Easy Stuffed Shells with Ricotta Cheese | Recipe (2024)

Arecipe for easy stuffed shells with Ricotta, Mozzarella, and Parmesan cheese.

I lived my whole life in Houston, up until the day I went off to college andmoved to Bryan/College Station, anarea well-known for being the home of Texas A& M University and it's fight'n Texas Aggies.It was abig-small town, and through thisHoustonian's eyes, it was the perfect mix of rural and suburban. It was full ofwonderful, kind people. The kind of peoplethat smiled back,held the elevator and opened doors.

I knew when I came here at 18, I was never going back.As chance would have it, my husband was born and raised in Bryan, and his family had claimedthese parts as home for fivewhole generations before him. His roots were here, and it was perfectly fitting, as I had every intention of staying planted in the town I had grown to love so much. But, as much as I loved my life in B/CS, I missed my family, and the trips back home were never few and far between.

I readthiscute little saying once that said "home is where your mom is," and I have to say, I wholeheartedly agree. After two grandchildren and years of encouragement, I finally convinced my parents to move to my new hometown. If only I could have convinced the rest of my family as well. Unfortunately, there are only so many grandchildren to go around,and without thattrump card, I've come to face the facts that I will likely notpersuade the rest of my clan to relocate.

Not long ago, my aunts were in townstaying for a visit, and I have to say, they also felt a great deal like home.I adore having my family come and stay. It reminds me of my childhood and takes me back to big family gatherings andhappy holidays. The family is just special that way. Knowing I couldn't pull the grandchildtrump card on my aunts, I did the next best thing within my persuasive powers to give them a taste of life in Bryan/College Station, Texas-- I cooked for them. And, I cooked my little heart out.

I wanted to send them off with a meal that felt as much like home as they did to me. My grandmother (their mother), was well known for her love language offood. She was comfort food all the way, and the scent I can remember most vividly drifting from her kitchen and filling the air was the savory and tempting smell of marinara sauce. So a marinara based dish it would be.

I wanted to make something noteworthy, something that would stand out in their memory bank -- stuffed shells seemed like the perfect candidate. Your own personallittle shells, just bursting with a perfectly seasonedtrio of cheeses and speckled with freshly minced basil. The shells are then covered in marinara and topped with melty Fontina cheese. It is a pasta lovers dream, and perfect for special occasions and homecomings of any kind. If there were a dish that could coax a person touproot their life and relocate -- surely, this is it. Here's to hoping.Please, enjoy.

THE BEST WAY TO STUFF SHELLS

I found the easiest way to stuff pasta shells was to ever-so-slightlypinchthe ends of apar-cooked shell toward the center, gently forcing it to open up. Then, using a standard-sized cookie scoop (holds about 1 ½ tablespoons), add in the cheese filling and transfer the shell to the casserole dish.