Sausage-Stuffed Manicotti

This Cooking Light recipe takes some time but serves a crowd for less than 300 calories and 12 g. of fat per manicotti. I would recommend 2 manicotti per person with a small salad - they are filling.

SAUSAGE-STUFFED MANICOTTI

Recipe Notes

I have modified this recipe to include less milk....the original recipe calls for 2 c. of milk but then wastes about 1 c. of it that is not used at all.

Nutritional Information (per manicotti)

291 calories - 11.5 g. fat - 19.6 g. protein - 1.4 g. fiber

Ingredients

• 10 uncooked manicotti
• 1 lb. sweet Italian turkey sausage (such as Jennie-O)
• 1-1/2 c. chopped onion
• 1 c. chopped green bell pepper
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1 c. fat-free milk
• 1/8 tsp. pepper
• 1-1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
• 2 c. tomato basil pasta sauce
• 1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Cook manicotti according to package directions. Drain and set aside. (You may want to boil an extra 1-2 manicotti in case any of them split during cooking and cooling.)

2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Heat a nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray over medium high heat. Remove casings from sausage and add to pan. Cook 5 minutes or until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain sausage and return to pan.

4. Add onion and bell pepper to pan, saute 5 minutes or until tender.

5. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 c. milk and whisk in flour. Bring pot to a boil when well-combined. Cook 6 minutes or until thickened, stirring constantly with a whisk.

6. Remove from heat and stir in pepper. Add to sausage mixture.

7. Spoon about 1/3 c. sausage mixture into each manicotti and arrange manicotti in a single layer in a 9x13 glass casserole dish coated with cooking spray.

8. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over manicotti. Spread pasta sauce over mozzarella. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

9. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes or until bubbly and browned.