edit May 2024: This is my favorite stuffed shells recipe! I find that the San Giorgio Jumbo Shells usually tend to have less waste than the Barilla Jumbo Shells - Barilla shells are thinner and always have more that are broken or fall apart. I parboil the shells, drain them, set them out in single layer on a baking sheet that is lined with plastic wrap or foil (rather than putting olive oil on them which makes them slippery and harder to fill!), and then I fill the shells with about 1 tablespoon full of filling (using the a tablespoon from my everyday flatware - not a measuring spoon). I always have a few empty shells left, which I cook with the stuffed shells for anyone who wants some empty ones. I usually flash freeze the shells and bake them later, so I usually bake them at 400º for 45-60 minutes. I added some notes below on freezing and baking the frozen shells.

Stuffed Macaroni Shells

Recipe adapted from The Roseto Cuisine Cookbook, p. 85

 

1 package (12-ounce) jumbo shells

2 pounds (32 ounces) ricotta

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

Salt and pepper, to taste

2 Tablespoons parsley, chopped

3 Tablespoons Grated Romano Cheese, plus more for topping

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1½ quarts Bolognese Sauce or Marinara Sauce

(or blend a 28-ounce can of Hunts Whole or Italian Plum tomatoes in the blender. Add a little salt, pepper and Italian Seasoning and pour over stuffed shells. No need to cook the blended tomatoes before baking.)

 

 

Parboil shells according to package directions.

 

Combine the next six ingredients and mix well.

 

Fill shells with the cheese mixture – about 1 tablespoon of mixture per shell.

 

Place a little bit of sauce in a baking dish and arrange shells in a single layer over the sauce.

 

Top with remaining sauce and sprinkle with grated cheese.

 

Cover with foil and bake at 375º for about 45 minutes.

 

Serves 4 to 6.

 

Notes:

 

FREEZING STUFFED SHELLS:

Arrange stuffed shells on a plastic-wrap covered cookie sheet. Quick freeze. When shells are frozen, remove shells from cookie sheet and arrange in layers in a freezer container or place in a Zip-lock plastic bag. Remove the stuffed shells as you need them.

 

BAKING STUFFED SHELLS:

If using frozen sauce, completely defrost the sauce, but you do not need to heat it up. Alternatively, blend a can of whole tomatoes or use a can of tomato sauce. Season as you wish or leave the sauce plain.

 

Do not defrost the shells before baking. Place a little bit of sauce in a baking dish and arrange the frozen shells in a single layer over the sauce. Spoon more sauce over and around the shells – make sure there is some sauce on each shell but do not drown them in sauce.

 

Cover with foil and bake at 375º to 400º for about 45-60 minutes or until steaming – do not let it dry out.

Cheeses, parsley and eggs

Boiled shells

Stuffed shells

Frozen shells

Top with sauce

Right out of the oven

Photos by JoJo

Updated photos from September 2021:

Red's Amazing M&M'S Cookies

I recently had my sister and a few cousins over for a movie/ice cream sundae night. Afterwards, I had a lot of sundae toppings left over. One of the toppings I had was a bag of Dark Chocolate M&M'S. I didn't want a bunch of candy sitting around, so I decided to make cookies with them. Luckily there was a recipe on the back of the bag so that's what I used. These cookies took no time to make and were a great snack!

Red’s Amazing M&M’S® Cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) butter

2/3 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1½ teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1¼ teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1¾ cups M&M’S® Brand Dark Chocolate Candies

Preheat oven to 350°.

In a large bowl, cream butter and both sugars until well blended. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix to combine.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking soda and salt together. Slowly add these ingredients into the butter mixture and stir until combined.

Fold in the M&M’s and chill the dough for 1 hour, or overnight.

Drop dough by rounded tablespoons onto a lightly greased tray, about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 8- 10 minutes for chewy cookies or 12-14 minutes for crispy cookies. Enjoy!

Dark Chocolate M&M'S

Butter & sugars

Add egg & vanilla

Add flour mixture

Stir in M&M'S

Right out of the oven!

Photos by JoJo

HERSHEY'S Perfect Special Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

Last week I saw some dark chocolate chocolate chips on sale, so I bought two bags. Sunday seems to be a good day to get baking done, so I decided to try the cookie recipe on the back of the bag. It took very little time to make these cookies, especially since I was only making one recipe which I usually don't do. Still, one recipe was more than enough cookies for me, even with freezing most of them. Unfortunately, I haven't gotten used to my oven quite yet, and one of the trays of cookies burned a little, but the rest were OK. The recipe was pretty good and the cookies made for a great afternoon snack!

HERSHEY'S Perfect Special Dark Chocolate Chip Cookies

2¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup butter

¾ cup granulated sugar

¾ cup light brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 eggs

2 cups HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Chocolate Chips

1 cup nuts, chopped (optional)

Heat oven to 375°.

Stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until creamy. Add eggs; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts, if desired. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies.

Butter, sugars, and vanilla

Add eggs

Add flour mixture

Stir in chocolate chips & nuts

Enjoy!

Photos by JoJo

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

It's been way too long since I've posted a new recipe. I recently bought a townhouse and have been stocking my new kitchen so I can start baking again. Since the day I moved in I've been wanting to make blueberry muffins to freeze for easy breakfasts. The first weekend I was living here, my sister Maria brought me a few muffins to eat the next day since I hadn't bought any food yet. The recipe she used is what I made today - a very simple yet delicious blueberry muffin. This recipe came from my Aunt Maria years ago, and my family has been enjoying it ever since. It is even better with the streusel topping, but I made them without the topping this time. I got 16 muffins out of one recipe. If you love blueberries as much as I do, give this recipe a try!

Blueberry Streusel Muffins

Muffin Batter:

1/3 cup sugar

¼ cup butter or margarine, softened

1 egg, beaten

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1½ cups fresh or frozen blueberries

Streusel topping (optional):

½ cup sugar

1/3 cup all purpose flour

½ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ cup butter or margarine

MUFFIN BATTER: In a mixing bowl, cream sugar and butter.  Add egg; mix well.

Combine flour, baking powder and salt. Add to the creamed mixture, alternately with milk. Stir in Vanilla.  Fold in blueberries.

Fill 12 greased or paper-lined muffin cups 2/3 full.

DIRECTIONS FOR STREUSEL: In a small bowl, combine sugar, flour and cinnamon.  Cut in butter until crumbly.  Sprinkle over muffin batter before baking.

Yield: 1 dozen.

Bake at 375º for 25-30 minutes or until browned.

Butter & sugar

Dry ingredients

Frozen blueberries

Finished batter

Ready to go in the oven

Fresh out of the oven!

Photos by JoJo