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Chik'n Parm & Pesto Baguettes

2/26/2025

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Chik'n Parm & Pesto Baguettes

Prep Time: 20 Min
Cook Time: 40 - 50 Min

Yields: 4 Servings

What You Need

4 x Plant-Based Chik'n Burgers / Filets ( I used Gardein Supreme)
Store-Bought Pesto
8 + Slices Pizza Mozzarella from the Ball
400g Fresh Baguette

SAUCE

3 Tbsp. EVOO
1 Tbsp. Pepperoncini In Oil
3 cloves Garlic, crushed
1 Yellow Onion, diced
2 Roasted Red Peppers, diced
1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
1 C White Wine ( I used a local Ontario Pinot Grigio)
796ml Whole San Marzano Style Tomatoes
Small Handful Fresh Basil
1/2 Tsp. + Himalayan Salt
Cracked Pepper

GARNISH - Fresh Basil, Fresh Parsley, Grana Padano

Notes

You will have a decent amount of sauce leftover which can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for about 5 days. Alternately, you could freeze it as well.
Want to save even more time? Swap in your fave jar of store-bought pasta sauce!

Directions

Begin heating the EVOO, garlic, and pepperoncini in a pot set to just below medium. Once heated, let everything sizzle together for about a minute before adding the onion, roasted peps, and a good hit of both salt & pep. Let the veggies cook for 8 - 10 minutes, stirring a few times throughout. Reduce your heat if you notice browning. Pour in the wine, season once again with a pinch of salt, and let the winner simmer off for about 5 minutes. Pour in the can of tomatoes. Fill the can 1/3 of the way with water and swish it around to clean all the tomato bits before pouring that in the pot as well. Once the sauce comes to a boil, add your basil, 1/2 Tsp. salt, cover, and reduce to a simmer. Simmer covered for 30 minutes. Using either a Vortex Blender, or Immersion, pulse the sauce until combined but not fully emulsified and creamy. Taste and adjust the salt if needed.

In the meantime, get your chik'n patties on a parchment lined baking sheet and preheat your oven according to package directions. Bake the patties according to package directions. Add an additional few minutes to the oven timer and top your patties with sliced mozz and a spoonful or two of the sauce. Return them to the oven until melty and gorgeous.
While they finish up, heat a grill pan to just about medium heat. Once heated, cut your baguette in to 4, equal sized sammies. Cut them open and drizzle the inside with EVOO. Grill the open sides of your baguettes until golden, working in batches if needed.
Once grilled, slather your prepared pesto on both the top and bottom of the baguettes. Spoon some extra sauce on to the bottom of your baguettes followed by your chik'n parm patties. Grate a generous amount of grana padano over your baguettes and top with fresh herbs if desired. Serve and ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Creamy Roasted Red Pepper & Pesto Cavatelli

2/23/2025

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Creamy RRP & Pesto Cavatelli

Prep Time: 20 + Min
Cook Time: 25 - 30 Min

Yields: 4 Servings

What You Need

3 Tbsp. EVOO
1 Tbsp. Pepperoncini In Oil
4 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
1 Yellow Onion, diced
1 C Roasted Red Peppers, diced
1 C White Wine ( I used a local Ontario Pinot Grigio)
1 1/2 C Whipping Cream, room temp
400g Dry Cavatelli Pasta
My Perfect Pesto

www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/my-perfect-pesto-recipe

1/2 C Grana Padano, finely shredded
3 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper
GARNISH - Fresh Basil, Grana Padano, Pepper Flakes

Directions

If you're making my pesto recipe, do so as the first step and leave it covered in the fridge. Alternately, open up a jar of your fave store-bought brand and move on to the next step!
Bring a large pot of cold, generously salted water to a boil and leave covered. Ideally, you'll do your prep while you wait for the water to boil!
Begin heating the EVOO, pepperoncini, and garlic, in a large skillet set to just below medium heat. Once heated, stir and let everything sizzle together for about a minute before adding the onion, roasted peppers, and a generous hit of both salt & pep. Let the veg cook for about 8 - 10 minutes, reducing the heat if needed to avoid browning. Cook until soft. Pour in the wine, season with more salt, and let the wine simmer off until reduced by about half. This should take 4 - 5 minutes.
Pour in the room temperature cream and wait for the sauce to start boiling. Reduce your temp to a simmer, season with a good pinch of salt, and simmer while your pasta cooks. Add the cavatelli to the boiling water and cook about a minute and a half less than al dente so we can finish our pasta in the creamy sauce.

