Red and White Stuffed Shells

Stuffed shells were not a part of my diet growing up. I actually just heard about it last month. (I know that's going to blow some people's minds- apparently it's a "thing" for a lot of people.) Anyway, I had to see what all the hype was about, so I got in my "test kitchen" yesterday and came up with my own version that I think is pretty delicious. There's so much flavor in this dish! I bumped up the ricotta cheese filling with some sundried tomato paste, and added in some sautéed spinach, mushrooms and shredded chicken to make this the perfect one-dish meal. Oh, and I titled this "red and white stuffed shells" because I actually topped the shells with alfredo and marinara sauce. I really wish I could have put this in my 30 minute meals section, because it's so simple, but it juuuust misses the mark. At any rate, it's a wonderful dish that will make the youngest to the most seasoned in the family very happy at the dinner table. Add a simple side salad if you'd like and voila! -- dinner is served!

Ingredients

2 chicken breasts, boneless and skinless

1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

1/2 whole Onion, Diced

2 clove Garlic, Minced (or 2 teaspoon of garlic paste)

5 ounces, Fresh Baby Spinach

1/2 carton Baby Bella sliced mushrooms

2 Tablespoons Butter

1- 15 oz jar of your favorite alfredo sauce (I used Bertoli Alfredo with Aged parmesan)

1/4 cup of milk (I used unsweetened almond milk, but any milk will do)

1- 24 oz jar of Marinara sauce (I used Classico Tomato Basil)

1 Tablespoon Chopped Basil

1-1/2 teaspoons Italian seasoning

Salt, Pepper, cayenne pepper and onion powder to taste

15 ounces, weight Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese

3 tablespoons of sundried tomato paste

1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese, Plus More For Sprinkling

1 whole Large Egg

16 Jumbo Pasta Shells, Cooked Until Slightly Firmer Than Al Dente

1 lemon

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 F

1. Pat chicken breasts dry. Rub them with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season both sides with salt, pepper and onion powder. Place them on a foil lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes or until done.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and 1 teaspoon of garlic, and a pinch of salt and sauté for 3-4 minutes until the onion starts to soften. Add the spinach and cook, stirring continuously, until it's slightly wilted, about 2 minutes. Remove the spinach from the pan. Once cooled, squeeze it between a few paper towels to remove the water. Then roughly chop the spinach and set aside.

3. Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms. Allow them to brown on one side, then flip to the other side and allow to brown. Try not to disturb them too much by continuously stirring. Remove from the pan and allow to cool. Then give them a rough chop and add to spinach bowl.

4. To a sauce pot on medium-low heat, add the jar of Alfredo sauce along with 1 tablespoon of butter and 1/4 cup of milk. I also aded a pinch of salt and cayenne pepper to my sauce. But taste the sauce that you've bought and make a game time decision what you think it needs. Continuously stir the sauce. After it is warmed throughout, turn off the heat and stir in half the basil. Add another 1/4 cup milk if you believe the sauce is too thick. It should be easily pourable but not runny like water. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

5. Pour the sauce into a bowl and give the pot a quick rinse. Then add in your jarred marinara on medium-low heat. Add in the Italian seasoning, a pinch of salt and about 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Once the sauce is warm. Turn off the heat and set sauce aside.

5. In a separate bowl, mix together the ricotta, Parmesan, egg, the rest of the basil, salt and pepper to taste, 1/4 of a lemon's juice, the sundried tomato paste, and 1 teaspoon of garlic. Stir until well combined. Stir in the chopped spinach mixture. Shred the cooked chicken and stir this in too.

6. To assemble the shells, use a spoon to fill the pasta shells with the cheese mixture. Place the shells seam side down in a 9 x 13 casserole dish or disposable foil baking pan. Pour the marinara evenly over the shells, then ladle the white sauce over the marinara in a zig-zag/line design. Finally, sprinkle with more Parmesan.

7. Bake it in a preheated 375 degrees for 25 to 30 minutes, until hot and bubbly.