Supper-Time Sunday!

Overnight Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats (Slow Cooker)

Rating: A

Hearty and delicious - this recipe is definitely a keeper! Since I don't eat added sugars if I can avoid it I didn't add the brown sugar to this recipe at all. I doubled the cinnamon and substituted the butter for coconut oil 1:1. My family just added pure maple syrup to their portions when it was done. I ate mine with just the sweetness from the apples. You also have to be really careful about cooking time. Although this calls for 7 hours mine only took 3 in my INSANE crockpot. 

LINK: http://jamiecooksitup.net/2012/03/overnight-apple-cinnamon-steel-cut-oats-crock-pot/

Instant Mug 'O Mac in the Microwave

Rating: ...B-?

This is a really great idea for a toddler who loves macaroni and cheese. They get to have their favorite dish and you get to feel more confident that they aren't eating a bunch of preservatives and added colors. That being said, however, this technique didn't work for me. I bought a big box of noodles from Sam's Club and I guess the noodles are too "premium" quality for microwave. I had to cook them on the stove top after all. Which is fine. Abrielle still loved it. Maybe you'll have better luck!

LINK: http://blogs.babble.com/family-kitchen/2012/05/17/instant-mug-o-mac-cheese-in-the-microwave/

Pasta with Fresh Garden Tomato Sauce

Rating: A+

We have established that I haven't liked tomatoes for my whole life, right? Well I had no anticipation that I would like this but I was making dinner at my parent's house in exchange for my mom cutting Jake's hair. I decided to try it and WOW!!!! I absolutely loved it. Love love love love love. We topped ours with feta instead of parmesan cheese and didn't drizzle any additional olive oil on it. We had it again the next day on top of bread, and again a few days later. It is amazing. Make it. Soooo easy and wonderful!

LINK: http://www.marthastewart.com/904229/pasta-fresh-tomato-sauce

Chocolate Protein Power Balls

Rating: A+

These are excellent! I made a big batch and keep them in the freezer. I take 2 of them with me to eat after a big workout or eat 1 occasionally for a snack. The only substitution that I made was to use natural peanut butter instead of almond butter (I didn't have it). LOVE the flavor, texture, everything!

LINK: http://www.damyhealth.com/2011/04/damy-health-protein-power-balls/

Thai Turkey Burgers

Rating: A+

We have had these twice now. Once I made them with ground chicken and the second time I did turkey. Both were fabulous. The sauce is a perfect combination of sweet and spicy and they are very filling. We will make these again and again!

LINK: http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/meal-ideas/best-healthy-recipes-around-world?page=9

Baked Cinnamon Breakfast Bites

Rating on cooking technique: A-, Rating on crowd consumption: A

These were quite easy to make and seemed to be a great hit at the party I took them to. My husband tried one for me and said they were great and my aunt asked me for the recipe for them. The only change that I made was to use cake flour instead of just all-purpose flour. If you don't have it on hand you can make it by measuring out 1 cup of all-purpose flour and taking out 2 tbsp of it. You then replace those tbsp with 2 tbsp of cornstarch. It helps them to be a little bit lighter and not quite so dense. 

LINK: http://ohmysugarhigh.com/scrumptious-baked-cinnamon-breakfast-bites-recipe/

NOTE: I didn't actually taste these so I can't give you a rating on taste... I can only tell you what others told me!

Clean Eating Gingerbread Waffles

Rating: A-

I really like gingerbread... although Jake does not. I decided to try these anyways and I really liked them. It calls for 5 cups milk and I only used 3 although next time I will probably use 3 1/2 because they turned out very thick. Still delicious. I need to draw your attention to the fact that the recipe calls for NO added sugar. I like them this way and only topped mine with fresh banana slices and peach slices. That was perfect for me. My kids loved them also. I think it could use a little bit of salt added to the batter but otherwise I think it is great.

LINK: http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-ginger-bread-waffles/

Clean Eating Turkey Rice Bowls

Rating: B-

These were okay but were honestly kind of bland. We remedied this situation by adding Sriracha to our portions but it isn't one that I would make again. And if I did I would use fresh pineapple and not canned. But I don't plan on making it again. Maybe you'll like it better?

