Yes, I know, making ravioli with breakfast sausage sounds weird, but it works. The breakfast sausage--the kind that comes in a roll--is inexpensive, relatively low in fat, and it's well seasoned, meaning that you have fewer ingredients to add to the recipe. The mixture cooks on top of the stove, and you can have it ready to eat in about 30 minutes. A can of pumpkin provides body and texture as well as flavor to the sauce, and frozen cheese ravioli ensure that you an get dinner on the table fast. How does the ravioli taste? It's good! A little sweet, a little savory, smooth, and cheesy. The ravioli dish doesn't need much to accompany it. A salad and some bread would make a great meal, even for company. Enjoy!
Turkey Sausage and Pumpkin Ravioli -- Serves 4+
1 tablespoon of canola oil
1/2 cup of chopped onion
16 ounce roll of turkey breakfast sausage (mild)
1 1/2 cups of chicken broth or 1 1/2 cups of water and 1 1/2 teaspoons of chicken "Better Than Bullion"
1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon of dried sage
1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder
15-ounce (or so) can of pumpkin puree
25-ounce package of frozen cheese ravioli
4 ounces of cream cheese (light/neuchatel is fine), cut into smallish pieces
1-2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped parsley and/or chives (optional)
Heat a large skillet or chef's pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the onion and saute it for a few minutes until it starts to soften. Add the turkey sausage, breaking it up into smallish chunks. Saute the onion and sausage for 8-10 minutes until the turkey is cooked through. Add the chicken broth to the pan and stir in the thyme, sage, and garlic powder. Stir in the pumpkin puree. When the mixture comes to a boil, stir in the cheese ravioli. Bring the mixture back to a boil, stir the ravioli, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Partially cover the pan and let the ravioli cook in the sauce for about 10 minutes or until cooked through/hot. Stir in the cream cheese until incorporated in the sauce. Turn off the heat, add a teaspoon of apple cider vinegar, and salt and pepper to taste. If you'd like, garnish the ravioli dish with chives and/or parsley.
