Stuffed Shells/Manicotti

Ingredients

• 1-1.5 jars pasta sauce
• pepper, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, garlic powder

• 12 manicotti or (?) jumbo shells

• 1 bag spinach
• salt, pepper, red pepper, garlic powder

• 24 oz. small curd cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan
• 1 egg
• 3-4 cloves garlic

• 1 8 oz. bag Italian blend cheese
• 1/4 shredded parmesan or 1/2 cup grated parmesan

Directions

Heat oven to 375.

Pour pasta sauce into saucepan along with the pepper, red pepper flakes, dried oregano, and garlic powder.

Gently simmer while preparing the other ingredients.

Bring salted water to a boil; boil manicotti for 6 minutes.
Drain pasta and place on a sheet pan sprayed with cooking spray. Set aside.

Blanch spinach and squeeze out excess water.
Thoroughly chop the spinach.
Sprinkle a small amount of salt, pepper, red pepper, garlic powder onto the spinach, and mix in well.

Place cottage cheese, parmesan, egg into a food processor.

Grate 3-4 garlic cloves into the food processor.

Pulse until thoroughly combined.

Add spinach and pulse until incorporated throughout mixture.

Spray 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray.

Spread a thin layer of pasta sauce onto bottom of the pan.

Stuff pasta with cheese mixture, then place them into the pan.

Once the pasta is filled, cover it with pasta sauce.

Sprinkle additional parmesan over the pasta.

Sprinkle bag of Italian blend cheese over the pasta.

Bake covered for 20 minutes. 

Uncover and bake for an additional 20+ minutes (until cheese is lightly browned and the sauce is bubbling).