Manicotti

Manicotti
Original recipe by Food Network Kitchen
https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchen/manicotti-recipe-2008786

This is a great manicotti recipe from the Food Network. However, I use a meat sauce, verses a marinara sauce. When I say meat sauce, I mean I use sausage and ground beef in this sauce. Yes, together. It is delicious! All you have to do is brown about a pound of sausage and about a pound of ground beef and then add it to the "All Time Favorite Tomato Sauce". It's that easy and you'll taste the difference. See below for the "All Time Favorite Tomato Sauce" recipe.

All Time Favorite Tomato Sauce
https://crowdedkitchen509.blogspot.com/2012/04/all-time-favorite-tomato-sauce.html

Ingredients:

1 pound fresh spinach, stems trimmed and well washed or a 10-ounce package frozen spinach, thawed
Kosher salt, plus 1/2 teaspoon
12 manicotti shells
3 cups marinara sauce, recipe follows
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese (about 1 pound)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (about 4 ounces)
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese or a mixture of half Pecorino and Parmesan
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
Freshly ground pepper
2 teaspoons unsalted butter, diced

Marinara Sauce:

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 medium onion, diced (about 3 tablespoons)
3 cloves garlic, chopped
3 1/2 cups whole, peeled, canned tomatoes in puree, (one 28-ounce can), rough chopped
Sprig of fresh thyme
Sprig of fresh basil
2 teaspoons kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat, and season generously with salt. Fill a medium bowl with ice water and season with salt, as well. Boil the spinach, uncovered, until tender, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, (do not drain), and immediately plunge the spinach into the ice water. Drain and squeeze the excess water from the spinach, and finely chop. Alternatively, if using thawed spinach, simply squeeze, and finely chop.

In the same pot of boiling water, cook the pasta shells until al dente, tender but still slightly firm. Drain and pat dry.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cover the bottom of a 9- x 13-inch ovenproof baking dish with 1 cup of the marinara sauce. In a medium mixing bowl, evenly combine the ricotta, mozzarella, and 1/3 cup of the Parmesan, the eggs, and the spinach. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, nutmeg, and pepper to taste. Spoon the cheese mixture into the manicotti shell and line them up in the baking dish. Cover with the remaining sauce. Scatter the remaining cheese on top and dot with the butter. Bake for 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Marinara Sauce:

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute the onion and garlic, stirring, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the tomatoes and the herb sprigs and bring to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.

Remove and discard the herb sprigs. Stir in the salt and season with pepper to taste. Use now, or stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months.

Yield: 3 1/2 cups

Pesto Sauce

Pesto Sauce
Recipe submitted by Jessica Knight

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh basil leaves, loosely packed 
1/3 cup pine nuts
4 medium garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Rinse and dry basil leaves.

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a food processor.

Turn on the food processor, and slowly pour the olive oil through the feed tube. 

Mix well, and season with salt and pepper.

Best-Ever Barbecue Sauce

Best-Ever Barbecue Sauce

Yield 4 cup

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
2 1/2 tablespoons dry mustard
2 teaspoons paprika
2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
2 dashes hot pepper sauce

Directions:

In a blender, combine brown sugar, ketchup, vinegar, water and Worcestershire sauce.  Season with mustard, paprika, salt, pepper, and hot pepper sauce.  Blend until smooth.

All Time Favorite Tomato Sauce

All Time Favorite Tomato Sauce

This is the best, basic tomato sauce you will ever need. Do you need a meat tomato sauce? If yes, all you have to do is add cooked Italian sausage or cooked ground beef to the sauce.

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
4 rounded tablespoons minced garlic

2 - 28 oz can crushed tomatoes w/ puree
1 - 15 oz can tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 to 3 tablespoons Italian seasoning
3/4 cup Italian parsley, chopped

Directions:

In a large pot, saute the chopped onion and minced garlic in 2 tablespoons of olive oil until softened.

Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, salt, black pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, and parsley.

Simmer for 1 to 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

David picking fresh Roma tomatoes for All Time Favorite Tomato Sauce, 9/1/13