Cheese-Stuffed Jumbo Shells

Submitted by Nicole Sizemore

12 oz. Jumbo Shells (you can use manicotti pasta instead. It doesn't really matter.)
1-16 oz. ricotta cheese
1-16 oz. cottage cheese (or just use all cottage cheese if you don't like ricotta and vise verse)
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 Parmesan cheese, grated ( I grate my own)
spinach, how ever much you want.
2 eggs or 6 egg whites
2 TBSP parsley
3/4 tsp oregano
salt and pepper
6-8 cups favorite marinara sauce

1.Bring water to a boil and add pasta. Cook about 10 min. Avoid over cooking. Cool pasta in a single layer on wax paper to keep pasta for sticking together.

2.While pasta is cooling mix together ricotta cheese, cottage cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, eggs or egg whites,spinach, and the dry seasonings. Fill each pasta with 2-3 TBSP of cheese mix.

3.Spread a thin layer of marinara sauce on the bottom of a 9x9 or 13x9 inch pan.(it just maters how much you will eat) Place the shells open side down in a single layer in the pan; cover with the remaining sauce. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese. Cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 350 for about 35 min. or until hot and bubbly. Fills about 36 shells.

To freeze you can put it all together then freeze it as is but then when you cook it it will have to cook longer, about a hour, and there will be more moisture in the dish. So you can take the tin foil off for the last 20-30 min. Or you can freeze the filled pasta individually on a cookie sheet with wax paper on it so the pasta wont stick to the pan. Then once when they are frozen put them in a freezer bag and put them back in the freezer. You can also freeze the sauce and cheese. When you want to eat the meal let the manicotti and sauce thaw. Then put it together from number 3 and enjoy.

Try both ways or different ways because you will have a lot of manicotti to experiment with.