Easy Beef and Cheese Manicotti

 

This is a recipe that I adapted from www.Kitchenscoop.com.  I love it because you don't have to pre-cook the manicotti shells and they cook to perfect al dente' in the oven!!  It would be a perfect meal to serve for Valentine's Day.

1 T. olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1 lb. extra-lean ground beef
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15-ounce) container part-skim ricotta
2 cups shredded mozzarella, divided use
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided use
1 t. Italian seasoning
salt and pepper to taste
1 (32-ounce) jar marinara sauce, divided use
1 (8-ounce package) of 14 manicotti shells

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat the olive oil in a skillet.  Add the onion, ground beef and the garlic.  Saute' until the meat browns and the onion is translucent. I drained any extra grease from the meat.   Remove from heat and cool slightly.

Combine the ricotta, 1 cup mozzarella, 1/2 cup Parmesan and the Italian seasoning.  Add the salt and pepper to taste and mix.  Stir the cooled meat mixture into the cheese mixture.

Spoon 1 cup of the marinara sauce into the bottom of an oblong baking dish.  Completely fill the uncooked manicotti shells with the cheese-meat mixture.  Using your fingers is the easiest way.  Arrange the stuffed shells in a single layer in the dish and spoon the remaining sauce over.

Sprinkle the remaining mozzarella and then the remaining Parmesan over the shells.  Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45-50 minutes.  Uncover and cook 10 more minutes, or until cheese is golden brown and sauce bubbles along the edge.  Let the manicotti stand 5 minutes before serving. 

Makes 7 servings.

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