No Boil Three Cheese Manicotti (No Meat, Freezer Meal)

No Boil Three Cheese Manicotti
(No Meat, Freezer Meal)

24 oz. cottage cheese
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
8 oz. package manicotti shells
2-24 oz. jars pasta sauce
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

In a large bowl, gently stir together the first eight ingredients on the list.

Spoon into a piping bag, or a large gallon sized baggie. Snip off the corner of the bag, making a hole the correct size to fit into the end of a manicotti shell.

Spray your baking dish. Spread a thin layer of the pasta sauce in the bottom of a 9”x 13“ baking pan. Squeeze the cheese filling from the bag into the manicotti shells, one at a time. You’ll have to fill each one from both ends of each shell. Place the cheese filled shells into the pan on top of the pasta sauce.

Once the pan is filled, pour the remaining sauce over the shells, completely covering the shells. Top with the rest of the shredded mozzarella cheese. If you like, sprinkle on a little more grated Parmesan cheese. 

IF FREEZING: Place this in the freezer to freeze solid before placing a lid on top. If you put on the lid and then freeze it, the mozzarella cheese will stick to the lid. Once it is frozen solid, put a lid on top and label with the baking directions. 

TO BAKE: Remove the freezer meal from the freezer the day before and store in your refrigerator to allow it to thaw. You can also leave it on the countertop for several hours to give it a head start on the thawing process.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375°. Remove the lid from the pan and bake for one hour or until the shells are tender and the cheese is bubbly. Remove from the oven and let it stand for 10 minutes for the shells to absorb any liquid.