Stuff it

I already had a really good stuffed shell recipe but when I ran across this lower fat version from America's Test Kitchen, I decided it was worth giving it a try.  It definitely did not disappoint.  It was delicious and no one in my family even suspected that it was a reduced fat recipe. 

Reduced Fat Stuffed Shells with Meat Sauce
6 ounces 93% lean ground beef
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
3 cans diced tomatoes
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil  (I used 1 t. dried basil)
Shells
12 ounce box jumbo pasta shells
32 saltine crackers (I substituted some leftover wheat crackers from my pantry.)
2 1/2 cups fat free cottage cheese
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
1 ounce Parmesan cheese
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 cloves garlic, minced

Pulse beef and soy sauce in cuisinart.   Transfer to a bowl.

Add tomatoes to cuisinart and process until smooth.

 
Heat oil in skillet and add onion.  Saute 5 minutes.

Stir in beef mixture and cook until no longer pink.

Add tomato paste, garlic and pepper flakes.  Cook 1 minute.

Stir in tomatoes and salt.  Simmer until thickened.  (about 25 minutes.)  Stir in basil.

Cook pasta shells according to package directions.  Drain shells on a towel lined baking sheet.

Pulse crackers in cuisinart.

Add cottage cheese, 1 1/2 c. mozzarella, parmesan, basil, garlic and 1/2 t. salt.  Process until smooth.

Transfer to a ziploc bag, snip corner and pipe into shells.

Spread 1/2 of meat sauce into two 8” square pans.

Arrange filled shells over sauce.

Spread remaining sauce over shells.

Bake 45 minutes at 375.  Sprinkle with cheese and bake another 20 minutes. 

We ate one pan of these shells for dinner and I put the other into my freezer to save for another night.  My husband said they had a little "kick" so I might need to scale back on the red pepper flakes but other than that - no complaints.  They were delicious.

Ciao!

Reduced Fat Stuffed Shells with Meat Sauce
Meat Sauce
6 ounces 93% lean ground beef
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
3 cans diced tomatoes
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped fine
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil  (I used 1 t. dried basil)
Shells
12 ounce box jumbo pasta shells
32 saltine crackers (I substituted some leftover wheat crackers from my pantry.)
2 1/2 cups fat free cottage cheese
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
1 ounce Parmesan cheese
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 cloves garlic, minced

Pulse beef and soy sauce in cuisinart.   Transfer to a bowl.  Add tomatoes to cuisinart and process until smooth.  Heat oil in skillet and add onion.  Saute 5 minutes.  Stir in beef mixture and cook until no longer pink.  Add tomato paste, garlic and pepper flakes.  Cook 1 minute.  Stir in tomatoes and salt.  Simmer until thickened.  (about 25 minutes.)  Stir in basil.  Cook pasta shells according to package directions.  Drain shells on a towel lined baking sheet.  Pulse crackers in cuisinart.  Add cottage cheese, 1 1/2 c. mozzarella, Parmesan, basil, garlic and 1/2 t. salt.  Process until smooth.  Transfer to a ziploc bag, snip corner and pipe into shells.  Spread 1/2 of meat sauce into two 8” square pans.  Arrange filled shells over sauce.  Spread remaining sauce over shells.  Bake 45 minutes at 375.  Sprinkle with cheese and bake another 20 minutes.