Fried Ravioli

• Olive oil, for frying (We used vegetable oil)
  
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 cups Italian-style bread crumbs
• 1 box store-bought cheese ravioli (We used 2 boxes)
  
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1 jar marinara sauce heated, for dipping

Pour enough olive oil into a large frying pan to reach a depth of 2 inches. Heat the oil over medium heat until a deep-fry thermometer registers 325 degrees F. (We did not use the thermometer)

While the oil is heating, put the buttermilk and the bread crumbs in separate shallow bowls. Working in batches, dip ravioli in buttermilk to coat completely. Allow the excess buttermilk to drip back into the bowl. Dredge ravioli in the bread crumbs. Place the ravioli on a baking sheet, and continue with the remaining ravioli.

When the oil is hot, fry the ravioli in batches, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fried ravioli to paper towels to drain.

Sprinkle the fried ravioli with Parmesan and serve with a bowl of warmed marinara sauce for dipping.

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We ate this for a whole meal. It was amazing. This recipe is courtesy of Giada De Laurentiis.
I love her Italian meals, they are so yummy. ***Hint***Do not use EVOO (Extra-virgin olive oil) to fry with. It will turn out bitter. Use regular olive oil or vegetable oil to fry with.

Egg Sausage Casserole (Christmas Casserole)

* 6 hard boiled eggs
* 1/2 cup butter/margarine
* 1/2 cup flour
* 4 cups milk
* 1 pound bulk pork sausage (I use bob evans or jimmy dean)
* 1 1/2 - 2 cups stuffing
* 1 pkg. shredded cheese
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* dash of pepper

* Serves 6

Slice 2 of the eggs and place into the bottom of a 1 1/2 quart casserole. In a saucepan, melt the margarine, blend in the flour, add the salt and pepper. Add the milk all at once, and cook stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and bubbles. Cook sausage, drain off fat. Stir sausage into sauce and pour half of it over the eggs you sliced in the casserole dish.

Sprinkle 1/2 of the shredded cheese and follow with 1/2 of the stuffing. Layer another 2 sliced eggs on top of this. Pour the rest of the sausage sauce atop this. Again layer the cheese and the stuffing. Finish by placing the last 2 sliced eggs on top and dust lightly with stuffing.

Cover casserole and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or longer, until it is bubbling.

This is our MUST HAVE yearly Christmas morning breakfast. It is very filling. Since it can be prepared the night before, you can enjoy Christmas morning without much preparation.

Mom's Apple Pie

(Picture shows pie before crumb topping added)

You can make your own crust or buy a ready-made crust like I did here.

Peel and slice 7-8 apples for a deep dish pie or 5-6 for a regular pie. Put apple slices in a bowl with water and 1 Tbl lemon juice so they don't get brown. Put a layer of apples in the pie shell and sprinkle with flour, sugar and a little cinnamon - (you can use brown sugar if you prefer). Dot with butter in a few places. Sprinkle with a dash of nutmeg. Add more apples and again sprinkle with flour, sugar and cinnamon- dot with butter. Repeat until the shell is mounded, as the apples cook down.

Crumb Topping

Use equal amounts of sugar and flour (about 1 cup each). Add a touch of cinnamon if desired. Mix with a fork and enough butter or margarine to become crumbly. Sprinkle over pie.

Bake at 325 for about 45 minutes for a regular pie or 1 - 1 1/4 hour for a deep dish, as more apples are used. After it has been cooking for 30 minutes keep a close watch to make sure the topping doesn't brown too much. (You can cover the pie with foil if it starts to get too dark.)

Tips:

• Cortland or Jonathan apples are great for baking, especially in this pie. McIntosh and Granny Smith Apples are other great apples to use. Use Jonathan, Jonagold, Winesap and Pippin apples for a tart pie, and Fuji, Pink Lady, Suncrisp, Rome Beauty and Empire apples for a sweeter taste.

• Though Red Delicious apples are a favorite for eating out of hand, their texture makes them ill-suited for apple pie.

I promise you will love this apple pie. The crumb topping makes this pie. I recently made two of these and brought one into work and there was a fight for the last slice. Enjoy!

Amy's Pomegranate Martini

• 1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice ( I use 100% Pom juice)
• 2 ounces Absolute Citron vodka (I used regular Smirnoff here)
• 1 ounce Cointreau liquor
• Cup of ice
• Splash of Sprite/Vernors
• Squeeze of lemon/lime

Shake ingredients in a shaker and put in chilled martini glasses. Garnish with a lemon/lime spiral.

My friends and I enjoyed this cocktail last week and I got rave reviews! Enjoy!

Covey Run Riesling Review

A longtime favorite of mine offers green apple, honeysuckle and peach notes. Very crisp and fresh, this wine is great for a summer sipper. With it's medium body it's not too light. The acidity here balances out nicely with the sweetness of the fruit. Dry and wet white wine lovers unite!

For it's price, this Riesling rates very high on sommelier's wine lists compared to taste. It has received 89 points for it's 2005 year and also been awarded Best Value. It's a great staple in my house.

