Manicotti w/ Meat Sauce

Man, this has been one hot summer. Living in the midwest, compared to the Pacific Northwest, has been a definite change for us. We were used to summers that get up to only 70 maybe 80 degrees. Now we are close to 100 degrees. Thankfully we have AC. :)

I have been making Manicotti since I was a teenager. My mom has been making it since I can remember. This was one of the first dishes I made for my husband when we started dating, so you can say I know Manicotti. There hasn't been one recipe that I have stuck with though. I like to mix it up. This was the first time I have made this with a meat sauce, and really liked it. One thing I love about Manicotti is that you can do whatever you want to the filling or sauce. The picture of ingredients doesn't show the Italian Seasoning, because I decided to add that in later. You could really put anything you like in the filling. I love a versatile dish!

To make it easier on yourself, and not make a huge mess, put the filling in  large zip lock bag (or a pastry bag if you are fancy and have one). Snip off the corner and twist the top to apply pressure.

Look how easy that is to fill those delicious shells! No mess and really quick!

Manicotti
adapted from Cooking for Less Pasta

Ingredients:
1 container (15oz) light ricotta cheese
2 cups (8oz) shredded low moisture mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, divided
1 package (8oz) uncooked manicotti shells
1 lb ground lean turkey
1 jar (26oz) pasta sauce (any kind/flavor you like)
2 cups water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375º.
2. Combine ricotta cheese, mozzarella, cottage cheese, eggs, parmesan, and garlic in large bowl; mix well. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Fill manicotti shells with cheese mixture; place in 13x9 inch baking dish. 
3. Brown turkey in large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring to break up meat. Season with salt and pepper, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning. Drain fat. Stir in pasta sauce and water (mixture will be very thin). ** Pour sauce over filled manicotti shells.
4. Cover with foil and place dish on a baking sheet, incase of any overflow. Bake for 1 hour at 375º or until the sauce is thickened and shells are tender. Let sit for 5-10 minutes, sauce will continue to thicken as it sits. 

**At this point, before pouring sauce over manicotti shells, I seasoned the meat sauce with some red pepper flakes and more Italian seasoning. You can skip that or put in any other spices you like.

Serves 6.

Nutrition: Calories 497; Fat 21g; Protein 40g; Carbs 41g; Cholesterol 159mg; Fiber 4g