Butternut Squash Ricotta Spinach Stuffed Shells Recipe 425

Steps:

• Peel, chop and toss in olive oil your butternut squash, then in a hot oven roast at 425°F for 15-20 minutes. Cook your jumbo pasta shells according to directions. In a bowl add approximately 2 cups of ricotta, 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, 1 fresh smashed garlic clove, 1/4 cup frozen chopped spinach ( squeezed and drained), 1 egg, salt, pepper, and your cooled down roasted squash, around 2 cups and grated lemon peel. The lemon peel was key to this dish and added a nice bright flavor. Stuff the shells with the mixture and place in a buttered baking dish. Make a sage brown butter sauce by melting 1 stick of butter in a saute pan until golden brown and bubbly. Add at least 10 sage leaves until slightly crisp. Turn off heat and squeeze in fresh lemon juice. Place your shells in a 400°F oven until heated through around 20-25 minutes. When finished spoon your warm sage sauce all over and sprinkle with grated Parmesan.

Steps:

• Make the sauce: Heat the olive oil in a large wide pot over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, oregano, red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook, stirring, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes; season with salt. (You should have about 4 heaping cups of sauce.)
• Make the stuffed shells: Preheat the oven to 375˚ F. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta shells and cook as the label directs for baking, about 9 minutes. Rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Spread out on a baking sheet.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and cook, tossing occasionally, until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove to a large plate lined with a kitchen towel. Squeeze to remove any excess liquid, then finely chop.
• Put the spinach in a large bowl and add the ricotta, mozzarella, parsley, Parmesan, lemon zest, beaten egg, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Stir until combined.
• To assemble, spread about half of the sauce in the bottom of a 10-by-14-inch baking dish. Evenly fill the shells with the spinach-ricotta mixture using a spoon, or pipe it in using a pastry bag. Arrange the shells side by side, open-side up, in the baking dish on top of the sauce, then top with the remaining sauce.
• Cover the dish with foil and bake until heated through and the sauce is simmering around the edges, about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake until any shells or cheese poking through the sauce are lightly browned in spots, about 10 more minutes. Let sit 10 minutes. Top with more Parmesan and red pepper flakes.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of water to a boil and salt generously. Fill a bowl with ice water. Blanch the spinach for no more than 20 seconds, just until wilted, and transfer to the ice water, then drain. Squeeze out excess water. Bring the water in the pot back to a boil and add the pasta shells. Cook al dente, about 10 minutes, and drain and toss with the olive oil. Set aside.
• Turn on a food processor fitted with the steel blade and drop in the garlic. When the garlic is chopped and adhering to the sides of the bowl, stop the machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the spinach and pulse to chop finely. Add the ricotta and the egg and process until well blended. Add 1/3 cup of the Parmesan, the chives, and salt and pepper to taste. Pulse until well blended.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil a large baking dish or two 2-quart dishes. The shells should fit into the dish in one layer. Fill each shell with a scant tablespoon of the filling. Arrange in a single layer in the baking dish. Top with the tomato sauce and cover the dish with foil.
• Bake 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Remove from the heat, sprinkle on the remaining Parmesan, and serve.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 425°F. Spray 13x9-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook and drain pasta shells as directed on package. Place cereal in resealable food-storage plastic bag; seal bag and finely crush with rolling pin or meat mallet (or finely crush in food processor).
• Meanwhile, in medium bowl, toss squash, oil and pepper until squash is evenly coated. Pour onto ungreased cookie sheet with sides. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until squash is tender. Let cool slightly. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F.
• Meanwhile, spray 10-inch skillet with cooking spray. Crumble and cook sausage in skillet until no longer pink. Stir in cereal.
• In large bowl, mix ricotta cheese and milk. Stir in spinach, sage, butternut squash and sausage mixture, tossing lightly to mix.
• Fill each cooked pasta shell with about 3 tablespoons of squash mixture. Drizzle Alfredo sauce over all shells; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Cover with foil.
• Bake at 350°F 15 minutes. Uncover; bake 5 to 10 minutes longer or until hot.