Stuffed Manicotti

Tender manicotti pasta shells stuffed with seasoned ricotta cheese and baked in an easy Italian tomato meat sauce.

Recipe Ingredients:

1 pound ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 (28-ounce) jar spaghetti sauce
1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper (optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (15-ounce) container ricotta cheese
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 large egg
2/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
2 cups mozzarella shredded cheese
8 manicotti shells, cooked

Cooking Directions:

1. Cook first 3 ingredients in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, stirring until beef crumbles and is no longer pink; drain. Return mixture to skillet. Stir in spaghetti sauce, crushed red pepper, and salt; simmer, stirring occasionally, 5 to 10 minutes or until sauce thickens.
2. Stir together ricotta cheese, next 3 ingredients and half of shredded cheese.
3. Pour one-fourth of sauce into a 13x9x2-inch baking dish.
4. Stuff manicotti shells with cheese mixture, and arrange over sauce. Top with remaining sauce.
5. Bake, covered, in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 45 minutes; uncover. Top with remaining cheese. Bake 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

Makes 4 servings.

Tip: Spoon ricotta mixture into a large heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag; snip off a corner of bag, and squeeze filling into manicotti shells.