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Saucy Alfredo Shells Stuffed with Ricotta and Roasted Butternut Squash

“Alfredo sauce” is trending…but our question is, when is it not?! Our easy, delicious version of this classic sauce is great tossed with fettucine, used as a base for pizza or drizzled over tasty ricotta-stuffed shells. Bonus: The creamy filling for these shells is made with the addition of spinach and roasted butternut squash, and it’s so good the kids won’t even notice that they’re getting a big serving of veg.

📚 History lesson: Fettuccine Alfredo was apparently invented in 1908 by Alfredo di Lelio, a Roman restauranteur. The story goes that his wife, Ines, lacked an appetite after she gave birth to their first child, so he invented this cheesy, comforting pasta to help her get her strength back.

How Did Your Friends and Family Help Most After Your Baby Arrived?

Before you had kids, you probably showed up to meet a friend’s new baby with cute onesies and adorable board books in hand. But after you have your own little ones, you learn. Now, you probably show up with hot coffee and a meal, and you volunteer to hold the baby while your newly minted parent pal has a snooze. You might even volunteer to do some of the endless laundry that comes with the newborn days. So, we want to know: Did someone do something extra nice/helpful for you when your kids arrived?

🗳 CAST YOUR VOTE

The results of last week’s poll:
Should restaurants have the right to ban kids?

🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️ No way. (19.2%)
🟨🟨🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️ Absolutely. (25.9%)
🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩 Depends on the restaurant. (41.5%)
🟨⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️⬜️ Other (tell us more on the next page!) (13.3%)

From our readers:

NO
“I don't think it is right to ban kids. You can have an adult customer that can be just as disruptive as a kid could be. You have to handle each circumstance as it comes, but a blanket ban is too harsh. Also, parents should know what family friendly restaurants are and which ones might not be appropriate to take their kids too.”

YES
“I don’t think fast food or other casual dining restaurants should have that right. However, very upscale restaurants that cater to adult palates I believe should reserve the right to not allow under 12s. If someone is paying exorbitant amounts for a special dinner they deserve to eat in peace (that includes parents on a night out too!).”

How Do I Handle Badly Behaved Kids at My Child’s Birthday Party?

Pretty much every kids’ birthday party has at least one “challenging guest.” You know the kids we mean: The ones who complain about everything, who don’t follow the rules and who try to steal the spotlight. As parents who have put a ton of time, money and effort into planning a nice event for your child, these kids can grate on your nerves.

So, what can you do to minimize the impact of these tough attendees? Read on for a quick rundown, or click through for the whole shebang!

• Be clear on the rules before the party starts, so all guests know what is expected.

• Have enough activities planned so everyone stays busy.

• Make sure you have extra adults on hand to help manage challenging behaviour.

• Don’t feel bad if you need to call a child’s parents—you deserve to enjoy the party, too, and a disruptive guest may need to go home.

😒 Need tips for handling a challenging adult party guest? We’ve got those too. Hit the button below!