Chicken Ravioli in Mushroom Marsala Cream

I love to experiment in the kitchen. Sometimes I imagine a dish and the way I would like it to taste and then set out to make it. My Mom always said the best cooks are fearless in the kitchen. I made this for dinner tonight and it turned out... just the way I imagined. So elegant and yet so easy to make. Especially when you start off with a good quality frozen Ravioli. 

Chicken Ravioli in Mushroom Marsala Cream 

1 bag or box of frozen chicken ravioli ( I use Buitoni)

2 cups sliced Portabella mushrooms

1 1/3 cups Marsala wine

1 small onion, minced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 1/3 cups heavy cream

1 tablespoon olive oil

salt and pepper

Fill a large pot with about 4 quarts of water. Set the burner to high. When water begins boiling, add the frozen ravioli to and boil for 6-8 minutes. The ravioli are done when they float to the top of the water. 

While cooking your pasta, make your sauce. In a large skillet, over medium heat, saute onion, garlic and mushroom in olive oil until tender, about 3 minutes. Next, add the Marsala wine and bring to a full boil for about 2-4 minutes. Slowly stir in heavy cream and simmer for 5 minutes until heated. If sauce is thicker than you'd like, add a little milk until you thin it out the way you want it.

Drain ravioli very carefully with a slotted spoon onto plate or bowl. Spoon mushroom Marsala sauce over ravioli and serve. Enjoy!

NOTE: I used Buitoni frozen Chicken Marsala Ravioli for this recipe. You could also try Buitoni Cheese Ravioli or their Wild Mushroom Agnolotti, which would be just perfect fro this dish. If you're feeling real ambitious and have the time, make your own ravioli from scratch! 

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The New May Issue is Here!

It's here! The new May issue of the Welcome Home online blog magazine was released early this morning and is now ready for your viewing pleasure! I hope you enjoy this issue as much as I did making all these recipes and sharing them with you. May is the month for delicious recipes for Mother's Day and sharing my Mother's recipes with you is my favorite thing to do!  I know you'll love this issue!

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Pecan Pancakes

I love the Pecan Pancakes at Crackle Barrel. I love that fluffy texture with those crispy edges and that wonderful flavor of toasted pecans. I used to crave these things a lot until I decided to try and make them myself. After doing a few practice runs, one day I got it right and I can now announce that this my friends is right on the mark for the identical recipe for Cracker Barrel Pecan Pancakes. Now when I crave them, I just go to the kitchen and whip up a batch!  You'll love them!

Pecan Pancakes

2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups buttermilk
1 egg

1 cup chopped pecans

Combine dry ingredients in a mixing bowl, Add in the buttermilk and combine, Add in the egg and mix until just combined. 

Pour baking mix onto a hot griddle, add chopped pecans to the batter prior to flipping the pancakes. Flip the pancakes when the bottoms are golden brown. Enjoy with warm syrup.

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Egg In A Hole

My Mom not only made the most delicious meals, she was all about making them fun too. This breakfast brings back so many childhood memories for me. She could have just fried an egg and popped up a piece of toast....but she loved saying I love you first thing in the morning! Some of you call this breakfast Toad in a Hole. Some call it Egg in a Basket. I've even heard it called Egg In A Hat and in the south they call it One-Eyed Jack. All I know is after all these years I still make it and every time I do, it brings back wonderful memories of home.

Egg In A Hole

1 egg

1 slice bread

butter

Separate egg and white into two small bowls. 

Butter one slice of bread and place buttered side down in skillet over medium heat. Fry the one side until golden brown and then remove from heat

Cut out a heart shape using a cookie cutter. Butter the heart shaped bread on both sides.  Lay heart in skillet and lightly brown on both sides. Remove and set aside. Butter the other side of the bread that has not been browned yet. Return slice of bread to the skillet buttered side down.

Fill the cut out part of the bread with egg white just until you can no longer see the pan. Gently place the egg yolk in the center. Cover the egg and cook for 2-4 minutes checking frequently. 

Once egg is cooked, remove from heat. Serve with heart shaped cut out.

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Lo Mein Salad

I truly enjoy this recipe.  It’s so easy to make and such a nice salad for lunch and dinner. I use Star Fine Foods Seasoned Rice Vinegar to give it that zesty balance of sweet and salty flavors that are so perfect for Asian recipes. Don’t go light on the lime, it gives it the touch and brings all the flavors together. The vinaigrette tastes just like the dressing PF Chang's used to have on their oriental chicken salad.

Ginger Vinaigrette

1 tablespoon Star Fine Foods Seasoned Rice Vinegar

1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger

1/4 cup Star Fine Foods Extra Virgin Olive Oil

½ teaspoon sugar

2 teaspoons soy sauce

¹⁄₂  teaspoon oil, sesame

salt and freshly ground pepper

 In a small bowl, mix the rice vinegar with the sugar and grated ginger until the sugar is dissolved. Whisk in the olive oil and sesame oil and season with salt and pepper.  Set aside. 

