EASY BAKED MANICOTTI

Tomato sauce (recipe follows)
1 lb ground beef
1/4 cup chopped parsley
2 tbsp instant minced onions
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp dried basil leaves
1/4 tsp each dried oregano and marjoram leaves
2 cups large curd cottage cheese
1 cup shredded momterey jack cheese
1/2 cup freshly shredded parmesan cheese
12 to 16 manicotti shells

Spoon 1 cup of the tomato sauce into greased 13x9 inch baking dish.

Mix ground beef, parsley, onions, salt, herbs, cottage cheese, jack cheese and 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese.
Divide mixture into 12 to 16 equal portions. Stuff uncooked manicotti shells with it. Place filled shells in baking dish.

Pour remaining sauce evenly over. Sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese. Cover tightly with foil. Refrigerate, if made ahead.

Bake at 350 degrees F until shells are tender, about 1 1/4 hours. (1 1/2 hours if refrigerated) Uncover. Bake 5 minutes to brown lightly. Serve with additional parmesan cheese.

TOMATO SAUCE

1 large onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
3 tbsp olive oil
1 large (28 oz) can tomatoes
1/2 cup dry red wine, optional
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp dried basil leaves
1 tsp each sugar
salt

Saute onion and bell pepper in olive oil until tender.

MIx in remaining ingredients for the sauce. Bring to boiling. Cover. Simmer 20 minutes.

Uncover. Cook, stirring, about 10 minutes until sauce is reduced to about 1 quart.