Karen’s Ricotta-Stuffed Squash

4 acorn or 8 crookneck or pattypan squash               2 T butter

1 small onion, finely chopped                                                1 clove garlic, minced

1 10-oz. package frozen chopped spinach, thawed    2 eggs

1 lb. ricotta cheese                                                      ¼ c grated Parmesan cheese

1 T chopped parsley                                                  ½ t EACH salt, dry basil & oregano

dash of pepper                                                           Tomato sauce (recipe follows)

Cut squash in half, take out seeds, and steam until crisp-tender (apx. 5 minutes).  Plunge in cold water, drain well, and set aside.  In small frying pan over medium heat, melt 1 T butter.  Add onion & garlic & cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is limp.  Squeeze spinach to remove excess moisture.  Add spinach to onion mixture & cook 1 minute; let cool.  In a bowl, combine eggs with ricotta, stirring until well-blended.  Stir in Parmesan, parsley, salt, basil, oregano, pepper & spinach mixture.   Allowing about 3 T filling per squash, mound filling inside squash shells.  Arrange filled shells in shallow baking pans.  Melt remaining 1 T butter & brush over cut surfaces of squash.  If made ahead, cover & refrigerate.  Bake uncovered in 350 oven for approximately 20 minutes (30 minutes if refrigerated) or until filling is piping hot.  While squash is baking, prepare tomato sauce to spoon over squash before serving.

Tomato sauce:

2 15-oz. cans tomato sauce                                         4 T chopped parsley

2 cloves garlic, minced                                                2 t dry basil

1 t oregano leaves                                                        salt & pepper

In 1-qt. pan, simmer all ingredients together for 5 minutes.