Browned Butter & Sage Pumpkin Ravioli

433.  It's Autumn and I love when the seasonal options are made available.  Trader Joes never disappoints with a variety of spice, pumpkin and squash flavored items.

The pumpkin ravioli in the fresh refrigerated section was a must have!  

In a large frying pan I melted 1 stick of salted butter and let it bubble away until all the foam disappears and the butter turns a nutty brown color.  All the milk solids drop to the bottom and toast to wonderful buttery bits.  I then placed my fresh sage leaves in the butter and they crisp up rapidly.  Then remove them to a paper towel to use as garnish.  The sage flavors the browned butter.

On the side I have water boiling and add the fresh Pumpkin Ravioli.  It is so brightly colored yellow on one side and orange on the other filled with pumpkin.

After the sage is removed I added chopped garlic, about 2 cloves.  It will simmer and cook quickly.  

Spoon the finished pasta into the browned butter and turn the ravioli over to coat with the yummy butter.

You can add any vegetable or no vegetable at all to the dish.

Then place the crispy sage on top as a garnish and sprinkle with parmesan cheese.  WOW!!!  

"Why are terms of endearment always food? Honey, cookie, sugar, pumpkin."

- Jodi Picoult.

Pork Loin Roast

416.  Our Easter Dinner was delightful with memorable flavors and feels.  I decided to roast a top loin of pork for our 8 guests.  

Pork is always a challenge when you use the top loin portion due to the small amount of marbled fat.  But, my process did produce a beautifully flavorful result.

The herbs I chose were Parsley, Sage, Rosemary and Thyme (sounds like a song;-) with 8 garlic cloves.

The butcher butterflied the piece for me and did a perfect job.

I chopped the herbs together and set them aside in a bowl.  Next I rubbed Grey Poupon Dijon mustard

into the meat and then the finely chopped garlic followed by the 2 /3rds of the herbs, salt and pepper.

Then rolling up and tying the roast, sprinkling the rest of the chopped herbs.   I cut it in half to fit into my roasting pan coated with oil.

I roasted at 400 degrees for 20 minutes then turned down the heat to 325 degrees till the meat registered 140 degrees, approximately an hour.

Once roasted, I saved the pan drippings and made a brown gravy with Kitchen Bouquet and cornstarch mixed with water.  The meat was a bit tough but the gravy added moisture to each bite.  

Notes to self would be to:  Pound meat with a tenderizer before adding flavorings.  This would help with the tenderness once roasted. And, to remove the covering from the roasting pan so the meat would brown or not cover at all.  

We all enjoyed ourselves and the meal was delicious

Simply put, it was a masterpiece!

"The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.

~Michelangelo