$100 visa giftcard giveaway
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Entertaining does not need to be crazy stressful.
Case in point.
This past weekend, I ended up doing an impromptu lunch on Saturday with friends. Being me, and the crazy schedule that is often my life, I had somehow also booked plans for breakfast out with my small group from church beforehand and then a late afternoon wedding afterwards. Which pretty much left me with 30 minutes to prepare a meal for friends. But hakuna matata! I had some new Monterey Gourmet Foods™ ravioli pastas in the fridge that I was stoked to try. So whipped up a batch of their “Creamy Ricotta Florentine”, some “Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Sugar Walnut Sage Butter” (recipe below), paired it with some simple pesto stuffed mushrooms and a salad, and voila — a super delicious meal was literally ready to go in less than 30 minutes!
Definitely my kind of meal. Classy, quick, and oh-so-delicious. And the best part was that my friends completely enjoyed it! They went on and on about the delicious flavors of the ravioli, and the decadent (although secretly super-simple!) sauces that had everyone asking for more. And they really loved the bright green “Basil, Almonds & Pine Nut Pesto” that was served with the ricotta ravioli and the stuffed mushrooms. So fresh and vivid!
I also loved the fact that the food my friends were enjoying was all natural. I have learned that all of Monterey Gourmet Foods‘ pastas and sauces are actually all natural, which is a definite priority in my kitchen. (And makes me, as the cook, feel better about enjoying the meal as well!)
All in all, definitely a great Saturday with even greater friends. And a needed reminder for me that some of my favorite meals can be quick and easy, saving time to be enjoyed with the friends I’m privileged to have in my life.
So to celebrate many more great meals to come, we are going to be giving away a $100 Visa giftcard and some rockin’ Monterey Gourmet Foods VIP coupons this week! Read below for giveaway details, and to also learn how to make these yummy recipes!
Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Sugar Walnut Sage Butter Recipe
Ingredients:
- 16 ounces butternut squash ravioli, cooked per package preparation
- 3/4 cup walnut pieces
- 2 Tbsp. butter
- 1/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
- 3/4 tsp. salt
- Pinch cayenne pepper
- 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage or ≤ teaspoon dried rubbed sage
- 1-2 Tbsp. cream
Method:
Prepare pasta as directed. While pasta cooks, start the sauce. Have all ingredients ready as this comes together quickly.
Using a large wide sauce pan or skillet, toast walnuts on medium heat until just fragrant and beginning to color. Reduce heat to low, add butter and stir. Add brown sugar, salt, cayenne and sage. Stir until butter is completely melted. Whisk in cream, add cooked ravioli and enjoy.
Ali’s Tip:
This would also be terrific with some grilled chicken, bacon, or chicken sausage mixed in!
Source:
Recipe from Monterey Gourmet Foods.
$100 Visa Giftcard Giveaway
Giveaway Rules:
To be entered for a chance to win, please tell me what you would make using a Monterey Gourmet Foods pasta or sauce product. If you’d also like to share a recipe, feel free to post it on your blog/website and include a link to it in your comment.
- No duplicate comments.
- You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:
- a) Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post
- b) Tweet about this promotion and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post
- c) Blog about this promotion and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post
- d) For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.
- This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older. Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. You have 72 hours to get back to me, otherwise a new winner will be selected.
- The Official Rules are available here.
- This sweepstakes runs from 4/2/2012-5/31/2012.
- Be sure to visit the Monterey Gourmet Foods page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ reviews and find more chances to win
Cookin' up a storm. Oh, and we may have also had some Bailey's Chocolate Cookies (recipe on the blog) for dessert!
The deliciousness.
The beautiful Lindsey getting ready to dive in.
And...Yours Truly. Cheers!!!
I’d make lasagna, kids love it.
tcarolinep at gmail dot com
https://twitter.com/#!/tcarolinep/status/189203235385507840
I would definitely make a pesto shrimp pasta!
id love to try their tortellini and red sauce
https://twitter.com/#!/aes529/status/189383601459179521
ravioli!!
