Beef & Cheese Ravioli in Creamy Sauce

Ravioli is a beloved pasta dish that has stood the test of time. With its delicious fillings, cultural significance, and versatility, ravioli continues to be a popular choice for people of all ages and backgrounds.

The name ‘ravioli’ is derived from the old Italian word ‘riavvolgere’ (to wrap). Ravioli was traditionally served ‘al brodo’ (in broth) before the introduction of tomatoes from the New World in the 16th century, when tomato-based sauces became popular.

In the past, ravioli was just a fancy way to recycle leftovers, but today you’ll find a variety of elegant fillings ranging from gourmet cheeses, butternut squash, kale & spinach, wild mushrooms, lobster, and chicken. It can be served in a variety of ways, such as boiled, baked, or fried, and can be paired with a wide range of sauces and toppings.

The sauce you choose to serve with your ravioli will depend on the filling of your little pasta pockets. The idea is to pair the right sauce with the filling to create balance. Light, cheesy ravioli pairs well with a rich, meaty sauce, while hearty meat-filled ravioli works better with something creamy or mild. This keeps the dish balanced so it’s not too heavy or uninteresting.

This casserole pairs cheese ravioli with a creamy beef parmesan sauce making a nice flavorful meal.

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Beef & Cheese Ravioli in Creamy Sauce
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Instructions
Beef & Ravioli
  1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the ground beef, breaking it up into small pieces with a spoon. Cook until beef is browned, about 5-7 minutes. Drain any excess fat. Add the onion & garlic, cooking for an additional 2-3 minutes until softened & fragrant. Stir in oregano, basil & salt & pepper to taste. Set aside.
  2. While the beef cooks, bring a pot of water to a boil. Add ravioli & cook according to package directions, typically 3-5 minutes. Drain the ravioli, reserving about a cup of pasta water for the sauce. Set aside.
Sauce
  1. In the same skillet you cooked the beef, reduce the heat to medium-low & add the milk, cream cheese & chicken broth. Stir continuously until the cream cheese is fully incorporated into the sauce, creating a creamy base. Add the parmesan cheese, garlic & onion powder & pepper. Stir until the sauce is smooth & slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes.
Assembly
  1. Add the cooked ravioli & beef mixture to the skillet with the creamy sauce. Stir gently to combine, ensuring the ravioli is coated with the sauce. If the sauce seems to thick, add a small amount of the reserved pasta water to thin it to your desired consistency. Cook for an additional 2-3 minutes to heat everything through.
  2. Serve hot. Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley & additional parmesan cheese if desired.

Baked Scallops w/ Creamy Corn, Tomatoes & Chives

July in Canada is the ‘everything goes better with corn’ season, and that includes seafood.

Scallops, those sweet and tender ocean gems, have a flavor profile that’s both briny and subtly sweet but never too fishy. Then there’s corn, that sunny yellow kernel-packed treasure. It’s like summer in vegetable form, with a satisfying crunch and natural sweetness.

This is an easy summer dish, perfect for any night of the week, but make no mistake, it’s also worthy of a weekend dinner with friends. Pair it with some small, boiled new potatoes tossed in parsley and butter. Yum!

Brion & I love both seafood and corn, so this kind of meal certainly works for us.

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Baked Scallops w/ Creamy Corn, Tomatoes & Chives
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Instructions
Corn, Tomatoes & Chives
  1. In a large skillet, heat oil. Add corn kernels & season with 1/4 tsp salt. Cook until just about tender, 2-3 minutes. Add Boursin cheese & water; cook 1-2 minutes more while stirring. Remove from heat, stir in the halved tomatoes. Keep warm while scallops are baking.
Scallops
  1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
  2. Pour melted butter into an 11 X 7-inch baking dish; add scallops & spread to form an even layer. In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese, minced garlic, onion powder, paprika & dried parsley. Sprinkle over scallops. Bake scallops about 15-20 minutes.
Serving
  1. Divide corn/tomato mixture on 4 serving plates. Top with scallops & fresh chives or green onions for garnish.

Roasted Vegetable & Smoked Cheddar Pizza

Summer equates to fresh produce so why not make the most of it in a vegetable pizza? When it comes to veggies the key word here is ‘ROASTED’. The veggies go in the oven with a little oil, herbs & spices until they start to brown up which brings out a little caramelization of their natural flavors and transforms them into little nuggets of vegetable GOLD.  

