50 Ravioli

I made 50 ravioli today while Grace was taking a nap. I mean, really, what else do I have to do with my time?Actually, I enjoy cooking and don't do it often enough. My mom gave me a cookbook called Toddler Cafe for my first Mother's Day and I have made several of the recipes suggested by author Jennifer Carden. Today, I decided to make my own version of her "pumpkin pockets" by substituting sweet potato. You can use fresh, canned, or frozen vegetables or substitute any filling you want following her simple instructions. What makes the recipe easy is taking a little help from the grocery store by using pre-made, pre-cut wonton wrappers (found in the produce section) for the pasta. According to Carden, wontons and ravioli are basically made from the same ingredients. I DO know how to make my own pasta - and I have done it before (for all you skeptics out there) - but the reality is modern conveniences are avaiable for a reason and my 2-year old's palate is not that discerning. I'll make fresh pasta when I compete against Bobby Flay or Michael Simon on Iron Chef. So, I made the filling using mashed sweet potato, cream cheese, and some spices and then filled all the wonton wrappers that came in the package. After boiling the ravioli for about 5 minutes, I tossed them with butter and Parmesean cheese and Grace was happy as a clam...I stored 45 of the ravioli in the freezer for dinners this fall on those nights when I am too tired to think about cooking.

Uncle Mickey - This doesn't compare with the rigatoni you made tonight, but I am going to try my own version of that dish one night soon!