STUFFED MANICOTTI

Does the meatloaf made earlier this week ever stop giving?

Usually when I make something that yields so many leftovers (we are only two), I will freeze a part as soon as it cools.  But forgetful me, I left all the meatloaf in the fridge. But hey it is OK, I can change it up. Never fear….After Meatloaf with  mashed potato topping, Italian Wedding Soup, I now have to dig deep to figure a different idea/taste.  To the pantry I go. I found Manicotti tubes and store bought pasta sauce. That is a start. The meatloaf is highly flavored with vegetables and spice, so I really can make this easy. To the refrigerator.  I found ricotta cheese and mozzarella, so stuffed shells can be done.

This is truly an easy pantry made meal and not gourmet by any means, but a quick meal and we are using the food at hand. No waste here.  Premade sauce can always be doctored but with a good meatloaf in the stuffing but I don’t think there is always a need to jazz it up.  This kind of meal can be put together the night before and then covered and placed in the refrigerator. Come home and bake for 40 minutes and Voila a meal not to be ashamed of but one that no one slaved over or paid much money to make. 

The added benefit is that your refrigerator has now been cleaned out for the next day shopping at the market.  This was a lazy day in the kitchen for the DUMP COOK!

These are the basics and add and zap up the meal as you want.

1 cup mozzarella cheese grated
1 15 oz. ricotta cheese
1 egg
1 (2) inch piece of the meat loaf crumble  (whatever is leftover as the meat is a plus item a little less or more does not matter)
2 ½ -3 cups premade purchased spaghetti sauce
9 Manicotti dry rolls from the box cooked very El dente

Heat the oven to 350 F degrees.  The casserole may fit in a toaster over to keep down electricity.

Boil water and then cook in it the pasta for 7 minutes. Drain and cool.

Mix, when the pasta is cooking, the cheese, meatloaf, and egg. Stir well so not to have many lumps that will hinder the stuffing process.  This is your stuffing/filling.

Pour ¾ cup of pasta sauce in the bottom of a casserole dish. Swirl to coat the entire bottom.

Take the pasta tube and fill. Hold it in the palm of your hand (to stop the flow of the filling out the bottom) and fill. Turn over and stuff the other end. Lay on top of the sauce in the casserole.

Top with the remaining sauce and drizzle with a little mozzarella cheese.

Cover with tin foil and bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Serve with sauce from the casserole on top.

(I am giving you in my picture 7 tubes but I found I had more stuffing left over. So I am adjusting the recipe to nine tubes and giving you what you need to use it all)

Tips:

When you serve remember to make sure lots of sauce on top.  (Sometimes I keep some sauce in a pan and warm and add to top)

As always be your own Creative Dump Cook and change this recipe to what YOU have on hand!