Ravioli

So, yesterday I posted a recipe on homemade pasta dough. I mentioned that I have used it to make ravioli. Here is what I did:

1. Follow the recipe on homemade pasta dough
2. Roll out the dough and cut into even squares
3. Put your ravioli filling onto one square and cover with another square
4. Wet the edges of the squares with water or melted butter and press edges with a fork to bond the two together
5. You can either boil or bake the ravioli and serve with your favorite sauce

You can fill the ravioli with whatever filling you desire. I shredded cooked shrimp and mixed with shredded cheese (any kind will work). I served it with alfredo sauce.

Shrimp Ravioli Pasta Bake:
I have experimented with the ravioli and came up with a really yummy way to serve it to your family.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Make ravioli with the shrimp and cheese filling listed above
3. Use a 9x13 inch pan and put a layer of alfredo sauce on the bottom
4. Put a layer of ravioli on top of that and continue to layer the sauce and ravioli until it fills up the pan.
5. Make sure the top layer is a layer of alfredo sauce
6. Put a thick layer of shredded mozzarella on top
7. Bake for about 10 minutes or until cheese is melted on top and it is heated throughout.

I hope you enjoy!!

New Tab

Hello again! I have just created a new tab. I like to try out various recipes and I will share them on my "Recipe" tab. Check them out and I encourage you to try them in your own home! I will put a new recipe every few days or so. I was going to add a bunch of them now, but I don't want to overwhelm you with recipes. :)

On a side note: Zach took a test yesterday and made a 90. He took three tests today and he made 100's on all of them. So proud of him! Please post to his facebook profile with bits of encouragement. Let's show him we are all proud and supportive of him!

Homemade Pasta Dough

(Credit)

 This recipe is from ehow.com. It is a great recipe that can make various types of pasta. My sister recently made homemade spaghetti noodles from this and used them in her spaghetti with deer meat. I have also used it to make ravioli.

Things You'll Need:

1 Cup All Purpose Flour

1 Egg Yolk

1 Tsp Salt

1 oz Water

1 Rolling Pin

1 Chef's Knife (or other cutting device)

1. Put the flour in a large bowl

2. In a smaller bowl, lightly beat the egg, egg yolk, salt, and water

3. Deposit contents of smaller bowl into the larger bowl and work until it forms a soft dough.

4. With a little flour on the table, knead the pasta dough for at least 8 minutes

5. Turn the dough over and knead for an additional 8  minutes

6. Cover dough with plastic wrap and allow it to rest for at least 30 minutes

     -The dough may be refrigerated at this point up to 3 days before using. 

       It can also be frozen.

7. After the dough has rested, roll it out using the rolling pin or a pasta rolling machine.

8. Cut into the shape you desire

How to Store Homemade Pasta:

Short-Term or Freezer storage

- Place your cut pasta on a non-stick surface, Small rolled pastas an easily fit on a plate while longer pastas such as linguini or lasagna noodles should be hung on a drying rack, or placed on a tea towel or piece of wax paper. You can also bundle long pastas in nests. Just toss then with a bit of flour and gather a bundle into the nest shape to keep the noodles from sticking together.

- Allow your pasta to dry for one hour. Test the dryness of your pasta to ensure that it's about as dry as the pasta you'd purchase in th refrigerated case at your local grocery store.

- Place the dried pasta in a sealable bag and store in your refrigerator or freezer. Be sure to write the date on the bag so that you'll know how fresh your pasta is when you pull it out. Refrigerated fresh pasta will last up to three days, while frozen fresh pasta should be consumed within three months.

Long-Term Storage

- Follow the directions in Step 1 above.

- Allow your pasta to dry for at least 24 hours. Make sure it is completely dry.

- Place the dried pasta in a sealable bag. Write the dat on the bag and store it in your pantry.

Found on ehow.com

Welcome!

Welcome to our blog! I will be updating you on our lives from time to time. While I would love to speak to each of you personally to keep you informed, things get busy and I feel this would be an easier way for us to keep in touch. I hope you enjoy our blog!

Zach: Zach is currently in training for his rate. When he graduates he will become a 3rd class petty officer in the Coast Guard. His schooling is 13 weeks long and we are currently in the middle of week 3. He is doing well and making excellent grades. I am VERY proud of him.

Alyssa: While Zach is in school, I am staying with my sister, brother-in-law, and nephew. I am splitting my time between here and my parent's house. There is nothing like quality time with the family! But of course, I do miss my husband and only wish him the best in training. My sister and I started the "6 week challenge" that is highlighted on her blog. Feel free to check it out by clicking on the link. The challenge is to lose 10 pounds in 6 weeks. While my ultimate goal is to lose 15 pounds before Zach's graduation, This will give me a good start.