A Simple Spaghetti Sauce

A Simple Spaghetti Sauce

Spaghetti with meat sauce is one of my favorite Italian Classics. I grew up on it. I decided to post a second version in case you don't have 5 - 8 hours to tend my other recipe as it simmers. I myself don't always have that much time to wait, so when I don't I often use a jar of marinara sauce and just doctor it up a bit. A jar of spaghetti sauce can definitely come in handy when needed, but to me they just lack flavor. All it takes is a few fresh ingredients along with some dried herbs and you've got a spaghetti sauce worthy of an Italian restaurant. I love a simple weeknight meal that pleases everyone and this simple sauce is sure to do just that. Enjoy!

Simple Spaghetti Sauce

Yields about 4 - 6 servings

Ingredients:

1 (24 oz) jar marinara sauce*

3/4 lb lean ground beef

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 - 2 cloves garlic, minced (I love garlic so I use 2)

1 Tbsp chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish

1 tsp dried parsley

1/2 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp dried rosemary, crushed

salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

shredded Parmesan, Romano or Mizithra cheese, for serving (optional)

Directions:

Heat 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Crumble beef into hot oil and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up beef as you stir, until browned. Drain fat from beef (I like to process the drained, browned beef in a food processor for about 5 seconds so it's finely ground but it's not necessary). Return browned beef to skillet, add marinara sauce, remaining 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, minced garlic, chopped basil, parsley, thyme, rosemary then season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring mixture just to a gentle bubble, then reduce heat to a simmer, cover saucepan and allow to cook 20 - 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Serve warm, tossed into or spread over pasta, then garnish with shredded cheese and fresh basil ribbons. 

*I recommend Classico or Barilla. I think many of the others have too much sugar or corn syrup in them and they taste as such. 

Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Caprese Lasagna Roll Ups

Caprese Lasagna Roll Ups

Aww, just look at all the gooey, soon to be stretched and strung (upon my no longer empty fork) cheese and dream of what could be yours =)! Italian comfort food at its finest.
The saying third times a charm, it's true. Yes this is my third attempt at creating what I'd envisioned, and at last a beautifully delicious success. 
The first time I tried Chicken Caprese lasagna roll ups - strange texture and not my favorite flavor, the second time around I omitted the chicken and made them using fresh Mozzarella - far to soupy and (I was expecting some liquid but I'm telling you half the baking dish was filled with the liquid from the fresh Mozza). The texture of the fresh Mozzarella seemed a little gummy when it melted too. So, the third time I went with a more traditional cheese feeling with the average low-moisture part skim Mozzarella cheese and lots of it, a bit of Parmesan for flavor and a little Ricotta for texture and glueage (I know that's not a word, but I say it should be). The egg white also helps glue and bind the mixture together, I decided to omit the yolk because I wanted to keep my cheese filling nice and white so it has that Caprese-y look. Besides, omitting the egg yolk is my attempt at making them healthier. That's laughable I know. I say cheese = calcium, so this is somehow good for me =). 
This dish has everything you find in the traditional Caprese flavors and many of the traditional lasagna flavors. Really this is lasagna simplified both in flavor and preparation. With that I don't mean to say their flavor is bland and boring, they are just simple yet incredible flavors. To create the Caprese style filling, you begin with a cheese filling that's mostly Mozzarella, then it's layered with fresh Roma tomato slices and sprinkled with fresh basil. Then you roll it up and top it with a simple marinara sauce made from crushed Roma tomatoes, and you sprinkle over more Mozzarella cheese, bake it and then garnish it with fresh basil ribbons. So, they are Caprese inside and out. I love the fresh flavors of this entree and all that heavenly cheese of course! Who knew vegetarian could be so good? Enjoy!

This is how the layering should look, this was attempt 2 with fresh Mozzarella (which I highly don't recommend). I just didn't want to take a third round of pictures of the prep, so the only difference when you make them will be the use of shredded mozzarella rather than the fresh Mozzarella in the bottom layer. The top picture was end result of recipe listed.

