Chef Berry's Stuffed Manicotti

Chef Berry #1423656's Note:

This recipe may seem complicated, but the taste is worth it. After making this recipe I took the leftovers to work and my co-workers loved it. Try it. I'm sure you'll love it too.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 5 mins
• Prep Time: 20 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 5-6

Yield: 10.0 shells

• 12 manicotti
• 1 ½ lbs ground beef
• 10 mushrooms (chopped)
• 1 medium onion (chopped)
• 4 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 tablespoon italian seasoning
• 2 teaspoons sea salt (smoked)
• 2 teaspoons pepper
• 4 cups fresh spinach (coarsely chopped)
• 2 eggs
• 1 (15 ounce) container ricotta cheese (15oz.)
• ½ red bell pepper (chopped)
• 1 ½ cups mozzarella cheese (shredded)
• 1 cup parmesan cheese (shredded)
• 1 (12 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
• 1 (10 ounce) jar spaghetti (your favorite) or 1 (10 ounce) jar marinara sauce (your favorite)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Cook manicotti shells according to package directions (al dente).
3. In a hot skillet add ground beef, mushrooms, onions, garlic, italian seasoning, pepper, and 1tsp salt; cook until ground beef is no longer pink (slightly brown).
4. Remove the ground beef from heat and stir in spinach. Set aside and let cool.
5. In a large bowl lightly beat the eggs.
6. Combine the ricotta, bell pepper, and mozzarella cheese, and remaining salt in with the eggs. Stir together well.
7. Stir in the ground beef mixture until well mixed.
8. In a baking dish add stewed tomatoes and 1 cup of spaghetti sauce.
9. Stuff the manicotti with the meat and cheese mixture and arrange in the baking dish.
10. Pour on remaining sauce and sprinkle on the parmesan cheese.
11. Cover and bake in the oven for 45 minutes.

Reviews

[Sydney Mike]

For just the 2 of us, I cut this recipe in half, & we thoroughly enjoyed this wonderful dish, so much so, in fact, that now I want to make it the next time I a dinner for special company! Very, very nice! Thanks for this keeper of a recipe! [Made & reviewed for one of my adopted chefs in this Spring's Pick A Chef event]