SAUCY MANICOTTI

Grubilicious Contributor: Stacy Fetterman

This is soooo delicious. It takes a little time but is worth it!

Ingredients
1 (8 oz.) package uncooked manicotti shells
1 (16 oz.) package Italian sausage, casings removed
1 large onion, chopped
9 garlic cloves, pressed and divided
1 (26 oz.) pasta sauce
1 (8oz) container chive-and-onion cream cheese, softened
6 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 (15 oz) container ricotta cheese
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper

1. Cook manicotti shells for 6 minutes and drain.
2. Cook sausage, onion, and 5 garlic cloves in a large Dutch oven overmedium-high heat 6 minutes, stirring until sausage crumbles and is no longer pink. Stir in pasta sauce; bring to a boil. Remove from heat.
3. Combine cream cheese, 4 cups mozzarella cheese, next 3 ingredients and remaining 4 garlic cloves in a large bowl, stirring until blended.
4. Cut a slit down length of each cooked manicotti shell.Spoon 1 cup sauce mixture into a lightly greased 13x9 inch baking dish. Spoon cheese mixture evenly into manicotti shells.
5. Arrange stuffed shells over sauce in dish, seam side down. Spoon remaining sauce over stuffed shells. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 2 cups of cheese.
6. Bake, covered, at 350 for 50 minutes.

Southern Living