Manicotti and Banana Pudding

This recipe is always a huge hit when I make it. I have been making this recipe since I was about 19 which has given me some time to make some changes here and there. The first time I ever made this I had pasta sauce from one end of the kitchen to the next. It was so worth it though. This is also the very first meal that I cooked for Will when we started dating. He loved it, and he often requests this for dinner. I hope that you give this one a try...enjoy!
Manicotti with Cheese and Meat Sauce

Ingredients:
14 pieces (8 oz.) Manicotti, uncooked

Filling:
30 oz. container of ricotta cheese (I use the full fat kind, it is up to you on this)
2 cups shredded mozzarella Italian Blend cheese
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
sometimes I mix one egg in there...I never notice the difference though

Sauce:
2 cups (16 oz.) spaghetti sauce
1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes
1 lb. lean hamburger meat
topping:
2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Instructions:

First, in large bowl, stir together ricotta cheese, Italian blend mozzarella cheese, egg(optional), parsley, pepper and salt; spoon into a Ziploc bag and stick back into the refrigerator.

Second, brown the hamburger meat and drain. Then add the sauce and diced tomatoes to the meat and cook on low. If it starts bubbling, I usually cover it and just turn it off.

Now you can focus on the pasta part.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cook pasta according to package directions(about 7 minutes). It is okay if some break. I lay them out on a cookie sheet covered w/ tinfoil while they cool. Get the filling back out. I cut one of the corners off of the bag. Cut small first, and if it doesn't come out easy cut a little more. Then squirt the filling into each end of the pasta to fill it up. I keep them all on the foil until I am done filling them all.
Now, cover the bottom of a 4 qt. casserole dish w/ a thin layer of the prepared sauce. Arrange filled pasta in single layer in the dish. Pour remaining spaghetti sauce over pasta. Sprinkle with the other 2 cups of mozzarella cheese. Cover w/ foil and bake 35-45 minutes or until hot and bubbly. I usually take the foil off for the last 15 minutes.

Sometimes I make this the night before need it to save time. Just do everything the same, but don't bake it. Cover it w/ plastic wrap and then foil. Keep in refrigerator up to 24 hours until ready to bake. I put a sticky note on top to remind me to remove the plastic wrap. :-) Sometimes you have to bake a little longer because the whole dish is so cold. Good Luck!

Now for the sweet stuff! This recipe is near and dear to my pregnant self. My cousin made this for Thanksgiving, and I wasn't able to try it until the day after because I was so stuffed. I loved it though. Therefore, I requested her to make it for Christmas at my mom's. She agreed, and I dreamed about it for weeks. Then she called me that day, and she told me that she did cheesecake instead. I told her that she shouldn't even bother coming now....hahaha! We thought it was funny, and now she has been kind enough to share this recipe. Now, I can eat my weight in banana pudding! :-) Woo hoo!
Banana Pudding

1 8oz pkg. Cream cheese
1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
1 5oz pkg. instant vanilla pudding
3 c. cold milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract (I didn't add this, and I couldn't tell a difference)
1 8oz container of cool whip
4 bananas sliced
vanilla wafers

In large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in condensed milk, pudding mix, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Fold in the cool whip.
Line the bottom of a 9x13 dish with vanilla wafers. Arrange sliced bananas over wafers. (I did two bananas)
Pour mix over wafers and bananas. Cover with a layer of wafers again and remaining bananas. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Ta Da!

Tips: I put the cream cheese out on the counter for at least an hour to soften it. Also, make sure you cool whip is thawed. I just store it in the refrigerator right from the store just in case I forget.