Broccoli & Cheese Stuffed Shells

This recipe is a great way to sneak healthy green veggies past younger pickier eaters!

Older kids can help prepare this dish by cutting the florets off the broccoli bunch!

My entire family LOVED this dish & the kids begged for seconds!

Yields: 6 Servings

1  15 oz container ricotta cheese

About 2 cups fresh broccoli florets

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (I actually used a 2-cup bag of Kraft shredded Italian cheeses. I used half in the ricotta cheese mixture & sprinkled the other half on top of the shells & sauce)

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/4 ground black pepper

18 jumbo pasta shells, cooked according to the pkg instructions & drained

1 (25 oz) jar of your favorite tomato pasta sauce. I used Ragu Traditional.

Stir the ricotta cheese, broccoli, 1/2 cup of the mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese and black pepper in a medium bowl.

Spoon about 2 tablespoons of the cheese mixture into each shell.

Spread 1 cup of the pasta sauce in a 13x9x2-inch shallow baking dish.

Place the filled shells on the sauce.

Pour the remaining pasta sauce over the shells.

Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella cheese. 

Bake at 400 degrees F for 25 minutes or until hot