Stuffed Shells with Pumpkin-Bacon Sauce

By davidv

"When company comes over, I love to impress them with a dish that not only tastes great, but is also unique. My Stuffed Shells with Pumpkin-Bacon Sauce is simple and elegant!" —David

Tip: Don't be tempted to remove all that bacon fat from the pan— it adds a crazy amount of flavor to these shells!

Ingredients

• 24 frozen stuffed shells
• 1 lb bacon, diced
• 1 cup onion, finely diced
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 3 –1/2 cups milk
• 1 (15–oz) can pumpkin puree
• 1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 cups Fontina cheese, grated

Preparation

Step 1

Heat oven to 350°F.

Place the shells in a 13x9 baking dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.

Sauté the bacon in a medium-size sauce pan until browned, about 10–12 minutes.

Remove some of the bacon fat from the pan, leaving about 1/4 cup. Add the onions and sauté until translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Stir in the flour then add the chicken stock and the milk.

Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it thicken, stirring constantly. Add in the pumpkin puree, rosemary, thyme, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Bring the mixture back up to a simmer.

Pour the sauce evenly over the shells and top with the grated Fontina cheese.

Place the pan on the middle rack in the preheated oven and bake for 35–40 minutes, or until bubbly and browned on top.