LINK: http://www.thegraciouspantry.com/clean-eating-curry-pineapple-turkey-rice-bowl/

The "Best" Snickerdoodle Cookie

Rating on cooking technique: A-, Rating on crowd reception: A

These were pretty easy to put together - Abrielle and I did them together. I refrigerated them for too long though and I had to leave them out for a while before they were not too hard to roll out. However, if they get too warm then they flatten a lot more while cooking. They are a bit finicky like that. But my hubby and our neighbors loved them and so I will probably make them again.

LINK: http://www.lovintheoven.com/2010/03/even-better-snickerdoodle.html

Supper-Time Sunday!

Zucchini & Yellow Squash Spaghetti

RATING: A-

What a fantastic way to use up all of those zucchini and squash people have coming out of their ears at this time of year! This light and refreshing dish had a wonderful zip of flavor and was loved by the whole family. It is a bit more intensive to have to make... I only had a box grater to grate my zucchini and squash and it took a decent amount of time. Make sure that when you do yours that you grate all around the outside and leave the seeded part in the middle. It will make it SOOO much easier to grate and tastier too. I wish I had known that when I started! I also didn't want to buy fresh basil so I just used dry. The conversion ratio is 1 tsp dried = 1 tbsp fresh. I used whole wheat noodles and we will most likely make this one again.

LINK:  http://www.melskitchencafe.com/2012/07/zucchini-yellow-squash-spaghetti.html

Supper-Time Sunday!

Banana Pudding Poke Cake

Rating: A+

Okay, maybe I am a bit biased but my all-time favorite "guilty" dessert is banana pudding. Why? I have no idea. Something about the flavor combination. Is this a healthy dessert? No. However, you can improve the recipe in many ways. When using a boxed cake mix the oil can be completely replaced with unsweetened applesauce. I have done it twice now and both times it turned out the most gorgeous boxed cake I have ever made. Secondly, if you whip your own whipping cream you get to control the amount of sugar that goes into it and it won't have a bunch of yucky additives like high fructose corn syrup. I added a layer of freshly sliced bananas between the pudding and whipped topping and it was soooo delicious. Everyone raved about this dessert at my baby boy's birthday party. Yummy!

Link: http://www.thecountrycook.net/2012/06/banana-pudding-poke-cake.html

Pasta with Cilantro-Peanut Pesto

Rating: F

No, I am not kidding. This dish was terrible. The lime zest was completely and totally overwhelming - So badly that you couldn't even taste anything else (and there are a lot of other ingredients that should have strong flavors!) This was bad enough that we rinsed off the noodles to try and save dinner and we could STILL taste the lime. Wow. Steer clear of this one. 

Link: The site is down right now so I can't get the link but if you really want to try this one here is the link to my pin on Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/pin/206954545347039565/

Zucchini Lasagna

Rating: A+

This meal was so tasty and I thought it tasted a lot like normal lasagna. I didn't miss the noodles at all and, even though the cute hubby wouldn't admit it, I don't think he did either. It came out with the most amazing pops of flavor. I used ground chicken instead of shredded and I ran out of zucchini and so I used part yellow squash. Ironically, we liked the yellow squash best. It takes on an almost cheesy taste to it. We will absolutely be making this dish again.

Link: http://munchercruncher.blogspot.com/2011/05/seasons-are-lil-bit-different-in-sunny.html

Oatmeal Chocolate Peanut Butter No-Bake Candy Bars

Rating: A- on flavor and texture

Sound healthy? Surprisingly, they are very respectable for a dessert. All natural ingredients and no added sugars except for honey (which isn't processed nearly as heavily as white sugar) and whatever sugar might be on your dried cranberries. These had a very rich and creamy flavor and texture and a little bit goes a long way. Unfortunately, a long way isn't very long for me when it comes to sweets and even after just a little bit my body went into "sugar shock" and I felt sick to my stomach for the rest of the night. *Sigh* So even though these were delicious I probably won't make them again. I bet you would enjoy them though!

Link: http://amy-newnostalgia.blogspot.ca/2010/05/best-recipe-ive-ever-messed-up.html

Oatmeal Breakfast Cookie

Rating: B

I really like the concept of this "cookie" and it turned out pretty good. I made a blueberry version and did agave instead of maple syrup. I also didn't have vanilla yogurt and so I added a tsp of 100% vanilla whey protein powder and just used plain, nonfat yogurt. It was tasty and I enjoyed it, however it didn't keep me feeling full for very long. That is a deal breaker for me and breakfast so I won't make this one again for me but maybe for my kids?

