I make my own spaghetti sauce, but you can you your favorite.
CHEESE STUFFED MANICOTTI
(serves 6-8)
Ingredients:
*12 manicotti shells, uncooked
*12 mozzarella string cheese sticks
*1 pound ground beef
*1 small yellow onion, chopped
*4 garlic cloves, minced
*1 teaspoon salt
*1 teaspoon ground black pepper
*1 1/2 tablespoons parsley flakes
*1 teaspoon dried oregano
*1 teaspoon dried basil
*1 (24 ounce) jar of spaghetti sauce (or make your own)
*1 1/2 cups chicken stock
*1 (8 ounce) container cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
*2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
*1/2 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese
Directions:
~Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
~Spray a 9×13 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
~In a large skillet, add ground beef and cook until almost done, breaking up as it cooks.
~Add onions, garlic, salt, pepper, parsley flakes, basil, and oregano, cooking until ground beef is done and onions are translucent.
~Add spaghetti sauce and allow to simmer for 10-15 minutes.
~Add a thin layer of spaghetti sauce over the bottom of baking dish.
~Add a stick of mozzarella cheese into each manicotti noodle.
~Layer stuffed noodles to baking dish.
~Spread a layer of cottage cheese or ricotta cheese over the noodles (I just put little dollops all over it).
~Pour chicken stock over all of it.
~Top with shredded mozzarella cheese.
~Wrap aluminum foil over top of baking dish.
~Bake for 40-45 minutes.
~Remove foil and bake for another 10.
~Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes before serving.