Best Manicotti

• 1/2 pound ground beef
• 1 clove garlic, minced (can use 2 if you're a garlic lover)
• 1 cup cream style cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
• 4 ounce package shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• standard size box of chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• package of manicotti shells, cooked and drained
• 16 ounce jar spaghetti sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• parmesan cheese

Brown the ground beef with garlic in skillet until crumbly; drain. Combine cottage or ricotta cheese with the next 3 ingredients in bowl, mixing well. Stir in ground beef. After boiling the manicotti shells and draining them ( I use aluminum foil to lay them our flat after they're cooked) fill each manicotti shell using a teaspoon with the ground beef mixture, leaving some of the beef mixture on the side in reserve.
Hint: don't overstuff the shells.
Place stuffed manicotti shells in single layer after spraying or greasing bottom of 13 by 9 by 2 inch baking dish with olive oil or vegetable oil. top with remaining ground beef mixture and remaining ingredients. Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 15 minutes, then remove cover and bake uncovered for an additional 10 minutes.

Submitted by: Vickie Estes
       

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