Food: Thanksgiving Ravioli Bolognese

Happy Thanksgiving, MBG readers! Lauren here, and today I have an alternative holiday meal idea for you. Maybe you can't make it home to be with your family, or maybe your family just wants to mix things up from the traditional standbys. 

Either way, I think you're going to love this little Thanksgiving-inspired creation, which combines all those traditional flavors we love into one truly yummy dish... 
 

There are a few pots and pans involved, but wonton wrappers make the ravioli a cinch to whip up and altogether it takes far less time than a turkey would. Keep reading for the recipe, and I hope you enjoy!
 

Sweet Potato & Sage Ravioli Ingredients

-1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped

-5 fresh sage leaves, finely chopped

-1 sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 rounds

-1/3 cup goat cheese (about 2-3 ounces)

-Pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg

-Salt and freshly ground pepper

-About 40 wonton wrappers (makes 20 ravioli)

-2 egg whites, beaten

Turkey Cranberry Bolognese Ingredients

-1 pound lean ground turkey (I used 93%--99% gets too dry)

-1 small yellow onion, finely chopped

-2 large cloves garlic, finely chopped

-2 cans diced tomatoes with their juice

-1/4 cup water

-Pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg

-Salt and freshly ground pepper

-2 cups fresh cranberries

-1 cup of sugar

-2 tablespoons water

-Fresh parsley to serve

-Fresh parmesan, grated, to serve

Instructions

1) Puncture each sweet potato round with a fork, then place slices in a large ceramic bowl. Microwave 15-20 minutes until softened, turning once halfway through.

2) Meanwhile, heat olive oil in a pan over medium heat. Saute chopped onion and sage until browned. Set aside. 

3) Remove the potatoes from the microwave (using a towel as the bowl will be very hot). Using a potato hand masher, mash the sweet potatoes. Season generously with salt, pepper, cinnamon and nutmeg to taste. Stir in the goat cheese until fully blended, then add the onion-sage mixture.

4) Lay 10 wonton wrappers on a clean countertop. Dollop a teaspoon of sweet potato filling onto the middle of each square. Using a pastry brush, brush egg white along tops, bottoms and sides of first wonton, working around the filling. Lay a new wonton sheet over the filled one, gently sealing the edges with your fingers and carefully pushing out the air bubbles. Repeat with each wonton until all are covered. Using a cookie cutter placed directly in the center of each wonton, cut into ravioli rounds, gently pulling away the excess dough. Press the edges of each ravioli again to ensure a solid seal. Repeat entire process with another set of 10 wontons (doing all 20 at once will cause the dough to dry out). Cover all raviolis with a very lightly damp kitchen towel until ready to cook.

5) In a pan over medium-high heat, place cranberries, sugar and water. Cook down for 10-15 minutes, so the sugar dissolves and cranberries soften. Allow to bubble during this process, stirring occasionally. Cranberries should become very, very soft but will remain whole and a sticky sauce will develop. Season cranberry sauce with salt and pepper. 

6) In another pan, heat olive oil over medium heat and add ground turkey. Cook until turkey is fully browned, about 10 minutes. Remove from pan. Add a little more oil, the onion and garlic. Cook until softened and browned. Add the turkey back into the pan, along with the two cans of diced tomatoes and their juice, and just a little water. Season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium-low heat, add the cranberry sauce and stir thoroughly to distribute. Cook, covered, about 10 minutes more.

7) In a small saucepan, bring salted water to a boil. Working in batches, add 3-4 ravioli at a time, cook for 3 minutes, then transfer with a slotted spoon to a kitchen towel. Gently blot dry and transfer to a bowl. Cover with a pot lid to keep warm. Cook remaining ravioli. 

8) To serve, layer ravioli on the bottom of each pasta bowl and top with bolognese sauce. Sprinkle with fresh parsley and parmesan. 

-post & images by Lauren Craig

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Food: Grilled Ratatouille with Rotini

Hi everyone, it’s Lauren from Perpetually Chic, back with another recipe that takes advantage of fresh vegetables from the market.

Your parents always told you to "eat your vegetables," right? Well this healthy recipe is not only loaded with seasonal veggies, but it's also a crowd pleaser with the addition of pasta. The classic French version of ratatouille pairs eggplant and zucchini with onions, tomatoes and peppers, but you can substitute in any favorite vegetables as you please.

So head to your farmers' market or grocery store to stock up, put on a pot of water and light up the grill...that's really all there is to it. Keep reading for the recipe! 

White balsamic vinegar is best for this recipe--it's not as sweet and syrupy as your typical dark balsamic, though the flavor is similar. Once you have it in your pantry, you can substitute it for regular balsamic vinegar in lighter dishes and dressings.

Ingredients

• 1 box of rotini pasta
• 4 large tomatoes
• 8-10 button mushrooms
• 1 small eggplant, cut lengthwise into quarters 
• 1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise in half
• 1 bell pepper (any color), cut lengthwise in half and seeded 
• 1 small red onion, peeled and cut into large quarters
• 1/4 cup of olive oil
• Salt and pepper
• 4 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
• 2 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
• Red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped, plus extra sprigs for plating
• Parmesan

Instructions

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, and cook pasta according to package directions. Reserve a cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain and return pasta to pot.
2. Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Cut all vegetables and place them on a large baking sheet or in a shallow dish. Lightly brush all veggies with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
3. Grill vegetables, turning halfway through, until cooked through and tender. Remove tomatoes and mushrooms first, then once cooked, transfer remaining vegetables to a cutting board and let cool slightly. 
4. Coarsely chop all the veggies and add to the pot of pasta. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, the balsamic, garlic, parsley and red pepper flakes to taste. Add a bit of the reserved pasta water if needed. 
5. Plate pasta into bowls, sprinkle with extra parsley, top with grated Parmesan and finish with freshly ground pepper. 

