Easy Manicotti Florentine Food

EASY MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Combine Ricotta, Mozzarella, grated Parmesan, sugar, egg, nutmeg, parsley, salt and pepper to taste.
• Stuff uncooked manicotti generously with the cheese mixture, from both ends.
• Arrange manicotti in a single layer in a baking pan.
• Bring sauce to a boil and pour over manicotti, covering completely.
• Cover baking pan with aluminum foil, crimping the edges to seal tightly.
• Bake in a preheated 400 degree Fahrenheit oven for 40 minutes.
• Remove foil; sprinkle generously with additional grated cheese.
• Bake uncovered for 5 minutes more.

MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• If using fresh spinach, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat, and season generously with salt. Fill a medium bowl with ice water and season with salt. Boil the spinach until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, (keep the water in the pot boiling), and immediately plunge the spinach into the ice water. Drain and squeeze the excess water from the spinach, and finely chop. Alternatively, if using thawed spinach, simply squeeze, and finely chop. Set aside.
• In the same large pot of boiling water, cook the manicotti shells according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and pat dry.
• Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Lightly beat the eggs in a medium bowl. Add the spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, and 1/3 cup of the grated cheese and mix until evenly combined. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, the nutmeg and pepper. Spoon the cheese mixture into the manicotti shells and line them up in the baking dish. Cover with the remaining 2 cups sauce. Scatter the remaining 2/3 cup grated cheese on top and dot with the butter.
• Bake for 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the herb sprigs and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
• Remove and discard the herb sprigs. Stir in 2 teaspoons salt and season with pepper to taste. Use right away, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
• Yield: 3 1/2 cups
• Copyright 2001 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved.

EASY-TO-STUFF MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Cook manicotti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce. Spread half of the meat sauce into a greased 13x9-in. baking dish., Drain manicotti; stuff each shell with a piece of string cheese. Place over meat sauce; top with remaining sauce. Cover and bake at 350° until heated through, 25-30 minutes. , Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted, 5-10 minutes longer.

QUICK AND EASY MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Cook manicotti shells according to package directions; drain.
• Rinse in cold water; drain and set aside.
• Saute ground beef and garlic in skillet, stirring to crumble beef, until beef is no longer pink; drain.
• Add cottage cheese, mozzarella, salt, and mayonnaise to skillet; stir well.
• Stuff manicotti shells with meat mixture; arrange shells in a lightly greased 13x9x2 inch baking dish.
• Combine spaghetti sauce and oregano; pour over manicotti.
• Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.
• Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
• Uncover and bake 10 additional minutes.

EASY BAKED MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Spread 3/4 cup pasta sauce onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.
• Mix egg, pesto sauce and cheeses until blended; spoon into resealable plastic bag. Use scissors to cut small corner from bottom of bag.
• Fill manicotti shells by squeezing cheese mixture into both sides of each shell; place in prepared baking dish. Top with remaining pasta sauce; cover.
• Bake 40 min. or until heated through.

FLORENTINE MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cook frozen chopped spinach per package instructions. Remove from heat; drain WELL. Let spinach cool.
• In a medium sized mixing bowl, combine the ricotta cheese, grated mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, parsley, salt, pepper, garlic powder and ground oregano. Stir well until fully combined.
• Add spinach to the cheese mixture. Stir well, to combine.
• Cook manicotti shells according to package instructions (add to boiling water-7 minutes cook time is typical). When done, remove from heat, drain gently, and let dry.
• Fill each shell using a spoon until full of filling.
• Spread some of the spaghetti sauce over the bottom of 13x9 baking pan (enough to fully cover); put the filled pasta in a single layer on top of sauce.
• Spoon the rest of the spaghetti sauce over the top of the manicotti. Sprinkle with additional grated Parmesan cheese (or mozzarella), if desired. Cover pan with aluminum foil.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes; remove foil, then cook an additional 15 minutes. Manicotti should be hot and cheese bubbly when done. Remove pan from oven. Let sit for a minute or two, then gently remove manicotti to individual serving plates using a spatula.
• Serve with a green salad and a slice of crusty french bread, and enjoy!

FLORENTINE MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Melt butter in small skillet on medium heat. Add onions and garlic; cook and stir 3 min. or until onions are crisp-tender. Place in medium bowl. Add spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, eggs, lemon juice and pepper; mix well. Spoon into manicotti shells.
• Place in 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; cover.
• Bake 40 min. or until heated through. About 5 min. before manicotti is done, heat the pasta sauce.
• Serve manicotti topped with sauce.

