"Shell" I continue?

picture from weightwatchers.com because their shells are much prettier than mine

I know I said I didn't think these were a blog-worthy recipe, but Alex really likes them. And since I'm a blog-slacker (TWD, I'm sorry!!), I'm going to share them with you. They are a tasty meal, filling and low-calorie, and pretty easy to put together.

We're in the process of trying to eat up all our non-Kosher for Passover foods, so it was great to use up most of my leftover pasta shells. I'll blog more about Passover and Kosher for Passover (k4p) foods in a little bit. Right now, the idea of cleaning out the whole kitchen makes me want to curl up in a little ball and cry.

Where was I?...Oh right, Stuffed Shells!

Ingredients:
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup fat-free cottage cheese
1 tsp table salt
1 tsp garlic powder, or to taste
1 TBS dried oregano
1/4 tsp black pepper
3 cups canned tomato sauce
1 pound cooked pasta, jumbo shells, approximately 24 shells

Optional: I add in defrosted and drained chopped spinach to bulk up the filling and add some greens! It's a good addition - try it! I also mix in a little reduced fat mozzarella cheese to up the gooeyness factor.


Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375°F.

Fill a pot with water and cook the shells according to directions. I put more than 24 shells in because some will split while cooling and it's hard to fill the broken ones! While they are cooking, mix together cheeses, salt, garlic powder, oregano and pepper in a medium bowl. Mix in spinach if you're using it.

Spread a few spoonfuls of tomato sauce on bottom of a 9- x 13-inch baking dish and move it around so the bottom is covered.

When cooked shells are cool enough to handle, fill each shell with cheese mixture and place in the baking dish. When all the shells are in the dish, spoon the remaining tomato sauce over shells. You can sprinkle on some mozzarella here if you wish, but be sure to count the points for anything you add! Cover the pan with foil and bake for 20-30 minutes, until the sauce is bubbling.

Yields about 4 shells per serving = 4 points (without mozzarella added in)