My husband LOVES stuffed shells. Anything where you mix meat and pasta is a win in his book. Add cheese and that is just perfection for him. We've switched to whole grain/wheat noodles a couple years ago. I don't eat pasta very often, BUT when I do, I can't tell the difference. My picky husband and 2 toddler girls don't seem to mind either. ;) Small changes like this add up!
I can't seem to locate JUMBO whole wheat shells, BUT I was able to find small ones. Because of that, my shells remained unstuffed, BUT it just as delicious!!
Prep was pretty minimal, and I really LOVE a recipe where all the dishes are done before it even comes out of the oven!!
INGREDIENTS:
*1 lb of sweet Italian Chicken sausage ( I used the Giant Eagle brand)
* A package (my was 1 lb--could go a little less) of whole wheat pasta shells
* 4 oz of Nonfat Greek Yogurt
* 2 1/2 cups of shredded mozzarella
*1 cup of grated parmesan
*14.5 oz can of diced tomato (low sodium is best)
* Pasta sauce (can be homemade if you want--I didn't make it this time--just store bought) I used a little over a half of a 24 oz jar
* oregano, sea salt, basil, parsley, onion powder, garlic powder (The recipe call for 1 Tbsp. of Italian seasoning) I just sort of started sprinkling those ones. Yum!
* 1 egg, beaten
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Cook the pasta according to the instructions and put off to the side.
3. Remove sausage from the casing and cook on medium heat until browned.
4. Drain the sausage and return it to the stove top & add diced tomatoes, spices, and Greek yogurt. Cook on medium heat for about 15-20 minutes.
5. Place the sausage mixture into a LARGE mixing bowl and add the mozzarella and parmesan cheeses as well as beaten egg. Mix that around.
6. Add the pasta and continue mixing.
7. Spray a 9x13 dish and spread a few Tbsp. of pasta sauce on the bottom.
8. Add the contents of the bowl to the baking dish.
9. Top with some more pasta sauce and bake uncovered for 30 minutes.
10. Add 1/2 cup of mozzarella cheese to the top and cook for another 5 minutes.
*It paired well with some baked zucchini!!
FIXERS: 2 yellow, 1 red, 1 blue
Put it in a green container (about 1 1/4 cups)
Happy Eating!!
XoXo,
Kynslee
