1/2 lb. lean ground beef or ground turkey
1 (1.5 oz.) packet spaghetti sauce mix (dry)
1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
8 oz. (1 c.) cottage cheese
1/4 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp. parsley
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 1/2 c. water
1 c. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 egg, well beaten
8 uncooked manicotti shells

Crumble ground meat into a 4 cup glass casserole. Microwave on high 3 minutes, breaking up meat midway through cooking. Pour off grease. Stir in sauce mix, then tomato paste and water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 10 minutes.

To make cheese filling, combine cheeses, egg, parsley and pepper. Fill uncooked shells using a small spatula, scoop or knife. Pour 1/2 of heated sauce into a 2 quart rectangular dish. Arrange filled manicotti in dish and pour remainder of sauce over shells. Cover with plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 10 minutes. Using tongs, turn each manicotti over. Spoon some sauce over each. Recover and microwave on 70% (medium high) 15-17 minutes. Let stand at least 15 minutes before serving.

Makes 4 servings.