Roasting vegetables brings out a depth of flavor with a hint of sweetness that lets the vegetables shine through in a truly magical way. Any combination of your favorite vegetables will work, so there is a lot of flexibility here.

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Roasted Vegetable & Smoked Cheddar Pizza
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Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
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NAAN PIZZAS
Course Main Dish
Cuisine American
Servings
NAAN PIZZAS
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Instructions
Roasted Vegetables
  1. Preheat oven to 400 F.
  2. In a large bowl, TOSS all roasted vegetable ingredients, combing well. Spread veggies onto a parchment lined baking sheet & roast for 20 minutes, stirring once half way through baking.
Herb Sauce
  1. In a saucepan, combine all sauce ingredients. Heat & stir over medium heat until cream cheese is melted & sauce becomes thick & creamy. Grate smoked cheddar cheese.
Assembly/Baking
  1. When vegetables are roasted, lower oven temperature to 375 F.
  2. Divide herb sauce evenly between the 4 Naan breads & spread over each. Next, divide the roasted vegetables between the 4 pizzas. Top with grated smoked cheddar cheese.
  3. Bake pizzas for 10-15 minutes or until veggies are nicely roasted & edges are crispy. Remove from oven & serve.

Burgers in Loaded Potato/Bacon Buns

CELEBRATING THE LONG WEEK-END!

For many Canadians, Victoria Day marks the unofficial beginning of summer. It is Canada’s oldest non-religious holiday and although we still hang on to the British Queen’s name (for old times’ sake), this truly Canadian holiday has everything to do with the end of the cold weather and short days and a lot to do with some great food.

Canadians jokingly refer to this holiday as May ‘two-four’ day. This is an inside joke which refers to a case of beer, containing 24 cans. For many, this is the first (warm-ish) long weekend since Easter, so they head to campsites armed with a 24 (can) case of beer to celebrate the beginning of Summer.

Wherever you live across Canada, this May long weekend – typically marks the start of grilling season. It’s time to get outside in the sunshine, fire up the BBQ, and enjoy savory grilled food with family and friends.

Brion & I are enjoying some interesting burgers which are served on ‘swirly burger buns’.

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Burgers in Loaded Potato/Bacon Buns
Instructions
Buns
  1. In a large bowl, combine yeast with lukewarm water; whisk until yeast is dissolved. Let stand for about 3 minutes until foamy.
  2. Add butter, salt, sour cream & potato; mix well. Add bacon, chives & sun-dried tomatoes; mix until just combined. Stir in flour, one cup at a time. When dough is completely blended, turn onto a lightly floured work surface.
  3. Knead dough for about 10 minutes, until smooth & elastic. Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap & let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about an hour.
Assembly/Bake
  1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper, set aside.
  2. Remove risen dough from bowl, turn onto lightly floured surface; roll dough to about a 12 x 15-inch rectangle. From the long side, roll the dough like you would for a cinnamon roll & seal the edges. Using a piece of floss, cut roll into 10 pieces.
  3. Place buns on lined baking sheet & lightly brush with egg wash. Sprinkle with everything bagel seasoning. Allow to rise while oven is heating.
  4. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  5. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until light golden brown.
Burgers
  1. In a large bowl, place all burger ingredients. Mix ONLY until combined. Divide mixture into 10 equal portions & form into patties.
  2. Prepare all burger toppings. When buns are baked, grill burger patties, adding cheese slices toward the end so they can melt. Slice buns (grill for a few minutes if you wish) then 'load' burgers & serve.

Sweet Onion Upside Down Cornbread

It’s the cornbread version of upside-down cake, baked then flipped over to reveal a layer of sweet/ savory onions. The idea behind this type of recipe is that you put everything into a baking dish with the intention of flipping it over at the end and having the meal come out fully assembled. For the most part, this method is used to make delicious fruit cakes with the fruit on the bottom and the batter on top of it. Still, often its forgotten that you can apply this same principle in a more savory way.

Topped with sweet onions and filled with cheddar cheese & bacon, this upside down cornbread is truly amazing. The bread has the perfect touch of sweetness, plus, it’s the best choice when you want a side dish that packs a little more punch than your typical cornbread.

I have always been a lover of cornbread, so I’m always on the lookout for a version I haven’t tried yet.

