Mushroom Ravioli

(That icing bag needs to be replaced..  it has seen better days!)

My goal is to make something with this pasta attachment every week...  for now, Thursday nights are pasta nights on our menu.  Last week I made Mushroom Ravioli - and it was REALLY good!  Easy too!  

This is the recipe I used for "inspiration".  http://www.marthastewart.com/317919/mushroom-ravioli  I only used portabella mushrooms, and for the seasoning I used an Italian mix, garlic, salt and pepper.  That recipe gave me an idea of how much cheese to use, which is what I really needed to know.  I did use both ricotta and parmesan.

For the pasta I used a basic egg dough.  I want to start using more whole wheat flour, and maybe other types, but I wanted to start with something I knew we would like, for now.

4 eggs
3.5 cups of flour
1Tbsp water
1 tsp salt

You can see pics of the process for making the pasta here:

I ran the pasta at a 4.  5 was just a little too thin for me. I used the width it came out at (see top strip on the photo above) and it made HUGE raviolli.  It was fine that way, but next time I will cut the strip in half longwise.

On the second strip from the top (pic above) you can see the filling on the dough.  I used an icing bag from a cake decorating class I took two years ago.

The 3rd strip down shows the pasta folded over the filling.  First I used a pastry brush and some water around all the edges, and between the dollops of filling.  Then I folded the dough over, and used the sides of my hands to flatten it between the filling.  around the edges I used a fork to seal it together.  Then I cut between the dollops of filling, and "finished" the side edges with the fork, to end up with the pieces you see in the bottom row of the photo.

It did not take long to cook - fresh pasta cooks fast!


       Mixitup





White Castle Slider Knock Offs



I tried another recipe recently, with chopped up onion and bouillon instead of the lipton soup mix.  I didn't like them nearly as well - the recipe below is our favorite so far.

Burgers

1 1/2 lbs ground chuck
1 (4 tablespoon) envelope onion soup mix
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons water
1/3 cup breadcrumbs

24 small square dinner rolls (Hawaiin Rolls are great!)

Cheese (optional.  American is traditional, but I will not use "American" cheese, we usually use Muenster.  Sometimes provolone.)
pickle (optional)

Sauce
1/2 cup mustard
1/2 cup ketchup
Directions:


Preheat oven to 400°F. Mix first 6 ingredients and press into an ungreased 10 by 15 inch  pan. (I use my Pampered Chef bar pan) Prick with a fork. Bake for 10 minutes.

Drain off juices (if there's a lot of excess).

Cut into 24 squares. Place squares on dinner rolls.  (I use hawaiin rolls, because I can get them at Sam's club, and that is about the only place I shop. 

Combine mustard and ketchup and spread on rolls. Top with pickles and cheese, if desired.

Makes 24 sliders.





Menu Plan Monday



Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Scheduling Issues
Cmas at Grammie & Pappy’s
Breakfast
Pop Tarts
Bagels/toast/yogurt
omelets
muffins
bagels/toast/
yogurt
leftovers
casserole
Lunch


leftovers


leftover soup

ham & bean soup


At mom’s

Toasted Cheese, tomato soup



Mac & cheese for boys, salad w, chicken for Meg & Mom

PBJ
Applesauce or fruit salad
Dinner

Taco Night

steak, potatoes, salad

Lasagna &
bread, salad


hot dogs and popcorn after church
Breakfast for dinner - sausage, eggs, hashbrowns, french toast in the waffle iron

calzones
salad


Taco Night

White Castle Slider Knock Offs - http://fieldsofhether.blogspot.com/2013/01/white-castle-slider-knock-offs.html

Kids Daily Chores

Their chore lists are broken down by segments of their days:
Before Breakfast
Afternoon
Before Bed

There is a spot to record (in dry erase marker, this list is also in a page protector on our home management board) which page they are on in our family book club selection this month.  They are fairly competitive, so they enjoy keeping at least a page or two ahead of their siblings whenever possible.  :-)

You can view the document here:
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WUVg4jO96liCYk_6gXfBVveOMf3AgP0IAt1RURklk2A/edit


Christmas Reads 2012

I had a post about ALL of my Christmas To Read List, rating the ones I liked, and when I over-zealously cleaned up some of my blog postings,Ideleted it!  Ugh!  I will rewrite it, but for now, this is the list of what I actually read, copied from GoodReads:


3.51
didn't like it it was ok (my current rating) liked it really liked it it was amazing
Dec 29, 2012[edit]
Dec 29, 2012
Gingerbread Cookie Murder (Hannah Swensen)
3.58
didn't like it it was ok (my current rating) liked it really liked it it was amazing
Dec 29, 2012[edit]
Dec 29, 2012
A Highland Christmas (Hamish Macbeth, #16)
3.76
didn't like it it was ok liked it really liked it (my current rating) it was amazing
Dec 29, 2012[edit]
Dec 29, 2012
The Adventure of the Christmas Pudding
3.64
didn't like it it was ok liked it (my current rating) really liked it it was amazing
Dec 24, 2012[edit]
Dec 22, 2012
The Snow White Christmas Cookie
3.74
didn't like it it was ok (my current rating) liked it really liked it it was amazing
Dec 21, 2012[edit]
Dec 21, 2012
Hercule Poirot's Christmas (Hercule Poirot #20)
3.81
didn't like it it was ok liked it really liked it it was amazing (my current rating)
Dec 19, 2012[edit]
Dec 15, 2012
A Christmas Journey (Christmas Stories, #1)
3.39
didn't like it it was ok liked it (my current rating) really liked it it was amazing
Dec 19, 2012[edit]
Dec 19, 2012
Mistletoe Murder (A Lucy Stone Mystery #1)
3.67
didn't like it it was ok liked it really liked it it was amazing
Dec 15, 2012[edit]
Dec 07, 2012
The Miracle of Christmas: 15 Inspirational Stories to Read Through the Advent Season
4.38
didn't like it it was ok liked it (my current rating) really liked it it was amazing
Dec 14, 2012[edit]
Dec 04, 2012
The Dangers of Candy Canes
3.60
didn't like it it was ok liked it (my current rating) really liked it it was amazing
Dec 07, 2012[edit]
Dec 05, 2012
Candy Cane Murder (Hannah Swensen, #9.5)
3.75
didn't like it it was ok (my current rating) liked it really liked it it was amazing
Dec 05, 2012[edit]
Dec 05, 2012
The Christmas Box (The Christmas Box Trilogy #1)
3.89
didn't like it it was ok liked it really liked it (my current rating) it was amazing
Dec 02, 2012[edit]
Dec 02, 2012
The Twelve Clues of Christmas (Her Royal Spyness Mysteries, #6)
3.98
didn't like it it was ok liked it really liked it (my current rating) it was amazing
Dec 02, 2012[edit]
Dec 01, 2012
The Drummer Boy: A Christmas Tale
3.88
didn't like it it was ok liked it (my current rating) really liked it it was amazing
Dec 2012[edit]
Dec 01, 2012
Christmas Sonata
3.72
didn't like it it was ok liked it really liked it it was amazing (my current rating)
Nov 29, 2012[edit]
Nov 29, 2012
A Winter Dream
3.99
didn't like it it was ok liked it really liked it it was amazing (my current rating)
Nov 27, 2012[edit]
Nov 27, 2012