Chicken Ricotta Manicotti

I don't know about you, but when I get stressed nothing seems better than pasta with lots of cheese.  I've been buckling down on my school and working as fast as I can through it.  At the end of the day I feel completely brain dead.  So I decided I NEEDED PASTA!  I know I could have made macaroni and cheese, in fact Jaiden would probably want nothing more, lol.  But I just couldn't watch him smother another bowl in ketchup.  So I decided to make something a little more grown-up last night.

Chicken Ricotta Manicotti

2 large Chicken Breast, cooked and shredded

2 cup Ricotta Cheese

1 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated

3 tbsp Fresh Parsley, chopped

1 8 oz package Large Manicotti, cooked to the the packages instructions

2 cup Mozzarella Cheese, grated

Garlic Cream Sauce, Recipe Follows

Olive Oil, for greasing the pan

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Grease a 9x13 baking dish and set aside.  Mix the chicken, ricotta, parmesan, and parsley together.

Ladle a couple of spoons of the Garlic sauce into the bottom of the 9x13 pan.

Either spoon or pipe the filling into the manicotti.  

Mine was large enough that I just spooned it inside, but some might prefer pipping it inside.  Place filled pasta onto the cream sauce in the pan.  When you are finished spoon any remaining filling over the top.

Cover with the rest of the cream sauce and the mozzarella and bake for 25 minutes.  Turn the temperature up to 375 and bake for another 8-10 minutes or until the cheese reaches your desired brownness.  Let it sit for about 10 minutes before serving.

Garlic Cream Sauce

1/2 cup Butter

2 cups Half & Half

4 cloves Garlic, minced

1/4 tsp Garlic Powder

1/4 tsp Pink Salt

1/8 tsp White Pepper

Melt butter over med heat.  Add half and half, garlic, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.  Simmer for about 15 minutes or until it reaches your desired thickness.

Life is great.  Cheese makes it better.

-- Avery Aames