Ravioli Florentine

Happy Weekend!

MGG and I were fortunate enough to get a head start on our weekend, so we decided to go and have some fun!  So we were off to the races.  The horse races that is.  Oh the memories of going to the races with my mom and dad are still fresh.  Both my parents loved going to the races and passed their love on to me.

I hadn't been to the races in quite some time and this was MGG's first time ever.  Sometimes it's just hard to fit things in to your daily life that you find exciting.  So it was great to go again, and to share his first time watching the ponies.

We went to Santa Anita Race Track, purchased box seats right in front of the finish line, and ate a wonderful lunch at the Clubhouse.  So far so good.  MGG was having a great time.  The real excitement began when the races started and MGG was winning almost every race.  How did he do that?  Beginners luck I guess!  So after a full day of races we were tired and ready to go home.

Once home we found ourselves happy, tired, and hungry.  So I decided to satisfy our appetite by making a quick pasta dish.  You can have this one on the table in under 30 minutes.  The best part is this is a one pot meal as well.  I'm just loving those, and the clean up is a breeze!

This pasta dish is full of good things.  Spinach, mushrooms, garlic, tomatoes make for a hearty yet tasty sauce to which you cook the ravioli in.  Using frozen spinach makes the dish quick.  I also used a new item I found in the store.  It's a sun dried tomato pesto.  Not the green kind, but a deep red pesto.  A perfect addition to the sauce, giving it more depth.  For the ravioli you could use fresh or frozen.  I chose a fresh ravioli made of chicken and spinach.  Make sure to use your favorite flavor.  It all comes together easy and everyone will flip over it!

So, sleepy, full, and satisfied we ended our day.  A great way to start the weekend!

Ravioli Florentine

Serves 4-6

3 T olive oil
1 (8oz) package fresh mushrooms, sliced
¾ c onion, finely diced
1 T garlic, minced
1 (16 oz) pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained well
2 c water
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with Italian seasoning
1 (8.1 oz) jar sun-dried tomato pesto
1 (25oz) family size pkg ravioli – any variety

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add mushrooms, onion and garlic. Cook for 8-10 minutes stirring frequently until mushrooms are tender. Stir in spinach, water, tomatoes, and pesto. Stir to combine. Cook 5 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium and add ravioli. Try and push ravioli under the liquid if possible. Cover with a lid and cook 8-10 minutes until soft and fully cooked. Serve.

adapted from Good Cents Cooking Magazine

Bananas Foster Sundae

It's time for a little decadence...


I'll let you in on a little secret.  MGG has to weaknesses and I know what they are...

Snacks and Ice Cream.  Yes, that's right.  Ice Cream.

He loves to have a bite of ice cream for dessert. 

Daily.

It's his guilty pleasure...

I'm sure we all know about those don't we?  So as usual the other night after dinner he's wanting a scoop of ice cream.  I decided to make him a special treat by creating a Bananas Foster Sundae for him instead of his usual cone.

I grab some ripe bananas, slice them and throw them in a skillet with melted butter, rum, cinnamon, and sugar.  Oh my!  I remember the first time I had Bananas Foster at a Mardi Gras themed party. and it made such an impression.  One that stuck with me.  The flavors are outstanding.

So this sundae is a play off of the original dessert.  Combining the flavors and then using them as a topping for vanilla ice cream.  The bomb if I do say so myself! 

Oh...and...
Truth be told I have a weakness for Ice Cream as well. 




Bananas Foster Sundae

Serves 2

2 T butter
¼ c packed brown sugar
¼ t cinnamon
½ t dark rum
2 T water
1 large banana, sliced
Vanilla Ice Cream

In a medium of medium heat, melt butter. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, rum and water. Stir to combine. Cook, stirring constantly, until sugar is melted. Add banana slices, and cook 1 minute. Serve over ice cream.

Chili Mac

 Do you have a gazillion recipes pinned on Pinterest?

I think I have a gazillion and one...

So it's high time that I make some of these fabulous dishes I keep drooling over.  

Flipping through my boards, I was looking for some comfort food.  Something I could make in under 30 minutes yet be satisfied.  Something that reminds me of fall.

Tall order?  Not really.  One of my favorite bloggers is Kristen of Iowa Girl Eats.  She is an amazingly good cook.  I love reading her blog and I find my self getting hungry staring at all the wonderful dishes she makes.  

Today's dish is one I "pinned"  from Iowa Girl Eats.  Her Skillet Chili Mac and Cheese sounded like heaven on earth.  

This is my adaptation of Kirsten's soulfully comforting dish.  It's perfect during the cool fall evenings.  You can make this during the week with no problems.  A plus is that it is all made in one skillet!  No joke!  Best part?  The FLAVOR baby!

Enjoy!

Chili Mac

Serves 3-4

Adapted from Iowa Girl Eats

½ lb ground sirloin
1 shallot, small diced
1 cloves garlic, minced
8 oz  petite diced tomatoes, slightly drained
3 T tomato paste
7 oz kidney beans, drained & rinsed
2 c low-sodium beef broth
1 ½ t chili powder
1 t cumin
½ t paprika
½ t dried cilantro
1 /4 t salt
¼  t dried oregano
1 c elbow macaroni
1 c shredded cheddar cheese
2 T King Arthur Vermont Cheese Powder

Toppings: shredded cheese, cilantro 

Add ground beef, onion, and garlic to a very large skillet over medium-high heat. Season with salt & pepper then cook beef until no longer pink. Drain then return to the skillet.

Add petite diced tomatoes, tomato paste, kidney beans, beef broth, and spices to the skillet. Bring to a boil then add macaroni noodles and place a lid on top. Cook for 5-7 minutes or until noodles are just barely al dente (do not overcook,) stirring once. Add cheese then stir until smooth. Let dish sit off the heat and thicken for 10 minutes before serving.