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Sweet Onion Upside Down Cornbread
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Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
  2. In a 10-inch cast-iron skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, about 8 minutes. Remove bacon & drain on paper towels, reserving drippings in skillet. Add minced onion; cook until tender, about 4 minutes.
  3. Remove from skillet. Wipe skillet clean & heat oil over medium heat. Place onion slices in oil, filling bottom of skillet to the edges. Cook onions until tender & golden brown, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Roughly chop cooled bacon & sprinkle around onion slices.
  4. In a large bowl, whisk together cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt & onion powder. Stir in cheese.
  5. In a medium bowl, whisk together sour cream (buttermilk), melted butter & egg. Make a well in the center of dry ingredients. Add buttermilk mixture & stir until combined. Fold in minced onion. Carefully pour batter over sliced onion & bacon.
  6. Bake about 30 minutes until golden brown. Test with a wooden pick inserted in center that comes out clean.
  7. Let cool in skillet for 10 minutes. Invert onto a serving plate & slice into wedges. Nice to serve warm with chili.

Ritz Cracker Crumb Pork Chops

They’re not just for snacking—Ritz crackers go in casseroles, main courses, appetizers, side dishes and even desserts! Everybody loves Ritz, and even more when they’re on pork chops.

Breading is an essential ingredient in so many recipes. Turns out that many pantry staples (including crackers, chips, and other dried goods) can be used as a breading. All it takes is crushing up some crackers to get the same effect as your usual breadcrumbs and you may even find that you like some of these swaps better than the real thing! Ritz Crackers make a great substitute for traditional breadcrumbs. 

Why use breading? Firstly, there’s the elements of taste and texture. Seasoned breading on a chicken or pork cutlet, for instance, helps encrust the meat in more flavor. It also adds a bit of texture and along with a good blend of spices, a humble pork chop becomes amazing!

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Ritz Cracker Crumb Pork Chops
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Instructions
  1. In a small dish, combine spices. Mince onion (chopping by hand).
  2. Empty 1 1/4 sleeves of crackers into a large zip-lock bag. Crush crackers finely until you have a uniform size. Add seasoning mixture & onions to the bag & toss well to incorporate.
  3. Create a breading station for pork chops. One dish with flour, one with the beaten egg & one with the cracker crumb breading.
  4. Dip one of the chops into the flour & flip it over a couple of times . Coat all sides of the pork chop well with a thin layer of flour. Dip the flour coated chop into the egg, coating all sides.
  5. Lastly, dip coated chop into cracker crumb breading mixture. Press the crumb mixture onto the pork chop with your hand to ensure it is coated well. Lie breaded pork chop onto a platter. repeat this process for the rest of the pork chops.
  6. Place breaded chops in the refrigerator for 10 minutes. This will help the batter adhere to the chops better.
  7. Heat a griddle to a medium-low heat & spray griddle with cooking spray. Grill chops on both sides until cooked through & nicely browned. Serve with pork gravy if desired.

Zesty Broccoli & Smoked Cheddar Pizza

HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY!

St. Patrick’s Day is a funny thing here in Canada. It’s the one time each year that people seek out green food and drinks, everything from shamrock shakes, a green bagel, or green beer are part of our version of this holiday.

And what’s funnier, is that this holiday is a very different experience in Ireland. At least that is what I have been told by people who live there. They don’t do all the ‘crazy green stuff’ like we do, if they celebrate it at all.

Green food has been getting more and more ‘creative’ on this particular holiday. Clean eating, green foods like spinach, avocado and broccoli for example. A walk through the grocery store produce section will provide a variety of examples of just how many green foods are available to use in meals and snacks. 

In the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day, I wanted to incorporate some green food in our supper meal. What better excuse could I have to make some broccoli pizzas!

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Zesty Broccoli & Smoked Cheddar Pizza
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Instructions
Herb Sauce
  1. In a saucepan, combine butter, cream cheese, milk, garlic & onion powder, basil, oregano, salt & pepper. Heat & stir over medium heat until cream cheese is melted & sauce becomes thick & creamy.
Toppings
  1. Slice grape tomatoes in half lengthwise & marinate in zesty Italian dressing.
  2. Prepare broccoli florets. Steam in microwave dish for about 2 minutes. Drizzle with zesty Italian dressing.
  3. Shred cooked chicken & grate cheese.
  4. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  5. Spread herb sauce over Naan breads & top with shredded chicken. Divide cheese evenly between the 4 Naan breads.
  6. In the center of each pizza lay 6 marinated tomato halves. Place the florets in a circle surrounding them sprinkling veggies with black pepper.
  7. Bake pizzas for 10-15 minutes or until veggies are nicely roasted & edges are crispy. Remove from oven & serve.