Caprese Lasagna Roll Ups
Yields 8 servings

Ingredients:
8 lasagna noodles, uncooked
14 oz freshly shredded, low-moisture part skim Mozzarella cheese, divided
3/4 cup Ricotta cheese
1 large egg white
1/3 cup freshly, finely shredded Parmesan cheese (about 1 1/4 oz)
freshly ground black pepper
3 - 4 medium Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced (about 1/6 inch thick slices)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish
1 cup Simple Marinara Sauce, recipe follows 

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to directions listed on package to al dente. Drain pasta (DO  NOT rinse with water) and align lasagna noodles in a single layer on a large sheet of parchment or wax paper.
For filling, in a large mixing bowl, whisk together ricotta cheese and egg white until well blended. Stir in Parmesan cheese. Mix in 12 oz. of the Mozzarella cheese and season with black pepper to taste (I wouldn't recommend seasoning with salt just because the cheeses already have plenty of salt). 
Place 1/4 cup of the cheese mixture over each lasagna noodle and spread into an even layer, going from one end of the lasagna to the other. Align 4 thin tomato slices over cheese mixture then sprinkle fresh basil over top. Snugly roll lasagna noodles to opposite end. Spread about 1/4 cup pasta sauce in the bottom of an 11 x 7 inch baking dish. Align lasagna roll ups, seam side down in dish. Top each roll up with about 2 Tbsp of the pasta sauce (covering edges of pasta so they don't dry out while baking). Sprinkle top with remaining 2 oz. shredded Mozzarella. Bake in preheated oven 30 minutes. Remove from oven, plate pasta and garnish with plenty of basil ribbons. Serve warm.


Simple Marinara Sauce
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup finely chopped yellow onion
2 cloves garlic finely minced
1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste


Directions:
Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add onions to hot oil and saute about 3 minutes until soft, adding garlic during last minute of sauteing. Pour in crushed tomatoes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring mixture just to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and allow sauce to cook for about 25 - 30 minutes (which will allow some of the water in crushed tomatoes to evaporate) while you prepare pasta and lasagna filling (you can freeze or refrigerate left over sauce in a small airtight container for later use, adding fresh basil if desired).

Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Pasta with Browned Butter and Mizithra (Must Try 15 Minute Meal!)

Pasta with Browned Butter and Mizithra (Must Try 15 Minute Meal!)

Who doesn't love a quick and simple meal that wows? This Pasta with Browned Butter and Mizithra cheese can be made in 15 minutes, yes 15 minutes, and its a recipe you are going to want to keep for life. 

In my opinion one of the best entrees you can get at the Old Spaghetti Factory is their Spaghetti with Mizithra and Browned Butter. It is simply amazing! But, why go there and spend $11 for one when you can feed a family of 4 the same meal for less than that at home? It's funny to me posting such a simple recipe because it's so simple you don't need a recipe for it, this is more sharing the idea if you haven't yet tried it. 

Another great thing about this meal is that it pleases everyone, from the gourmet sleuth to your pickiest eater. No one can deny the delicious flavors of this pasta. And "Mizithra," isn't it just fun to say?

You can serve this garnished with chopped fresh parsley like they do at The Old Spaghetti Factory but I really don't think it needs it, it's more for looks. I would also say no salt is needed because the Mizithra brings enough salt to the dish. You could add in more fillers like roasted garlic, sauteed bread crumbs, fresh lemon juice/zest or fresh basil but really this meal is perfect with it's three simple ingredients. You can find Mizithra cheese in the specialty cheese section of most grocery stores (which is usually near the produce section) or at Greek specialty stores. This is comfort food at it's simplest and best. Some days you just need some delicious carbs. Enjoy!

Pasta with Browned Butter and Mizithra

Yields about 3 - 4 servings, recipe can easily be doubled

Ingredients:

8 oz. spaghetti or fettuccine pasta 

1/2 cup salted butter, sliced into pieces

3 oz finely grated Mizithra cheese, or to taste

Directions:

Cook pasta according to directions listed on package (I'd recommend beginning with very hot tap water to boil the pasta as this will cut the time you have to wait for the water to boil). Meanwhile, place butter in a light-colored, small saucepan over medium heat. Cook butter, swirling pan occasionally, until it has browned (begin with sliced butter to ensure even melting. Here are the stages of to browning butter: the butter will first melt, it will become lemony yellow and after a minute or two it will begin to splatter a bit - I swirl the pan most during this stage to reduce splattering, then it will foam and begin to smell nutty, then little brown specks will begin to appear in the center of the golden foamy bubbles - this is when you remove it from heat, I wait just a few seconds for a generous amount of specs maybe a 2-inch circle before removing from heat. Color wise it should go from a yellow, to golden tan, to an orange-y toasty golden brown). 

