We Like Stuffed Pasta

We like ANY type of Stuffed Pasta at our house, whether it be Shells, Ravioli, Lasagna Rolls and of course, Manicotti! It's been a LONG time since I'd made these cute shells and I remember how yummy they were the last time. I did recall having difficulty stuffing the shells without them splitting on the ends, so I went online and did some research. I found a video on how to make them from Kraft Foods and they used a PIPING BAG! What a genius idea! My shells were filled easily (and with no mess!) and none of them split apart! The stuffing I made was just a simple mixture of Ricotta, Parmesan, Mozzarella and parsley. But of course, man cannot live on pasta and cheese alone. SO I topped my shells with a meaty sauce made with Italian sausage, mushrooms and Marinara Sauce. All baked in the oven for about 20 minutes and SO yummy! :)

Ingredients: (2 servings)

1/2 lb Italian sausage (2 links)
1 Tbsp butter
1 c mushrooms, sliced
1 small onion, diced
2 c Marinara sauce
1 c Ricotta cheese
1 c grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 Tbsp dried parsley
4 large Manicotti shells, cooked and drained
1/2 c Mozzarella cheese

Prep:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large skillet, cook sausages (casings removed) over medium heat until no longer pink. Add butter, mushrooms and onions. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in Marinara sauce and let simmer for 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, combine Ricotta, Parmesan, egg and parsley. Stuff into Manicotti shells.

3. Pour half of the meat sauce into a greased 9"x5" loaf pan. Arrange shells over sauce. Top with remaining sauce and Mozzarella cheese. Bake for 30-35 minutes until heated through and cheese is bubbly.