Strain the pasta directly in to the creamy skillet, leaving your pot of pasta water on the stove. You might initially worry about the amount of sauce, but don't. The sauce will continue to reduce and thicken with the noodles. Continue to stir and cook until the sauce is nice & creamy, and your noodles are just right. Taste them often to avoid overcooking.
Once you're ready, turn off the heat to the skillet. Add the entire batch of pesto (or to taste), the grana padano, fresh parsley, and a small ladle of your pasta water. Start tossing until everything is creamy and combined. Taste and adjust your salt / pepper if needed / desired.
Cover the skillet for 5 mins off the heat. For service, serve up your portions and garnish with some fresh basil, heaps of grana padano, and some pep flakes for an extra kick. ENJOY!
Any leftovers can be packed up in an airtight container for 4 days.

HAPPY VEG

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Spicy Butter Bean Tostadas

2/21/2025

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Spicy Butter Bean Tostadas

Prep Time: 25 Min
Cook Time: 35 - 40 Minutes

Yields: 8 Tostadas

What You Need

8 x Jalapeno Flavoured Tostadas
2 Tbsp. EVOO
1 Tbsp. Pepperoncini In Oil
2 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
1 Yellow Onion, diced
1 Jalapeno, diced
2 Green Onions, sliced & separated
SPICE BLEND - 1/2 Tsp. Mexican Chili Powder, 1 Tsp. Tex-Mex Seasoning, 1/2 Tsp. Garlic Powder, 1/4 Tsp. Cumin, 1/2 Tsp. Onion Powder, 1/4 Tsp. Dried Oregano
540ml Butter Beans, drained & lightly rinsed
1 1/2 C Pres. Choice Plant-Based Chik'n Broth
1/2 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper
GARNISH - Sliced Jalapenos, Shredded Red Cabbage, Spicy Green Salsa, Chipotle Mayo, Fresh Cilantro, Shredded Monterey Jack

Notes

Between the jalapeno, pepperoncini, spicy salsa, and chipotle mayo, these babies pack a very spicy punch. Cut the heat by reducing the pepperoncini. Cut it even more so by swapping in mild salsa at the end, and even a dollop of guac or sour cream!
Upon first taste, I found the beans extremely seasoned. With that being said, paired against all of the fresh garnishes, they were absolute perfection.

Directions

Begin heating the EVOO, pepperoncini, and garlic, in a 10" skillet set to just about medium. Once heated, let everything sizzle together while stirring for about a minute. Add the onion, diced jalapeno, and light green portions of the green onions. Whisk together all of the spices and sprinkle in half of the spice blend with the veggies. Season with salt & pepper and let the veg cook 8 - 10 minutes until soft. Stir as needed and reduce the heat if you notice too much browning.
Stir in the butter beans and let them come to temp in the skillet, a couple of minutes. Pour in the broth and stir in the tomato paste. Once the mixture starts bubbling, season with the remaining spice blend and another good pinch of salt. Reduce to a simmer and let the beans simmer off about 25 minutes until the beans are soft and liquid has reduced exponentially, stirring throughout the cook time. Taste and season with additional salt if desired.

