BUTTERNUT SQUASH STUFFED SHELLS RECIPES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Place squash halves in a shallow pan and cover with water.
• Roast in the preheated oven until tender, 35 to 45 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool partially, about 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook and stir sausage in the hot skillet until browned and crumbly, 5 to 7 minutes; do not drain fat. Add onion and garlic to sausage and cook and stir over medium-high heat until onion has softened, about 5 minutes.
• Remove flesh from squash, leaving 1/3-inch flesh in the shell to keep it sturdy. Mix squash flesh, sausage mixture, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, parsley, oregano, and cayenne together in a bowl. Stuff squash shells with mixture.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 25 minutes.

Steps:

• Cut off the top of garlic head and place on a square of foil.  Drizzle with olive oil, season with salt and pepper, wrap up and roast at 400 for 1 hour.
• Put squash cubes on a foil lined baking sheet, drizzle with olive oil and season.  Place pan in oven with garlic and roast for 30-35 minutes.
• Put squash cubes in a large bowl and puree with an immersion blender.  Set aside.
• Brown sausage and drain on paper towels.
• Cook onion in scant amount of sausage drippings until translucent.
• Add onion and sausage to squash puree.
• Squeeze roasted garlic head into squash mixture.
• Combine spinach, ricotta and 3 oz. Parmesan.  Season with salt and pepper.
• Add to squash mix and stir gently to combine.
• Cook pasta shells until just starting to soften, put not completely done.  Drain.
• Spray a 9 x 13″ baking dish with cooking oil spray and drizzle just a little cream in bottom of pan, just to add a little moisture.
• Stuff pasta shells with squash mix and place tightly in pan.  Sprinkle remaining 1 oz. Parmesan over all. Cover with foil and refrigerate up to 24 hours.
• Loosen foil before baking so dish is lightly covered and bake at 325 for 45-60 minutes until hot.   Melt butter in a small sauce pan and add sage leaves.  Cook 3-4 minutes and add lemon juice.  Cook 1-2 minutes longer and then pour butter sauce over cooked pasta shells and then serve.  Makes 8 servings