Link: http://dinnersdishesanddesserts.com/?p=2583#.UAlqqbRDwrc

Oreo Puddin' Poke Cake

Rating: A+ according to my husband

I have to confess... I didn't actually eat this one. My baby sister turned 7 yesterday and specifically requested a "Special Shayla Dessert" and she wanted chocolate cake. I knew that she would love this cake although I don't personally eat Oreos. Once again, you can replace the oil in the cake mix for unsweetened applesauce 1:1. My sister had 2 BIG pieces of this cake and my husband went on and on and on about how good it was. He doesn't normally like cake but he said this one was so perfectly moist and the perfect amount of sweet without being overbearing. I added a layer of whipped topping on top of the pudding after it had completely set (8 ounce container) and I think that that is what balanced the sweetness out. 

Link: http://www.thecountrycook.net/2011/07/puddin-poke-cake.html

Tijuana Tortas

Rating: A+

I cannot possibly say enough to praise this meal. It comes together in no time at all (like 5 minutes) and is incredibly tasty. I think I had it for 4 or 5 meals over the course of 2 days because we loved it so much. The avocado mixture is really what makes it. The limey, oniony creaminess is just a burst of flavor. I didn't want to search for pickled jalapenos so I used chopped banana peppers instead. I am actually planning on making this again tonight. Really. We also didn't hollow out our whole wheat sub rolls - we just ate these like sandwiches. I know that that is cheating and not really a torta but they were fantastic, nonetheless. And meatless too!

Link: http://www.eatingwell.com/recipes/tijuana_torta.html

Supper-Time Sunday!

So I have come to a decision. I really don't have time to be a regular blogger. I just don't. I have 2 very busy children and I am about to go back to school and I am working. So here is the new game plan. I am going to post every Sunday about recipes that I have made throughout the week that are non-original. I will post a picture, include any changes that I made, give it a rating and include a link to the recipe where you can find it. All other recipes posted on this blog will be original recipes, created by me, whenever I so happen to make something original. Sound good? Okay. Here we go:

Easy Sweet Potato Veggie Burgers

Rating: A+

We absolutely loved these. Really. We had them like 3 days in a row because the recipe makes a LOT. The recipe says 7-8 large patties but I made almost 24 smaller patties, not kidding. Jake liked his with a little bit of Greek yogurt ranch or mustard but I ate mine plain. I couldn't find tahini anywhere so I used a mixture of all natural peanut butter and toasted sesame oil. You use 3 parts peanut butter to every 1 part sesame oil in place of the tahini. I also baked mine in the oven instead of frying them in a pan. It took about 30 - 40 minutes at 350 and then I broiled them for just a few minutes. A few of the reviewers said that the patties easily fell apart so I added 1 egg to my batch. They kept together excellently. They reheat really well too so you can make a bunch and eat them later or the next day. This one is going in our permanent file!

Link: http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2012/02/easy-sweet-potato-veggie-burgers-with.html

Lemony Pesto Pasta with Edamame & Almonds

Rating: B-

This dish has a lot of good elements too it but I wasn't a huge fan of it. I love every ingredient individually but the dish relies heavily on the lemon for most of the flavor and then you get a few kicks of pesto in the mouth. It isn't one that I think we will make again.

Link: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-pesto-pasta-with-lemon-145783#

Spinach and Parmesan Omelet

Rating: A+

I love this meal. I really really really do. I think I could eat it every single day for breakfast. The Tabasco sauce is a MUST and the Parmesan cheese is totally optional. This entire breakfast is part of Fitness Magazine's Fat-Fighting 300-calorie breakfasts.

Link: http://www.fitnessmagazine.com/workout/you-can-do-it/fat-fighting-low-calorie-breakfast-recipes/

Mini Chocolate-Chip Breakfast Cookies

Rating: A 

First off, make no mistake about the size of these - they are VERY mini. One big bite or two smaller bites at the most. And they don't turn out looking a whole lot like a normal cookie; however, they have an excellent taste and texture and they are certainly ones that I would make again. I love that they are healthy as well. I didn't have raspberries on hand so I used Craisins and 70% dark chocolate chunks in mine. Yummy!

