Sausage & Spinach Manicotti

Manicotti -- For such a fancy sounding word, it sure is an incredibly easy thing to make!  I decided to go back and post the recipe from our Sunday night meal because it really is SO easy and delicious, and I know lots of fellow Mommas are looking for exactly that!  This recipe is adapted from one I found years ago in Simple & Delicious magazine (if you don't own any of these magazines, I HIGHLY recommend them.. we have found some great, easy meals in there!)

• 1 lb bulk pork sausage (raw)
• 1 cup small curd cottage cheese
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• a couple small handfuls of fresh baby spinach, torn into smaller pieces (maybe about a cup?)
• 1 pkg uncooked manicotti shells (8oz) -- this last time, I used all 14 from the first package, and then had enough filling to add 4 or 5 more from the second package I bought.
• Your choice of sauce (approx 26 oz total) -- regular red pasta sauce, vodka sauce, alfredo.. whatever you want!  We usually do a red sauce, and then a little drizzle of alfredo on top of that.
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl, combine sausage, cottage & ricotta cheeses, and spinach (go ahead and use your hands!)  Scoop into a large ziploc bag and cut the tip off one of the corners. 
Squeeze mixture into each individual manicotti shell and place in greased 9x13x2 baking dish.
Cover the shells with your sauce(s).
Cover with foil and bake @ 350 for 55-60 minutes, or until a meat thermometer inserted in the center reads 160 degrees.
Uncover; sprinkle with cheese.  Bake 8-10 minutes longer until cheese is melted.  Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Happy eating!