Baked Manicotti with Cheese

 I found this recipe years ago in a Med Tech cookbook.  It was so unusual in that you make crepes to use as the shells.  They are so easy to fill this way and taste delicious.  Also I am including the sauce recipe but you could use regular tomato sauce or another sauce if you want.

Baked Manicotti with Cheese

Sauce Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 1/2 lb can tomatoes
• 6 oz. can tomato paste
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 T. parsley
• 1 tsp. honey
• 1 tsp. basil leaves
• pinch cayenne

Sauce Directions:

1. Saute onions in the oil.  Add the garlic for the last minute of the sauté.  
2. Combine remaining ingredients for the sauce plus 1 cup water.  
3. Simmer for one hour.

Crepe (Manicotti) Ingredients:

• 6 eggs
• 1 1/2 cup flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 cups water

Crepe (Manicotti) Directions:

1. Blend all ingredients and let stand for 1/2 hour.
2. Heat 8 inch nonstick skillet or a crepe pan to medium.
3. Add a few drops of vegetable oil, and wipe out.
4. Add 3 T. of the crepe batter into the pan.  Tip the pan so it spreads evenly over the bottom of the skillet.
5. Cook until the top is dry and bottom is not brown.
6. Can flip for a few seconds or carefully remove.
7. Stack as they are cooked. (Best to put between wax paper.)

Filling Ingredients:

• 1 lb. ricotta cheese
• 8 oz. mozarella cheese, grated 
• 1 cup grated Monterey jack cheese 
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 T. chopped parsley

Filling Directions:

1. Mix ricotta cheese, 1 cup mozzarella cheese, Monterey Jack cheese, 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, salt and parsley.  

Finishing Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spread 1/2 cup sauce into each of 2 9x13 inch baking pans. 
3. Spread 2 scant tablespoons of the filling down the center of a manicotti crepe.  Roll up. 
4. Arrange manicotti in a single layer in pan. 
5. Pour sauce over to cover manicotti (may have extra, if so save for another dish).
6. Garnish with remaining 1 cup mozzarella and 1/2 cup grated parmesan.
7. Bake covered for 20 minutes, and then uncover and bake for 20 more minutes.

Crock Pot Chicken Thighs

 An easy crock pot dinner and delicious.  

Crock Pot Chicken Thighs

Ingredients:

• 8 bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs
• 1 T. olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 3/4 cup ketchup
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1/3 cup honey
• 3 T. minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp. onion power
• 1/4 tsp. dried thyme
• 1 tsp. dried parsley
• 1/4 tsp. dried mustard
• 2 T. fresh chopped parsley - optional

Directions:

1. Heat olive oil in a cast-iron skillet or heavy bottom pan.  Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper and sear, skin side down until golden.  Remove the chicken from the pan and place skin side up in the crock pot.
2. To a medium-size bowl, add ketchup, soy sauce, honey, garlic, onion powder, dried thyme, dried parsley and dried mustard. Whisk together and pour over the chicken.  place lid on the crock pot and cook on HIGH for 3 hours or LOW for 5 hours until chicken is done and the sauce has thickened. 
3. Remove chicken and place on a serving dish.  Spoon over the sauce from the bottom oof the crock pot, sprinkle with the fresh parsley and serve.