I made delicious!
I've been watching Rachael Ray a lot. The first time or two I ever watched her, she really got on my nerves, but then this summer sometimes her show would come on and I wouldn't change the channel. She grew on me, and now I like her. :D I know things on tv are a bit contrived, but I think she probably gets the closest of any cooking show out there (well, maybe not Semi-Homemade ;P) of actually preparing the meal right in front of you and not showing you how to stir the ingredients together, then sitting that aside and pulling out the already-prepared, finished product. Anyway, all of that to say, I like how she talks about having eaten something delicious and then finds a way to make it more simply but with the same flavors.
For the past couple of days, I've been thinking about the spinach lasagna with alfredo sauce at Melini's. Today, I decided I'd make something similar, only less involved. I had frozen ravioli and frozen spinach in the freezer and I figured I could look up a recipe for alfredo sauce. And what I made was amazing! Truly, it was exactly what I wanted.
Spinach Alfredo Ravioli
16 - 20 squares of frozen ricotta-stuffed ravioli
1/2 pkg/box frozen spinach - defrost and squeeze dry
1/4 cup salted butter
4 oz neufchatel cheese (1/3 less fat cream cheese stuff)
~1 cup 2% milk
Garlic powder
Onion powder
Garlic salt
1/8 cup grated parmesan or parm/romano mix cheese (I just used the kind in a can)
mozzarella cheese
Cook ravioli according to package directions. (I love the frozen ravioli because it only takes about two or three minutes to boil.) Place on plates and sprinkle with spinach. This makes two hearty servings, three if you're less piggy than me.
Melt butter in a sauce pan over low heat, add cream cheese and stir until melted. Add spices, to taste. I probably used something like 1/2 tsp of each, but I didn't measure. Pour in milk and whisk (didn't measure that, either). Increase heat to medium-ish (I turned my electric stove eye to 6). Continue whisking until mixture boils, reduce heat and simmer. I probably simmered for four or five minutes. Remove from heat, add parmesan & whisk. Pour sauce over spinach and ravioli, sprinkle lightly with mozzarella.
I ate one plate and I put the other in a container and in the frig so I can eat it later! Ethan preferred tomato sauce on his ravioli, so it's all for me! :D And while this is not a low-fat meal, I know it has less fat and calories than Melini's because I'm pretty sure they make their alfredo with heavy cream and way more butter. :D