Drain cooked pasta well (DO NOT rinse the pasta with water or the butter won't stick). Plate pasta, pour browned butter over pasta (sediments on bottom and all), sprinkle with Mizithra cheese and toss if desired to evenly coat. Serve immediately, you can also serve it with fresh cracked black pepper and chopped fresh parsley if desired (I don't think any salt is needed because the Mizithra is a pretty salty cheese).

Recipe Source: Cooking Classy, inspired by The Old Spaghetti Factory

Grilled Chicken Caprese Pasta

Grilled Chicken Caprese Pasta

If you love Italian food then this is a deluxe meal you will most definitely want to try! It is fancy, loaded with fresh goodness, creamy, hearty and beyond good! You get everything that's on your average Caprese Chicken and so much more, with the tender pasta, fire roasted tomato sauce, additional garlic (because I think they never put enough garlic in the store bought bottled spaghetti sauce, you could even add two cloves to the recipe), and yes of course the perfectly grilled chicken breast strips. This is a meal you are going to remember. If you wanted to really splurge you could even add in some cooked Pancetta or Bacon, yum! Sorry I didn't get many pictures (I wanted more pictures with the grilled chicken showing through it's kind of hidden in there), this was my families Sunday dinner and I couldn't resist that ooey gooey cheesy goodness long. It was calling my name. I looked over to my husband and the cheese was dripping clear from the fork near his mouth to the plate sitting in his lap (yeah we ate this fancy meal on the couch, not usual but once in a while its fun =). Enjoy!

Grilled Chicken Caprese Pasta
Yields about 6 servings

Ingredients:
2 medium chicken breast halves, grilled and diced into strips*
9 oz Rigatoni or Penne pasta
2 cups fire roasted tomato pasta sauce (I used Classico)
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup finely grated Romano Cheese
1 clove garlic, finely minced
red pepper flakes, to taste (optional, for added heat)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 pint grape tomatoes, diced into halves
12 oz fresh mozzarella, grated**
16 fresh Basil leaves, chopped chiffonade style (mine were fairly small)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook pasta to al dente according to directions listed on package. While pasta is boiling, in a separate medium saucepan over medium low heat, heat tomato pasta sauce, heavy cream, Romano cheese, garlic, optional red pepper flakes and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, until cheese melts. 
Drain cooked pasta well, return pasta to pot. Add in grilled diced chicken, grape tomatoes, half of the mozzarella and half of the basil ribbons, then pour warm sauce over mixture. Toss to evenly coat. Pour mixture into a greased casserole or baking dish. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella and cook pasta uncovered for about 20 - 25 minutes until cheese is golden. Serve warm.

*This was about 1 lb chicken. I placed the chicken in a ziploc bag then pounded each breast to an even thickness, then removed and sprayed each chicken breast lightly with olive oil cooking spray. I seasoned each side with salt, pepper and a light sprinkle of garlic powder. Then grilled them until cooked through, cut them in half thick wise (like cutting a bun), and diced them into fairly thin strips.
**I've heard some people say they have trouble grating fresh mozzarella, I had no problem with this but if you do you can freeze it for 20 minutes prior to grating. They don't need to be perfect shreds its really just to break it up.

