1 lb. Seaboard Farms® ground pork 1 package manicotti noodles Sauce: 1 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes, drained 6 dried New Mexican chiles seeded and soaked in boiling water for 20 minutes 1 Tablespoon ground cumin 1 Tablespoon chopped garlic 1 teaspoon dried Mexican oregano 1 14 oz. can beef broth 2 envelopes Sazón Goya con Culantro y Achiote Filling: 1 8 oz. package cream cheese, room temperature 1 24 oz. carton cottage cheese 2 1/2 Tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro 2 whole jalapenos, minced (seeded if you want it to be less spicy) 1 Tablespoon minced garlic 1 Tablespoon ground cumin 1 egg, beaten Salt, to taste 1 package Mexcian blend shredded cheese
how to prepare
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray a 9x13x2 baking pan with cooking spray. (Note: For better presentation and easier serving use 2-8x8x2 baking pans.
Brown the ground pork in a large skillet and drain excess grease.
In a blender, add soaked New Mexican chiles, can of diced tomatoes, beef broth, 1 tablespoon of chopped garlic, 1 tablespoon cumin, 1 teaspoon Mexcian oregano, and 2 envelopes of Sazón Goya. Puree mixture until smooth. (Strain through fine mesh strainer, if desired for an even smoother sauce).
Pour pureed chili mixture over the pork mixing it together. Simmer for 10 minutes to allow the flavors to mix.
Cook noodles for 4-5 minutes, or until partially cooked but still firm enough to handle. Do not cook all the way. Set aside to cool. Note: While cooling, make sure to lay the noodles in a single layer, so they do not stick together.
In a medium bowl, mix together all the ingredients for the filling plus 1 heaping cup of the Mexican cheese blend. Use a hand mixer to blend well. Scoop mixture into a large resealable zipper bag.
Snip one of the bottom corners off the resealable zipper bag. Squeeze down from the top of the resealable zipper bag so that cheese mixture flows out through the hole in the bottom corner of the bag. Squeeze the mixture into the partially cooked noodles.
Put a very thin layer of meat sauce into bottom of the baking pan(s) and then place stuffed noodles in a single layer to fill the pan.
Pour remaining meat sauce over the stuffed noodles.
Cover top of baking pan with aluminum foil and bake in the oven for 30 minutes.
Remove foil from the pan and sprinkle with Mexican Blend shredded cheese and place back in the oven for 5-10 minutes, uncovered, until cheese is melted, bubbly and slightly golden.
Remove from oven and let set 10 minutes before serving. After plating, garnish with shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes, olives, and sour cream if desired.
