Loaded Manicotti With Fresh Spinach

1 Box Manicotti Shells (typically 12 in a box)
1 bottle/jar of Marinara sauce (25-26 oz jar)
4 oz cream cheese
2.5 cups part skim ricotta cheese
4 oz reduced fat cream cheese (half a block)
1 cup kraft Italian 5 cheese blend
3 cups fresh chopped baby spinach leaves
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 pound lean hamburger meat
1 small white onion, chopped
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 Italian seasoning
1 cup fresh shredded parmesan cheese (sprinkle over top)
Fresh basil for garnish (you could also use fresh chopped spinach leaves for garnish)

Preheat over to 375.
Mix together cream cheese, ricotta cheese, 5 cheese Italian blend, spinach, salt, and garlic powder.
Using a 9 x 12 casserole dish, pour 1/2 of the marina sauce into the dish. Make sure the dish has a nice layer of marinara sauce on the bottom.
Fill the manicotti shells with the cheese mixture. (I use a large plastic freezer bag to pipe the mixture into the shells. Fill the freezer bag with the cheese mixture and then cut a small hole in the corner of the bag to pipe in the cheese.)
Fill each shell with the cheese mixture and place in the casserole dish. (It’s ok if they are close together) Cover the dish with foil and bake for 20 min. After 20 minutes, remove and rotate each shell so that the other side can cook. Cover with foil again and cook again for 20 minutes.
While Manicotti is baking, prepare the meat sauce. Brown the hamburger meat and onion over medium heat. Season the meat mixture with the basil and Italian seasoning. Once the meat is fully cooked, add the rest of your marinara sauce and lower the heat. (You won’t have to drain the oil if your meat is lean)
Once the manicotti has been baked for 40 minutes, remove pan from the over and uncover. Now you can top each manicotti with the meat sauce. Then top with parmesan cheese.
Return to the over for another 5 minutes uncovered to melt the parmesan cheese and top with fresh basil or spinach.