Stuffed Shells

Lainey6605's Note:

This recipe will make a lot so you can freeze half for another meal. Just split the prepared shells and sauce between two smaller casserole dishes. Wrap one casserole dish well in aluminum foil and freeze for up to 2 months. To serve, thaw overnight in refrigerator and bake 15 minutes longer than directed. This is a great way to get your kids to eat vegetables!

• Total Time: 1 hrs 50 mins
• Prep Time: 1 hrs 15 mins
• Cook Time: 35 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 10

• 30 jumbo pasta shells (12 ounce package)
• 3 links hot sausage or 3 links sweet Italian sausage , casings removed
• 1 medium onion , finely chopped
• 8 ounces white button mushrooms , finely chopped
• 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 ¾ cups Italian cheese blend , shredded
• 1 cup baby spinach leaves
• 1 (12 ounce) eggplants , cut into 1/2 inch dices
• 1 (26 ounce) jar garden-style pasta sauce

Directions:

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil; add pasta and stir.
2. Bring back to a boil, cover and remove from heat; let stand 10 minutes.
3. Drain and rinse pasta; set aside.
4. In large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook sausage, onion and mushrooms, breaking up sausage until onion is tender, 8-10 minutes; set aside.
5. In a bowl, combine ricotta, egg, 1/4 t salt, 1/2 cup cheese blend and spinach.
6. Stir in cooked sausage mixture, set aside.
7. In same skillet, cook eggplant, stirring until just softened, about 8 minutes.
8. Add pasta sauce and remaining salt and bring to a boil.
9. Heat oven to 375 degrees.
10. Spoon 2/3 of the eggplant sauce into the bottom of a shallow 2 1/2 quart casserole dish.
11. Fill each shell with about 2 T sausage mixture, arrange in dish and spoon remaining sauce over shells (wrap and freeze at this point, if desired).
12. Cover and bake until sauce is bubbling, about 25 minutes.
13. Remove from oven and sprinkle shells with 1 1/4 cups cheese blend; bake uncovered, until cheese has melted, 8-10 minutes.