Asiago Shrimp Risotto

Risotto is one of those dishes that’s purely Italian in nature. Most traditionally made with Parmesan cheese, which is stirred in right at the very end of cooking to not only boost the rice’s creaminess but also lend its signature salty, nutty flavor to the dish. Don’t get caught up in tradition though, because risotto is one of the most flexible meals you can make.

While there is nothing wrong with Parmesan, the cheese possibilities for risotto are nearly endless and you quickly discover that the world of this comfort-food staple really has no boundaries.

Risotto is one of those gourmet meals that is really not difficult to make, and it doesn’t take long either. You can have it on the table in 30 minutes or less. It takes some work stirring — not the kind of stirring where you must stand at the stove and stir constantly. You can step away for brief moments, but you do want to do lots and lots of stirring. It’s the stirring that breaks up the starches in the rice and makes the risotto so incredibly wonderfully amazingly creamy.

This rich and creamy risotto with tender shrimp, uses Asiago over Parmesan cheese for a semisweet touch, plus tarragon and flat leaf parsley to give the dish some freshness.

Asiago is a whole milk cheese that originated in Northern Italy, around the Po River Valley where Italy borders Austria. Coming from the mountains, Asiago is similar to other mountain cheeses, such as Switzerland’s Gruyere or France’s Beaufort. Asiago is made in large wheels designed for long-term aging to get through tough winters. Dense and flavorful, Asiago’s flavor profile changes as time polishes the wheels over the course of several months or years. Taken from the milk of cows grazing on the grasses and wildflowers of the mountains, Asiago can have a fresh, fruity flavor or a savory, zesty taste on the palate.

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Asiago Shrimp Risotto
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Course Main Dish
Cuisine Italian
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Ingredients
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Italian
Servings
Ingredients
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Rating: 5
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Instructions
Risotto
  1. Heat 1 tsp oil in a LARGE POT or DEEP SKILLET over high heat. Add bacon & cook until fairly crisp. Blot on paper towel & crumble. Transfer to a small microwave-proof bowl. Leave about 1 Tbsp bacon drippings in pot & discard the rest. Add mushrooms & cook until browned. Remove to a dish, set aside.
  2. Turn heat down to medium & return pot to the stove. Add butter & melt; then add garlic & onion. Sauté for 3 minutes or until softened. Turn up heat, add rice & stir until grains become partially translucent, about 1 minute (do NOT overcook).
  3. Add wine & cook, scraping the bottom of the pot to get any brown bits, about 2 minutes. Turn down heat to medium-low; add about 3 cups of chicken stock. Leave, uncovered, stirring just once or twice, until most of the liquid has been absorbed.
  4. Check firmness of rice & add 1/2 cup of broth at a time, stirring in between until absorbed & rice is cooked to YOUR taste.
Spicy Shrimp
  1. While the risotto is cooking, combine spice mix in a plastic bag. Add shrimp & shake to coat well. In a skillet, heat butter & olive oil; add shrimp & sauté for 2-3 minutes, just until cooked. Keep warm.
  2. Add the mushrooms back into the risotto towards the end, just to heat through. Right at the end when the risotto is ready, add a 'splash' more chicken broth to make the risotto slightly soupy, then take it off the stove.
  3. Add butter & Asiago cheese, then stir vigorously (this will activate the starch & make it super creamy). Add shrimp & gently stir to incorporate them into the risotto.
  4. Serve immediately. Garnish with reheated bacon & extra Asiago if you wish.

Shrimp & Broccoli ‘Hobo’ Packs

HAPPY LABOR DAY!

Once again, the last long weekend of summer has arrived. Here in Canada, families with school age children, take it as the last chance to travel before the end of summer. Others enjoy the company of family and friends at barbecues, picnics, fairs, festivals and fireworks displays. Canadian football fans may spend a large portion of their weekend watching the Labor Day Classic matches live on television. Whatever your choice of relaxation is, you know good food will be a part of the holiday.

If you’re barbecuing, some hobo packs might just be perfect. Each packet can be prepared individually or collectively so even the pickiest eater can be accommodated. If the weather doesn’t cooperate with outdoor cooking, you can always cook indoors in your oven & there’s minimal clean-up afterward either way.

Essentially a ‘hobo’ pack is a bundle of cut-up ingredients wrapped up in foil and cooked over the coals of a campfire.

