Hello good people! Happy Friday! Aaron and I decided to do another date night at home and tonight we cooked up a good one. Tonight we decided to base our dinner off of a wine we purchased in Holland, MI. The name of the wine is Abbondanza it is a off-dry blend that brings together locally grown Montmorency tart cherries and a trio of elegant white grapes—Cayuga White, Muscat, and Viognier—for a crisp, fruit-forward wine with just the right hint of sweetness. If you are interested in purchasing this wine you can click this link here.

We made Butternut Squash Ravioli with Brown Butter and Sage, we also whipped up a side salad, Arugula Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette.

Donna: Well, first and foremost, I must say that this dinner was incredibly easy to prepare. We managed to find all our ingredients at our local grocery store, including premade butternut squash ravioli. This makes this dinner even more enjoyable after a long workweek.

Now let’s get into the meal. The sage brown butter sauce over the butternut squash ravioli completely exceeded my expectations. The flavor was rich and comforting, savory with a hint of sweetness and that perfect touch of nuttiness. Everything came together so beautifully, it felt like something you’d order at a cozy Italian spot.

I’ll admit, I was a little unsure how it would pair with the arugula salad and the homemade lemon vinaigrette, but wow- the contrast worked in the best way. The salad added a crisp, refreshing brightness that cut through the richness of the ravioli and made each bite feel balanced and fresh.

But the real game changer? The wine. When I say it elevated the entire meal, I mean it. That cherry forward wine brought out the sweetness of the squash and deepened the brown butter flavors in a way that felt next level. I genuinely found myself slowing down, savoring every bite like the food critic in Ratatouille movie. It was that good.

If you’re planning a cozy date night in, this meal is a must. I give it a solid 9 out of 10.

Aaron: I’ve got to say, this dish is a total hit! It’s super easy to make, and it’s one of those dishes where you have to just trust the process. But when you finally take your first bite, the flavors are really comforting. I’ve never had butternut squash in any form before, but I was really surprised by how subtly sweet it was, not so much that it tasted like a dessert. The sage-infused butter adds a nice fragrance and an earthy taste to the dish. It’s not a dish that’s bursting with flavor, but it’s a combination of subtle flavors that make it really special.

The Arugula Salad was fantastic, but the Lemon vinaigrette was the cherry on top. I might just add this to other salad combinations in the future. I was a bit surprised at how little we produced when we mixed the ingredients, but it all came together perfectly. If we added more of anything, it might have ruined the dish. This side dish pairs really well with the ravioli, and I’m not even sure what goes with ravioli!

When you combine these pieces and add the Abbondanza, you’re in for a really nice experience. The wine isn’t so strong that it stands in front of any of these dishes but, instead, stands beside them. The flavors in each component are subtle, but when paired together, it’s almost like listening to music. Each instrument contributes to an orchestrated blend, creating enjoyable musical.

Will need to add this to the rotation of dished normally made. I will give this a 9/10.

If you want to make it yourself, here’s how:

Ingredients:

Butternut Squash:

• 1 Bag (12oz) Butternut Squash Ravioli

Brown Butter Sauce:

• (4tbsp) Unsalted Butter
• (6-8) Sage Leaves
• (Pinch) Nutmeg
• Black Pepper
• (2tbsp) Grated Parmesan

Arugula Salad:

• (3 Cups) Fresh Baby Arugula
• (1/4 cup) shaved parmesan
• (1/4 cup) thinly sliced shallot (or red onion)
• (1/2) Avocado (Sliced)

Lemon Vinaigrette:

• Juice of 1 Lemon
• (1/4cup) Olive Oil
• (1tsp) Honey (or Maple Syrup)
• (1/2tsp) Dijon Mustard
• Salt and Pepper to taste

Make the Butternut Squash Ravioli

    1.    Cook the Ravioli Bring salted water to a gentle boil.

• Add ravioli and cook according to package directions (usually 3–5 minutes).
• Reserve 1/4 cup of pasta water, then drain.

    2.    Make the Brown Butter & Sage Sauce:

• In a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat.
• Once melted, add sage leaves and stir occasionally.
• The butter will foam, then begin to turn golden and smell nutty (~3–5 min).
• Watch carefully — once it starts browning, it can burn quickly.

    3.    Toss it All Together:

• Add cooked ravioli to the skillet with the brown butter.
• Add a splash of reserved pasta water and gently toss to coat.
• Season with salt, black pepper, and a pinch of nutmeg if using.
• Add 2 tbsp of parmesan and toss again until glossy.

    4.    Serve:

• Plate the ravioli, spoon over the remaining butter and sage.
• Top with extra parmesan and optional chopped nuts for texture.

Arugula Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette:

    1.    Whisk the vinaigrette ingredients in a small bowl or shake in a jar.

    2.    Toss arugula with dressing just before serving.

    3.    Top with cheese, onion, nuts, and any extras.