Recipe Source: adapted slightly from How Sweet It Is

Browned Butter Almond Pesto

Browned Butter Almond Pesto

Is there anything like the delicious taste and incredible scent of fresh, homemade pesto? If you've got basil in the garden at its prime then I think you're going to want to try this recipe. This definitely isn't your ordinary pesto. The typical pesto uses all extra virgin olive oil (rather than half olive oil half butter), pine nuts, no lemon juice and one type of cheese, which is usually Parmesan. I wanted to change things up and make new and exciting pesto, so I chose to add none other than one of my favorite ingredients, browned butter. Then I wanted to switch out the typical nut and use my favorite nut which is almonds. I also decided rather than using whole almonds to use almond butter because of it's smooth texture and light sweetness. Then for a very slight fresh tang I added a little squeeze of lemon juice. 
Spread this pesto over some freshly boiled pasta along with a light sprinkling of cheese and you'll create a meal worth remembering. So simple yet so divine. It's amazing what fresh basil and browned butter can do especially when combine together. Enjoy!

Not your average deep, vibrant green but it's sooo good...

Browned Butter Almond Pesto
Yields about 1 cup

Ingredients:
2 cups fresh basil leaves, lightly packed
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup finely grated Romano cheese (1 oz)
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese 
2 Tbsp almond butter*
1/4 cup butter, browned and cooled until just warm to the touch**
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 light squeeze lemon juice
3 - 4 Tbsp warm water
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:
Add basil to a food processor and pulse a few times. Add garlic, Romano cheese, Parmesan cheese and almond butter, then with motor running, stream in butter and olive oil and pulse until well blended. Pulse in lemon juice and enough warm water to reach desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve over your favorite pasta. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 3 days.

*I used Maranatha brand, it has a little bit of added cane sugar in it which I thought complimented the natural sweetness of the basil, but you can use unsweetened almond butter instead. Alternately you could use whole roasted almonds, about 1/4 cup, just pulse them in the food processor several times before adding in the basil and other ingredients.
**After browning the butter, I poured it into a bowl and set the bowl over an ice bath and swirled the bowl and it cooled much quicker then just letting it rest at room temperature.

Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Browned Butter Lemon Pasta - A 15 Minute Meal

Browned Butter Lemon Pasta - A 15 Minute Meal

Yesterday I posted an Authentic Italian Meat Spaghetti Sauce so today I wanted to post a vegetarian Italian pasta dish. Trust me though you don't need to be vegetarian to fully appreciate this pasta. 
I didn't know exactly what kind of pasta I wanted to make, and then I realized I had some lemons I needed to use up while they were still fresh. Also, browned butter is a great way to add flavor to simple dishes so I decided why not combine the lemon with some browned butter. They seem as though they were made to go together. The great thing about this pasta is that it's elegant, full of fresh flavor, incredibly simple and it can be made in 15 minutes. Have guests over and impress them with this delicious, flavorful pasta. No one needs to know how easy it was =). Enjoy!

Who knew almonds made such pretty little flowers...

Browned Butter Lemon Pasta
Yields about 3-4 servings


Ingredients:
1/4 cup butter
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 - 1 tsp lemon zest (use 1 for stronger lemon flavor)
2 Tbsp Italian seasoned bread crumbs
2 Tbsp lemon juice 
8 oz spaghetti noodles, uncooked
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 oz freshly, finely grated Romano cheese (1/2 cup)
8 fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/4 cup sliced almonds (toasted if desired)


Directions:
Cook pasta according to directions listed on package. Meanwhile, brown butter in a small saucepan (for a tutorial on how to properly brown butter, see link here), set aside. Heat olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Stir in garlic and lemon zest and saute until lightly golden. Stir in bread crumbs and toast, stirring constantly, until golden (they will toast quickly), remove from heat. Pour garlic mixture into brown butter mixture along with lemon juice, and whisk to combine. Once pasta has cooked through, drain well and return to pasta pot. Pour browned butter mixture over pasta, season with salt and pepper to taste (I'd recommend being somewhat generous with the pepper), add romano cheese, basil and almonds and toss mixture to evenly coat. Serve warm (note that the lemon flavors will tone down and blend in after pasta has rested just a few minutes). 


Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce - Authentic Italian Style

Spaghetti with Meat Sauce - Authentic Italian Style

Do you want to mimic at home that amazing meat sauce they make in the Italian restaurants? Well look no further =). In my opinion I think there are a few key steps in creating that authentic, thick, richly flavored, meaty sauce. I've learned a few things trying to imitate that amazingly delicious pasta sauce that I get at a few of my favorite Italian restaurants. One of them being, you need to cook the sauce low and slow, 5 hours minimum. If you want great sauce you're going to have to have a little patience. This is one of those made with love recipes =). I think Roma tomatoes are best. A few weeks ago I made a similar sauce, entirely from scratch. I'm talking fresh Roma tomatoes, boiled, peeled, seeded and crushed them. It took far too much time and effort only to realize the next time around canned Roma tomatoes were better. They don't seem as acidic. The flavors of the fresh basil and parsley in this recipe lend it fresh from the garden flavor. I didn't want to use fresh herbs for the entire recipe (that would be pretty pricey if you don't have an herb garden) so I chose fresh basil and parsley because they are my favorites in this recipe. Be sure to brown the meat and veggies (brown, not burn), that browned flavor is an important part of the sauces rich, robust flavor. The carrot may seem like a random ingredient but I've heard that it adds a bit of sweetness to the sauce therefor you won't have to add any sugar. It also lends a good color. I know I packed a lot of herbs into this recipe, but it will help you use up those spices sitting in your spice cupboard before they lose their freshness. 

I hope you love these pasta sauce. I would highly recommend serving it up alongside a loaf of fresh Crusty Rustic Bread (it takes about 3 minutes to prepare the no knead dough) spread with whipped garlic butter, and possibly a simple side salad with a copycat recipe of Spaghetti Factory's Pesto Salad Dressing.  I love Italian food! Enjoy!

Spaghetti Meat Sauce

Ingredients:
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef (85% or 90%)
1 medium carrot, finely grated (about 1/2 cup)
1/2 medium yellow onion, finely diced (about 1/2 cup)
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
2 (28 oz) cans crushed Roma tomatoes (I recommend Contadina)
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp dried rosemary, crushed
3/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried marjoram
1/2 tsp dried sage
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 - 1 cup chicken or beef broth, to thin sauce if desired
freshly, finely grated Romano and Parmesan cheese or Mizithra cheese for serving

Directions:
In a large non-stick sauce pot, heat 1 Tbsp olive oil over medium high heat. Crumble ground beef into pot (approximately 1 inch pieces). Brown beef, stirring occasionally (I was always taught to stir constantly but this makes your beef gray, let it brown on bottom and only stir occasionally) and breaking up beef as you stir, until cooked through. Drain ground beef, reserving 1 Tbsp fat in pot. Place browned beef in a food processor and pulse until finely ground, about 15 seconds, set aside. 
Saute carrot and onion in reserved fat over medium high heat until golden, about 4 minutes, adding in garlic during the last minute of sauteing. Remove from heat (this will reduce splattering) and stir in 2 cans crushed Roma tomatoes, remaining 3 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme, oregano, marjoram, sage, bay leaves, salt, pepper and browned beef. Return pot to low heat and simmer uncovered, 5 - 8 hours (yes minimum of 5 hours), stirring occasionally. 
Add broth to sauce to thin sauce if desired (at about 4 hours sauce will be pretty thick so if you want it any thinner just add broth to desired consistency. Also, once it reaches the thickness you want you can cover it with a lid to reduce further condensation). Remove bay leaves and serve sauce warm over pasta garnished with grated cheeses and additional chopped fresh parsley or basil if desired.

Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

15 Minute Stove Top Mac and Cheese

15 Minute Stove Top Mac and Cheese

Mac and cheese - comfort food at it's finest and with this recipe at it's fastest! I love how simple this recipe is. How could something so easy yield such rich, flavorful results? Who could ever make a box mix again after making it homemade? 
When creating this recipe I added a few unusual ingredients because I love adding just a bit more excitement to food. The liquid smoke flavor, Dijon mustard, onion powder and garlic powder blend in so well you hardly know they are there. They just enhance the dish, not overpower it. I love the combination of Cheddar and Monterrey Jack cheese, they are my two favorite cheeses so of course they had to be the two cheeses I used to make this recipe. They both melt so smoothly to create a perfectly silky, decadent macaroni and cheese. Enjoy!

