Stuffed Shells

Ingredients

• 15 ounces ricotta cheese
• 16 ounces mozzarella cheese (block in a vacuum-packed bag)
• 12 ounces jumbo pasta shells
• 6 ounces shredded parmesan cheese (or parmesan cheese blend)
• 26 ounces pasta sauce
• 1 lb ground beef
• garlic powder (optional)
• salt (optional)
• pepper (optional)

Directions

1. 1

   Prepare jumbo shells: boil 5 quarts of water. Add pasta and stir; return to a rapid boil. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Drain well. Separate cooked shells and lay them on wax paper or aluminum foil to keep pieces from sticking together.

2. 2

   Brown the meat, then add pasta sauce and season to taste with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Heat until the mixture is hot.

3. 3

   Grate the mozarella. Mix all cheeses in a bowl, withholding some mozarella for topping the dish.

4. 4

   Coat the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish with meat sauce.

5. 5

   Stuff the cheese mixture into the shells and line them up in the baking dish in 3 rows.

6. 6

   Cover each row of shells with meat sauce. Cover dish with foil.

7. 7

   Bake at 375 for 35 minutes, or until hot all the way through.

8. 8

   Remove from oven and top with mozzerela cheese. Return to oven to melt cheese.