Beef & Cheese Manicotti

Ingredients

 3 lb. Extra Lean Ground Beef

1 1/4 Cup Small Curd Cottage Cheese

1/2 Cup Onion (Chopped or Diced)

1/4 Cup Grated Parmesan Cheese

1 Tsp. Garlic Powder

1 Cups Water

1 Tsp. Basil (Optional)

1 Tsp. Oregano

2 26.5 oz. Cans Del Monte Traditional Spaghetti Sauce

1-2 Cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese (Depends on how cheesy you like it!)

1 1/2 Pkg. Large Shell Pasta

 

Directions

(1) For Filling: Cook ground beef & onion (seasoned with garlic powder, basil & oregano) until meat is brown and onion is tender. Drain off any excess fat. Stir in both cans Spaghetti Sauce and 1 cup water. Set aside. 

(2) Cook pasta shells until firm yet tender. (About 18 minutes) Stir frequently to avoid sticking to bottom of pan. Drain. Rinse in cold water & drain well. 


(3) Spoon a thin layer of meat & sauce mix in bottom of long cake pan or glass baking dish. In each shell add a spoonful of cottage cheese and a spoonful of meat & sauce mixture. Arrange stuffed shells in pan. Pour spaghetti sauce over top (use as much or as little as you prefer). Sprinkle top with Parmesan cheese and mozzarella cheese.

(4) Bake in oven at 350 degrees for about 30 - 35 minutes or until cheese is melted and heated through. 

 

*** Tips ***

Add sliced black olives to step 1 if desired. 

Eliminate most of Step 3 by adding Cottage Cheese to Meat & Sauce mixture, then spoon in all together. 

Garnish with Snipped Parsley (if preferred)

Can also be made with shredded cheddar cheese instead of Mozzarella. 

Any remaining Meat & Sauce mix can be used within a couple of days for Spaghetti!