A rich, creamy recipe that combines delicious fall flavors with satisfying pasta.
Ingredients:
12 jumbo pasta shells (about 6 ounces)
1 ¼ cups nonfat ricotta cheese
¾ cup pumpkin
½ teaspoon garlic powder or 2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoons basil
¼ teaspoon sage
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
½ cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
1 cup pasta sauce
Directions:
Wash hands with soap and water.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Cook pasta shells according to package directions. Drain and place each on a baking sheet to cool.
In a medium bowl, stir together ricotta, pumpkin, spices and all but 1 Tablespoon of the cheese. Reserve the 1 Tablespoon cheese for topping.
Spread pasta sauce in the bottom of a baking dish that holds all the shells in a single layer. Fill each shell with about 3 Tablespoons of pumpkin mixture and place shells close together on top of the sauce.
Cover pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil, sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake for 15 minutes more.
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Notes:
Freeze unused pumpkin and add to soup, chili or pancake recipes.
Perfectly Paired: Roasted Parsnips and Carrots as Your Ideal Autumn Comfort Side. Roasting these root vegetables brings out their delightful blend of sweet, smoky, and nutty flavors, making them the ultimate accompaniment for a cozy, rainy fall day.
Ingredients:
¾ pound parsnips, peeled if needed
¾ pound carrots, peeled
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
⅛ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
⅛ teaspoon pepper
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cut the parsnips and carrots into uniform pieces such as 3 x ½-inch sticks or 1-inch thick slices.
3. Place cut parsnips and carrots into a large bowl. Add the vegetable oil and stir to coat the carrots and parsnips.
4. Add the salt, garlic powder and black pepper and stir until the vegetables are well coated with seasonings.
5. Place vegetables in a single layer on large baking sheet being careful not to overcrowd the pan. Lining the baking sheet with foil or baking parchment will help with clean-up.
6. Roast in the preheated oven for 20 to 30 minutes, stirring the vegetables half way through the time. The carrots and parsnips should be caramelized to a medium brown and blistered.
7. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Notes:
Try adding other seasonings such as thyme or onion powder.
Looking for a kid-friendly, nutritious snack that’s perfect for when you’re on the move? Give these Peanut Butter Cereal Bars a try! Whole grain oats, peanut butter, and dried fruit make a crispy, chewy treat.
Ingredients
½ cup honey (see Notes)
1 cup peanut butter
2 cups rice cereal
2 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup raisins or other dried fruit
Directions
Wash hands with soap and water.
In a saucepan, bring honey to a boil.
Reduce heat to low and stir in peanut butter.
Add cereal, oats and raisins; mix well. Remove from heat.
Lightly grease an 8×8-inch baking pan. Press mixture into pan. When cool, cut into 16 bars.
Store in an airtight container for up to a week.
Notes
Try this recipe with 4 cups of unsweetened cereal flakes instead of the rice cereal and oats.
Honey is not recommended for children under 1 year old.
To avoid peanuts or peanut butter, try sunflower seeds or sunflower seed butter.
Photo and recipe credit: https://foodhero.org/recipes/peanut-butter-cereal-bars
2 cups whole kernel corn (fresh, frozen or canned and drained)
2 cups lima beans (fresh, frozen or canned and drained)
2 cups cut okra (fresh or frozen)
1 can (14.5 ounces) stewed or diced tomatoes
1 cup water
1 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
Directions
Wash hands with soap and water.
In a large saucepan on medium heat, sauté onion in the oil until soft, about 5 minutes.
Add the rest of the ingredients, reduce heat to medium-low and slowly cook until the veggies are tender, the liquids reduce and the flavors are blended, about 30 to 45 minutes.
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Notes
The amounts of each vegetable are provided as a guide and do not have to be exact. Create your own combination according to your taste and what’s available!
Try adding other vegetables such as black eyed peas, chopped bell pepper, hot pepper or zucchini.
Try adding other seasonings such as garlic powder, thyme, basil or hot sauce.
If using fresh corn, slice 2 cups kernels from 2 to 4 ears, uncooked or cooked.
If using fresh tomatoes, use 4 large to 6 medium (3 cups chopped, peel first if desired).
Looking for a creative way to use up the overflow of zucchini from your garden?! Give this Zucchini Pie a try!
1 tube (8 oz.) refrigerated crescent rolls
3 medium zucchini, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbs. Tillamook butter
2 tsp. minced fresh parsley
1 tsp. snipped fresh dill
¼ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
1 ¼ cup grated Tillamook Pepper Jack cheese (divided)
2 eggs, lightly beaten
Separate crescent dough into eight triangles; place in a greased 9-inch pie plate with points toward the center. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of plate to form a crust; seal perforations.
In a skillet, sauté zucchini and garlic in butter. Add the parsley, dill, salt, pepper and ½ cup cheese.
Spoon into the crust. Pour eggs over top; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover edges loosely with foil.
Bake at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 5 minutes before cutting.
Yield: 6 servings.
For a lighter version, turn your pie into a frittata! Remove the crescent rolls from the recipe and add your vegetable and egg mixture directly to a well-greased pan and bake as instructed.
Photo & Recipe Source: Abby Carroll
For more local health and wellness information, visit www.tillamookcountywellness.org or follow Tillamook County Wellness on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 cup low-sodium chicken broth (see Notes)
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
¼ cup packed brown sugar
2 Tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced, or 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup sliced celery
1 medium onion, cut in eighths
1 green bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 large carrot, sliced diagonally 1/4″ thick
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
¼ cup cold water
Directions
Wash hands with soap and water.
Drain pineapple and reserve juice.
Place chicken in a large skillet on low heat (250 degrees F in an electric skillet).
Add reserved pineapple juice, chicken broth, vinegar, brown sugar, soy sauce and garlic. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink when cut.
Add vegetables and pineapple. Cook until vegetables are crisp-tender, about 5 minutes.
In a small bowl, combine cornstarch with water and stir until smooth. Slowly pour into hot mixture, stirring constantly until thickened, about 1 minute.
Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.
Notes
Serve over cooked rice or pasta.
Broth can be homemade, canned or made using bouillon. For each cup of broth use 1 cup very hot water and 1 teaspoon or 1 cube bouillon.
