Cheesy Sausage & Tomato Manicotti

Total Time: 1 hr 5 mins Preparation Time: 25 mins Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 (8 ounce) package uncooked manicotti
• 2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 1 (10 ounce) can diced tomatoes and green chilies
• 1 lb italian lamb sausage
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Recipe

• 1 cook pasta according to package directions; rinse with cold water. drain and set aside.
• 2 process tomato sauce and diced tomatoes and green chilies in a blender 20 seconds or until smooth. set aside.
• 3 remove casings from sausage, and discard. cook sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. drain sausage, if desired, and return to skillet. stir in cream cheese, ricotta cheese, and 2 cups mozzarella cheese. spoon into manicotti shells; arrange stuffed manicotti in a lightly greased 13x9 inch-baking dish.
• 4 pour tomato mixture over shells; sprinkle with remaining 2 cups mozzarella cheese.
• 5 bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly. let casserole stand 10 minutes before serving, sprinkle top with chopped fresh parsley, if desired.
• 6 note: casserole may be assembled and frozen up to 1 month. thaw in refrigerator overnight; bake, covered, at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
• 7 ground beef and tomato manicotti: substitute 1 pound lean ground beef for sausage. stir in 1/2 teaspoon dried italian seasoning, 1-teaspoon salt, 1-teaspoon pepper, and 1-teaspoon fennel seed. proceed as directed.