Ricotta Stuffed Butternut Squash

Original recipe found here.

This recipe serves 4.  The squash and ricotta cheese were a good pairing.  I would suggest adding 1/2 cup crumbled bacon.

Ingredients:
2 butternut squash
1 tablespoons butter
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 clove garlic, minced
1/2 of a 10 oz frozen package of spinach
1 egg
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
3 tablespoons grated Parmesean Cheese
1 1/2 teaspoon chopped parsley
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
ground pepper
1/2 jar spaghetti sauce

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Trim off ends of squash; cut squash in half (lengthwise). With a teaspoon scoop out seeds and part of the pulp leaving shells about 1/2 inch thick. Bake squash, inside down, in a water bath for 30 minutes. Plunge into cold water, drain well and set aside.  In a small frying pan over medium heat, melt one tablespoon of the butter. Add onion and garlic and cook until they are done. Squeeze the spinach to remove extra moisture and add to the garlic and onion and cook until thoroughly heated.  In a medium size mixing bowl, combine eggs, ricotta, Parmesan, parsley, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and spinach mixture. Fill the squash halves with this mixture, about three tablespoons per shell and place squash in a shallow baking dish. Melt the remaining butter and brush over the squash shells.  Bake for 20 minutes. If desired, serve with tomato sauce.

Stuffed Shells

Original recipe found here

I found this recipe on another blog.  It is super easy to make and excellent!  I cooked my shells the night before and put in tupperware until I was ready to stuff.  This would be a great meal to make ahead of time, just add the sauce and cheese when you are ready to bake.

Ingredients:
Half box of large pasta shells (about 20)
1 container ricotta cheese, 15 oz
1 teaspoon garlic
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons basil
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 jar tomato based pasta sauce
1/2 cup shredded Parmesan
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Boil shells as per package directions. Drain and make sure they don’t stick to each other.
Mix together the ricotta, Parmesan, garlic, salt, pepper, basil, and egg.
Stuff your shells, maybe about a tablespoon per shell. Use up all the filling for about 20-24 shells.
Place shells in a 9×13 baking dish, drizzle with pasta sauce, then sprinkle the top with mozzarella cheese.
Bake in 350 degree oven until hot and bubbly, about 25-30 minutes