My Lime Green Kitchen

Beef Stuffed Manicotti

1 – 8 oz. package Ricotta cheese
1 – 8 oz. package Mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese
2 eggs
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (we like basil a lot — you may want to use less if you’re not a huge basil fan)
fresh parsley, chopped (however much you want)
fresh ground black pepper (I use about 2 tsp.)
1 tsp. salt
1 pound ground beef
1 jar spaghetti sauce (I used leftover sauce from our spaghetti on Sunday)
12 manicotti shells
1/2 c. Parmesan cheese

Brown ground beef and drain. Save out about 3/4 c. of the ground beef. Crumble that portion very fine. I usually mash it with a fork.

Cook manicotti in salted boiling water til tender.

In a large bowl, mix Ricotta, 1/2 c. Parmesan, Mozzarella, 2 eggs, basil, parsley, salt and pepper. Add in the 3/4 c. crumbled ground beef.

Mix the remaining ground beef with the spaghetti sauce. Spread into the bottom of a baking dish, reserving just a little to spoon over the manicotti.

Stuff the manicotti shells with the cheese mixture. Place in the backing dish on top of the spaghetti/meat sauce. Spoon the remaining sauce over the manicotti.

Cover and bake at 350 for 35 – 40 minutes. Top with remaining Parmesan cheese. Bake uncovered 5 minutes or until cheese melts.

We’ve had this dish often and we love it.

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