Cheese Filled Manicotti with Meat Sauce

Last weekend I had the extreme pleasure of cooking with my treasured friend, Carol Davis. We have had a bit of a running joke that She Cooks should get together with Can’t Cook a Lick (Carol’s blog). Well… last weekend we did just that. I must tell you… Carol CAN cook. She may be a little tentative in the kitchen but she rocked the manicotti and an awesome and very easy dessert.

If you are visiting this site, I imagine that you enjoy cooking. But… do you have a friend who is nervous in the kitchen? Do you have a kid heading off to college that doesn’t have a clue how to boil an egg?

Cooking should not be intimidating. I love to cook but everyone doesn’t necessarily feel the way I do about cooking. You may think balancing your checkbook is fun. (You may want to talk to someone about that… I’m just sayin’) Maybe cooking is just a means to a meal at the end of the day. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be fun and it doesn’t mean you can’t prepare something spectacular.

In honor of my friend, Carol, I will be adding a new category to the recipe index. “If Carol Can Do It” will contain recipes that are simple to prepare and/or contain very few ingredients. Not that I think Carol can’t do anything more complicated. Like I said… she totally mastered manicotti. She is just a little hesitant. If you are hesitant too, this new category will be for you!

I chose stuffed manicotti for Carol’s cooking “lesson” for a few reasons. First, it’s a recipe that people assume is difficult but it really isn’t. The ingredient list is a little bit long but there is nothing complicated about this recipe. Second, I was hoping that Carol would see that since this was so much easier than she probably thought it would be, she might be more likely to try more recipes. Third, we were friends hanging out in the kitchen and this should be fun. Stuffing manicotti shells is a little messy. Messy is just plain fun And… because the end result will knock your socks off. You will think you are dining in the finest Italian restaurant! Seriously… it’s just plain good! You will be so impressed with your kitchen skills you will be attempting all kinds of dishes real soon (at least I hope so).

There are a few little tips and secrets at the bottom. Incorporate these tips into similar recipes and you will be very pleased with the results.

Now… without further ado… here is Carol’s achievement:

Cheese Filled Manicotti with Meat Sauce

Sauce:

• 1 1/2 lbs ground beef
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• onion, chopped (optional)
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (or more to taste)
• 2, 26 oz jars marinara sauce (no sugar in the ingredients)
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• dash or two of cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Filling:

• 2 lb container ricotta cheese
• 1 cup shredded 5 or 6 cheese Italian blend (whichever your grocery store stocks)
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1 box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed to remove as much liquid as possible
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh Italian flat leaf parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher or sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• dash nutmeg

To assemble and serve:

• 8 oz package manicotti noodles
• 2 cups shredded Italian cheese blend
• Grated Parmesan
• Fresh torn basil leaves

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 13×9 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray and set aside.

Prepare sauce:

Brown ground beef in a dutch oven over medium to medium-high heat. Add garlic, salt and pepper. If using onion, add at this point. Stir in red pepper flakes, marinara sauce, dried basil, cinnamon and sugar. Reduce heat until sauce is softly simmering.

Prepare manicotti shells as directed on the package. Be careful not to overcook. Drain and set aside. (Prepare the filling while the pasta cooks.)

Prepare the filling:

Combine all filling ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well.

To assemble:

Spoon about 2 cups of the sauce into the bottom of the prepared pan. Fill the cooked manicotti shells with the ricotta mixture using a pastry bag, a small spoon or your hands (I use my hands… it’s just easier.) If a shell splits while you are filling it don’t worry about it. You can place it seam side down in the pan and no one will notice

As you fill each shell, lay them over the sauce in your prepared pan. Once all have been filled, top them with more sauce. You want to pour the sauce down the center of the shells, leaving the ends exposed so they will get a little crispy as they bake. And… because it just looks prettier and that’s important too.

Sprinkle the two cups of shredded cheese over the sauce. Bake in preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until hot and bubbly and the cheese is starting to brown a bit.

Remove from oven and let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

To serve, place one or two (most people will go for two) filled manicotti shells on dinner plate. Spoon a little extra sauce over the manicotti. Sprinkle with additional grated Parmesan cheese and fresh torn basil leaves.

Just look at what you have created! Aren’t you just so impressed with yourself?

OK – here are the tips I promised you:

• Adding just a dash or two of cinnamon and a teaspoon of sugar to your marinara sauce will cut the acidic bite of the tomatoes. It really just smooths out the sauce and gives it an all day simmering taste.
• Adding a dash of nutmeg to any cream based sauce or filling adds a depth of warmth that is unrecognizable, but definitely takes it up a notch. You shouldn’t taste the nutmeg. There should just be a hint.
• Adding a bit of chopped fresh herbs to most dishes will give it a bit of freshness and provides a homemade taste to something that may have started in a jar.
• Marinara sauce is very simple to make. It is basically tomatoes, onions, garlic and some herbs. If you do not have the time to make your own sauce, there are definitely some good options in your grocery store. Just read the ingredients carefully. Most of the major brands contain sugar and/or corn syrup. Some even contain water. However, there are excellent jarred sauces that simply contain tomatoes, onions, olive oil, garlic, and herbs. No preservatives and no fillers and no sugar (add your own teaspoon so you control the amount). This is what you are looking for. It will cost you more. But you will know exactly what you are eating. That’s worth something

Another note:

When you make the stuffed manicotti you will end up with extra filling and extra sauce. Both freeze nicely and can be pulled out later to use on pasta, crusty bread, pizza, etc. You can also prepare your favorite pasta and stir the filling and sauce into the cooked and drained pasta, top with cheese and bake for another meal. Freeze the entire dish (since you just had manicotti) and pull it out and bake after a hectic day. Or, bring it to someone who needs the meal or an extra hand.

And… another note (if I had taken this many notes in school I might have done a little better – hahahaha!):

The recipe for the filling can be used in lasagne or stuffed shells. You can use the same sauce too! If making shells, use the exact manicotti recipe but replace the manicotti with jumbo shells. If making lasagne, layer sauce, cooked lasagne noodles, filling, additional shredded cheese (mozzarella and parmesan or a 5 or 6 blend Italian cheese). Layer three times and then top with a layer of noodles, thin layer of sauce, and a layer of shredded cheese.

I’m suddenly hearing, “When the moon hits your eye like a big pizza pie… that’s amore.” I think we should sing as we stuff our manicotti. It will be a great bonding experience. What do you say?

Sweetest Blessings,
LeAnn