12 oz. ground turkey
8 oz. fresh chopped spinach
1 cup shredded carrots
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. sage
1/4 tsp. crushed fennel seed
1/8 tsp. cayenne
1 (26 oz.) jar pasta sauce
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped (or 1 TBS of dry)
1 cup ricotta cheese
1 beaten egg
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 large box manicotti pasta (usually has 12 shells)

Sauté ground turkey in a frying pan with spices. Chop the spinach and add to cooked turkey along with shredded carrots.

While the meat is cooking, boil manicotti according to package instructions, usually about 8 minutes in a 4-quart pan with 1 teaspoon of salt. Drain manicotti and sprinkle with olive oil or some other cooking oil to keep it from sticking together.

Mix ricotta cheese, Parmesan cheese, 1 beaten egg, basil and half of the mozzarella cheese together. Turn off heat from the cooked turkey mixture, add the cheese and egg mixture and stir all together.

Spread part of the pasta sauce on the bottom of a 13X9 Pyrex pan. Fill the shells with the cheese and meat mixture. Each shell should take about 2 tablespoons of filling. Layer the shells on the bottom of the pan over the pasta sauce. Cover the shells with the remaining sauce and cover with foil. Bake in a preheated, 350-degree oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil and sprinkle the rest of the shredded mozzarella cheese on top. Return to oven and bake another 10 minutes to melt the cheese. Remove from the oven and let it stand for about 10 minutes before serving.

Recipe by Barbara Wolbers