Simple Shells

A couple weeks ago I posted the recipe for Avocado Stuff Shells, but today I am posting a simple stuff pasta shell recipe that can be a quick week night dinner made up of the left overs from my previous cooking adventure. I have learned from the years of being single and living off a graduate student stipend that you don't throw away any left overs. Over the years I have gotten creative at combining left overs to some really interesting meals. This one was a particularly good brain wave. I made a single serving since I was eating alone this night but this could be easily made for more than one. 

I had left over uncooked pasta shells that I boiled. I also had about 1/2 cup of unused ricotta cheese from the previously mentioned recipe. I also had recently bought a rather large amount of fresh basil from Trader Joes. I minced up enough basil to make 1/8 cup. I stirred this into the ricotta cheese with salt, pepper and granulated garlic to taste. Into the cooked pasta shells (4) that I have drained and rinsed I stuff the ricotta mixture and place the shells into a bowl. I stop the pasta with the left over marinara sauce that I heated in the microwave (heat in glass or ceramic!). I then topped the whole dish with some more fresh basil.

Voila! 

A great dinner for 1 on a week day night. I think it took me about 20 minutes (a good portion of that was just boiling and cooking the pasta!). To make this four 2 just double everything! 

Close up on the ricotta basil mixture!