Even Better Now - OMG Delicious Havest Pasta

 Last Fall, I shared with you my recipe for Butternut Squash-Stuffed Pasta Shells.  They are OMG delicious...but wait!  I've found a way to make them ever better.  Yes, it's true, it can be done!

So how did I come up with genius?  Well, honestly, the original recipe was a loose interpretation of a pumpkin stuffed shell I saw.  I couldn't find pumpkin, so I used squash instead.  But this time, I used the pumpkin and it was just as amazing and a lot easier.

Also, I decided last time that the shells were a little dry.  I've found that Romano and Parmesan can be a little dry and tasteless, so lately I've been substituting half of the Romano in all my recipes with Whipped Cream Cheese.  OMG!  I was so spot on with this one.  Finally, I decided Vodka sauce would be better with pumpkin than a standard marinara.  Turns out this was true also.

One more note about this recipe.  It is both vegetarian and lower in fat because the pumpkin adds body and taste without fat!  You can also make this ahead of time, and cook the following day.

 

So, here you go...an updated version to favorite Fall recipe.

Pumpkin-Stuffed Pasta Shells

Ingredients:

24 Jumbo Pasta Shells
1C of Fat Free Ricotta

3/4C of Whipped Cream Cheese
1/2 a Butternut Squash, cooked and mashed (I just cooked it in the microwave), OR 3/4 Can of Pumpkin Puree
1/2C Grated Romano/Parmesan Blend
1 Egg White
2 Cloves of Garlic (I used minced garlic in the jar, 2TBSP)
1C Fresh Basil, chopped
1TBSP Chopped Fresh Sage, minced, plus a 5 leaves
1/4C of Walnuts or Almonds (Hazelnuts would be delicious too!)
1TSP Salt
1TSP Pepper

Dash of Nutmeg
1 Jar of Spaghetti Sauce (I used Vodka Sauce, but Marinara works, too)

Instructions: 

1. Cook pasta shells according to instructions.  Rinse with cool water and drain. 

2. Coat the bottom of a baking pan with spaghetti sauce.  Set aside.

3. In a bowl, mix Ricotta, cream cheese, Romano/Parmesan, egg white, garlic, basil, and chopped sage together.  Add squash and walnuts, salt and pepper.

 

4. Spoon a portion of the stuffing into each of the cooked pasta shells, and layer in the pan atop the spaghetti sauce.  Drizzle or spray a light amount of olive oil over the shells. Drizzle a bit of the spaghetti sauce atop the shells also.

5. At this point, you could refrigerate the dish until ready to cook or cook immediately.
 

6. Cook covered in aluminum foil for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.  

 

7. While the pasta is cooking, spritz a small amount of butter or olive oil and garlic salt in a pan and brown.  Add the leaves of fresh sage and crisp.  Lightly salt.
 

8. After 30 minutes of cooking the pasta, uncover and cook an additional five minutes. Top with the sage leaves and fresh Parmasan and enjoy!

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A Cure for Your October Snow-Ridden Blues

Today it snowed.  I know I shouldn't be shocked, because snow has fallen in Bend much earlier than the end of October, but there's no doubt, change is in the air (stay tuned to find out exactly how much change...).

Our house this morning

As far as I know, there are only a few ways to beat the cold in October.

• With a lit fireplace and warm blanket
• Hot tub and glass of red wine
• Sleeping off the cold morning (but like, who has the luxury to do that?)
• A pot of hot soup on the stove

Since not everyone has a fireplace, hot tub, or enough time for a lazy morning, my only solution for you is...a pot of hot soup.  And I've found a great one to introduce to your recipe box for Fall.

Lasagna Soup

Effort Meter (1 to 5): 2

Delicious Meter (1 to 5): 3.5
Serving Suggestion: Make ahead of time, and top with fresh cheesy topping and serve with toasted garlic bread or Parmesan bread sticks.
Weight Watcher Points -I don't know because WW has changed their way of points calculating AGAIN so now I have to recalculate all my recipes.  But my guess is it's not too bad if you go easy on the cheesy topping and noodles.  Bonus points to anyone who solves this mystery for me!

Ingredients:

2 TSP olive oil

1 pound ground turkey
2 C chopped onions (red or white)
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 TSP dried oregano
1/2 TSP crushed red pepper flakes
1 can tomato paste
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
2 bay leaves
6 C chicken stock
6 Whole Wheat Lasagna Noodles, broken into 2" pieces
1/2 C finely chopped fresh basil leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste


Topping:
8 oz. ricotta
1/2 C grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 C Mozzarella
1/4 TSP salt
Pinch of freshly ground pepper


Instructions:
Heat olive oil over med-high heat.  Add turkey and cook until slightly brown.  Add onions, garlic, oregano, and red pepper and cook until onions often.  Add all remaining ingredients except noodles and bring to a boil.  Add lasagna noodles and cook until softened.  Simmer until ready to serve (make sure noodles are thoroughly cooked).  Top with cheesy topping before serving.