Although, foil pack meals seem like the new summer go-to dinner, creative cooks were making these long before they became trendy. Depending on your eating habits, taste preferences and ingredients on hand, you can make any combination of flavors.

During the depression, many people were homeless and lived in encampments. They were known as Hobos.  Whatever food they could find, whether it was wild caught, wild grown, in the trash, or given from a neighbor, they would cook all the food over the fire.  Because they were hungry, they would use even the peelings of vegetables that others would throw away.  Being resourceful was their survival.  I am sure that is where we get the term ‘Hobo Dinner’, because it is comprised of simple ingredients that are cooked together.

Whether you call them meals in foil, zip packs, hobo bundles, or some other name, meals in foil are easy and unmessy, camp-style cooking in your own backyard (or kitchen).

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Baked Shrimp & Broccoli 'Hobo' Packs
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
  2. Cut 2 sheets of 14 by 12-inch (35 x 30 cm) heavy-duty aluminum foil then lay each piece separately on the countertop. In a small bowl, combine the ingredients for the spice mix: Italian seasoning, onion powder, salt, pepper, & smoked paprika & powdered vegetable or chicken stock.
  3. In a shallow plate, add shrimp; sprinkle with the spice mix, coating on all sides. Divide shrimp onto the aluminum foil near the center then place broccoli florets to one side of the shrimp.
  4. Add garlic over broccoli & shrimp, then sprinkle with lemon juice, red crushed chili pepper flakes (if using) and finish with salt and pepper. Divide butter pieces evenly among the shrimp foil packets, layering them over the shrimp & broccoli.
  5. Add a tablespoon of vegetable stock in each foil packet & wrap packets in; crimp edges together then wrap ends up. Don’t wrap too tight – keep a little extra space inside for heat to circulate.
  6. Transfer to a baking sheet & bake shrimp foil packets in the oven, sealed side upward until shrimps have cooked through, about 15 minutes.
  7. Carefully unwrap the baked shrimp & broccoli foil packets then garnish with fresh parsley and a slice of lemon.
Recipe Notes
  • Brion & I found some roasted cherry tomatoes were especially good with this meal. After drizzling the tomatoes with Golden Italian Dressing, I roasted them on their own  in the same oven as the hobo packs were baking.

Oyster, Bacon, Tomato & Avocado Po’boys

I have always had a love for sandwiches, not sure why … just do. Submarine, sub, grinder, hero, hoagie … there are many names for a sandwich on a length of Italian bread split horizontally and filled with cold cuts, cheese, veggies and dressing.

The classic oyster po’ boys make the most of briny, salty oysters. If you’re not familiar with this sandwich, it originated in New Orleans in 1929 as a way to feed the striking workers. Credit goes to brothers Clovis & Bennie Martin, streetcar conductors-turned-sandwich-shop owners who made it their duty to help out striking streetcar conductors by giving them free sandwiches. The strikers were called ‘poor boys’ (New Orleans shortens everything, so it got shortened to po’ boy). The brothers’ generosity earned thousands of new fans, and the sandwich with its new name, became of symbol of the city’s heart & soul.

The original po’ boy was filled with breaded, fried oysters or shrimp. Some common variations include crab, catfish, crawfish, spicy sausage, fried chicken and shredded seasoned beef. Seafood and chicken po’ boys are made with breaded and deep fried ingredients, but if deep frying is not your thing, oven baked is the closest technique to achieve the crunchy, deep-fried texture.

Brion & I like this combo because the avocado brings out the sweetness in seafood. Oysters coated in cornmeal make a savory sandwich and a perfect meal. It’s portable, it’s filling and there are endless possibilities.

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Oyster, Bacon, Tomato & Avocado Po'boys
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Instructions
  1. In a skillet, fry bacon until crispy but not hard. Drain on paper towel until ready to use.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together cornmeal & spices; set aside.
  3. Gently dredge oysters in flour then in egg whites & lastly in cornmeal/spice mixture. Cover breaded oysters & refrigerate until ready to bake. Prepare tomato, avocados (guacamole) & bread.
  4. Preheat oven to 375 F.
  5. Remove oysters from refrigerator, spray a baking sheet with cooking spray & carefully place oysters on it so that they are not touching each other. Bake for 15 minutes until crispy & cooked.
  6. Spread bread 'pieces' with your choice of dressing. Divide oysters between bottom halves, followed by avocado, bacon & tomato. Place top halves of the bread over the fillings & press lightly. Serve immediately.