Assembly is simple. Get your tostadas out and start by spooning a healthy amount of your butter bean sauté on to the center of the tostadas. You don't want to smear the hot beans all over or you'll make the tostada too soft, too quickly. Next, a sprinkle of shredded cheese on each one followed by a spoon of salsa. Finish with some shredded cabbage, drizzle of chipotle mayo, dark portions of your green onions, sliced jalapenos, and fresh cilantro.
ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Sausage, Potato & Broccoli Cheddar Soup

2/19/2025

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Sausage, Potato & Broccoli Cheddar Soup

Prep Time: 20 Min
Cook Time: Approx. 45 Min

Yields: 4 Servings

What You Need

1 Tbsp. EVOO
2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
1/2 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
2 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
1 Yellow Onion, diced
2 stalks Celery, diced
1 Carrot, peeled & diced
2 x Beyond Meat Hot Italian Sausages
4 C Yellow Potatoes, peeled & chopped
4 C Pres. Choice Plant-Based Chik'n Broth
4 C Broccoli Florets
1 Tsp. Garlic Powder
1/2 Tsp. Onion Powder
1 Tsp. Vegeta Seasoning
1/2 C Whipping Cream, room temp
1 C Old Cheddar, shredded
3 Tbsp. Fresh Parsley, chopped
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper
GARNISH - Parsley, Cheddar, Pepper Flakes

Directions

Begin heating your EVOO, butter, garlic, and pepper flakes, in a large, deep skillet / pot set to just below medium. Once heated, stir and let the garlic sizzle for about a minute before adding the onion, carrot, celery, and a good pinch of salt & pepper. Stir and let those veggies cook about 10 minutes, stirring as needed. If you notice browning, reduce your temp a touch.
Do your best to peel the casing off of the sausages. It's a task lol don't worry if you don't get it all off. Make a well in the center of the pan and crumble in your sausages. Let those brown up for a few minutes, flipping / stirring as it browns. Stir everything together, season with salt, and continue to cook another 4 minutes or so. Add your potatoes and a generous pinch of salt. Cover and let those potatoes steam in the pot for 5 minutes.

Pour in your broth and wait for the soup to come to a boil. Once boiled, add the garlic powder, onion powder, vegeta, and another pinch of pepper. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 10 minutes. Drop in the broccoli and season again with a pinch of salt. Stir, cover, and continue to cook for another 10 minutes. Broccoli should still have a little texture while the potatoes will be nice and tender.
Scoop 1 Cup of the broccoli / potatoes in to a separate bowl and blend using an immersion blender until it's thick and creamy. In the meantime, add your cream to the soup and wait for it to come to temp. Add the paste back in to the soup and stir until everything is creamy and combined. Let the soup simmer for another couple of minutes. Turn off the heat and fold in your shredded cheddar and fresh parsley. Taste and adjust your salt / pepper if needed / desired.
Serve your bowls up with some shredded cheddar, parsley, and pepper flakes. ENJOY!
Leftover soup will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days.

HAPPY VEG

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Bucatini Mozza Skillet

2/17/2025

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Bucatini Mozza Skillet

Prep Time: 20 Min
Cook Time: Approx. 1 Hour

Yields: 4 Servings

What You Need

3 Tbsp. EVOO
1 Tbsp. Pepperoncini In Oil
3 cloves Garlic, crushed & minced
1/2 Tsp. Dried Oregano
1 Yellow Onion, diced
1 Bell Pepper, diced (not green)
340g Beyond Meat Beef
1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
2 Tbsp. Store-bought Sundried Tomato Pesto
1 C White Wine (I used Pinot Grigio)
1.5 C Grape Tomatoes, halved
Small Handful Fresh Basil, torn / chiffonade
796ml Whole Italian Tomatoes
2 C Water
1/2 454g Box Dry Bucatini Pasta
1 1/2 C Pizza Mozzarella, shredded
1/2 Tsp. + Himalayan Salt
Cracked Pepper
GARNISH - Basil, Parsley, Grana Padano

Directions

Begin heating the EVOO, pepperoncini, garlic, and oregano, in a large, deep enough skillet to accommodate this recipe, and set the heat to just below medium. Once heated, let everything sizzle up together for a minute, stirring often. Add the onion, bell pepper, and a generous hit of both salt & pepper. Let the veggies cook 6 - 7 minutes, stirring as needed. Make a well in the center of the pan and drop in the Beyond Beef. Let the beef start browning as you break it up in the smaller crumbles, about 5 minutes. Season with a good pinch of salt, stir, and continue to cook another couple of minutes. If you notice excessive browning, reduce your temp a touch!

