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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 0 Minutes |
Ready In: 0 Minutes Servings: 7 |
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Simple and cheesy—words both parents and kids love—are the best way to describe this Italian dish. Serve with a tossed salad or cut-up fruit. Ingredients:
1 (26-ounce) jar tomato-basil pasta sauce, divided |
1 cup water |
cooking spray |
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided |
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated fresh parmesan cheese |
1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano |
1/4 teaspoon black pepper |
1 (16-ounce) carton fat-free cottage cheese |
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and squeezed dry |
1 (8-ounce) package manicotti (14 shells), uncooked |
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Combine pasta sauce and 1 cup water. Pour half of pasta sauce mixture into a 13 x 9inch glass or ceramic baking dish coated with cooking spray.
3. Combine 1 1/4 cups mozzarella, Parmesan cheese, and next 4 ingredients. Spoon mixture into a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag; snip off 1 corner of bag. Squeeze about 3 tablespoons cheese mixture into each uncooked pasta shell. Arrange stuffed shells in a single layer over sauce mixture; pour remaining sauce mixture over shells. Top with remaining 3/4 cup mozzarella. Cover tightly with foil.
4. Bake at 375° for 1 hour or until shells are tender. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.
5. Young Chefs can:
6. Pour pasta sauce into bottom of dish
7. Measure cheese
8. Count out shells
9. Older Chefs can:
10. Help squeeze cheese mixture into shells
11. Arrange shells in pan
12. Pour sauce over shells, and sprinkle with cheese
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