Link: http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/2012/04/16/mini-chocolate-chip-breakfast-cookies/#

Amy's Spicy Beans and Rice

Rating: A+

I made quite a few changes to this recipe. I drained the beans completely and rinsed them off. I added a can of diced tomatoes (15 ounce) that I mostly drained and about 1 1/2 cups frozen corn. I also used banana peppers in place of the jalapeno. I think I sprinkled a little bit of crushed red pepper in there too... we like things spicy here! We served it over gluten free Multigrain chips and myself and my husband absolutely loved it. It is definitely one that we will make again. This is a really low calorie and low fat meal.

*Just as a side note... I don't know how good the original recipe would be... just a warning!

Link: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Amys-Spicy-Beans-and-Rice/Detail.aspx

Chef Meg's Orange Chicken

Rating: B-

Orange chicken is not supposed to be friend with a slight hint of an orange flavor - this is more of an authentic version. Unfortunately, unless you REALLY like orange flavor, this dish isn't for you. It is very strong and the orange is very powerful. My family loved it but it wasn't really my cup of tea and not one that I would make again. (Since I am the one cooking). I followed the advice of a reviewer and added 2 cloves garlic, 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger, a few splashes of low sodium soy sauce and some crushed red pepper to my marinade. I also added 1 tsp cornstarch to the sauce.

Link: http://recipes.sparkpeople.com/recipe-detail.asp?recipe=871143

Secret Detox Drink

Rating on Taste: D.. ish

Why do I drink this if it tastes bad? Look at these amazing health benefits (source HERE):

Apple Cider Vinegar is full of enzymes and good bacteria. It contains acetic acid which has been shown to lower blood pressure up to 6%. It can also help eat up the starches if you do eat grains in your diet.

Lemon juice helps balance blood sugar and has an alkaline effect on your body helping to regulate ph. It contains, Vitamin C. 

Cinnamon is one of the best anti-oxidants on the planet. It is the number one herb/spice for balancing blood sugar.

Cayenne Pepper has been shown to drop blood pressure, increase metabolism.

Stevia is an all natural sweetener made from the stevia plant and it is a great replacement for any artificial sweeteners. 

It really isn't as bad as you might be thinking. The biggest problems are the cayenne and the cinnamon. They hit the back of your throat pretty strongly and it can be hard to get the cinnamon down. The apple cider/lemon/water/stevia mixture really isn't bad at all. I would probably give it a B on taste. It is just the cayenne and cinnamon... oh man! But I have already felt the benefits of it in the 1 day I have been trying it so I will continue my love-hate relationship with this drink. 

Link: http://www.draxe.com/recipe/secret-detox-drink/

Penna Rosa

This is a wonderful meatless pasta dish that is pretty healthy and very delicious - 367 calories per serving and a whopping 15 grams protein! It is also incredibly easy to make - not to knock my husband's amazing cooking skills, but he did a great job making this one while I was working. It has a great combination of flavors and not too much of any one thing. The original recipe calls for shrimp so if you want some meat go ahead and add shrimp or chicken.

I'm not sure why I didn't take a picture of this... It was probably on a night that I was trying to eat quickly. Who knows? Oh well. The original recipe and picture are courtesy of Back to Her Roots and can be found at this site HERE.

PENNE ROSA

Adapted from Back to Her Roots

Servings 6

Nutritional Information per serving (calculated on MyFitnessPal.com): Calories 367, Carbs 62, Fat grams 5, Protein 15

• 12 ounces whole wheat penne
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes (we will definitely increase this next time)
• 8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 medium tomatoes (about 1/2 lb.) chopped
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• 4 cups fresh spinach
• 1/2 cup marinara sauce
• 1/3 cup 0% plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1. Cook penne according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and set aside.
2. In a large skillet with a lid, heat olive oil over medium-low heat. Add in garlic and red pepper flakes, cook for 2 minutes or until garlic begins to soften.
3. Add in mushrooms, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, or until mushrooms begin to release their water.
4. Remove from heat, add in spinach and cover skillet. Let spinach wilt for 2 minutes.
5. Remove lid and place skillet back over low heat. Add the penne, Greek yogurt and pasta sauce. Stir until sauce is mixed well and all pasta and veggies are coated. Heat until just warmed through. Divide into pasta bowls and serve topped with parmesan cheese.

