Even if you're celebrating a small Thanksgiving this year with just your immediate family, you may be busy with kitchen preparations. That means you need something simple that requires minimum hassle during the week--like Skillet Cheese Ravioli. The dish comes together quickly in a skillet or chef's pan on the stove, with no baking required. Even picky eaters are likely to go for it--red pasta sauce, cheese ravioli, and plenty of melting cheese. You use pre-made frozen ravioli (no judging here, it's quick, easy, and less expensive than the refrigerated stuff), and I've made the dish with ground beef and ground turkey. I prefer the ground turkey, mainly because it's leaner and less expensive. The Skillet Cheese Ravioli makes a great dinner, and, if you're lucky, you'll have some left over for lunches.
Skillet Cheese Ravioli -- Serves 4+
2-3 teaspoons of canola oil
1 medium or half a large onion, chopped
16 ounces of ground turkey or beef
1 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
3-4 cloves of garlic chopped
2 teaspoons of dried Italian herbs
1 teaspoon of dried basil
1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes
1 14-16-ounce can of diced tomatoes with garlic and Italian herbs
1 20-24-ounce package of frozen cheese ravioli
2-4 tablespoons of grated Parmesan cheese
1- 1 1/2 cups of shredded Italian-style cheese
Heat the oil in a large skillet or chef's pan over medium to medium-high heat until it begins shimmering and then add the onion. Saute the onion for a few minutes until it begins to soften, then crumble in the ground meat. Sprinkle on the salt and pepper. Saute the onion and meat together for 8-10 minutes, then add the chopped garlic, Italian herbs, and basil. Stir them in for a minute or so, then add the crushed and diced tomatoes. Stir them in well and bring the sauce to a boil. Stir in the ravioli carefully (watch for hot sauce splashes), turn the heat down to a low simmer, and partially cover the pan. Let the ravioli gently cook in the sauce for 10-15 minutes. The ravioli should be cooked through, hot, and the sauce thickened. Remove the lid, taste the sauce (carefully, it's hot!), and add more salt, if you think it's necessary. Sprinkle on the Parmesan, then the shredded Italian-style cheese. Turn off the heat and cover the pan again just until the cheese melts. Let the mixture sit a few minutes before serving it.
