Family Favorite: Manicotti Recipe

This week I’d love to share with you a favorite family recipe of mine, for Manicotti. This version however may not be preferred by true Italians, because instead of a traditional cheese filling with Ricotta, and maybe an egg to hold it together, my family’s version has a meat filling with ground beef, cottage cheese, and the “zip” of Miracle Whip.

This version would make for a full package of Manicotti noodles, enough to feed 8 people. You could freeze half for a tasty meal without the work.

Ingredients:

• 1 pkg Manicotti noodles
• 1 ½ # ground beef
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup Miracle Whip
• 1 ½ cups shredded mozzerella
• 1 jar spaghetti sauce (my favorite is tomato & basil)

Easy peazy directions:

Brown ground beef with garlic powder. While that’s going on, boil noodles on med-high for 7 minutes to al dente, then drain. Drain ground beef. Mix ground beef with cottage cheese, Miracle Whip and mozzerella. Using teaspoon, stuff mixture into noodles until full, place in greased 9″x13″ baking dish. Top with spaghetti sauce. Cook at 350° for 20 minutes.

Step 1: Brown ground beef with garlic powder.

Step 2: Boil noodles on med-high for 7 minutes to al dente. Loosely translated, this means “not-so-squishy”.

Step 3: After draining ground beef, mix with cottage cheese, Miracle Whip and mozzerella. May not look so pretty, but boy will it be delish!

Step 4: After draining noodles, stuff mixture into noodles with teaspoon until full.

Step 5: Place in greased 9″x13″ baking dish. Top with spaghetti sauce (and oregano if you like). Cook at 350° for 20 minutes.

Be sure to check out more of my kid-friendly and family favorite recipes!