Recipe: Cheese Stuffed Shells

I love this recipe but don't make it very often because it's not budget friendly. I like to stuff extra shells so we have enough for leftovers. My (almost) 12 year old daughter loves the job of stuffing the shells.

Cheese Stuffed Shells
15 ounces ricotta cheese
8 oz package of shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
2 large eggs
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tsp parsley flakes
1 lb ground beef
1 jar spaghetti sauce
17 jumbo pasta shells, cooked according to package, drained & cooled slightly

1. Brown ground beef and drain. Simmer ground beef in the spaghetti sauce on top of the stove.
2. Mix ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, eggs, garlic salt, pepper and parsley flakes.
3. Spoon a thin layer of sauce mixture on the bottom of a large baking dish.
4. Hold a shell in your hand. Squeeze it slightly from end to end to form a small pocket. Use a teaspoon to spoon filling into shell. Arrange shells in baking dish as you fill them.
5. Spoon sauce over shells, covering them well. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.
6. Bake, covered, at 350° for 50 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes.

I've also used this as a lasagna recipe. Instead of shells, I layer lasagna noodles with the sauce and cheese mixture. It tastes the same, it's just a different shape. ;-)