Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Quick Spinach Manicotti


If you are anything like me, you're a little crunched for time. Whether you're a mom trying to meal-plan for the week, a student preparing for finals or an editor planning a wedding - time is tight.

During the weeknight, after a trip to the gym and a shower, I rely on meals like this. It's enough to feed a family one night or a couple people for multiple nights. Me? I ate my way through this over the course of a week since I have no problem with eating the same thing night after night. And, like lasagna, it tastes better the second and third times.

And did I mention this dish is easy? Cook the pasta, stir together the ricotta and chopped spinach, fill the pasta, top with marinara and bake. Paired with a side salad this meal may very well get me through the winter. 


Quick Spinach Manicotti
From Martha Stewart's Everyday Food 
(Printable Recipe)

Ingredients
*8 manicotti shells
*1 (15-oz.) container light ricotta cheese
*1 cup grated Parmesan cheese 
*1 (8-oz.) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained of excess moisture
*1/2 tsp. salt
*1/4 tsp. black pepper
*1 tsp. dried basil
*2 cups marinara sauce
*1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Instructions

*Preheat oven to 375°F. In a large pot of boiling salted water, cook pasta shells according to package instructions. Drain well and arrange in a single layer on an oiled baking sheet. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine ricotta, 1/2 cup Parmesan and spinach. Season filling with salt and pepper.
*Transfer filling to a large zip-top plastic bag. Twist and squeeze bag so filling is in one corner. With scissors, snip a 3/4-inch opening in corner. Pipe filling into both ends of each pasta shell. Arrange stuffed shells in an 8-inch square glass baking dish.
*In a medium bowl, whisk together marinara sauce and oregano. Pour sauce evenly over shells and top with 1/2 cup Parmesan. Bake until sauce in center of dish is bubbling and Parmesan is browned in spots, about 30 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes before serving.

Happy Cooking!

Madison

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Mmm...delicious!

Lindsey @ DownwardFacingFoodie said...

Yum! I love quick, flavorful and comfy meals like this. Definitely saving this one to whip up some night! :)

Unknown said...

That looks so yummy and easy! I love manicotti.

Jenn said...

Mmmm, this looks so delicious! And healthy :) Can't wait to try it! Thank you!

Lauren at KeepItSweet said...

this looks so delicious! for some reason i've never actually made manicotti

Diana said...

Ooh, that looks good! I'm definitely going to try this when school starts again and I need a quick dinner idea! :o)

Anonymous said...

This looks delicious! Sounds like a great alternative to lasagna. I can't wait to try it out when I return to the States in February.

I just wanted to let you know that I have been reading your blog for the past few months and greatly enjoy it! I was also an English major who graduated in the past year and got married in July, so I find your blog really relatable. Your writing, recipes, and food pictures are fantastic! Congrats on the engagement! Best of luck to you!

Madison Mayberry said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Madison Mayberry said...

Rachel - So nice to e-meet you! Looking forward to reading your blog and following along with your adventures!

Peggy said...

I'm sure this is definitely delicious! I love quick meals like this!

Rachel R. said...

I just made this last week! So delicious! I cooked the manicotti a little too long, but like you said, it was even better the second day! SO YUMMY!

Anonymous said...

I just made this, and it is amazing! I love meals like this that are both easy and delicious. It was my first time making manicotti, too.

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