Baked Manicotti with Cheese and Spinach and Garlic Cheese Bread

[David]

Here you go Vinni. You can use this recipe to make the manicotti, cannelloni, or stuffed shells. It's healthy and delicious. A great vegetarian dish.

Ingredients: Sauce

1 28oz. can tomato sauce

1 28oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 6oz. can tomato paste

3 teas. sugar

1 teas. salt

1 teas. pepper

2 1/2 teas. crushed garlic

2 tbsp. dry oregano

2 teas. dry basil

1/4 red pepper ( small dice )

1/4 green pepper ( small dice )

1/4 yellow pepper ( small dice )

1 small onion ( small dice )

2 cups water

Method: Sauce

Add all ingredients to a 3qt. sauce pan and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 1/2 hour to 45 minutes. Turn off heat and set aside.

Ingredients: Cheese

24oz. ricotta cheese

6 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese

3 oz. shredded parmesan cheese

8 oz. cooked, fine chopped spinach

1/4 red pepper ( fine chop )

1/4 green pepper ( fine chop )

1/4 yellow pepper ( fine chop )

2 eggs

1 teas. salt

1 teas. pepper

1 tbsp. dry oregano

1 tbsp. dry basil

Method: Cheese

In a large mixing bowl, add all ingredients and mix well.

Ingredients: Manicotti or Cannelloni

For stuffed shells, cook them first. Add a little less sauce.

tomato sauce

cheese mixture

1 16oz. box dry manicotti

6 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese

4 oz. shredded parmesan cheese

Method: Manicotti

Spoon cheese mixture into a piping bag or large ziplock bag and cut off corner to squeeze mix into the manicotti tubes.

Pour about 1/4in. of tomato sauce into the bottom of 2 small baking dishes. Fill dry manicotti tubes with cheese mixture and place into the baking dishes. Pour more sauce over the top. Note: You will need enough sauce to just cover the manicotti as the dry noodles will absorb it during cooking. Sprinkle the shredded cheeses over the top and bake covered in a preheated 375 degree oven for 1 hour.

Remove cover and cook an additional 15 minutes, until cheese just starts to turn golden brown.

Ingredients: Garlic Cheese Bread

6 small French rolls, sliced in half

6 oz. shredded mozzarella cheese

2 cubes butter or margarine

4-6 cloves garlic, crushed

1/4 teas. paprika ( optional )

Method: Garlic Cheeses Bread

Melt butter in a small sauce pan and add crushed garlic and paprika. Simmer on low for about 5 minutes. Turn heat off and let stand for 10 minutes letting the butter absorb the garlic. Pour into a small bowl and refrigerate until it has thickened.

Spread a thick layer onto each piece of bread and sprinkle with cheese. Bake on a cookie sheet in a preheated 375 to 400 degree oven for 10 minutes or until cheese starts to turn golden brown.

The whole recipe serves 8 to 10

If you have any questions you can leave them here or in the kitchen:-)

Enjoy !!