MANICOTTI FLORENTINE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease 13x9x2-inch non-reactive baking pan; set aside.
• Prepare manicotti according to package directions; drain and set aside.
• Combine spinach, mozzarella cheese, cottage cheese and nutmeg in a bowl. Fill manicotti shells with spinach mixture. Place in prepared baking dish. Spoon spaghetti sauce on top.
• Cover and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until cheese is bubby.

EASY MANICOTTI FLORENTINE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• In a large bowl combine spinach, cottage and ricotta cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Blend well.
• Combine one cup of the spaghetti sauce and the quarter cup of water together. Spread evenly into a 13x9 inch baking dish.
• Using a teaspoon, stuff each shell with equal amounts of the cheese mixture. Place stuffed manicotti into baking dish. Pour remaining cup of spaghetti sauce over the top of pasta. Cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

EASY MANICOTTI FLORENTINE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• In a large bowl combine spinach, cottage and ricotta cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Blend well.
• Combine one cup of the spaghetti sauce and the quarter cup of water together. Spread evenly into a 13x9 inch baking dish.
• Using a teaspoon, stuff each shell with equal amounts of the cheese mixture. Place stuffed manicotti into baking dish. Pour remaining cup of spaghetti sauce over the top of pasta. Cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

EASY MANICOTTI FLORENTINE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• In a large bowl combine spinach, cottage and ricotta cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Blend well.
• Combine one cup of the spaghetti sauce and the quarter cup of water together. Spread evenly into a 13x9 inch baking dish.
• Using a teaspoon, stuff each shell with equal amounts of the cheese mixture. Place stuffed manicotti into baking dish. Pour remaining cup of spaghetti sauce over the top of pasta. Cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

EASY MANICOTTI FLORENTINE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• In a large bowl combine spinach, cottage and ricotta cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste. Blend well.
• Combine one cup of the spaghetti sauce and the quarter cup of water together. Spread evenly into a 13x9 inch baking dish.
• Using a teaspoon, stuff each shell with equal amounts of the cheese mixture. Place stuffed manicotti into baking dish. Pour remaining cup of spaghetti sauce over the top of pasta. Cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake in preheated oven for 50 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until cheese is melted and bubbly. Let stand 10 to 15 minutes before serving.

SUPER EASY WORKING MOM'S MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Heat oven to 400°F.
• Cook thoroughly sausage and mushrooms (or saute assorted veggies if making veggie version) with garlic,italian seasoning and salt and pepper to taste.
• In saucepan, combine spaghetti sauce and water; heat to boiling, stirring frequently.
• Reduce heat; keep warm.
• In bowl, stir together cheeses, parsley, egg, salt and pepper; spoon into uncooked pasta tubes.
• Pour 1 cup sauce on bottom of 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish; arrange filled pasta in single layer over sauce.
• Pour remaining sauce over pasta; sprinkle with cheese if desired and cover with foil.
• Bake 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Remove foil; bake 5 minutes longer.
• Serve -pasta and filling will be HOT!
• Enjoy!
• To make ahead and freeze:.
• MAKE AHEAD DIRECTIONS: Prepare as directed above; cool 30 minutes.
• Cover tightly with plastic wrap; then foil.
• Freeze up to 2 months.
• Thaw in refrigerator overnight (casserole is too dry if heated from frozen state)May want to add a small amount of additional moisture- water or sauce.
• Bake at 350°F 60 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

EASY BAKED MANICOTTI

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spread 3/4 cup of the spaghetti sauce on bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish. Mix egg, cheeses, and pesto sauce until well blended. Spoon cheese mixture into large resealable plastic bag. Using scissors, cut off small hole from one of the bottom corners of bag.
• Cook manicotti shells for half of the time on the box. This will keep them firm enough to handle and not fall apart when stuffing. The additional cook time in the oven will cook them the rest of the way. After you remove the partially cooked manicotti from the stove, transfer them into a container of cold water. This will prevent them from continuing to cook
• Fill manicotti shells, 1 at a time, squeezing cheese mixture into both sides of each shell. Place manicotti over sauce in dish; pour remaining 1 1/4 cups spaghetti sauce over manicotti. Cover with foil.
• Bake 40 minutes or until heat through.