Spicy Sausage & Beef Ravioli with Homemade Sauce!

Spicy Sausage & Beef Ravioli with Homemade Sauce

Today, James and I were both home from work and our dinner apetites approached late afternoon, which is earlier than usual. I decided to try and put a spin on an easy pasta sauce I saw on Everyday Italian with Giada De Laurentiis.

Tonight, I took a box of refrigerated ravioli found in Publix's chilled pasta section, which was the Spicy Sausage & Beef flavor, and boiled it as the package directed. But, I wanted to take the simple recipe from Everyday Italian and make it my own go-to pasta sauce.

I basically began by heating some olive oil in a large skillet and sauteeing about 3 cloves of garlic. It sounds like a lot, but it really gives the sauce a ton of flavor. You also want quite a bit of olive oil in the pan, about 5 or 6 tablespoons.

Once the garlic has sauteed for a couple of minutes, I turn down the heat and add one tablespoon of butter, a small yellow onion (diced), and about 1 cup to 1 1/2 cup of cherry or grape tomatoes (halved).

Once the onions are translucent and the tomatoes are softened, take the back of a fork and press down on the tomatoes. You want all of the juices and flesh of the tomato to be released into the pan, creating texture and flavor for the sauce. Then, I add salt and pepper to taste, about a teaspoon of Mrs. Dash Italian Medley spice, and about a 1/2 teaspoon of Nature's Seasoning.

I let this simmer while the ravioli boils away (following package directions; boiling in 4 quarts salted water with 1 tablespoon of olive oil to prevent sticking). Once these are al dente, I drain them and add them right into the skillet with the sauce and mix it very well. I usually salt and pepper a little more here, and then squirt about a half of a lemon into the pan as well. Lastly, I sprinkle with some parmesan cheese and serve with garlic bread or rolls. Here, I served it with regular store bought Crescent Rolls Butter Flake.

This meal took no more than 20 minutes. It was an easy way to add homemade flavor to a store bought dinner.