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This week's Clueless in the Kitchen Review is for Tracy's ravioli with arugula, tomatoes and pancetta recipe.
Tracy said one of the things she liked about this recipe was that it "allows for substitutions if you want or need to make them." I took Tracy up on this tip and substituted the arugula with fresh spinach and the pancetta with ground turkey. I didn't have any Italian seasoning at home like I thought (does this happen to other people too? I swore we had some.) so I used a little Creole seasoning to give the turkey some flavor.
Dinner wasn't a family event like last week's Clueless in the Kitchen - Bean Salad Review. This was my first crack at trying to cook a quick meal before my 7 p.m. Zumba class. Jim was at a meeting so he couldn't help me cook. Honestly, it was stressful. Without Jim there, I was cooking while Gracie was begging me to play with her and then trying to help her get the computer working which can take awhile to get going. Jacob was blaring Fan Boy and Chum Chum on the TV. Later, after dinner, Jim was calling me to let me know he was running late and I was trying to find matching socks and get dressed for class.
It all worked out in the end though. The kids were fed. I found two (unmatching socks) and Jim pulled in the garage right as it was time for me to leave.
So let's take a look at this meal ...
Tomatoes, spinach, garlic and olive oil sauce
This was my favorite part of the meal. Tracy mentioned that it's "easy to make your own sauce and much better for you than those high sodium jarred sauces." I was skeptical just using canned tomatoes, but the garlic and olive oil were so flavorful. I would use this combination over a jarred sauce any day and plan to.
I proudly present Ravioli with Spinach, Tomatoes and Ground Turkey
Let's see what the kids thought of this new dish ...
Jacob is first up. If you remember, he usually likes new dishes. Result: Thumbs up
(side note - does anyone know how I can get this boy to sit on his butt during dinner? As you can see in the photo he constantly has a Captain Morgan pose going on. One foot on the ground, the other foot on the chair. I tell him at lease at dozen times a meal to sit on his tush.)
Up next is Gracie.
Result: Thumbs down
She looks so dramatic! I got her to take a teeny tiny bite off the corner of the ravioli. I didn't dare put any of the tomatoes or spinach on her plate. We'll keep trying with this little lady.
I'm not pictured, but I did eat a serving of this with the kids. I should have waited until after class, but it's hard not to eat it when it's sitting right in front of me. I liked it. Like I said above, I really liked the sauce. I was ok with the spinach. I didn't care for the ravioli much. I bought that pre-made stuff in the dairy section.
Next time I will make some substitutions that I think will make this dish a regular edition. I'll try turkey sausage and a different kind of pasta.
Result: Thumbs up
Here's the count: Thumbs up - 2 Thumbs down - 1
Here's the recipe: I have substituted Italian Turkey Sausage in place of the pancetta and it was great. I also have used fresh spinach in place of the arugula. You can also use any type of pasta, not just ravioli, I used a whole wheat penne.
Ingredients 1 pound cheese ravioli 6 ounces thinly sliced pancetta, chopped 1 (15-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained 1 clove of garlic, minced 3 tablespoons olive oil 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus extra for seasoning 3 cups arugula 1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil leaves, divided
Directions Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the ravioli and cook for 7 to 9 minutes until tender. Drain.
In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, add the pancetta and cook stirring frequently, until crispy, about 8 minutes. Remove to paper towels to drain. Add the tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook for 4 minutes until tender. Add the arugula and 1/4 cup basil and cook until wilted, about 30 seconds. Add the ravioli and cooked pancetta and toss until coated. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Transfer the ravioli to a large serving bowl. Garnish with the remaining basil and serve.
Thanks for the recipe Tracy! I have a really cute photo of me and Tracy that I need to find and will post it here as soon as I can.
Zumba Corner Last night was Trish's class. I missed class on Saturday and Sunday so I was hurting last night. It's a good hurt though. We did a new routine to Shakira's Waka Waka which I really liked. Fun, easy moves that were easy to remember. It was a good, lower-impact routine. We also did one of my favorites that I haven't done in awhile - Pussycat Dolls' Sway. I love this cha cha because you can get really sassy with it when you wiggle your shoulders. It also reminds me of the dancing scene in The Wedding Date with Dermot Mulroney and Debra Messing and who wouldn't smile while thinking about that!
