Cheese Manicotti

Some times you just want a meatless meal so here is a great recipe to help you accomplish that.  With a creamy sweet cheese filling wrapped in a savory red sauce topped with mozzarella cheese, you can serve this Manicotti with a green salad and garlic bread and feel satisfied that one night this week you went meatless and it was yummy! 

 

 1 box Manicotti shells

2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, plus 1 cup extra for the top

2 cups (15 oz.) Ricotta cheese

½ cup shredded parmesan cheese, any kind

1 egg

2 Tablespoons chopped parsley, fresh

½ teaspoon salt

¼ teaspoon black pepper

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon onion powder

1 jar (26 oz.) favorite spaghetti sauce

(Or make your own sauce with this recipe.  Just leave out the meat http://nrappleye.blogspot.com/2011/09/spaghetti-sauce.html)

 

 Mix all cheeses, egg and spices together in a bowl, cover and place in refrigerator. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stir to blend well

 

Oops!  forgot the egg...that's what happens on "live" Blog!

Now stir well till blended, then cover and place in refrigerator while cooking noodles

To cook manicotti shells, fill a large pot 3/4 full with water
and add 2 teaspoons salt. 

 

Turn heat to  medium high and place a lid on top of pot.   Bring to a boil.   I live at sea level and it helps the water boil faster
if I put a lid on the pot.

 

 

When the water comes to a boil, add the Manicotti shells and boil for 7 minutes.  Start the timer as soon as you get the noodles in.

No more than 7 or the pasta will be too soft.

 

 
Drain Manicotti  and rinse with cool
water to cool them down faster

 

 Place out on a towel to cool more.  Some of the shells  may break apart but that is OK, 
You can lay the pieces around the filling.

Divide cheese into equal parts so you have filling for each shell. 

Roll each part of cheese into a tube shape
to fit down inside of shells. 

 

 
This can get a little messy because of coarse it never goes as planned! LOL!
Just get it in as best you can!

Place about 1/3 of the sauce in the bottom of a 9x13 baking pan and place filled manicotti shells on top of sauce. 

 

Pour remaining sauce over the top of manicotti, top with more cheese

 

 

 

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Remove foil and bake 15 more minutes. 

Remove from oven and dish up!

 

This will be even better tomorrow!

 

© Nancy Rappleye 2013

Cowboy Caviar



 

Here is a great salsa to take to a summer gathering with the sweetness of the corn and the tangy surprise of the Italian dressing you will see it disappear!  I know every one will love to scoop up this cowboy caviar on some corn chips or use it to put on their grilled burger. I even served it with my morning Omelet! 
Any way you serve it up, I know it will be a crowd pleaser!

 

 

 

 1 (15 oz.) can, rinsed and drained your choice, black-eyed peas, black beans,

kidney beans or pinto beans

1 (15 oz.) can whole corn, drained

1 small can sliced olives
1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 ripe avocados, diced

2 tomatoes, diced

4-5 green onions, chopped

Half a bunch cilantro, (opt.)

1½ tsp. hot sauce or 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (opt)

1 (8 oz.) bottle  Italian Dressing (Wish Bone)

Salt and Pepper to taste

 

 Drain and rinse the beans

 then pour the can of corn over the top of the beans to drain

and then the olives.

Place the beans, corn and olives in a bowl

 add the rest of the ingredients. 

 

Stir gently to mix all  together

 

 

Salt and pepper to taste

Stir gently to mix all  together, cover and 
refrigerate until ready to serve.

 

 

No one will ever know that Kent and I ate almost all of the big bowl for our dinner tonight! :)

© Nancy Rappleye 2013