Manicotti

Love this recipe!  The picture above is prior to putting it in the oven.
Ingredients -
1 lb. ground beef
1 clove minced garlic (or equivalent - I mostly just use garlic powder)
1/2 C. chopped onion
1 lb. 12 oz. can chopped tomatoes
12 oz. can tomato paste
1/2 C. water
1 T. sugar
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. sweet basil
1 tsp. parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 lb. ricotta cheese
1/2 lb. cottage cheese
3/4 C. Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
2 T. parsley flakes
salt & pepper

Manicotti pasta (1 or 2 boxes)

Brown the onion, ground beef & garlic - then drain.  Add the next 9 ingredients.  Simmer for about a half hour.

Mix the remaining ingredients together and fill the UNCOOKED manicotti shells. 

Cover the bottom of the pan (I use 13 x 9 dish) with some of the sauce.  Arrange the shells - side by side - then cover with the sauce.  Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.  Uncover and sprinkle with additional Parmesan Cheese and return for 10 more minutes.

Here are some additional photos -
The ricotta cheese mixture --

The sauce --

Filling the manicotti shells --

Lined up in the dish before putting the sauce over top --

These are delicious with a salad and garlic bread.  Also, are good as leftovers!!

I recently showed you Lucy watching TV - well, she also loves the computer!!  Here Is Lucy looking at a screen saver during the Halloween season.  Since most of my screen savers have some sort of animation - we try to remember to turn the sound off.  She just loves the ones with the black cat!!  She would hear the music and run to the computer!!

I am linking to Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum.  You can see more tempting recipes at this food party by clicking here.