Spinach and Chicken Stuffed Shells

Spinach and Chicken Stuffed Shells

 

These are amazing. They take a while to make, but it is so worth it. In my house we will try any recipe with spinach, and we loved these! 

Ingredients: 

1 box of Jumbo Pasta Shells

2 cups of chopped, cooked Chicken Breast

1 box of frozen, chopped Spinach, thawed

2 cloves of minced Garlic 

15 oz container of Ricotta Cheese

8 oz package of Cream Cheese, softened

1 2/3 cup of shredded Parmesan Cheese

1 egg, beaten 

1 tbs of Dried Parsley Flakes

1 tsp of Italian Seasoning 

1/2 tsp of Salt

1/2 tsp of Pepper

2 cups of Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

1 Jar of Spaghetti Sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°

2. Boil shells according to the package directions. Drain them and rinse them with cool water to prevent them from sticking to each other.

3. In a large bowl, combine the chicken, spinach, garlic, ricotta cheese, cream cheese, parmesan cheese, egg, parsley, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Add 1 cup of mozzarella cheese to the mixture.

4. Grease 2 9 x 13 baking dishes, spread 1/2 of the sauce into both pans

5. Spoon the mixture into the shells, be generous! [or use a ziplock bag with the tip cut off and pipe the filling into the shells. 

6. Lay the stuffed shells on top of the sauce

7. Very lightly top the shells with the remaining sauce

8. Cover with foil, and bake for 40 mins

9. Uncover, Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of mozzarella cheese on top and bake for 5-10 mins [until cheese has melted]

Enjoy :)

Source: the-girl-who-ate-everything.com

Baked Spasagna

This is a mix between a baked spaghetti and a lasagna. It is amazing! I wouldn't eat baked spaghetti any other way! It combines the spaghetti sauce and cheese from spaghetti, but has that layer of ricotta cheese from lasagna.

Ingredients: 

1 lb of Ground Beef

1 can of Spaghetti Sauce

8 oz of Cream Cheese, softened

1/4 cup of Sour Cream

15 oz Ricotta Cheese (the smaller container)

1 stick of Butter

3/4 of a box of Spaghetti Noodles

2 cups of Sharp Cheddar Cheese 

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°

2. Boil the noodles according to the directions on the box, I use 3/4 of a box, because it feels like too much noodles to use a whole a box. You can use more or less if you want to. 

3. In a skillet, brown the beef, then drain and rinse it

4. Add the spaghetti sauce into the pan with the beef

5. In a bowl, mix the cream cheese, sour cream, and ricotta cheese together

6. In a 9 x 13 casserole dish, slice 1/2 of the stick of butter into thin slices and layer them on the bottom of the pan. 

7. Layer 1/2 of the noodles onto the pan (on top of the butter)

8. Spread all of the cream cheese mixture evenly on top of noodles

9. Layer the rest of the noodles

10. Use the last of the butter stick and lay thin slices of butter on top of the noodles

11. Pour the beef a spaghetti sauce mixture onto the top

12. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes

13. Take out and top with all of the cheese, bake for another 15 minutes, or until the cheese has melted. 

Enjoy :)

Recipe Adapted and Photo Source: the-girl-who-ate-everything.com