Extra credit: Slice part of a French baguette on the diagonal, brush each piece with olive oil and a sprinkle of garlic powder, and throw on the grill at the very end. Voila--garlic bread!


-post & images by Lauren Craig

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Your Weekend

The recipe for the blueberry popsicles will be posted tomorrow on my husband's blog: MadeForJen. 
 

They are delicious. Both my assistant & I had some today... well I had 2!!! Also, new bracelets at MadeByGirl !!! Enjoy your weekend!!

-image by jen ramos

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Food: Sweet Corn Caesar & Roasted Poblano Dressing

Hi everyone, it's Lauren from Perpetually Chic, here to share my first recipe as a Made By Girl contributor! 


I love to use fresh, seasonal ingredients year round and in summer find myself leaning toward simple recipes so I can enjoy more time outside. By putting your grill to work, this salad recipe is perfect for a night on the patio and easy enough for even novice chefs. 


Don't be intimidated by the number of ingredients...this comes together in an hour, or less if you have a helper. And you can even complete the first steps (sweet corn salsa and roasted poblano dressing) ahead of time. Keep reading for the recipe! 

Do you guys buy store-bought croutons? Me too, until I realized how easy they are to make yourself--seriously. 

Just preheat your oven to 400 degrees, cut half a loaf of day old, grainy bread into cubes, then place them in a bowl and drizzle with olive oil, salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Mix well with your hands, spread on a cookie sheet and bake 15 minutes. They'll be flavorful and crunchy! 

For the Roasted Poblano Dressing

-1 poblano pepper, roasted, seeded and peeled

-2 tablespoons lime juice

-1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

-1/2 tablespoon green onions, chopped

-1/4 teaspoon each of dried oregano and basil

-4 tablespoons buttermilk

-1 cup mayo (I use the Kraft olive oil, reduced fat version)

-Salt and pepper to taste

For Sweet Corn Salsa

-2 ears of fresh corn, grilled (or substitute frozen corn)

-1 poblano pepper, roasted, seeded and peeled

-1 serrano or jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced

-3 tablespoons red onion, diced

-1 tablespoon cilantro, chopped

-1/2 a lime, juiced

-1/2 teaspoon sugar

-Salt and pepper to taste 

For the Salad 

-2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

-1 red bell pepper, roasted on the grill

-1 small head of romaine lettuce, chopped

-1 avocado, sliced

-2 hard-boiled eggs, yolks discarded and whites chopped

-Parmesan, shaved into slices

-Croutons (homemade per above or store bought)

Instructions:

Preheat grill to medium-high heat. Soak corn (in husks) in water for a few minutes. Slice both poblano peppers and the red pepper in half, from top to bottom. Lightly brush peppers with olive oil then place skin-side down on grill, along with the corn (still in husks). After 5-7 minutes, once blackened and blistering, remove all peppers and set aside to cool. Carefully remove corn husks, then return corn to grill for just another few minutes, turning once to lightly char each side. 

Peel skin from both poblanos, remove seeds and dice. Slice the roasted red pepper into thin strips. Using a knife, remove corn from the cobs. 

Place half the diced, roasted poblano peppers, plus all other dressing ingredients in a small food processor and blend until smooth. Add an extra tablespoon of regular milk if you find it too thick. Let dressing stand in the refrigerator while you prepare the rest of the salad. 

In a large bowl, combine the two cups of corn and remaining diced poblano with onion, serrano pepper, and cilantro. Season with sugar, salt and pepper then toss with fresh lime juice. Set sweet corn salsa aside.  

Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper and a drizzle of olive oil on both sides. Toss on the grill for about 10-15 minutes, flipping once. 

In a large salad bowl, combine lettuce and coat with the roasted poblano dressing to your liking. Serve lettuce onto plates, then let each person top with remaining ingredients: grilled chicken, sweet corn salsa, roasted red pepper strips, hard-boiled eggs, avocado slices, Parmesan and croutons. 

Enjoy! 

-post & images by Lauren Craig

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Bits Of My Week

Love this pink studded tank I bought at Zara.

 

My husband launched a food blog called "Made For Jen" - I thought it was so sweet! So many of you had asked about his recipes & the food he makes for me, well you can see most of it here. 


He'll be trying to update it 3x week with posts from our home meals to places we go to eat here in the city!

 

Below is one of the recipes for 'Watermelon Agua Fresca'. My husband didn't make it up, but he can surely tell you how to make your own here on his blog.

-images by jen ramos

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Bits of My Week...

Enjoying Brunch at Jane

with friends. 

My HUSBAND always makes the best dinners, here are a couple of the plates he made this past week.

Here I am at the Nespresso event in SOHO that Padma Lakshmi hosted. This was one of the coolest events I've been to. The goodie bags were huge & there was plenty of food & coffee!  

Padma spoke about her favorite coffee & let us in on her signature recipe "Nespresso Vanilla Coffee w/caramel Milk froth" - recipe below! 

Below: This was a huge fair on 3rd avenue - unfortunately, I went by before brunch with friends, so couldn't eat anything! 

A dinner I made for my husband below-normally he's the one that cooks every day, but when he's busy, I'll whip something up. 

My husband caught this picture of me & Darla asleep on the lounge - Glad she wasn't too GASSY that afternoon because her butt was totally facing me.

Waiting for her belly rub as she stated on her twitter page. Yes, my dog has a twitter page: @darlatheboxer

Does yours?

-images by jen ramos

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