Recipe: Spinach Stuffed Shells (using cottage cheese)

SPINACH-STUFFED SHELLS

18 jumbo shells, cooked
2 pkgs (10 oz each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1 lb extra-lean ground beef
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt, divided use
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided use
1 (16 oz) jar marinara sauce
1 (16 oz)container 1% low-fat cottage cheese
1 large egg
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.

Meanwhile, drain spinach well; pressing firmly between layers of paper towels. Set aside.

Cook ground beef in a large skillet, stirring until it crumbles and is no longer pink. Drain and pat dry with paper towels. Wipe pan drippings from skillet with a paper towel. Return beef to skillet, and stir in nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper and marinara sauce. Spread half of sauce mixture on bottom of a lightly greased 13x9-inch baking dish. Set aside.

Stir together spinach, cottage cheese, egg, Parmesan cheese, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spoon evenly into shells. Arrange shells over the sauce; pour remaining sauce over shells.

Bake, covered, at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.

Source: Southern Living magazine, March 1999