Mexican Manicotti

From Taste of Home



Ingredients:
1-1/2 pounds bulk pork sausage
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 can (16 ounces) refried beans
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 package (8 ounces) manicotti, cooked and drained
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies, optional
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
In a large skillet, cook sausage and onion until sausage is no longer pink; drain. Stir in the beans, chili powder and cumin. Stuff into manicotti shells.

Place in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Combine tomato sauce and chilies if desired; pour over manicotti. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45 minutes or until heated through.

Comments:
I left out the optional chiles, but otherwise pretty much stuck to the plan. I chose this recipe to use up some refried beans and it worked like a charm. Pretty tasty and relatively easy to assemble. Although I notice every time I make manicotti I think to myself "man, I really hate making manicotti." Such a pain in the butt, stuffing all those shells. *sigh*