Thanks to Paula Gruen for using this recipe in our co-op meal swap and allowing me to share it with all of you!
My family thawed and made our cheesy shells this past Wednesday and it was a HUGE hit! I have two girls: 2 1/2 year old and 1 year old and they both loved it. This says a lot b/c they are both really picky eaters! Enjoy!
Here is what you need:
40 jumbo pasta shells (12 oz. box)
32 oz. of cottage cheese
16 oz. of shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 c. parmesan cheese
3 eggs
3/4 t. oregano
1/2 t. salt
1/2 t. pepper
Have on Hand: 28 oz. jar spaghetti sauce, parmesan cheese
Step 1: Cook shells 1/2 of recommended time
Step 2: Drain
Step 3: Cool in a single layer on pan
Step 4: Combine cheeses, eggs, and spices
Step 5: Fill each shell with 2 T. cheese mixture. (Tip: Use a freezer bag filled with cheese mixture. Snip the corner of the bag off. Squeeze to fill shells.)
Step 6: Freeze filled shells on a pan just until solid.
Step 7: Transfer to freezer bags. Notice that Paula labeled the bag with the “to serve” directions listed below. Also remember, you do not freezer the shells with the sauce. You will add the sauce when you bake the shells.
To Serve:
Step 1: Thaw shells.
Step 2: Spread 1/2 c. of the jarred sauce in bottom of a 9×13 pan.
Step 3: Arrange shells and top with remaining sauce.
Step 4: Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
Serve and Enjoy!
We added a Caesar salad and garlic bread to our dish. My husband I and at 3 shells each for dinner and my daughters ate 1 1/2 together. What is awesome about this freezer meal is that you can take out as many as you want to bake and keep the rest in the freezer! We only used half the shells for dinner and we still have plenty left for another dinner!
Excellent! You have to try them!
* This recipe is taken from 30 Day Gourmet’s Freezer Cooking Manual.
- 40 jumbo pasta shells (12 oz. box)
- 32 oz. of cottage cheese
- 16 oz. of shredded mozzarella cheese
- 3/4 c. parmesan cheese
- 3 eggs
- 3/4 t. oregano
- 1/2 t. salt
- 1/2 t. pepper
- Have on Hand: 28 oz. jar spaghetti sauce, parmesan cheese
- Step 1: Cook shells 1/2 of recommended time
- Step 2: Drain
- Step 3: Cool in a single layer on pan
- Step 4: Combine cheeses, eggs, and spices
- Step 5: Fill each shell with 2 T. cheese mixture. (Tip: Use a freezer bag filled with cheese mixture. Snip the corner of the bag off. Squeeze to fill shells.)
- Step 6: Freeze filled shells on a pan just until solid.
- Step 7: Transfer to freezer bags. Notice that Paula labeled the bag with the “to serve” directions listed below. Also remember, you do not freezer the shells with the sauce. You will add the sauce when you bake the shells.
- To Serve:
- Step 1: Thaw shells.
- Step 2: Spread 1/2 c. of the jarred sauce in bottom of a 9×13 pan.
- Step 3: Arrange shells and top with remaining sauce.
- Step 4: Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.
- Serve and Enjoy!
Do you think I could replace the cottage cheese with ricotta?
I’m weird, I can’t even stand to look at cottage cheese much less eat it…yet I’m okay with ricotta 🙂
I have given these as gifts before. The recipients didn’t like cottage cheese either so I blended it smooth but really all the cheeses melt together so you can’t taste the cottage cheese specifically or feel its texture after you cook it.
When my husband makes dinner this is what he makes 🙂 He puts some frozen shells in a pan, covers them with a can of spaghetti sauce, and puts them in the oven. And dinner is done 🙂 Yay!
Thank you so much!!!