This Italian classic will make any dinner extra special and create more fond memories for the kids. Lots of steps and handiwork give it a definite old-fashioned feel. You won’t regret it!

For this particular batch, I used two pint-sized jars of my home-cooked and home-canned pasta sauce, and round steak – home-ground with the KitchenAid food grinder attachment.

You’ll need:

1 15 oz. container ricotta cheese
2½ cups mozzarella cheese, shredded
3 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
2 eggs, beaten
½ tsp. minced garlic
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. black pepper
1 package (8 oz.) uncooked manicotti shells
1 lb. ground beef
26 oz. pasta sauce
2 cups water

Combine ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, eggs, Parmesan cheese, and garlic in a large bowl; mix well. Add the salt and pepper while mixing. Fill uncooked manicotti shells with the cheese mixture; place in a 9×13 inch baking dish.

Brown ground beef in large skillet over medium-high heat, separating meat into a crumbly, uniform texture while stirring; drain fat. Stir in pasta sauce and water (the mixture will be thin). Pour sauce evenly over filled manicotti shells.

Cover with foil; bake in a quick moderate oven (that’s 375° F) for 60 minutes or until sauce has thickened and manicotti shells are tender.

Enjoy! (But don’t dig in before the head of the table digs in. Old-fashioned table manners, after all.)