I'm sorry, but I just can't get enough of butternut squash this season! I know I just previously posted a lasagna using it, but recently after flipping through a beautiful Donna Hay magazine I also got inspired to stuff it into shells. Donna used sweet potatoes in her recipe, which would be good as well, but I knew immediately I'd be using butternut squash. I also added spinach to mine and an egg for binding. This dish is great as a main course, or on a buffet, or even a side dish to your holiday meal.


Stuffed shells are a great addition to a dinner party, they're individual, easy to serve, and easy to eat.

***Peel, chop and toss in olive oil your butternut squash, then in a hot oven roast at 425F for 15-20 minutes.

***Cook your jumbo pasta shells according to directions.

***In a bowl add aprox, 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,** 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 400F oven until heated through around 20-25 minutes. When finished spoon your warm sage sauce all over and sprinkle with grated parmesan.

Inspired by Donna Hay

Fills around a dozen shells.

We took a drive the other day to see all the gorgeous fall colors, before we know it all the trees will be bare and we'll be looking at snow. That I could live with out!

Buon Appetito!

I'm making a call out to all the onion lovers out there. Are you with me? You have to try this!!
Roasted sliced onions, that are bathed in a white wine and parmesan cream sauce, studded with a hint of fresh sage or thyme! This is a perfect side dish to go along with your turkey day dinner, or any dinner for that matter!

The cream and wine saturate these sweet roasted onions, and gives them such a luxurious flavor. You will be smitten with the first bite!!

Recipe Adapted From: Rick Tramonto's Osteria

***Take 4 yellow onions, peel and slice them 1/4 inch thick, and carefully place them on a baking sheet, rings intact. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast them at 375F for about 15 minutes.

***While onions are roasting, place 1 cup of heavy cream and 1/4 cup of white wine in a small saucepan and simmer till it starts to bubble around the edges. Remove from stove.

***After 15 minutes, carefully take the onions off the baking sheet and transfer into a shallow baking dish, still keeping rings intact. Spoon cream sauce over each onion, maybe a little more black pepper, cover with foil and cook another 20-25 min's.

***Remove from oven, take off foil, and raise temp to 450F. Shave, or grate your parmesan on top of each onion, place back in hot oven till golden brown. About 5 min's till they caramelize.

Garnish with fresh sage leaves or thyme.

Hope you're enjoying your weekend,

Buon Appetito Everyone!!!

This recipe really takes the humble carrot and makes it the star of the show! It's a perfect autumn side dish, and great for any holiday table. I actually saw this while flipping through some magazines in Border's one day. What caught my attention, was the use of a parsley, garlic, and lemon zest gremolata, which you use as a garnish. The gremolata gives the carrots and shallots a depth of flavor that makes the whole dish pop!!

Cut your carrots length wise and place on a baking sheet along with your shallots that have been peeled and cut in half. Drizzle it all with olive oil, salt, pepper, and fresh thyme. Bake at 425F for around 30 min's, they will start to caramelize but still have a little bite to them.

For the GREMOLATA

I used my micro plane to zest my lemon and also my garlic. I just used one clove and it was enough. Chop up some parsley and put it all together with a drizzle of olive oil and pepper.

When the carrots and shallots are finished roasting and all is still warm, toss in the gremolata and some good green olives. That's it!!

Buon Appetito, and have a great weekend!

I want to take this time to brag a little about my son Tony. You know, us mothers need to do that every now and then. This Sunday morning he is running in the Chicago Marathon, 26.2 miles, he has trained all year for this! This will be his first. The transformation of him has been phenomenal, he is now a lean, mean, running machine!!! This weekend we're all going to cheer him on in this enormous test of endurance, I'll be sure to take some photo's to share with you all. Wish him a great run!