Make another well and drop in the pesto and tomato paste. Let them have a minute of sizzling in the center of the pan before stirring everything together and continuing to cook for 2 more minutes. Pour in the wine and add the grape tomatoes, fresh basil, and another good hit of salt. Stir everything together and let the wine simmer down for 6 - 7 minutes, or until reduced significantly.
Pour in the tomatoes and use the two cups of water to rinse out the can of tomatoes, pulling any tomatoes / pulp from the can. Pour this in to the skillet as well. Bring this to a boil and once boiled, season with 1/2 tsp. salt and drop in your bucatini pasta, doing your best to submerge it in the liquids. Don't worry if it looks crowded, it will reduce and the noodles will become softer for stirring purposes. Reduce the heat slightly and let the skillet simmer away with a tilted lid for 20 - 25 minutes. Check on the skillet a few times and once the pasta is malleable, make sure to start stirring that skillet around, keeping things from sticking to the bottom. Remove the titled lid after your 20 minutes. After about 30 - 35 minutes total, the pasta should be perfectly al dente / tender. Make sure you're tasting it after about 25 mins to monitor the pasta cook time, Don't let it over cook!!

Turn off the heat and fold in the mozzarella until cheesy and combined. Taste and adjust your salt / pepper at this time. Cover the skillet for 5 mins before garnishing with some freshly chopped parsley.
Serve your portions up and garnish with finely shredded grana padano and fresh basil / parsley. ENJOY!
Leftovers will keep refrigerated for 4 days in an airtight container.

HAPPY VEG

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2 New Baguette Sammies

2/15/2025

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Greens & Avo

2 Sammies

235g Heat & Serve Baguette
2 x Wholly Veggie Super Greens Burgers
EVOO
1/2 Red Onion, sliced thinly
Prepared Pesto
1 - 2 Avocados (If they're large, one will be enough)
Extra Old White Cheddar Brick, sliced
Fresh Living Lettuce
Pickled Hot Pepper
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper

Directions

If you're preparing the pesto from scratch, do so first. If you're using store-bought, simply move ahead.
Preheat a small, non-stick skillet to just below medium heat with a good drizzle of EVOO. Once heated, add your burgers to the skillet and let those sizzle up and get golden brown on both sides, seasoning both sides with salt & pepper. In the meantime, open up your baguette and cut it in half to have two separate baguettes. Drizzle the open sides with EVOO and heat a grill pan to just below medium. Grill up those baguettes until toasty and golden.
When the burgers are ready, slap some old cheddar slices on each burger and cover the skillet until melty.
Spread a generous amount of your pesto on the bottom of both baguettes followed by some crispy, living lettuce. Place your cheesy burger on top of the lettuce followed by sliced red onion and pickled peps. Smash up the avocados and spread them on the tops of the baguettes. Close them up and serve!
ENJOY!
NOTES - These are a bit messy but delicious nonetheless. When I chomped down, there was some avocado splooging lol but I still gobbled up every bite!

