stuffed shell shaped pasta

[Island]

I'm craving some stuffed shell shaped pasta. I've got a box and am interested in trying a recipie other than my usual winging it with ground beef and/or whatever cheese and bottled tomato sauce I have on hand. Anyone have any favorite recipes to share with those ingredients or others? Italian, Mexican or other favorites? Thanks!

[Island]

Thanks for the suggestions and tips. I rarely make them because they're time consuming so nice to know I can make a big batch and freeze some.
Ricotta and/or ricotta mixture will freeze well on it's own? Great. I never know what to do with leftover ricotta and always end up tossing it. Probably tossing lots of stuff I could be freezing. Great tip about piping it in with a baggie and using pesto.

Do you guys mix sauce into your stuffed shells or just pour it on top?

[kattyeyes]

Sauce on top in my fam. Happy shell stuffing (it IS a labor of love)! ♥

[Veggo]

I agree with others that a meatless filling in stuffed shells is the best. Sometimes a meatball on the side, out of the red sauce pot.

[EWSflash]

Best ones I ever made had a mixture of spinach, ricotta, a little garlic, and a bit of basil pesto spooned into them.

[kseiverd]

And if ya end up with left-over riccotta mixture, like I usually do, it freezes fine, just means a good stir before using the next time.

[roxlet]

I like the classic filled with ricotta mixed with some coarsely grated mozzarella, romano cheese, beaten egg and parsley. Fill the par boiled shells, and cook with some marinara sauce. Nothing better!

[Berheenia]

Second this- nothing better. And they freeze beautifully!

[magiesmom]

I add basil when it is nice and fresh too. Nothing better!

[Cheese Boy]

If you don't have any fresh basil, add a teaspoon or so of jarred pesto.

[kattyeyes]

YES, THIS! It's the first thing that comes to mind when I hear "stuffed shells" and was often my specially requested birthday meal as a kiddo.

[Island]

Thanks for the memory kattyeyes you just reminded me this is what my brother requested for his B-Day dinner!

[kseiverd]

Stouffer's used to make a killer studded shell filled with big chunks of white meat chicken in a CHEESY sauce. No matter what you decide ti stuff them with... don't totally cook shells. If they're pre al dente, I've had better success. When I just stuff with riccotta mixture, I put it in a zip bag, snip off a small corner and squeeze in. When I make them, will do a bunch even though cooking for oone. Will freeze rest on a sheet of waxed paper (on a plate) and then vac seal 2/3 for later.

[Cheese Boy]

The OP can approach this the same way as one would to make Enchiladas Suizas.
Get a good spicy chicken recipe (to fill the shells with), get a good enchilada sauce recipe (to cover the shells with), and get a good crumbly Mexican cheese (to top off all the shells with).
Fusion at its best. Italo - Mex.

[Island]

Mmmm these suggestions sound good. I've never tried it with Mexican flavors, just saw them posted on Tastespotting. Never tried chicken either, but why not! Thanks.

[pinehurst]

You can trust Bacardi's recipes.

I just posted on another thread about cream cheese, and here I go again.

If you have a block of cream cheese, you can cube it up and mix it into browned and "Mexican" seasoned ground beef. Lots of online recipes call for the use of taco seasoning, but I like to add my own cumin, Cholula, cayenne, cilantro, etc. Let the beef and cream cheese chill in the fridge for about a half an hour

Cook your shells and toss them with butter or olive oil or both.

Lay down some salsa or enchilada sauce (I way prefer the former) in a casserole dish. Stuff the shells with the meat mixture and set them in the casserole. Pour the remaining salsa/sauce over them . Cover and bake for about 15 minutes or til heated through. Then add shredded cheese of your choice on top and bake uncovered til melty.

[Bacardi1]

Here's a recipe from right here on Chow that I made last year. It was good (I LOVE Swiss Chard) but rather bland. Next time I make it I plan to zip it up quite a bit with the addition of crushed red pepper flakes.

http://www.chow.com/recipes/28986-swi...