Free Recipe Wednesday! (Smoked Cheese Ravioli)

Hello again friends and food lovers. Welcome to another Free Recipe Wednesday. Today’s recipe isn’t quite like the fall/holiday recipes I’ve been posting this month but it’s still one I think you’ll enjoy. Personally when it comes to pasta I’d much rather have a cream based sauce than a tomato based one so I’m always on the lookout for something new. When I first saw this recipe I knew it would be good, especially with Smoked Gouda cheese which is one of my favorites, but I could also tell the sauce was just a base to start with and that it needed more. That’s the nice thing about most cream based sauces is that you can modify them in so many ways. The recipe and picture below is the basic recipe, and it’s good the way it is, but personally I feel like it needs more color. I think adding a can of rotel with the green chilis and maybe sprinkling some green onions on top is a great way to liven up this dish. You could also add oregano, basil, and garlic to the sauce for a different flavor profile and/or use meat ravioli instead of cheese ravioli. Like I said before it’s good the way it is but it’s fun to experiment and make something your own. Give it a try and let me know in the comments below what you thought and what modifications you made to yours.

Smoked Cheese Ravioli

• 1 (16 oz) pkg Frozen Cheese Ravioli
• 1 cup Half-And-Half Cream
• 1 cup Shredded Smoked Gouda Cheese
• 1 tsp Chopped Fresh Parsley
• 1 tsp White Pepper

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a rolling boil over high heat; stir in the frozen ravioli and return to a boil.
2. Cook uncovered about 6 to 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the ravioli float to the top and the filling is hot; drain.
3. While the pasta is cooking, bring the half-and-half to a simmer in a saucepan over medium heat.
4. Whisk in the Gouda cheese until melted; season with parsley and white pepper.
5. Pour the sauce over the cooked ravioli; garnish with parsley and serve.