It's time to rethink your leftovers. We combine three different leftovers that you wouldn't think go together to make one epic stuffed shells meal.
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Okay, so this isn't really a recipe, but rather an epic way to use up leftovers. You've got post Super Bowl queso that's on the fringe. You've got leftover Sausage and Peppers from Iowa Girl Eats because I told you to make enough to feed a small army in my weekly meal plan. Last main dish you need leftovers from? Some delicious roast beef from this slow cooker french dip sandwich recipe (from Listotic).
Now at this point you have to be thinking that I must have lost my marbles because this is the most ridiculous combination of leftovers imaginable. Well, let's just take it a step further and add some jumbo shell pasta (cooked according to package, drained and cooled at least slightly), spinach and a shredded Italian cheese mixture. Does it sound any better yet? Yeah, I didn't think so...but bare with me.
"One whiz with". This one takes me back to Pat's King of Steaks in Philadelphia, PA. These beef stuffed shells topped with queso will satisfy your Philly Cheesesteak cravings until you can get back there for the real deal.
To make the delicious filling that's going to be stuffed into the cooked pasta shells, you're going to 2 to 3 cups of the leftover beef. I reheated mine in a large skillet while the pasta water was brought to a boil. Cooking it down for long period of time let the excess liquid from the french dip evaporate. Once almost all of the liquid is gone from the beef, add in 2-3 large handfuls of baby spinach, mixing until wilted completely. Mix in a handful of shredded Italian cheese and there you have it - delicious beefy filling. Turn off heat and let cool until shells are ready to stuff.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a large baking dish with non stick cooking spray. Stuff each pasta shell with a spoonful of the beef filling. Place seam-side-up in the baking dish. Microwave leftover queso for about 45 seconds to soften enough to pour over the shells. Pour queso over half the shells (or all if you have enough, and just save the leftover sauce from the sausage and peppers for another day). Pour the leftover tomato sauce with peppers and onions (from the Iowa Girl Eat's slow cooker sausage and pepper recipe) over the other half of the stuffed shells. Your favorite pasta sauce would work great as well. Top this half with more shredded Italian cheese. Bake at 400 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until cheese on top starts to brown. Serve with a salad because...#health.
What do queso, sausage & peppers and a french dip sandwich all have in common? They can be repurposed to make one incredible stuffed shells meal.
