This is a very filling, easy to make manicotti dish my whole family loves- including my picky 2 year old! Manicotti shells are filled with a beefy stuffing before being slathered with tomato sauce and baked.
INGREDIENTS (for 4 servings):
- 10 manicotti shells
- 1/2 pound ground beef
- 1 small onion, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
- 1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 1 egg
- 2 cups Italian blend shredded cheese, divided
- 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
- 1 (16 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
- 1/4 cup white Zinfandel
- 3 mushrooms, thinly sliced
PREPARATION:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
Place ground beef, onion and garlic in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until beef is evenly brown. Remove from heat. Mix in bread crumbs, Italian seasoning, egg and 1 cup shredded cheese. Spoon filling into manicotti shells.
Combine tomato sauce, stewed tomatoes, wine and mushrooms. Spoon sauce to cover the bottom of an 8x11 inch baking dish. Arrange filled manicotti in a single layer, and cover with remaining sauce. Sprinkle top with remaining cheese.
Cover, and bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove cover, and bake 10 minutes.
Note:May be assembled up to 24 hours ahead of time, and baked an additional 15 to 20 minutes while covered, to heat through.