Inside-Out Ravioli

Rummaging through my mother's recipe box, I came across this old recipe for what I remember being a ‘70s favorite. I remember eating and enjoying this many times in the seventies, and then came eighties, and we never had it again. I have no explanation for this phenomenon except to provide my own excuse for doing pretty much the same with some of my favorites. There are just so many recipes, from so many sources, and so little time to try them all, that, in the doing, the old ones often get cast aside.

Here is the recipe written in my mother’s handwriting.  Apparently she got if from her friend, June, and my guess is that it was something that June served at one of their many bridge luncheons.

It was clearly written in haste because there is no indication here as to when to add the meat! I struggled with this a bit, and incorrectly added the spinach to the sauce/spinach liquid mixture, but it came out fine all the same. I also added a lot of my own ingredients (reflected in the parentheses in the written version below).  Both my dad and Mr. O-P really enjoyed this one. 

The directions state to make it in a 9” x 13” pan, but I made it in two-serving casserole dishes, so a number of servings went into the freezer to be enjoyed at a later date.

It’s a bit more work than the average casserole, but well worth it, which is why it’s my Casserole of the Month!

Inside-Out Ravioli

1 pound ground chuck
(1/2 pound Italian sausage)
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 10-oz. package frozen, chopped spinach
(1/2 cup pitted black olives, sliced)
(1/2 cup, loosely packed pepperoni, cut in slivers)
1 lb. jar Chef Boyardee Spaghetti Sauce with mushrooms (I used Paul Newman's Sockarooni®, about 3/4 of the jar)
8 oz. can tomato sauce
6 oz. can tomato paste
1/2 tsp. salt
Dash pepper
2 cups (7 oz. pkg.) uncooked Creamettes® elbow macaroni, prepared according to pkg. directions
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs (I used Italian bread crumbs)
2 well beaten eggs (I used extra-large)
1/4 cup salad oil (I used canola)

Brown meat and onion; drain.

Cook spinach according to package directions. Drain well, reserving liquid. Add water to drained spinach liquid to make one cup.

Stir spinach liquid (just the liquid not the spinach, as I did, sigh) and next seven ingredients together until blended, add meat mixture, and simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes.

Combine spinach with macaroni, cheese, crumbs, eggs, and salad oil. Spread macaroni mixture into a 9” x 13” baking dish. Top with meat sauce (and additional cheese, if desired).

Bake at 350ºF for 30 minutes until hot and bubbly along the sides. Let stand 10 minutes after removing from the oven.

Can be made a day ahead, and freezes beautifully.

This post is linked to:

Friday Frenzy

Friday Finds

Show and Tell Friday 

Friday Unfolded
Fridays Flash Blog
Simple and Sweet Fridays

Foodie Friday & Everything Else

What To Do Weekend 
The Weekend re-Treat