Crispy Chik'n Baguette

1 Sammie

1/2 French Baguette
EVOO
1 x NotCo Crispy Chik'n Patty (Sub any brand you'd like)
Monterey Jack Brick Cheese, sliced
Crispy Living Lettuce
Sliced Tomato
Red Onion, thinly sliced
Dill Pickles, sliced
Nando's Perinaise (Sub Chipotle Mayo)
Himalayan Salt & Cracked Pepper
Red Pepper Flakes

Directions

Begin heating some oil in a small skillet set to just below medium. Once heated, add your chik'n patty and season with salt, pepper, and pep flakes. Cook until crispy, flip, season, and continue until the other side is golden brown and crisp. Slap some Monterey Jack on top and cover the skillet until melty.
In the meantime, split your baguette open and drizzle with EVOO, Heat your grill pan to about medium and grill your baguette until toasty and gorgeous.
Start by spreading a generous amount of your spicy mayo on both sides of the baguette. Place some crispy lettuce on the bottom. Halve your crispy, cheesy patty and place that on the baguette next. Next, lay some sliced tomato, sliced red onion, and crispy pickles. Close it up and ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Black Bean Burger & Potato Burrito Bowls

2/14/2025

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BBB & Potato Burrito Bowls

Prep Time: 20 Min
Cook Time: 30 + Min

Yields: 2 Bowls

What You Need

215g Old El Paso Mexican Rice
2 Yellow Potatoes, cut in to approx. 1/2" cubes
EVOO
2 Tsp. Tex-Mex Seasoning
Himalayan Salt
2 x Gardein Supreme Black Bean Burger Patties (Sub any Black Bean Burger of Choice)
Shredded Red Cabbage
1/2 C + Monterey Jack Cheese, shredded
Store-Bought Guacamole
Store-Bought Green Salsa
1 Jalapeno, sliced
2 Green Onions, sliced
Fresh Cilantro
Nando's Perinaise (Sub Chipotle Mayo)
Hot Sauce

Directions

Prepare the Old El Paso Rice according to package directions. Should it finish prior to the potatoes, leave it covered until service.
Preheat your oven to 425 F. Toss the potatoes with EVOO and season with the Tex-Mex seasoning and a generous amount of Himalayan Salt. Transfer your taters to a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 25 - 30 minutes, flipping a few times until golden brown & crisp outside. Once finished, taste & adjust the salt if needed.
With 10 minutes left on your taters, begin heating some EVOO in a small skillet set to just below medium heat. Once heated, fry up your black bean patties on both sides until golden and warmed through, seasoning with a pinch of salt on each side.

Assembly - Start by dividing the rice between two bowls. Split the potatoes between both bowls followed by cutting the black bean burgers up and adding them next. Nestle in some shredded cabbage, sliced jalapenos, and Monterey jack, followed by a good drizzle or two of your green salsa. Give a healthy dollop of guacamole in the center of the bowl. Drizzle the bowl with your Perinaise followed by fresh cilantro and green onions to finish things off. If you're in to a little spice, a few dashes of your fave hot sauce would be welcome!
ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Mashed Tater Casserole

2/12/2025

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Mashed Tater Casserole

Prep Time: 5 Min
Room Temp Time: 30 Min
Cook Time: 50 - 55 Min

Yields: 4+ Servings

What You Need

About 3.5 - 4 C Leftover Mashed Potatoes

Jalapeno Popper Mash - www.thehappyveg.ca/recipes/jalapeno-popper-mash

2 Large, Free-Range Eggs
2/3 C + Monterey Jack with Jalapenos, shredded
1 Jalapeno Pepper, sliced (optional)
Himalayan Salt

Notes

My leftover Jalapeno Popper Mash was perfect to use for this casserole because it already had some infused flavour. This was my first time ever testing this idea and I think plain mashed taters would need some additional flavour added in. Again, I don't know for sure as I've only ever tested this idea with my flavoured mash.

Directions

Get your cold mashed potatoes in to a mixing bowl and fold in the two eggs until creamy and combined. Spray the inside of a 7" x 11" baking dish with cooking spray and add your creamy mash to the dish. Spread the taters out evenly and tap the dish off your counter a few times to settle everything. Season the top with a good pinch of salt. Let the dish sit at room temp for about 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 350 F
Place your baking dish in to the oven for about 30 minutes. Carefully remove and set on to a wire cooling rack. Sprinkle the top with your shredded cheese and lay out your sliced jalapenos. Return the dish to the oven for another 20 minutes until cheese is melty and there's some light browning action. Remove and set on to your wire rack again. Cool for 5ish before slicing in to 6 pieces and serving them up.
The casserole remains nice and creamy, but you can scoop out slices nicely. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Jalapeno Popper Mash

