Recipe: Broccoli-Stuffed Shells, Broccoli, Sausage, Broccoli and Ricotta Stuffed Pasta Shells with Tomato Mushroom Sauce, and Shells in Balsamic Sauce - Recipes for Sari

BROCCOLI-STUFFED SHELLS

1/4 cup water, non-fat vegetable broth
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano leaves
1/2 tsp dried basil leaves
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cups non-fat ricotta or cottage cheese
2 1/4 cups chopped broccoll, steamed
3 egg whites, lightly beaten
24 jumbo shell macaroni, cooked al dente; well drained
2 cups tomato sauce (can use low-sodium tomato sauce)

Heat 1/4 cup water or broth in skillet over med heat. Add mushrooms, onions and garlic. Cook and stir over med heat for 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Add more liquid during this process if needed.

Remove from heat and stir in oregano, basil, pepper, ricotta, broccoli and egg whites.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Stuff drained shells with ricotta-broccoli mixture.

Spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce on bottom of a 9-by-13 inch baking dish. Arrange stuffed shells over sauce; top with remaining sauce.

Bake for 30 minutes or until shells are hot.

Makes 8 servings of 3 shells each

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Broccoli and Ricotta Stuffed Pasta Shells with Tomato Mushroom Sauce (REPOST)
MSG ID: 3135697

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BROCCOLI, SAUSAGE AND SHELLS IN BALSAMIC SAUCE
Source: Cooking at a Glance - Pasta
Makes 4 main-dish servings

6 ounces conchiglie, cavatelli, or other dried shell-shaped pasta
4 cups broccoli flowerets
12 ounces hot Italian sausage links
1 tablespoon oil">olive oil or cooking oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/8-1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 cup chicken broth
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

In a large saucepan or pasta pot bring 3 quarts water to boiling. Add pasta. Reduce heat slightly. Boil, uncovered, for 12-14 minutes, or till pasta is al dente, stirring occasionally. Add broccoli to the pan during the last 5 minutes of cooking. (Or, cook according to package directions, adding broccoli the last 5 minutes.) Immediately drain. Return pasta and broccoli to warm pan.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook sausage links, covered, in 1/2 cup boiling water for 15 minutes. Drain off liquid in skillet. Add olive oil and garlic to sausages in skillet and cook, uncovered, for 4-5 minutes, turning sausages to brown them on all sides. Remove from heat. Discard garlic and reserve 1 tablespoon of the pan drippings in the skillet. Cool sausage links, then bias-slice into 1/4-inch-thick pieces.

Stir flour and crushed red pepper into reserved drippings in skillet. Add chicken broth all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat till thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Stir in balsamic vinegar. Pour chicken broth mixture over pasta-broccoli mixture. Add sausage and toss to mix well; heat through. Serve immediately.