Chef's Delight

What am I tackling this week? So glad you asked! If you visited Xara's blog last week, you know that I have been trying to cook more exciting meals for my family. Today, I plan to tackle dinner! I will be making Three Cheese-Stuffed Shells with Meaty Tomato Sauce.

Ingredients

• 8 ounces, weight Jumbo Pasta Shells
• 30 ounces, weight Whole Milk Ricotta Cheese
• 8 ounces, weight Parmesan Cheese, Grated, Divided
• 1/2 cup Grated Romano Cheese
• 1 whole Egg
• 12 leaves Basil, Chiffonade
• 2 Tablespoons Minced Parsley
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1/2 whole Medium Onion, Chopped
• 5 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1/2 pound Italian Sausage
• 1/2 cup Red Wine
• 1 whole 28 Ounce Can Crushed Tomatoes
• 1 whole 15-ounce Can Crushed Tomatoes
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 2 Tablespoons Minced Parsley

Preparation Instructions

Cook pasta shells for half the cooking time; make sure not to overcook. Drain and rinse in cool water. Set aside.

Heat olive oil in large skillet or dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onions and garlic and saute for a minute or two. Add Italian sausage and brown, breaking it up into small pieces as it cooks. Pour in red wine and let it cook for a minute or two.

Pour in cans of crushed tomatoes and stir. Add sugar and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check for seasonings; can add crushed red peppers if you like a little heat.

In a separate bowl, mix ricotta, half the Parmesan, Romano, egg, salt and pepper, basil, and 2 tablespoons parsley. Stir until combined.

To assemble, coat the bottom of a baking dish with sauce. Fill each half-cooked shell with the cheese mixture. Place face down on the sauce. Repeat with shells until cheese mixture is gone. Top shells with remaining sauce. Sprinkle on extra Parmesan.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes, or until hot and bubbly.

I will let you know how everything turns out! Keep your fingers crossed!