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Feels Like Fall...Might As Well Look Like Fall Too!

The other day while on a long car ride with my husband, we decided to name our favorite things about each season.  As I went through the seasons, I realized even though I've always been a summer girl, I actually had more things I love about Fall.  Among them:

• The colors: the burnt oranges, brick reds, and sunset yellows.
• Scarves and woven hats.
• The food: spaghetti, chili, squash, and soups!
• Crisp, cold nights.
• Halloween and Thanksgiving...my favorite holidays.
• Back to school. 
• College football season and tailgating.
• Fall hiking.

So, when I woke up on Saturday morning to a brisk morning sunrise, I couldn't help but think that Autumn had arrived.  So, why not just embrace it?  And so I did.  I headed down to the craft store with some pictures of the door arrangement I wanted to make, and started sprucing up the entry for Fall.

I loved the look of this door arrangement, but I wanted to do it in Autumnal colors.

Heres' the finished product. I found an egg-shaped twine basket at Michael's for $14.99 and figure I can change up the arrangement every season.

And then I had to change the flowers in my antique pedestal lantern...just because!

Tah Dah...about $30 later, I've got a nice Fall arrangement.

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New Recipe - Grilled Chicken Francese-Style

Grilled Checken Fancese-Style with Roasted Sweet Potatoes

I made this Grilled Chicken Francese-Style (inspired by the recipe in the Oct issue of Family Circle).  I chose it because it is 356 calories but looked way more scrumptious than that.

You can check out the recipe here.  I suggest adding mushrooms to the sauce as I did.  I also don't like polenta, so I went with roasted sweet potatoes on a bed of greens instead.  Also very delicious.  You can find that recipe here!

I'm beginning to think that sweet potatoes are getting an unfair reputation.  I've cooked them twice now and I heart them!  Or maybe I just heart the olive oil I put on them. 

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OMG Delicious (and low in points) Harvest Stuffed Shells

I love the Fall.  The leaves, the chilly nights, and the food!  I was very inspired by all the Autumn recipes in the various magazines this months.  One, in particular, was a pumpkin pasta recipe I was dying to try.

So I headed down to Fred Meyer to buy some canned pumpkin, but couldn't find it anywhere.  I asked the clerk and she said they don't carry it because it's "seasonal."  Okay, forgive me, but isn't Fall the "season" for said sqwash?  So, then I headed to Trader Joes...same story. 

So here I am wondering why I can buy a Halloween costume in August, but I can't find canned pumpkin in mid-September at the very same store.  Completely out of character, however, I turned this minus into a plus.  I remembered this awesome ravioli I had with Butternut Squash and toasted Sage from Pastini's one time and decided to modify the Pumpkin Pasta recipe to create a new Butternut Squash recipe.  And I have to say, it was probably the most delicious pasta I've made this season!

The topper?  Because squash is both low calorie and juicy, this pasta has about a third of the fat and calories of normal stuffed shells.  Three stuffed shells are about 6 Weight Watcher Points (8 Points Plus)!

So, here it is:  OMG Delicious Butternut Squash Stuffed Shells

Ingredients:

24 Jumbo Pasta Shells (I couldn't find high fiber ones, but if anyone knows where I can find them, let me know)
1 to 1-1/2C of Fat Free Ricotta
1/2 a Butternut Squash, cooked and mashed (I just cooked it in the microwave)
1/2C Grated Romano/Parmesan Blend
1 Egg White
2 Cloves of Garlic (I used minced garlic in the jar, 2TBSP)
1C Fresh Basil, chopped
1TBSP Fresh Sage, minced, plus a 5 leaves
1/4C of Walnuts (Hazelnuts would be delicious too!)
1TSP Salt
1TSP Pepper
1 Jar of Spaghetti Sauce

Directions:

1. Cook pasta shells according to instructions.  Rinse with cool water and drain. 
2. Coat the bottom of a baking pan with spaghetti sauce.  Set aside.
3. In a bowl, mix ricotta, romano/parmesan, egg white, garlic, basil, and chopped sage together.  Add squash and walnuts, salt and pepper.
4. Spoon a portion of the stuffing into each of the cooked pasta shells, and layer in the pan atop the spaghetti sauce.  Drizzle or spray a light amount of olive oil over the shells.
5. At this point, you could refrigerate the dish until ready to cook or cook immediately.
6. Cook covered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.  
7. While the pasta is cooking, spritz a small amount of butter or olive oil and garlic salt in a pan and brown.  Add the leaves of fresh sage and crisp.  Lightly salt.
8. After 30 minutes of cooking the pasta, the original recipe calls for 15 more minutes uncovered, but I think that would dry it out, so I didn't and it was wonderful!  Top with the sage leaves and enjoy!

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