1/2 lb. ground chuck
1/2 lb. bulk sausage
salt,pepper,granulated garlic powder
2 TB olive oil
2 whole cloves garlic, diced
1/2 green pepper,diced fine
1/2 red pepper, diced fine
1 whole onion, diced fine
2 TB dry Italian spices
6 oz. ricotta cheese
3 tb. creamy Italian dressing
1 large package shred Italian cheese
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
2 cups of your favorite spaghetti sauce
Season the ground beef and sausage with pepper, salt and garlic powder. Place into a large skillet and brown. Drain & set aside.
In a medium skillet, using 2 TB olive oil, saute' peppers, onion and clove garlic. Pour this mixture over the browned meats and place back onto low heat. Add the ricotta cheese, creamy Italian dressing, 1/2 package of Italian cheese and Italian spices. Cook slowly, blending all ingredients. When all ingredients are heated, turn off and let sit.
Take the manicotti shells and begin to spoon the mixture into them. I find it easier to hold the shell and begin stuffing on one end, then turn it over and finish on the other end. When the shells are full of the meat mixture, place them into a large deep baking dish that has been coated with a non-stick oil. Be sure to leave a little space between them. Pour the spaghetti sauce evenly over each of the manicotti shells. Sprinkle the 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese on top of them, then spread the other 1/2 of the Italian shred cheese on top of that.
Place in the oven at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes or until the sauce starts to bubble evenly in the baking dish.
