Say Goodbye to Winter with Ravioli Lasagna with Sausage and Mushrooms

Ravioli Lasagna with Sausage and Mushrooms

When a person works six days a week out of sheer necessity weekday meals need to be quick or at the very least can be prepared ahead. This "faux lasagna" comes together in a matter of minutes and only requires you to cook the sausage and assemble layers of premade ravioli for a filling dish that is a perfect ending to winter fare!! As we follow the natural course from winter into spring, our bodies welcome transitional recipes that will warm us to the core and prepare us for a fresh start when Spring arrives.

This week's warm weather brought with it the promise of Spring, the gentle breezes, the sight of green grass and, of course...potholes. Anyone not in the sunny southern climates needs to polish up your off-road driving skills to avoid the bone-jarring, teeth-rattling and suspension-testing canyons that emerge during the spring thaw. Now don't get me wrong I actually welcome potholes with open arms. Just like the sighting of your first Robin potholes are a sign that Spring has truly arrived in the sunny Okanagan! For that I am eternally grateful!!!!

On my day off I took a drive along Westside Road to catch a glimpse of the Big Horn Sheep. I did see 20 deer and plenty of road crews repairing the roads and filling in those inevitable potholes after the Spring thaw but no Big Horn Sheep. That I am writing this post today is testament to my driving skills. After the hair raising drive along sundappled Okanagan Lake the promise of this comforting dish I prepared ahead was a welcome lunch with a crisp spinach salad on the side.

The glimmer of the idea came from my friend Jerry of Jerry's Thoughts Musings and Rants, the recipe adapted from the Canadian magazine Chatelaine. Get out to your local grocers and have these ingredients on hand for a tasty weekday meal. This one is for you Ang since you read my blog:D

I am sending this dish over to Ruth for Presto Pasta Nights . Ruth at Once Upon a Feast just celebrated their 5 year anniversary. Can you believe it Ruth!!! You will always find a myriad of delicious dishes from lasagna to Pho on Ruth's Presto Pasta Night site. This week the event is being hosted by Alli of Yum in Tum. So get your healthy carbs on!!!

**Ravioli Lasagna with Sausage and Mushrooms**

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
500 g mild Italian sausage, removed from casings
796 ml can crushed tomatoes
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
1/2 cup 35 percent cream or milk
227 g cremini mushrooms
handful fresh basil
700 g package fresh ravioli, preferably spinach and ricotta cheese
1 cup grated mozzarella cheese or mixture of provolone and mozzarella

Preheat oven to 350F.

Heat a large pot over medium. Add oil, then onion and garlic. Cook until onion is soft, about 3 min. Add sausage meat. Mash with a fork, stirring often to keep meat crumbly. Cook until no longer pink, about 5 min. Add tomatoes and oregano. Season with fresh pepper. Stir in cream or milk until combined. Add mushrooms to pot. Tear basil and add to sauce. Stir to incorporate all ingredients.

Pour a layer of sauce into a 9 x 13-in. baking dish. Make a layer of  ravioli. Add a layer of sauce and then 1/2 the cheese. Make another layer of ravioli. Pour remaining sauce over top, then sprinkle with remaining mozzarella.

Bake in centre of oven, uncovered, until ravioli are cooked through and cheese is melted, about 20 minutes.

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