Yummy Wednesday: Beef and Cheese Manicotti

So I said I would start a blog schedule and I meant it. Monday I didn't get a chance to post about books because I was just too busy, but next Monday I'll have the time thanks to the holiday.

But today is recipe day and I'm going to post a recipe. My goal is to find and try new recipes and then talk about how they go on here, but again, this week is really busy, so I am just going to feature one of my favorite recipes that I have made many times in the past with much success.

This is a recipe I got from Giada De Laurentiis years ago, when she came out with her first cookbook, Everyday Italian: 125 Simple and Delicious Recipes and I was working at a bookstore. I bought the cookbook, but it has been lost between now and then and so many moves, so now I use the print out from Food Network

Even though I didn't create this recipe, I love making and and sharing with others. I think it is so delicious and I hope you do too!



Giada de Laurantiis's Beef and Cheese Stuffed Manicotti





4 teaspoons olive oil

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

1 pound ground beef (I use really lean beef)

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

14 (8-ounce package) manicotti

1 (15-ounce) container whole-milk ricotta

3 cups shredded mozzarella

1 cup grated Parmesan

2 tablespoons chopped fresh Italian parsley leaves

2 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups marinara sauce (I usually use jarred sauces, my favorite is Trader Joe's marinara sauce, one day I will make my own)

2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

Cooking Directions

*The directions are pretty easy, the hard part is stuffing the manicottis...and it's not really hard, just time consuming*

Heat heavy skillet over medium heat, then add 1 teaspoon olive oil, onion, and ground beef, season with salt and pepper. Saute until the meet browns and onion is translucent, like 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool.

Brush 1 teaspoon of the olive oil over a larger baking sheet (this is really important, trust me). Then cook the manicotti in a large pot of boiling water for about 4-6 minutes. You want them to be slightly softened, but still really firm. Then use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the oiled baking sheet to cool. Make sure you oiled that thing, otherwise the manicotti will stick and break apart.

While that cools, combine the ricotta, 1 1/2-2 cups mozzarella, 1/2 cup parmesan, and parsley in a bowl. Add some garlic, salt, and pepper to taste. Now that the meat is cooled, stir it into the cheese mixture.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Brush the remaining olive oil over a 13 by 9 inch glass baking dish. Then spoon about 1 1/2 cups of marinara sauce over the bottom of the dish.

Now here comes the fun part! Fill the manicotti with the cheese-meat mixture and arrange in a single layer in the glass dish, then spoon the rest of the sauce over the top. This takes a really long time.

Sprinkle the rest of the cheese (mozzarella and parmesan) over the stuffed pasta. Dot the entire dish with butter pieces for a nice golden-y color. Bake uncovered for about 30-35 minutes, until the sauce bubbles on the sides. Once it's done, let it sit for 5 minutes, serve and enjoy!