Miss Sarah’s Manicotti

Sauce  

2 15 oz. Cans tomato sauce

1 28 oz. Can diced tomatoes

1 6 oz. Can of tomato paste w/Italian seasoning

2 tbsp. Olive oil

0.8 lbs. Italian sausage or spicy sausage cut into bits

2 large or 4 small chicken bouillon cubes

4-5 cloves of garlic, diced

1 small onion, chopped

1 small package of sliced mushrooms

1/4 c. sugar

3/4 tsp. Basil

2 tsp. Oregano

2-1/2 tsp. Fennel seed

dash garlic salt

dash pepper

Cheese Mixture  

2/3 of one big block of mozzarella cheese (save other ¹/₃ for topping)

2 lbs. ricotta cheese

1-1/2 c. grated parmesan cheese

2 eggs

1/4 tsp. Nutmeg

10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and water squeezed out (optional)

Cut up meat and put in frying pan.  Add olive oil and cook till done.  Add garlic, onion, sugar, fennel seed, basil and oregano.  Sauté about 5 minutes.  Add more oil if needed, about 1 tsp.  Sprinkle with garlic salt and pepper.  Put in crock pot.  Add all tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, tomato paste, bouillon cubes and mushrooms to crock pot.

Cook on low for 2 to 5 hours.

While sauce is cooking, boil manicotti shells according to package.  Make the cheese mixture.  Mix the cheese mixture thoroughly together with hands.

When sauce is done cooking, pour 1 cup of sauce into empty pan.  Carefully stuff the shells with the cheese mixture and put in pan.  Pour remaining sauce over shells.  Put remaining 1/3 mozzarella cheese on top.

Cover with tin foil, making a tent so the cheese doesn’t stick to foil.  Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.  Remove tin foil for last 10 minutes of baking.