DAY # 3 Tuscan Pasta with Tomato Basil Cream Sauce

A few days ago, i went to the store armed with three new recipes to try this week.  If your family is at all like mine, you find yourself eating the same things over and over from week to week.  However, we are also not afraid to try new things.  What most people don't realize is that my husband, Mark, is the cook in our family.  When we first got married, he was HORRIBLE at it though.  I remember the first time he cooked breakfast, he had to google how to make scrambled eggs.   LOL  So our 2nd Christmas together i got him cooking lessons for Christmas.  I had a chef come to the house once a week for six weeks and give him private lessons.  BEST GIFT I EVER GAVE MYSELF!  Now he is the cook as his cooking abilities far surpass mine.  I asked one time how he picks his recipes (he can spend hours looking on the internet for just one recipe).  He told me "Oh, i pick the one with the most ingredients!"

So anyways, he's the cook and i'm the baker.  To impress him with dinner isn't hard.  As most husbands would, he always tells me that dinner was great.  Last night he told me twice  ;)

Here's what i made....

Tuscan Pasta with Tomato Basil Cream Sauce
(but of course with my own twist)

Original pin can be found here:
http://pinterest.com/pin/6051780718836033/

Original Recipe can be found here:
http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/tuscan-pasta-with-tomato-basil-cream-10000001646355/


As is, this recipe is probably great, however, my husband won't eat anything that doesn't have meat in it.  And i always try to add extra veggies to any meal.  Here's my version of the recipe...

2tbs Olive oil
Crushed red pepper
Salt
1 med. white onion
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 cans premium white chicken (drained)
1 sm. pkg. fresh baby spinach
1 sm. pkg. sliced mushrooms (chopped)
1 jar Sun Dried tomato Alfredo sauce
1/4 cup dry white wine (i used extra dry sherry)
1/2 to 3/4 cup of Half and Half
1/2 cup chopped fresh Basil
2 med. tomatoes
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 pkg 4 Cheese Ravioli (refridgerated section)

Heat olive oil in skillet.  Sprinkle generously with crushed red pepper.  Add onion and garlic.  Saute for 3-4 min.  Open and drain 2 cans of Chicken, shred chicken into pan and cook until starts to slightly brown on bottom of pan.   Then add fresh spinach, cook down and add mushrooms.  At this point i added a few tablespoons of water to keep it from sticking on the bottom while it all cooked.  Boil ravioli.  Add jar of sauce to skillet.  Add 1/4 extra dry sherry wine to jar and shake, then dump into skillet.  Add 1/2 to 3/4 cup of Half and Half.  Chop fresh basil and 2 med. tomatoes, add to sauce.  Now salt to taste and don't be afraid, it took quite a bit to get the flavor just right.  Just add a little, taste, add a little more, and taste again  ;)  Drain ravioli and add to sauce.  Mix and then sprinkle about 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese on top.  I served with garlic bread!

My pictures aren't great, as i always seem to blog at night after the kids are in bed so the lighting isn't as great for the photos, plus i just use the camera on my phone, but it works.

Overall, i would say this recipe was great and i will definately be making it again!  Plus it was pretty easy which is always a plus for me!

???Pinterest Win / Pinterest Fail ???
WIN!