Cannelloni

I have yet to attack lasagna, but this is about the closest thing I've come to it. So super yummy and filling. If you want to challenge yourself a bit, this is a good one. The recipe itself isn't difficult, it's getting the food in the manicotti pasta tubes that I always have problems with. :D

Ingredients
1 box manicotti pasta tubes
2 tbsp. olive oil
1/4 cup chopped onions
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 10oz pkg. frozen chopped spinach
1 tbsp butter
1 lb ground beef
5 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp heavy cream
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp dried oregano
salt and freshly ground pepper

White Cream ingredients

4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp flour
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp white pepper (I use regular pepper)
Tomato sauce (home made or bottled is fine)
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp butter

Thaw and drain the spinach. Cook onions and garlic in olive oil until soft. Stir in spinach and cook for 3-4 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Melt butter in a skillet and lightly brown the ground meat. Add the meat to the spinach mixture along with the Parmesan cheese, cream eggs, and oregano. Mix all ingredients thoroughly. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Set the bowl aside. Cook manicotti tubes according to package directions.

To make the cream sauce. Melt the butter in a heavy sauce pan. Add the flour and cook for a minute or two. Pour in the milk and cream and whisk constantly. Cook stirring constantly with a whisk. When sauce boils reduce the heat and cook over a low heat for 2-3 minutes. Sauce will be thick. Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat oven 375 degrees. Fill the pasta tubes with the spinach - meat filling. Pour a little tomato sauce into a buttered bake and serve dish. Lay the stuffed shells side by side in one layer on the tomato sauce. Pour the cream sauce over all the pasta tubes. Pour the tomato sauce in a layer over the cream sauce. Sprinkle the Parmesan cheese over all. Dot with butter. At this point you may refrigerate or freeze. When ready to serve, bring to room temperature and bake uncovered for 20-30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and sauce is bubbling.