Stuffed Manicotti

Ingredients
2 pounds of manicotti (pasta)
1 pound of ground beef or turkey
3 slices of chopped bacon
16 ounces of ricotta cheese
1 egg
1 cup of Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon of kosher salt
1 teaspoon of pepper
6 leaves (chopped) of fresh basil
1 cup of olive oil
2 onions chopped
2  tablespoon of minced jarred garlic

Preparation
In a large pot boil water
when water come to a boil add pasta and 1 teaspoon of salt.
Stir water every few minutes.
Cook pasta until soft, but not too soft.
Drain pasta and run cold water over pasta.
Brown meat lightly (simultaneously with cooking pasta and sauce).
Add 1 chopped onion and bacon cook until onion becomes transparent.
Add 1 tablespoon of  minced garlic
Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and pepper
Continue to cook until meat is cooked thoroughly (10 mins)
shut off flame.
Mix ricotta cheese with egg, garlic powder and 3 chopped basil leaves.
Add a cup of cooked ground meat to ricotta cheese.
Slice pasta and open flat and add a teaspoon of ricotta cheese mix on one side
close pasta.
Put pasta in a long baking casserole dish (put sauce on the bottom of the pan)


Sauce
1 jar of tomato sauce or a 16 ounce can of crushed tomatoes
 Heat oil in a 2 quart pot add 1 chopped onion.
Cook until onion is transparent.
Add 1 tablespoon of  minced garlic and the rest of the chopped basil leaves.
Cook for 3 minutes and stir.
Add sauce and add leftover cooked meat and cook for 30 minutes.

Baking
When all pasta is stuffed place in casserole dish (can put manicotti on top of each other if needed).
Pour sause on top of pasta and parmesan cheese.
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes

Serves 6-8