Stuffed Shells with Pumpkin

You didn't think I'd let December get here and fail to post another pumpkin recipe, did you?  I saved the best for last!  Wait, that's not true, I can't pick the best...all pumpkin is delicious, but this recipe is always the first one I make of the fall season. 

Sadly, when I made pumpkin shells this year, I completely forgot to take pictures!  I was telling my friend Katie how I was disappointed I wouldn't have pictures when I posted the recipe and a couple weeks later she told me she made them AND she took pics for me.  How awesome is that?  There's more; you all are in for a real treat.  My pictures that I take...well, they leave plenty to be desired.  They are taken with my phone or IPad and if you're lucky I'll spruce them up a bit with Instagram.  I should really always do that-I'll work on it.  Katie is a professional photographer are amazing!  Really, in the end it all worked out.  I get to share one of my favorite dishes with you and I have fabulous pictures to accompany it.  Thank you again, Katie! As for the rest of you, don't get used to this professional looking blog post.  My simplistic, and well, quite raw pictures will return next time. 

Stuffed Shells with Pumpkin

1 12 oz. package jumbo pasta shells
1/2 C. butter
1/4 C. + 2 T. flour
1 1/2 C. milk
1 1/2 C. grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
2 C. ricotta cheese
2 C. cooked pumpkin
1 C. chopped raw spinach
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
olive oil

Good news: no heavy cream.  Bad news: TONS of cheese. 

Preheat oven to 350.  Boil pasta shells according to package directions.

 

Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in flour, continue stirring while you gradually add milk.  Continue stirring until sauce thickens.  When it thickens, stir in 1/2 C. of the Parmesan cheese.  (If it gets too thick, you can add more milk)

 

In a medium bowl, combine 1 C. of Parmesan cheese, pumpkin, ricotta, spinach, garlic and salt and pepper to taste.

Most people can't wait to lick the cookie dough bowl.  This is my kind of bowl. 

Mmmm...I might need to make this recipe this week!

 

Lightly oil 2 qt. baking dish.  Or, whatever dish you want.  Sometimes I use a 9 x 13, other times I like it in a prettier one.  It really doesn't matter.  This recipe's all fancy and uses olive oil to grease the pan.  Don't let my high quality pictures fool you.  I'm like the rest of you and just sprayed my dish with that stuff that comes out of a can. 

Open pasta shells and stuff with desired amount of filling.  I've found the easiest way to stuff them is with a cookie dough portioned/scoop thing.  It seems to be the perfect amount and makes it go really fast.

 

Looks scrumptious, right?  We haven't even added the cheesy goodness yet.

 

 

Cover shells with sauce.  Sprinkle mozzarella on top.  Bake, uncovered, 30-35 minutes.

 

 

Out of the oven and ready to devour.  I made these for a Halloween party once and they were enjoyed so much that a certain someone started forgoing the plate and fork method and grabbed them with his hands to eat.  Straight out of the pan.  We're high class like that.  That may or may not have been the photographer of these photo's husband. Let's just say, there's a reason she has the recipe already.

 

 

Enjoy! 

 

 

 





 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 



Pumpkin Crunch Cake

A little thing came and went this past weekend.  You're now reading the blog of a 29 year old!  I really can't believe it-time sure flies when you're having fun!  I'm okay with getting older...I had a quarter life crisis when I turned 25.  As in, sat alone at my kitchen table in the dark with a bottle of wine and cried.  (No, Grandma, I didn't drink the whole bottle, don't worry.)  That melt down wasn't even about getting "old".  It was more about being an adult and fully grasping all the crummy things and struggles people you love go through.  Anyway, I know it wasn't my 30th on Saturday so ask me in a year if I still feel the same way.  :)

I read this a year or so ago and it really stuck with me.  Such good words to remember and it makes me thankful for all I've enjoyed this past year.  Looking forward to all that my next year has in store!

My birthday was on Saturday and you guessed it-there was a KState game to attend!  It was at TCU, so most of the day was spend in the car driving to Texas.  My parents came to Wichita from KC on Friday night in time to take Josh and I to dinner for our birthdays.  It was such a great evening! 

We tried an Italian restaurant I've been wanting to go to for months called Bella Vita.  It was delicious and deserves it's own blog post so I'll save that for another time.

My day started with a pumpkin coffee from Quicktrip.  One of my favorites!  My day ended with pumpkin pancakes at IHOP for a late dinner after the game was over.  Not too shabby.

You're probably wondering when the Pumpkin Crunch Cake recipe is coming.  I haven't had time to blog lately so I'm a bit long winded today...just catching up from my unplanned leave of absence from blogging. 

The pumpkin crunch cake was enjoyed before the game.  So, yes, I had pumpkin flavored things for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  I told you I love pumpkin.  You really shouldn't be surprised.  Anyway, my mom's friend has a son at TCU so we tailgated at his house before the game.  It was so nice to have a place to hang out and stretch our legs after the drive.  My mom's friend's dad (did you follow that?) is Italian and she made her family's authentic baked ziti that was incredible!!!!!  I realize she made it for her son, but I don't think she grasped how excited I was about it too!  For a "foodie" like me it really added to the fun on my birthday. 

My mom made me my favorite dessert.  Pumpkin crunch cake.  My friend Katie actually found this recipe last year on Pinterest and I've been hooked ever since.  It's so delicious and EASY.  Those are the only good things I can say.  It's also horrible for you, will clog your arteries, will cause your pants to get tight, etc.  Hence why I haven't made it this pumpkin season yet.  But, it was my birthday, and if a girl can't splurge on her birthday, when can she?!

Pumpkin Crunch Cake

Ingredients:

1 box yellow cake mix
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans (the original recipe called for 1/2 cup)
1 cup butter, melted

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom of 9 x 13″ pan. Mix pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pour mixture into greased pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix over pumpkin mixture and top with pecans. Drizzle melted butter over pecans. Bake 50-55 minutes.

**My mom taught me that many recipes can taste just as delicious with less sugar than it calls for.  She used 3/4 C. sugar instead of the 1 1/2 it calls for and you would never know.  So, at least I consumed 47 g of sugar per piece instead of 52 g.  Okay, I exaggerated a bit on the sugar content, but in all seriousness, every little way you can cut back adds up!

If you follow my blog and read my last post about Josh's birthday you're probably wondering how I'm going get back in shape after all the food I ate the past week. 

See below:

I will be so nervous for Travis I will have no problem not eating.  I'm not joking...it's so, so, so exciting, but oh, the pressure!