Spinach, Mushroom, and Artichoke Ravioli Bake

This is one of those recipes that I found online, was taken in by the nice pictures, and thought I'd make it. Honestly, I didn't think it could possibly be any good. I figured that I was wasting both time and ingredients, but I made it anyway. The appeal? It looked easy. Some days “easy” is my only criteria. The original recipe I found here, but, as I tend to do, changed it up a bit. I could not believe how good it was.

I cut the recipe in half...sort of. I had half of a bag of frozen cheese ravioli, so used it in an 8" x 8" pan (no way would the 9" x 13" pan in the original recipe work under any circumstance). I used half the amount of fresh spinach, a small jar of marinated artichoke hearts (because they are much more flavorful), added some thinly sliced crimini mushrooms, and a jar of Paul Newman's Alfredo Sauce. This was the first time I'd ever used a jarred sauce, but I have faith in Paul. I also added a few gratings of fresh nutmeg because spinach always calls for nutmeg, no matter what.

Here is my version. It isn't pretty, but it sure is good!

Spinach, Mushroom, & Artichoke Ravioli Bake

3 oz. fresh baby spinach, chopped

1 jar (4 oz.) marinated artichoke hearts, rough chopped

4 large crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 tablespoons Melissa's Basil Pesto

Few gratings fresh nutmeg

1 jar Paul Newman's Alfredo Sauce

¼ cup chicken broth

18 frozen ravioli

1 cup Italian cheese blend, shredded

In a medium bowl, combine spinach, artichoke, and pesto, and mix well; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together Alfredo Sauce and chicken broth. Spread ⅓ of the Alfredo sauce on the bottom of an 8”×8” baking dish. Top with half the spinach mixture. Lay half the ravioli in a single layer over the spinach. Repeat layers again. Finish up with the remaining Alfredo sauce.

Bake uncovered at 375°F for 30 minutes. 

Sprinkle with cheeses and broil at 450°F for 3-5 minutes. Serve.

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 This post is linked to: Homemaking Party Tuesday, Wow Us Wednesday, Work It Wednesday, Wine’d Down Wednesday, Wake up Wednesday, Full Plate Thursday,  Thursday Favorite Things, Share Your Style, Coffee and Conversation, and Foodie Friday & Everything Else

Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins

While opinions vary, my contention has always been that there are four genres of mystery: the Whodunnit, or classic mystery, Hard-boiled, Police Procedural, and the Cozy, the latter being my favorite.  A sub-genre of this genre (are you still with me?) is the culinary cozy, a variety of mystery that has enamored me since I read my first (though written too early - 1986 - to have been labeled as such), The Nantucket Diet Murders by the late Virginia Rich.  Titles and covers grab my attention first when book shopping, opening up this one and finding the end pages covered in recipes was all it took for me to make the purchase and then fall in love with the genre.  Since then I've tried to read every mystery that features recipes; it's not easy!  Michael Bond, Diane Mott Davidson, Joanne Fluke, Ellen Hart and Joanne Pence are among the writers in this ever-growing list, as well as relative newcomers like Krista Davis, Avery Aames, and Livia Washburn.  Rarely do I actually try one of the recipes, that is until now.  I've decided that not only will I read the mysteries, but also make at least one of the recipes from the book.

Today's selection is a seasonal one, The Pumpkin Muffin Murders by Livia J. Washburn.  I wanted to bake the entire time I read this novel.  Seriously, I could almost smell the pumpkin.  So I gave them a whirl this morning and was very pleased with the results.  I used a jumbo muffin pan, so instead of filling each well of batter with just one tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture, I used a 2 tablespoon-size cookie scoop and it worked out well.  I think the next time I may just make the indentation in each muffin a bit deeper and add even more.  I also tend to like raisins in pumpkin muffins (particularly those that have been soaked in 2 tablespoons of rum to loosen, err, plump them up), so will add them when I make these again.  What a wonderful fall breakfast they provided on the patio this morning!  The recipe is below with my comments in parentheses.

Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins

from The Pumpkin Muffin Murders by Livia J. Washburn

Filling:

1 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened 

1 egg

3 T. brown sugar

1 t. vanilla extract

Topping:

4-1/2 T. all-purpose flour

3 T. brown sugar

1/2 t. ground cinnamon

1/4 t. ground ginger

3 T. chopped pecans

3 T. butter

Muffin:

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups white sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 eggs

1-1/3 cups canned pumpkin

1/3 cup vegetable oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Grease and flour 18 muffin cups, or use paper liners (I sprayed with PAM and they came out of the pan with ease.). Fill any unfilled muffin cups with water (to promote even baking).

Filling:

In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese until smooth. Add egg, brown sugar, and vanilla. Beat until mixed, then place bowl in freezer to set while making other ingredients. 

Topping:

In a medium bowl, mix flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and pecans. Add butter and cut it in with a fork until crumbly. Set aside. 

Muffin batter: 

In a large bowl, blend flour, sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add eggs, pumpkin, vegetable oil, and vanilla. Beat together until well mixed. 

Place pumpkin mixture in muffin cups about 1/2 full. Take the cream cheese mixture out of the freezer and add 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture right in the middle of the batter in the muffin cups. Having the cream cheese mixture will help you keep the cream cheese from touching the edges. Sprinkle on the streusel topping. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes. (If using larger muffin pans, you may need to bake a bit longer.  Test for doneness with a toothpick.  Remove from oven and run a sharp knife around the edge of each muffin. Allow to cool in pan for ten minutes. Gently pry from pan with knife and place on wire rack to cool completely.)

NOTE: Use remaining pumpkin for pumpkin pie cocoa.

I was tickled pink to be able to add this antique medicine bottle to my collection of flower vases.  Just this morning it was unearthed by the guy who came out to grind down the last of the five stumps we had left from the uprooted trees.  I washed it, added zucchini leaves and a zinnia and had a lovely seasonal addition to my place setting.

This post is linked to:  

Foodie Friday
Food on Friday
Friday Favorites
Friday Fat Camp
I'm Lovin' It Friday
Simply Delish Saturday
Fantabulous Friday

Seasonal Sundays