Overnight Spinach Manicotti

Okay, so there is this great contest going on over at "The Secret is in the Sauce Recipes" and I thought that I might just have a good one here. This recipe is easy, fast, and hides spinach from children...what could be better? So, here is the recipe:



Overnight Spinach Manicotti
1 carton (15-oz.) ricotta cheese
1 pkg (10-oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1-1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided use
3/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, divided use
1 egg
2 tsp. minced fresh parsley
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/2 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
2 jars (28-oz. ea) spaghetti sauce with meat
1-1/2 cups water
1 pkg (8-oz.) manicotti shells

-In large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, 1 cup of the mozzarella, 1/4 cup of the Parmesan, egg, parsley, onion powder, pepper, and garlic powder.
-Combine spaghetti sauce and water; spread 1 cup sauce in an ungreased 9x13 baking dish.
-Stuff uncooked manicotti with spinach mixture (I find this easier to do with a baby spoon); arrange over sauce. Pour remaining sauce over manicotti.
-Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan.
-Cover and refrigerate overnight.
-Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.
-Bake, covered at 350º degrees for 40 minutes, uncover and cook for 15 more minutes or until the cheese on the top is melted.
*My kids love this; they don’t realize that there is spinach in it.
* Tip: to make the filling easier to put in the shells, I use a baby spoon!

So now that you have read (and hopefully will try) my recipe, go over and check out the SITS girls recipe site!