Spinach and Cheese Manicotti

Cold weather means comfort food! Creamy, cheesy pasta, what's more comforting than that? I'm not sure where I got this recipe from, but I've changed so much of it that it's probably nothing like the original anyways. This recipe fits into a 9x13-inch baking dish, but I usually split it in two 9x9-inch dishes and freeze one without baking it.

What you'll need
1-425g container ricotta cheese
1 pkg (about 285g) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1/2 cup minced onion
1 egg
2 tsp minced fresh parsley
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
1-226g pkg manicotti shells

White Sauce
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
2 cups milk
Salt and pepper

How to
1.  Cook manicotti shells according to package directions.

2.  Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, onion, egg, parsley, and garlic powder. Mix in 1 cup mozzarella and the parmesan. Salt and pepper to taste.

3.  For the white sauce: melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Blend in flour and cook, stirring constantly for 2 minutes. Slowly add the milk while continuously whisking until smooth. Cook for 5-7 minutes, whisking constantly, until sauce is thickened. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

4.  Preheat oven to 350°F. Pour about 1/3 of the sauce onto the bottom of a 9x13-inch baking dish. Stuff the cooked manicotti shells with ricotta mixture and arrange in a single layer in the dish. Cover with remaining sauce. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese.

5.  Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and brown on top.