Manicotti Recipe - Easy dinner

A friend of mine gave me this recipe when I was looking for something easy and different. My family loved it. I don't have the nutrtional values for this, but I figured I would serve it with a half a plate of salad, with minimal dressing and just a few pasta shells. I really believe that all things in moderation is a good thing to live by. When you limit yourself too much, it can creat a binge affect - which is never a good thing for me. That seems to always happen. However, when I allow myself to enjoy the foods I love while watching my portion size, I do much better. Here is what I tell myself...Nabisco surely won't be going out of business any time soon, so if you are craving an Oreo, either have one and stop, or remember that when you reach your goal...you can still run to the store to give yourself a little reward...they will STILL BE THERE!!! Now - enjoy this easy dinner recipe and let me know how your family loved it!!!

Manicotti
use the shells that look like a seashell (easier to stuff)

2 cans of classico sauce (I mix 2 different kinds)
1 roll Jimmy Dean mild sausage
1 can sliced mushrooms
fry the sausage(crumbly) add the sauce and mushrooms & heat

Mix in a bowl 1 lg (30 oz?)ricotta cheese (maybe use 3/4ths of it) / 1 16oz small curd cottage cheese (I use almost all of this - but you don't want it too runny)
1 2cup bag of Italian finely shredded cheese

Cook the shells until they are semi soft, yet still a little firm. If they are too soft, they will break apart when you try to stuff them.
Cover the bottom of a baking dish with some of the sauce, so the noodles don't stick. Stuff the shells with the cheese & place them seam side down in the baking dish. Cover them with the sauce and cover with foil - bake at 350 for about 30 to 45 minutes or until the sauce is good and hot. I take the foil off the last few minutes, top with a little more cheese and put it back in the oven until the cheese on top melts.
I just do a salad and french bread with this.