Southwestern Manicotti Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• If using fresh spinach, bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat, and season generously with salt. Fill a medium bowl with ice water and season with salt. Boil the spinach until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, (keep the water in the pot boiling), and immediately plunge the spinach into the ice water. Drain and squeeze the excess water from the spinach, and finely chop. Alternatively, if using thawed spinach, simply squeeze, and finely chop. Set aside.
• In the same large pot of boiling water, cook the manicotti shells according to the package directions until al dente. Drain and pat dry.
• Spread 1 cup of the marinara sauce in the bottom of a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Lightly beat the eggs in a medium bowl. Add the spinach, ricotta, mozzarella, and 1/3 cup of the grated cheese and mix until evenly combined. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, the nutmeg and pepper. Spoon the cheese mixture into the manicotti shells and line them up in the baking dish. Cover with the remaining 2 cups sauce. Scatter the remaining 2/3 cup grated cheese on top and dot with the butter.
• Bake for 30 minutes. Serve immediately.
• Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the herb sprigs and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover and cook for 10 minutes.
• Remove and discard the herb sprigs. Stir in 2 teaspoons salt and season with pepper to taste. Use right away, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.
• Yield: 3 1/2 cups
• Copyright 2001 Television Food Network, G.P. All rights reserved.

Steps:

• Cook manicotti according to package directions. In a small bowl, combine the chicken, 1/4 cup salsa, ricotta cheese, olives, parsley, pimientos, green onion, garlic and pepper sauce. Drain manicotti; fill with chicken mixture. , Spread 1/4 cup salsa in an 8-in. square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with manicotti shells and the remaining 1/2 cyoo salsa. , Cover and bake at 400° for 20 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese and bake until cheese is melted and filling is heated through, 5-10 minutes longer.

Steps:

• Cook the manicotti shells according to the directions on the box.
• Drain in colander and set aside to dry.
• Mix all the ricotta, 2 cups mozzarella, and 1/4 cup parmesan in a bowl.
• Add an extra handful of mozzarella and a little more parmesan if you like it cheesier.
• I like a lot of flavor in my manicotti so I just keep adding the basil and Italian seasoning until I think it’s enough.
• If you don’t like a lot of seasoning, just put 1 tsp.
• of each in.
• If not, just keep adding until it's seasoned to your taste.
• You can also add a dash of salt and pepper if you like or a little bit of garlic.
• Preheat oven to 350.
• Once the shells are drained and the cheese is mixed together, begin stuffing the shells.
• Be careful because they have a tendency to split.
• Pour about half of the marinara sauce in the bottom of the baking dish and spread evenly before you place the shells in the dish.
• Once all the shells arranged in the baking dish, pour the remainder of the marinara sauce on top.
• Then add any leftover cheese on top of the sauce.
• Sprinkle with basil and Italian seasoning.
• Cover with aluminum foil.
• Bake for about 30 minutes.

Steps:

• Cook manicotti shells according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook sausage and beef over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Drain. Remove from the heat. Cool for 10 minutes., Drain shells and rinse in cold water. Stir the mozzarella cheese, cream cheese and salt into meat mixture. Spread 2 cups spaghetti sauce in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. , Stuff each shell with about 1/4 cup meat mixture; arrange over sauce. Pour remaining sauce over top. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. , Cover and bake at 350° for 40 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until bubbly and heated through. Freeze option: Cover and freeze unbaked casserole. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350°. Bake casserole as directed, increasing time as necessary to heat through and for a thermometer inserted in center to read 165°.

Steps:

• Grease a 9x13-inch baking dish.
• In a bowl, combine the uncooked ground steak, Italian sausage, beans, chili powder and dried Italian seasoning.
• Spoon into uncooked manicotti shells; arrange in prepared baking dish.
• Combine water and salsa or picante sauce and pour over shells.
• Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Remove from refrigerator 40 minutes before baking.
• Preheat oven to 350*.
• Cover casserole and bake 1 hour or until meat is no longer pink.
• Uncover; spoon sour cream over the top and sprinkle with Monterey Jack cheese.
• Sprinkle with green onions and bake 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and bubbling.

Steps:

• Prepare both kinds of beans according to package directions.
• Cook pasta to a little less than al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water til cool enough to handle.
• Mix cooked lentils, cooked black beans, diced fresh tomato, diced onion, salsa, and cumin in a medium sized bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees farenheit.
• Fill pasta with bean mixture and line up in a 13x9 baking dish that has been misted with olive oil.
• Cover filled pasta with both tins of diced tomatoes and sprinkle top with chopped cilantro.
• Cover dish with aluminum foil and bake in preheated oven about 30 mins or until bubbly.
• Removed from oven and serve.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine sausage and cottage cheese. Stuff into uncooked manicotti shells. Place in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Top with marinara sauce. , Cover and bake at 350° for 55-60 minutes or until a thermometer inserted into the center of a shell reads 160°., Uncover; sprinkle with mozzarella cheese. Bake 8-10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Freeze option: Transfer individual portions of cooled manicotti to freezer containers; freeze. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Transfer to a microwave-safe dish and microwave on high, stirring occasionally; add a little spaghetti sauce if necessary.

Steps:

• Combine first 4 ingredients in a saucepan; cook over medium-high heat 30 minutes or until thickened and reduced to 2 cups; set aside.
• Cook manicotti according to package directions; drain and set aside.
• Heat butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat; add onion and next 5 ingredients.
• Cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until tender.
• Add shrimp and crabmeat, and cook, stirring constantly, 5 minutes or until shrimp turn pink.
• Cool 10 minutes, and drain well.
• Combine seafood mixture and whipping cream mixture.
• Fill manicotti shells, and place in 2 lightly greased 11x7 inch baking dishes.
• Sprinkle with cheeses, and cover with foil.
• Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.
• Uncover and bake 10 additional minutes.
• Serve immediately.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• In a medium bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, 1/2 cup Parmesan, egg, sugar and parsley; season with 1/2 teaspoon each salt and pepper.
• Spread half the marinara in the bottom of a 9-by-13 inch baking dish. Fill each shell with ricotta mixture and arrange in an even layer in dish. Top with remaining 2 cups marinara. Cover with foil and bake until sauce is bubbling and shells are tender, about 40 minutes.
• Sprinkle remaining Parmesan over top, return to oven, and bake until cheese is browned in spots, about 10 minutes.

Steps:

• Cook manicotti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the chicken, 1-1/2 cups Monterey Jack cheese, cheddar cheese, sour cream, half of the onion and 6 tablespoons chilies. , In another bowl, combine the soup, salsa, milk and remaining onion and chilies. Spread 1/2 cup in a greased 13x9-in. baking dish., Drain manicotti and rinse in cold water; stuff each with about 1/4 cupful chicken mixture. Arrange over sauce in baking dish. Pour remaining sauce over shells., Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with remaining Monterey Jack cheese. Bake 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.