I would make a delicious pasta with cream sauce dinner for my mom!
I think I’d use the tomato, basil and mozzarella ravioli and the fire roasted mushroom and four cheese ravioli layered with homemade sauce (or maybe I’d try one from Monterey Gourmet) and little meatballs to make a cheater’s lasagne!
I’d make lasagna
https://twitter.com/#!/HappyTina0115/status/190132051809288192
I would use the basil with almonds and pine nuts pesto and add some rotisserie chicken and maybe some bow tie noodles. That would be yummy, I would love to make some spaghetti or something like that for my son as he definitely wouldn’t eat the above but I would.
I tweeted about this- @cinderella10383
https://twitter.com/#!/Cinderella10383/status/190166015500500992
Just came across your blog via pinterest and cannot wait to try your cupcake recipes and this ravioli dish
I’d have to say gluten free pizza with basil almond pine nut pesto sauce with grilled chicken, roasted peppers and mozzarella with spinach herb mix sprinkled on top!
These look AMAZING! I’d make the Creamy Ricotta Florentine. Thanks!
id make a pasta salad with the pesto salad!
https://twitter.com/#!/DesMoinesDealin/status/190600347155316738
I would use the pesto to either make a cream sauce for the ravioli or use it on a homemade pizza.
We love pesto in pasta salads and over hot, steamy pasta for dinner. thanks for the chance to win!
I’d love to make the Lobster Ravioli with Saffron Cream Sauce.
Thanks.
Tweeted:
https://twitter.com/#!/BBirdie2/status/191311292630450178
We make Lasagna. We love it!
Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Sugar Walnut Sage Butter Recipe for sure. it sounds so good!
I want to make tuna pasta with capers. thanks for sharing your recipe
songyueyu at gmail
tweet: https://twitter.com/#!/syytta/status/191939011902849024
songyueyu at gmail
mmmmm! I would make lobster ravioli with alfredo sauce. So many wonderful varieties to choose from!
i would make lasagna – it’s one of our favorite dishes!
i tweeted here:
https://twitter.com/#!/bellows22/status/192099586800754688
i’d make their potato parmesan gnocchi
Probably Lasagna!
i would make ravioli w/browned butter sauce and capers
Yumm. Anything with pesto!!
I would make the Florentine ravioli, but make it lasagna style with some pesto sauce. Now I’m starved. Thanks for the opportunity to enter.
ok, I should know by now not to read your blog without eating first. It’s dangerous otherwise!
I would make tortellini, or something with the pesto, pesto chicken maybe :)
I would probably make and eat the chicken and mozzarella raviolis and eat them with no sauce.
I would make bow tie pasta with the Basil with Almonds Pine Nuts Pesto. My boys love the shape of the pasta and the flavor of pesto, so presto!
veggie lasagna!
I would definitely love to try their ravioli and then make a homemade sauce to go with it.
grilled salmon with pesto yumm
I would make a pizza using the pesto sauce. I would top it with mushrooms, pepperoni, and onions. YUMMY.
Gosh, there are so many things! Maybe some tortellini soup with tomatoes and spinach. yum!
I would make the Monterey Gourmet Foods Lobster Ravioli. I would make a brown butter tarragon and lemon sauce to go on top! Yum.
This blog is making me way too hungry O.O
https://twitter.com/#!/jaimeechoi/status/193160837257633792
Did my first post not go through?
Oh well, I would use Monterey Gourmet Foods’ Original Polenta, Parmesan Cheese, and Marinara Sauce to stew some short-ribs in the sauce and drape over some cheesy polenta! Yum!!
Butternut Ravioli Looks Great! Can’t wait to try it! Light with MCT oil and Zuccini.
I would make lasagna-my husband’s family is Italian and I would love to make it for them.
I would love to make homemade pasta with brown butter
purple_lover_04 at msn dot com
https://twitter.com/#!/purplelover04/status/194185755789242369
PROBABLY THE BASIL MEATBALLS, AMONGST MANY OTHERS… OH YES, I AM CREATIVE & I TRY MANY THINGS =)