Wednesday, January 6, 2010

Not just a dip anymore!

I've found another way to consume more of my favorite dip. Spinach artichoke dip is one of my favorites and I added it to dish while I was in one of my "creative" moods. Dan always laughs when he askes me what's for dinner and I respond with "a surprise!" It means I have become bored at some point in the day and just decided to make up a recipe. This is a good one if you're a fan of the dip.

1 package of manacotti
1 16oz. container of ricotta
1 pre made container of spinach artichoke dip, approx. 8 ounces or so
1 egg
2 cups of your favorite tomato pasta sauce
1 cup of mozzarella
salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions. While it's boiling mix the dip, ricotta, and egg in a small mixing bowl. Salt and pepper to taste. Drain pasta and lay out on a dish towl. Spread enough pasta sauce to lightly cover a 13x9 dish. Fill each manacotti with mixture and arrange in dish. Cover with remaining pasta sauce. Spread mozzarella over manacotti. Now you can cook this right away in a 375 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or this can be chilled and cooked later in the day. I usually make 2 batches and freeze one for later. If cooking from frozen lightly spray aluminum foil with Pam and cover before baking. This will stop the cheese from sticking to your foil. It may take up to an hour to bake if you don't defrost it first. Another option for this dish is to use the mixture for stuffed shells. Either way, you can't go wrong!


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