Spinach and Ricotta Stuffed Manicotti

I love stuff pasta that's why I love stuffed shells, manicotti or even lasagna roll ups. This is very simple recipe with simple ingredients but you can grilled your favorite vegetables or protein and add it in mixture and that gives nice personal touch. I used whole 8 oz. of pasta box , it has 14 in it so it was good for a family of four with the side of garlic bread and little salad.

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Ingredients:
1 8 oz. box of Manicotti
8 oz. Part skim ricotta cheese
8 oz. part skim mozzarella cheese
1 carrot shredded
1/4 cup thawed corn
8 oz. box of frozen spinach (thawed)
6 finely chopped garlic cloves
pinch  or two red pepper flakes
salt to taste
6-7 big leaves of fresh basil  (I had fresh one so I use it , if you don't have it use dry one or any Italian seasoning)
1 12 oz. bottle of Marinara sauce

Method:
Cook Pasta as per package direction. Mine says only for 7 minutes so I did the same.
Preheat the oven at 375 F.
When  pasta is done spread them on baking dish. so it become cold so you can fill it.

pasta is cooling

In a bowl Take spinach. Drain the water out of it and then put it on bowl.
Add corn , carrot, chopped basil leaves, ricotta cheese, half of the mozzarella cheese, pepper flakes.
Mix everything and add salt in it. Remember cheese has salt so first taste it and add it.
If you like  , add fresh grated black pepper too.

stuffing is done.



If you re really good and not clumsy like me you can just take one shell and with the spoon fill it up the stuffing from both side. Make sure you push stuffing inside and fill it up from both sides,  so there is stuffing everywhere inside.
If you want nicely,  take plastic zip lock bag and put stuffing inside so its easy to stuff it.

Take a baking dish. Pour two big spoons of marinara sauce in the dish.
Take one by one pasta and fill it , Make sure it don't break. Do it very carefully. If its broke, then whole dish will be mess.

Once all done, spread marinara sauce on all of it then mozzarella cheese on it.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake it for 30-35 minutes and after that take out foil and bake it for 5-7 minutes until cheese is nice and bubbly.

Leave it outside for 5 minutes cause inside is piping hot.

Serve it with fresh basil on top of it and garlic bread and white / red wine.

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