Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Shells

I know - some of you got to spinach and thought, "my kids will not eat it." But seriously - my kids are not fans of most things green and they both devour this every time. The key is that it's buried in a bunch of cheesy goodness with pasta. The other thing I love about this dish is that you can make it the day before and then bake it off the next day. It's a perfect Sunday prep for an easy Monday. The recipe really is easy and it makes a lot, so can even be reheated for lunch during the week. It's the first real thing I learned to make and it doesn't have a lot of ingredients.

Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Shells

Timing - about 30 minutes prep and then an hour to bake
Ingredients
1 lb large shell pasta
1 10-oz package frozen spinach, defrosted
1.5 jars marinara sauce (maybe a little less)
2 16-oz containers whole milk cottage cheese
2 eggs
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
3/4 lb ground beef or sausage (optional)

How to Make
Cook the pasta according to package directions and then drain and spread out on a baking sheet line with foil to cool it and to keep it from sticking. Squeeze as much water as possible out of the defrosted spinach. This is very important. If using meat, brown it and drain it and set it aside.

Mix the cottage cheese, eggs, three and a half cups of mozzarella, Parmesan cheese and spinach in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour a little sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 pan to keep the pasta from sticking. Stuff the shells and place them on the bottom of the pan. You may need 2 layers. If you do, put a layer of sauce in between them. If using ground meat, put it on top of the shells and then pour sauce over the top of the last layer to cover the pasta. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese.

Cover tightly with aluminum foil sprayed with cooking spray (to prevent the cheese from sticking). Bake at 350 for about 30-40 minutes until the sauce is bubbling and the shells are hot. Bake uncovered for another 5 minutes to slightly brown the cheese. NOTE: if you make ahead and are baking from cold, you will need to cook the dish another 20-30 minutes.

Serves 6 (or 4 with leftovers for a few lunches)