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Cheese Filled Manicotti

I adapted this recipe to our tastes. It's quite good!

List of Ingredients

1 box manicotti (8 ounces)

Filling:
15 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese
3/4 cup cottage cheese
1 cup shredded mozarella cheese -- or Italian blend, or mozarella/cheddar
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/2 Tablespoon parsley flakes -- or 2 T. fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 egg beaten

Sauce:
1 jar spaghetti sauce -- or homeade sauce
1/2 pound Italian sausage -- cooked and drained
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder -- or more to taste
basil, oregano, pepper -- to taste, optional
pinch red pepper flakes -- optional

Topping:
1 cup additional shredded mozarella cheese -- or Italian blend, or mozarella/cheddar
additional shredded Parmesan cheese -- optional



Recipe

Cook pasta according to directions; drain and cool in single layer on foil. Avoid overcooking.

Mix all filling ingredients together. Set aside.

Heat all sauce ingredients on medium-low until heated.

Spread a thin layer of sauce in a 9x13 inch pan.

Stuff cheese filling into cooked manicotti tubes. Arrange filled pasta in single layer in pan.

Pour remaining sauce over manicotti. Cover with foil and bake for 30-35 minutes at 350 degrees.

Remove foil and sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese over the sauce. Return to the oven for 15 more minutes longer or until hot and bubbly.

Serves: 7

NOTES : Make ahead directions: Do not bake. Do not heat sauce ingredients. Assemble and cover tightly with plastic wrap, then foil. Freeze up to 2 months. When ready to bake, remove foil and plastic wrap; replace foil. Bake frozen at 350 degrees for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Cover with cheese and bake an additional 15 minutes longer or until hot and bubbly.