[Betty]

That sounds yummy Alphabassettgrrl. I quite enjoy cooking from scratch. If I'm realistic, I know that sometimes I make dinners that don't quite turn out. But for the most part, cooking from scratch gets better results.

Somethings though are just easier when I'm using them as an ingredient. I made chicken manicotti 50/50 night before last. I fill uncooked (or cook them first, whatever) manicotti noodles with chicken goo. Chicken goo is uncooked chicken breast in the food processor with garlic salt, mozzerella and some spinach, an egg and a little milk and some pepper. I pipe that into the noodles and put them in a 9x13 pan that I've coated with some spaghetti sauce on one side and alfredo sauce on the other. ( both jarred sauces - I like prego traditional and bertoli alfredo). Then I add a little bit of water to the sauces - about 2 tablespoons - and pour the sauces over the filled pasta. (white on white, red on red). top with a little more mozzerella.

Cover in foil and bake at 325 for about 50-60 minutes until even the middle of the pan is all bubbly. Remove foil and let finish for another 5-10 minutes until the top of the cheese is a little toasty.

*Feel free to add other things to the filling but chop it really small or throw it in with the chicken to get chopped up. use another egg if it seems too loose as that will help when it cooks.

**Use any leftover chicken goo as meatballs or a strip of chicken goo along the edge. I always end up with a tad bit too much and hate to waste it.

***I've also made this with cooked manicotti and chicken, putting it all together and then baking it for less time. The cooked manicotti is a pain to work with though as it rips and is hot - or you cool it down and it's sticky. The pasta doesn't absorb the flavors as it cooks either - but it's faster.