2/10/2025

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Jalapeno Popper Mash

Prep Time: 20 Min
Cook Time: 20 - 25 Min

Yields: 4 Servings (approx)

What You Need

6 Yellow Fleshed Potatoes + 1 Tsp. Himalayan Salt
2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
1/2 C Whipping Cream
1/4 C Starchy Potato Water
2/3 C Monterey Jack with jalapenos, shredded
1/2 C Full Fat Cream Cheese, room temp
4 Jalapeno Peppers, 3 whole, I diced
3 cloves Garlic
EVOO
1/2 Bunch Green Onions, sliced
1/2 Tsp. + Himalayan Salt
Cracked Pepper
Butter For Service

Notes

When I roasted the garlic cloves, they were pretty cooked and golden brown. I ended up just mashing them as best I could in with the taters. Ideally, I'd recommend mashing the garlic prior to adding it to the potatoes
If you can't access Monterey jack with Jalapenos, you can use regular Monterey Jack or even sub in a spicy Cheddar.

Directions

Peel and cut the potatoes in to quarters. If you have a couple that are extra large, cut them in to 6 or 8 to keep all the chunks equal sized. Add these to a pot and fill with cold water to cover them. Season with 1 tsp. salt and set the pot on the burner. Bring the taters to a boil and once boiled, you'll cook them between 13 - 16 minutes until fork tender and perfectly cooked. Check them often with a fork after about the 13 min mark. Prior to straining, reserve 1/4 C of the starchy tater water.
In the meantime, preheat your oven to 425 F. Add 3 of the jalapenos and the garlic cloves to a parchment lined baking sheet. Drizzle with EVOO and season with a pinch of salt. Bake approximately 15 - 20 minutes, flipping halfway. The jalapenos should be blistered on both sides and feel fairly soft. Continue in the oven if needed until soft. Carefully remove the tray and set on to a wire cooling rack. Place the jalapenos in a bowl and cover them for a few minutes. Once they've steamed for a couple minutes, you should be able to peel off the skins fairly easily. Be careful as the peppers will still be warm. Discard the tops of the jalapenos and scoop out some of the seeds / pith, Chop up the roasted jalapenos and take the roasted garlic out of their skins, smashing them up on your cutting board.

Heat the butter and cream in a small, covered pot until warm.
Back to the potatoes. Now that they're fork tender, reserve 1/4 cup of the cooking liquid, turn off the heat, and strain your potatoes. Return the taters back to the pot and set the pot on to the burner that is now off. Pour in the hot cream and butter, room temp cream cheese, and toss in the smashed garlic. Use a potato masher to mash things up until combined but don't over work them. Some chunks are totally fine :) Next, add the roasted jalapeno, most of the green onions, 1/2 Tsp. salt, potato water, diced, raw jalapeno, a few cracks of black pepper, and Monterey Jack cheese to the pot. Use a rubber spatula to work everything together until combined.
Immediately transfer them to a serving bowl and make a well in the center of the mash. Drop in as much butter as your heart desires and let that melt up. Garnish the taters with reserved green onions, a sprinkle of shredded cheese, and some sliced jalapeno if desired. ENJOY!

HAPPY VEG

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Ricotta Shells with Spicy Sundried Tomato Veg Sauce

2/7/2025

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Ricotta Shells
with Spicy Sundried Tom Sauce

Prep Time: 40 Min
Cook Time: 1 Hr 30 Min +

Yields: Approx 25 Shells

What You Need

30 Jumbo Shell Pasta Noodles
Approx. 1 C Pizza Mozzarella, shredded
Store-Bought Sundried Tomato Pesto
GARNISH - Basil, Parsley, Grana Padano

