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Tuesday, April 21, 2009

recipe of the week: three cheese spinach and chicken stuffed shells

mmm.... these were soooo yummy! i was really in the mood for manicotti but my husband requested stuffed shells instead. we all loved them - even emery couldn't keep her hands off of the pre-cooked filling. she kept unstuffing my shells! cute little stinker.

i often find stuffed pasta too rich and heavy, so the addition of spinach and chicken in these made them perfect!

random side note - there is usually egg in the filling of stuffed pasta like this. i accidentally forgot the eggs, but they turned out fabulous! why add the calories if you don't need them, right?

three cheese spinach and chicken stuffed shells
8 servings




1 12 oz box jumbo shell pasta
2 chicken breast, cut into small pieces and cooked sprinkled with garlic salt and pepper
1 bunch spinach, steamed
8 0z part skim ricotta cheese
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons basil
2 teaspoons oregano
2 teaspoons parsley
1 1/2 teaspoons garlic salt (i used lawry's)
salt and pepper to taste (i used a good amount of both)
your favorite pasta sauce

1. cook pasta according to directions. lay out shells on tin foil to keep them from sticking together.
2. combine ricotta, mozzarella, parmesan and spices. add chicken and spinach and mix well, breaking up spinach as you stir. taste and add extra salt and pepper as needed.
3. stuff each shell with a large spoonful of cheese/chicken/spinach mixture.
4. i used a 9x13 and an 8x8 baking dish. spread a thin layer of sauce in baking dishes. lay shells across sauce. top with more sauce as desired.
5. bake at 375 for 30 minutes, until bubbling.

11 comments:

Super Angie said...

Looks yummy!!! I've never made stuffed shells before. Maybe I'll have to try them out...

Mimi said...

Um, I'm salivating? I just started reading your blog; you have some great recipes! As a student likewise trying to eat healthy on a budget, many of your recipes REALLY appeal to me.

BrittWilk said...

this was my first go at stuffed shells as well - they were super easy ang!

and thanks, mimi! welcome to my kitchen! i'm glad you found me! :)

Mark & Bek said...

These were amazing. I was able to sample Britts original shells, and they were fantastic. For all mothers reading the blog...my 14 mopnth old son loved them and devoured three.

BrittWilk said...

thanks, bek!! the part of the story she didn't tell you was 2-fold - 1. russ ate 3 of these and then 5 large containers of baby food. holy cow!! and 2. i threw one of russ's shells at him and 2 others on the floor in 10 minutes. apparently cluztiness is a new favorite pregnancy symptom around here??

Sharon said...

I've only made stuffed shells once and they were just OK. I'd love to try this recipe especially with the addition of chicken. Looks delicious!

Mark & Bek said...

I made these last night, and they were delicious. Great recipe Britt

Amy said...

Suggestion: Now that everyone in the world is pregnant with #2 in October :) you should start posting some recipes rich in good-for-mommies-to-be proteins and such! I for one am having a VERY difficult time not giving into not-so-good-for-mommies-to-be cravings :)

Dana Fallentine said...

This looks like a fabulous recipe!

Kacey said...

I'm a new visitor to your blog. I saw it on my cousin Jen Lundeen's blog. I have tried a couple of your recipes and this one my kids really loved. They like anything that resembles lasagna.

BrittWilk said...

hope these ones turn out better than your first, sharon!

how many did russ eat this time, bek?

oooh... good suggestion, amy. i'm glad i'm not the only pregnant girl dying for protein all the time.

thanks, dana!

and kacey - if you are jen's cousin you must be wonderful. i love jen! glad your kids liked it... and they didn't even know how much spinach they were consuming. hehe... :)

healthy cooking on a budget

disclaimer: i don't claim to be an expert on cooking, weight loss or even healthy eating, but i do love to cook, find healthy, taste bud-friendly tricks and most of all, i love to eat!

qualifications: what qualifies me to blog on cooking healthy on a small budget? well, as my husband is still a student, my budget is not what you'd call large. and as for the healthy part, when i was 10 i was diagnosed with pancreatitus - a disease that doesn't effect me much anymore unless i eat food that is too greasy or has too much fat (in which case, well, let's just say i get really sick). this had steered my experience and limited cooking expertise in a health-conscious direction.

please feel free to comment, criticise, rate recipes, try ideas and make requests for future posts!