A Delicious Dinner Party

Last night, Lauren and I put together a really nice dinner for the men in our lives. On the menu: mixed greens with breaded goat cheese rounds and caramelized pecans and homemade butternut squash ravioli. It was a long day of cooking, but our guests were pleased :) Below, the results of slaving over the stove all day:

Ingredients for Goat Cheese Rounds

goat cheese log

beaten egg

bread crumbs

all purpose flour

olive oil

Start by separating log into sections - thickness may vary.

Next, dip the cheese round in flour, followed by egg and then coat with the bread crumbs.

(I would add some salt, pepper and a dried herb like parsley to the breadcrumbs for extra flavor.)

Next, heat a pan and pour in the olive oil once it is very hot.

Place the coated goat cheese round in the hot oil, frying for about a minute, or until the side is a light golden brown. Flip and repeat on the other side.

Ingredients for Caramelized Pecans

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 cup pecas

Start by melting the butter in a frying pan over low heat.

Add the brown sugar and pecans. Stir until evenly distributed. Spread out on wax paper to cool.

Ingredients for Butternut Squash Ravioli

Package of wonton wrappers

1 beaten egg

2 lbs pre cut and cubed butternut squash

2 tbsp marscapone cheese

1 tbsp parmesan cheese

1 dash cayenne pepper

handful of sage leaves

olive oil

butter

salt and pepper

Toss the butternut squash with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Roast the butternut squash by placing in the oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees. Remove and let cool.

To make the ravioli filling, combine the butternut squash, marscapone cheese, parmesan, salt, pepper

and cayenne - for a little kick - in a food processor.

Scoop a spoonful of the filling onto one wrapper.

Coat all four edges with the beaten egg and place another ravioli over it.

Using a fork, press down all edges to seal in the filling.

Lastly, drop the ravioli in boiling water and leave until it rises .... about 1 minute or so.

To finish, heat up some olive oil and butter in a pan, drop in the chopped sage to fry,

and add the ravioli. Cook on both sides until lightly browned.

Remove and serve with contents of pan. Lastly sprinkle with parmesan.