Price: $8

Chateau Grand Traverse Late Harvest Riesling Review (Michigan)

This one has quickly become one of my favorites. With notes of peach and apricot, this riesling is crisp and sweet. Make sure to keep this wine just slightly chilled - almost warm, not cold. You will miss the flavors of this wine completly if you shove it in the fridge with your milk. This wine lingers a little after you swallow and the slight sweetness can still be tasted.

Late Harvest Rieslings are my current favorite. Still crisp, the late harvest brands also have a slight warmness to them. I know they don't disappoint.

Price: $9

Elk Run Sweet Katherine Review

I prefer white wines as a whole, but this red wine gets my award for best red in my book. Someone has finally listened and made a mildly sweet red wine with a distinctive aftertaste. This wine pairs perfect with Gouda cheese. The wine is fragrant and sweet with an almost smoky aftertaste that leaves you wanting more. I like to serve mine around 55 degrees.

Elk Run Vineyards is located in Maryland. So, sadly it is not located in Michigan. When I visit my second family in Maryland I try to pick up a few bottles. It has won many awards such as the 2005 Maryland Governor's Cup, 2007 Silver Award and has won 2007's Best Summer Sipping Wine. Toted as one of their dessert wines, I find that this red goes well with anything at anytime.

Price: $12

Moscato Allegro Review

Very light, fresh - a great mix of fruity and flowery. Almost like champagne but without the carbonation and feeling of fullness. No bloat belly here. This is a great after dinner wine that would go well with strawberries and a light dessert. I had a whole bottle myself and didn't feel loopy. It was very sweet and finished sweet as well. If you like dry wines, this one is not for you. However, if you are like me and prefer sweeter wines with a fruity taste, Moscato Allegro is worth the money.

Price- $13

Three Blind Moose Pinoit Grigio Review

Maybe it's because I'm not the biggest pinoit grigio fan, but this did not impress me. I am a Riesling junkie....ok, ok, a phene, but this still tasted a little too "alcohol-y" to me.

The plus sides to this wine: it was wet, not dry and it finished clean like all whites should. Lindsay turned me on to this brand of wine and she recently told me that they made a Riesling. I just have to hunt to find it.

Price- $8.50

Lindsay's Taco Bake

One of my fellow knotties, Lindsay introduced me to this wonderful dish. Her blog, Love Deliciousness is one of my favorites. I have to post this dish because I know others will like it as well. This dish is easy to make and is easily one of Spencer's all-time favorites.

Ingredients

* 1 lb ground beef
* 1 packet taco seasoning
* 15 oz. tomato sauce
* 8 oz. seashell pasta
* 8 oz. package cream cheese, softened in microwave
* 1/2 cup sour cream
* 8 oz. shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Directions

1. Brown ground beef, drain. Add taco seasoning and tomato sauce. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 20 minutes.
2. In the meantime, cook pasta according to directions. Drain.
3. Mix softened cream cheese and sour cream in separate bowl.
4. Spray bottom of 9x13 pan. Put pasta in bottom of pan.
5. Spread cream cheese mixture over pasta.
6. Spoon ground meat mixture over this.
7. Sprinkle shredded cheese on top.
8. Bake @ 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before serving.

It will easily become one of your favorites too!
Thanks Lindsay!

Fresh Tomato Salsa

This salsa is courtesy of Kraft Foods. My best friend's mom made this salsa and I just HAD to know how to make it. It is of course super easy and super yummy!




Ingredients:
*1 lb. firm ripe tomatoes, chopped

*1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

*1/4 cup chopped cilantro

*1 medium jalapeño pepper, chopped

*1/4 cup KRAFT Italian Dressing (You would think this would be so gross, but it is amazing in the salsa)

*1/4 tsp. salt

COMBINE tomatoes, onion, cilantro and jalapeno pepper in medium bowl.

ADD dressing and salt; toss lightly.

SERVE immediately or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Carmela's Chicken Rigatoni - Copycat from Macaroni Grill

I love Carmella's Chicken Rigatoni from Macaroni Grill, but I can't have it everyday. This is the next best thing. I found this to be very filling. Be prepared to do NOTHING afterwards. You just want to sit on the couch and let this digest...lol.

I didn't add the caramelized onions as I did not want to do another step so I left it out and it still tasted exactly like the real thing.

I found this recipe on recipezaar.com

As leftovers, the oil separated from the pasta and tasted quite different the next day. I suggest eating this the night you prepared it. You might even want to scale down the serving sizes if you cook for two.

SERVES 6

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Ingredients

• 6 ounces butter-flavored oil (I used EVOO & butter)
• 8 ounces mushrooms
• 12 ounces grilled chicken
• salt and pepper
• 2 teaspoons basil
• 6 ounces caramelized onion
• 6 ounces cooking wine
• 20 ounces heavy cream
• 24 ounces rigatoni pasta
• 2 ounces parmesan cheese

Directions

1. In a hot sauté pan add butter flavored oil, mushrooms, chicken, basil, caramelized onions, salt and pepper and sauté for approximately 60 to 90 seconds.
2. Add the wine and sauté for 60 seconds. Add the heavy cream and bring to a boil over high heat. Dip pre-cooked pasta in boiling water for 10 seconds, drain thoroughly.
3. Put pasta in sauté pan and sauté until well incorporated. Toss briefly over fire, add parmesan cheese and continue to toss until cheese is completely incorporated.
4. Transfer to plate, garnish with parsley.