I've only made manicotti a couple of times. I use my regular tomato sauce receipe, browning off garlic/onion and adding basil, oregano, salt, pepper, some sugar.
Filling the shells is probably the most time consuming. Filling must have ricotta cheese along with parmesean, egg, salt pepper. I never can make a pasta meal without having meat, so I would also make sausage and meatballs on the side.
TIS
"Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind. War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today." JFK