 Lo Mein Salad

1 package Lo Mein Noodles, Cooked And Drained 

1 bunch of asparagus trimmed and chopped

½ red onion, sliced thin

1 carrot, cut julienne or buy a package of matchstick carrots

Zest of one lime

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon hot chili sauce or Sriracha Sauce

Blanch asparagus for 2 min in large pot of boiling, salted water. Transfer to bowl of ice water and let sit for a minute and then drain. Diagonally slice into 1-inch pieces. Add noodles to the same blanching water; blanch 1-2 min, drain and rinse with cold water.  

In a large bowl, toss noodles, onion, carrots, lime zest and asparagus. Combine chili sauce and lime juice in a separate small bowl and mix well.  Pour over noodle mixture and toss.  Finally, add the vinaigrette and toss to combine.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Serve immediately.

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STAR Seasoned Rice Vinegar online at:  

http://shop.starfinefoods.com/Seasoned-Rice-Vinegar/p/STAR-00420&c=Star@Vinegars


Disclaimer: I have an ongoing relationship with STAR Fine Foods for my recipes and photography using their wonderful products. This post is sponsored by STAR. I am compensated for my time and work and I am sent products as I request them. However, all opinions of the product stated in this post are 100% my own. I truly love their products!

Shrimp Salad on a Buttery Croissant

I love shrimp salad!  I love the smooth and creamy texture with just enough celery to make it slightly crunchy.  The shrimp are plump and spicy and just perfect on a bed of lettuce or your favorite sandwich.

Shrimp Salad on a Buttery Croissant

1/3 cup mayonnaise

1/3 cup celery chopped

1 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 pound medium shrimp cooked peeled and de-veined

your favorite lettuce

croissant or sandwich roll 

Cook shrimp: In a medium saucepan bring 1 cup water to boil. Add unpeeled shrimp. Cover. Cook about 5 minutes or until shrimp are pink. Drain. Cool shrimp. Remove shells and de-vein. 

In a large bowl mix mayonnaise, celery, Old Bay and lemon juice. Add shrimp and toss well to coat. Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes or until ready to serve.

Stir before serving on a bed of lettuce or in a buttery croissant or favorite roll.  Enjoy! 

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Chicken Parmesan Bake over Farfalle

I took a few shortcuts on this one because I needed something fast for dinner when some friends were riding through town and wanted to stop by and visit. This is one of those Semi-homemade recipes using store bought ingredients but it's so delicious no one will ever know you didn't slave over a hot stove all day! This is a keeper my friends.


Chicken Parmesan Bake over Farfalle 

4 Tyson Chicken Breaded, chicken breasts (about 2 pounds)
1 (8-ounce) ball fresh mozzarella cheese
freshly grated Parmesan cheese

1 26 ounce jar of Ragu Chunky Tomato, Garlic and Onion Sauce
1 pound farfalle or bow tie pasta

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Open sauce and heat in a saucepan over low heat until heated through.

Lay chicken breasts on a baking sheet and bake at 350 according to package instructions. Once chicken is golden brown, remove from oven.

Sprinkle a tablespoon of Parmesan cheese on each breast and then cover with a slice of mozzarella cheese.

Prepare pasta as directed on package and drain well.  Pour hot pasta onto plate or serving bowl and ladle warm sauce over it.  Place chicken breast on top of pasta and serve.

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Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

If someone were to ask me to list my top 20 favorite foods, poppy seed muffins would surely be on the list....even somewhere near the top. They are sweet, slightly tangy and oh so lemony. While many think they are a spring and summer muffin, I make them all year round. Especially in winter, because once you bite into these muffins, you'll be transported to warm weather and sunny days!  

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

2/3 c sugar

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
2 c all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c sour cream
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 tbsp poppy seeds

Preheat to 400 degrees. Butter or spray a regular-sized muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray. Fill the pan with paper liners, if you would like. I prefer to put the batter straight into the pan. Place pan onto a baking sheet.

In a large bowl, rub the sugar and lemon zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and the fragrance of lemon is strong. Whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a large glass measuring cup or another bowl, whisk the sour cream, eggs, vanilla, lemon juice and melted butter together until well blended. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with a whisk or rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Don't worry about being thorough, a few lumps are better than over mixing the batter. Stir in the poppy seeds. 

Divide batter among the muffin cups so that each is about 3/4 full. Cups should be almost, if not totally, full.  Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean.  

After muffins are done baking, transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let sit for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold. If not using paper liners, run a knife around the outside of the muffins to separate from the pan and tilt the pan slightly to allow muffins to slide out. Cool muffins completely before drizzling with a small amount of glaze. 

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