SAUCE

3 Tbsp. EVOO
1 Tbsp. Pepperoncini In Oil
4 cloves Garlic, crushed
1 Yellow Onion, diced
2 stalks Celery, diced
1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
1 Carrot, peeled & diced
1/2 C Sundried Tomatoes packed in Oil, chopped
1 Tbsp. Tomato Paste
1 C White Wine (I used Pinot Grigio)
796ml Whole San Marzano Tomatoes
Small Handful Fresh Basil
1/2 Tsp. + Himalayan Salt
Cracked Pepper

FILLING

4754g Full Fat Ricotta Cheese
1 Large, Free-Range Egg
2 cloves Garlic, crushed & finely minced
1/4 C Fresh Parsley, chopped
1 Tsp. Dried Basil
1/4 Tsp. Red Pepper Flakes
1/2 Tsp. Himalayan Salt
Cracked Pepper To Taste

Notes

When I originally tested this recipe, I was being rather lazy & sliced my mozzarella thinly and placed the slices on top. Ideally, it would be best to shred the mozz as it melts better and comes apart better. I estimated about 1 cup mozz for the top, but just cover your shells with enough mozz to blanket them.
I kept the filling rather simple because the sundried tomato sauce was intended to really be where the flavour came from. You could always add 1/2 c approximately of shredded grana padano and some lemon zest to enhance your ricotta filling.
I'm currently using a table top oven so my 9 x 13 " pan doesn't fit. Ideally, that would probably be your best dish to assemble your shells as my 7 x 11" was a touch crowded.

Directions

SAUCE - Begin heating the EVOO, pepperoncini, and garlic, in a large, deep pan set to about medium heat. Once heated, stir and let everything sizzle together for about a minute. Add the onion, bell pep, carrot, celery, sundried toms, and a good pinch of both salt & pepper. Let the veggies cook about 12 - 15 minutes, stirring as needed. Make a well and drop in the tomato paste. Let it sizzle in the middle of the skillet for a minute or so before stirring everything together and continuing to cook another couple of minutes. Pour in the wine and let that cook off until mostly cooked off. Pour in the tomatoes, fill your can about half way with water to pull any tomatoes from the can and pour that in to your sauce. Break up the toms in the skillet and once the sauce comes to a boil, reduce to a simmer, season with the 1/2 tsp. salt, drop in the basil leaves, and cover for 25 minutes. Once the sauce is ready, carefully blend until smooth and return to the skillet on low. Taste and adjust your salt if needed. Keep covered.

FILLING - While your sauce simmers away, fold all of your filling ingredients together. Cover and refrigerate until assembly.
While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of cold, generously salted water to a boil. Once boiled, add your shell pasta and cook to just about al dente. Strain and let cool enough to handle. DO NOT RINSE YOUR SHELLS! The starch helps the sauce stick to the noods.

ASSEMBLY - Preheat your oven to 375 F. Spray the inside of a 7 x 11" baking dish with cooking spray. Ladle some sauce in to the dish and spread it around to coat the bottom of the dish. Add your filling to a piping bag with the large, open tip, you'll likely do this in batches. Cup your shells in one hand and pipe the filling with your alternate hand. Don't overfill them. Assemble the stuffed shells in your baking dish and continue until completed. You'll get anywhere between 22 - 26 shells depending on how full you make them. Next, ladle a generous amount of sauce over the shells to coat them entirely. Cover and refrigerate remaining sauce in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Alternately, you could freeze it for a couple of months. Next, top the dish with your mozz and dollop sundried tomato pesto around the dish. Sprinkle some parsley & pepper flakes, cover, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove cover and continue for 15 - 20 until cheese is melty and blistered a bit.
Carefully remove the shells from the oven and set the dish on a wire cooling rack for about 10 minutes. Serve up your shells and garnish with loads of grana padano, fresh parsley, and fresh basil. ENJOY!
Remaining shells can be refrigerated for 4ish days in an airtight container.

HAPPY VEG

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Ricotta Shells
with Spicy Sundried Tom Sauce