15 Minute Stove Top Mac and Cheese
Yields about 4 servings


Ingredients:
8 oz. elbow macaroni noodles
3/4 cup milk (I'd recommend 1% or 2%, whole was too rich)
1 Tbsp butter
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/8 tsp garlic powder
6 drops hickory smoke flavor, such as Liquid Smoke
1/2 tsp Dijon mustard (or 1 tsp if you like more mustard flavor)
1/4 tsp salt, or to taste
2 large egg yolks
1/2 cup evaporated milk
4 oz. Medium or Sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
3 oz. Monterrey Jack cheese, grated
Freshly cracked black pepper or cayenne, for garnish (optional)


Directions:
Cook pasta according to directions listed on package until cooked through (just past al dente), and drain. 
Meanwhile (in order to make this a 15 minute recipe I made the sauce as the noodles were cooking), in a medium saucepan combine 1% milk, butter, onion powder, garlic powder, liquid smoke, Dijon mustard and salt then scald mixture over medium heat. In a mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks with 1/2 cup evaporated milk. Add 1/4 cup scalded milk mixture to egg yolk mixture and whisk, then pour and whisk mixture into saucepan. Cook mixture over medium low heat, stirring constantly, until mixture coats the back of a wooden spoon, about 3 minutes. Add cheese and drained pasta to sauce mixture and gently toss mixture with a rubber spatula until cheese has melted. Serve immediately sprinkled with optional black pepper or cayenne pepper. 



Recipe Source: Cooking Classy

Manicotti - A Simple Yet Incredible Entree

Manicotti - A Simple Yet Incredible Entree

This is one my favorite recipes that has been in my recipe book and made in my home countless times over the last 8 years. I originally saw the recipe on Food Network and have made my own adjustments, you can follow the link below to view the fully original recipe. This dish is also one of my mom's favorites. Every time she comes to visit this is always on the menu and she still get's excited every time I let her know it's what we are having for dinner or supper as she calls it =).
Who knew a vegetarian dish could be so good? I actually prefer this over lasagna. I usually serve it along with Parmesan or lemon chicken (so there goes vegetarian =) and a side of steamed brocolli, but if you aren't up to preparing a big meal this manicotti is filling enough to be a meal on it's own. This is cheesey, flavorful, generously filled pasta drenched in a simple yet incredible marinara sauce. Basically it's comfort food at it's best. To sum it up, it's simple, satisfying and a family favorite.
Note: the photo posted above is a half batch, prebaked and not fully covered in sauce (so you could see what the manicotti actually looks like). I often do a half batch for my small family. Sometimes I will do the full batch and freeze some. You could even do two half batches in two 8x8 pans and freeze one and immediately bake the other. For the frozen one thaw it overnight then bake in a cool (not preheated) oven at 350 for 55 minutes.

Once you add all the sauce it should look more like this...

yum yum, all that saucay goodness =)

Three Cheese Manicotti
Yields about 14 Manicotti

Ingredients:
1 (8 oz) pkg Manicotti noodles
1 (15 oz) container Ricotta Cheese (I've used both whole or part skim, either works)
1 lb freshly grated Mozzerella Cheese (about 4 cups)
3 oz finely, freshly grated Parmesan cheese (about 3/4 cup)
2 large eggs
1 1/2 Tbsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 Recipe Marinara Sauce, recipe follows

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook pasta according to directions listed on package and drain. In the meantime prepare Manicotti filling, in a large mixing bowl, using a fork blend together Ricotta cheese, eggs, parsley and pepper. Stir in grated Mozzerella and Parmesan cheese and mix until well blended. Divide cheese mixture evenly among the 14 manicotti noodles stuffing each one full (I just do this using clean hands, I hold one hand over the bottom opening of the manicotti noodle, then press cheese mixture into the noodle and slightly pack it in until the cheese mixture fills to opposite end). Align noodles in a single layer in a 13x9 baking dish. Pour marinara sauce evenly over filled manicotti noodles. Bake in preheated oven for 45 minutes. Serve warm.

Marinara Sauce:
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 (28 oz) cans crushed Roma tomatos (I prefer Contadina brand)
1 Tbsp dried basil
1 tsp dried parsley
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a large saucepan, simmer 20 minutes (I do this while preparing the manicotti filling and pasta).

Recipe Source: adapted slightly from Food Network