Sausage Florentine Manicotti

By carvalhohm

Ingredients

• 4 quarts water
• 1 (8-ounce) package manicotti noodles, uncooked
• 1 (26-ounce) jar tomato-basil flavored pasta sauce
• 1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained
• 1 pound ground Italian sausage
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup ricotta cheese
• 4 cups (16-ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 cup chopped toasted walnuts (optional)

Details

Servings 7
Adapted from mrfood.com

Preparation

Step 1

Bring water and salt to boil in large Dutch oven; add pasta. Cook for 5 minutes; drain and rinse with cold water.

Meanwhile, combine pasta sauce and spinach in medium bowl; pour half mixture into lightly greased 5-quart slow cooker. Set remaining half of mixture aside.

Cook sausage in large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until meat crumbles and is no longer pink. Stir in cream cheese, ricotta cheese, 2 cups mozzarella cheese, salt, pepper, and, if desired, walnuts. Spoon into manicotti shells (see Note); arrange stuffed shells in slow cooker. Pour reserved tomato mixture over shells; sprinkle with remaining 2 cups mozzarella cheese.

Cover and cook on LOW setting 2-1/2 hours. Let stand 10 minutes.

Notes:
Try this no-hassle trick when stuffing manicotti shells: slice shell lengthwise, spoon mixture evenly down center of shell, reshape, and then place cut side down in slow cooker.