Stuffed Shells with Shrimp

I'm not sure if it was the light texture of the shrimp, the fresh marinara sauce, or the creamy cheese blend, but my fiance and I couldn't get enough of these shells. Despite a large serving it was hard to avoid immediately devouring all of them. The flavors paired together perfectly for a delight in every bite. They were also surprisingly easy to make and came together far faster than I thought they would, making it an easy enough meal for a week night.

I paired the shells with some roasted asparagus sprinkled with garlic, black pepper, and a touch of rosemary olive oil. This was a simple and delicious side that worked very well with the meal. However, feel free to substitute in another side. A large salad would also work very well if asparagus isn't in season! You could also go the route of adding some (cooked) veggies directly to the shells, but I think they were delicious just as is.

Difficulty: medium-easy
Time: 1 hr
Cost: $15.47



Stuffed Shells with Shrimp
Ingredients:
Jumbo shells (8 oz)
1 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 c shallots, diced
1 c fat free cream cheese
1/2 c fat free ricotta
1/2 c fat free milk
1 tsp basil, dried
1/2 tsp black pepper
3/4 lb shrimp, peeled, deveined, detailed
1 tbsp corn starch
1.5 c grape tomatoes, halved
2 c low-sodium fresh marinara sauce

Get your oven pre-heating to 400 degrees.

Bring water to a boil and cook the shells according to directions except stop 1-2 minutes short so the pasta isn't quite al dente. (It will cook more in the oven.) When they're done drain and rinse with cold water to avoid sticking. As the water starts to boil and the noodles cook you can move on with the rest of the recipe.

Heat a large pan over medium heat. Add the oil, swirling to coat. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the shallots and cook for 3-4 minutes, stirring fairly often to keep from burning.

Add the cream cheese, ricotta, milk, basil, and black pepper. Stir constantly and cook until the cheeses have melted and everything is evenly combined. Remove the mixture from the heat.

Cut the shrimp into bite-ized pieces (I cut each shrimp into thirds.) Put the shrimp in a medium bowl and add the corn starch. Toss well to coat the shrimp. Add the cheese mixture to the shrimp. Add the tomatoes to the bowl. Stir gently until even.

Grease a 9x13 glass baking dish. Spread about 1/2 c to 2/3 c of marinara in the bottom. Stuff the cheese-shrimp filling into the shells, filling them completely. Place the shells in the dish. When all of the shells/filling are in the dish pour the rest of the marinara evenly over the top. Bake for 30 minutes (or until shrimp are cooked.)

Enjoy hot.

Servings: 4
Serving size: about 5 stuffed shells with marinara
Nutrition: calories 525; carbs 74g; fat 7g; protein 38g; sodium 738mg; iron 32mg