Avocado Pesto Pasta

Okay so I debated and debated about putting the nutritional information on this recipe - please don't freak out! Yes, the numbers are a lot higher than most of the things that I post on here. But you have to remember that a GOOD deal of that is from the avocados. Avocados are high in calories and in fat but they are really good for you. They are packed with good for you monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) that are really good for your heart. This is information from http://www.avocado.org/nutrition/:

"Avocados provide nearly 20 essential nutrients, including fiber, potassium, Vitamin E, B-vitamins and folic acid. They also act as a "nutrient booster" by enabling the body to absorb more fat-soluble nutrients, such as alpha and beta-carotene and lutein, in foods that are eaten with the fruit."


See? Lots of benefits. But still, if you are on a diet or watching/counting calories you will want to be moderate about your avocado intake. And if you want a comparison:

Source: http://www.avocado.org/nutrition/

Okay, so back to my recipe. This recipe contains NO cheese and NO butter and it was amazing. It was creamy and delicious and my husband absolutely went gaga over it. I loved the texture that the avocados contributed - you would have sworn that I made this dish with all different kinds of creams or cheeses. And it is also meatless! It comes together in the time it takes to boil your noodles. Really. I didn't add the tomatoes this time around but I would love to try it with some sundried tomatoes. It doesn't NEED it but it would be yummy. They have a great brand that you can find that are dried sundried tomatoes - not packed in oil. Fantastic meal! Try it!

This recipe and picture are courtesy of Chef Chloe and can be found at this site here: http://chefchloe.com/entrees/avocado-pesto-pasta.html

AVOCADO PESTO PASTA

From Chef Chloe

Servings 6

Nutritional Information per serving (calculated on MyFitnessPal.com): Calories 432, Carbs 55, Fat grams 19, Protein 11 (Calculated on whole wheat linguine and Classico Traditional Basil Pesto)

• 1 pound linguine (I used 13.25 ounces of whole wheat linguine)
• *1 bunch fresh basil, reserve some leaves for garnish
• *½ cup pine nuts
• 2 avocados, pitted and peeled
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• *3 cloves garlic
• *½ cup olive oil
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup halved cherry tomatoes or sliced sun-dried tomatoes (optional)

*All of these ingredients can be replaced with 1/2 of an 8.1 ounce jar of Classico Traditional Basil Pesto. That is what I did because I didn't want to buy the rest of the ingredients individually.

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add linguine and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, make the pesto by combining basil, pine nuts, avocados, lemon juice, garlic, and oil in a food processor. Process until smooth. Season generously with salt and pepper. 

Toss pasta with pesto. For an extra touch of color and flavor, top pasta with cherry or sun-dried tomatoes. Divide pasta among serving bowls and garnish each serving with a basil leaf.

Pesto Stuffed Shells

This is a wonderful meatless recipe that is deliciously tasty and super easy to make. It is a lot like manicotti only not as hard to make. Change it up with your favorite spaghetti sauce.

And the best part? This recipe is from Budget Bytes. Check out their great site for lots of ways to save money on dinner. This particular meal comes in at $8.51 per recipe/$1.42 serving.

Check out their site and the source of the recipe and picture here: http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/2010/03/pesto-stuffed-shells-851-recipe-142.html

PESTO STUFFED SHELLS

From Budget Bytes

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12 oz jumbo shells
15 oz part-skim ricotta cheese
4 oz (1 cup) shredded mozzarella
½ cup basil pesto
1 large egg
2 cups fresh spinach (optional)
1 tbsp cooking oil
3 cups (1 jar) pasta sauce

STEP 1: In a bowl, mix together the ricotta, mozzarella, pesto and the egg (the egg keeps the filling from getting too runny when cooked). Roughly chop the spinach and stir it into the cheese mixture. Refrigerate the filling until you are ready to use it.

STEP 2: Cook the pasta according to the directions on the box (boil for 12 min.). I added 1 Tbsp of cooking oil to the boiling water to keep the shells from sticking to each other and the pot. You will still need to gently stir a few times during cooking. Be careful not to over cook the pasta or else it will rip easily and be too mushy after cooking with the filling and sauce. Drain the pasta and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking process. Let the pasta drain.

STEP 3: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. The shells roll up tight when they are cooked so use the fingers on one hand to hold them open as you spoon about 3 Tbsp of pesto cheese mix into the center of each. There should be enough pesto cheese mix to fill the shell so that it stays open just slightly (the edges should be about 1/2 inch apart). Fill as many shells as you can with the cheese mix.

STEP 4: Spread one cup of pasta sauce in the bottom of a glass baking dish. You want to pack them in tightly in a single layer. If you space them too far apart, they will dry out during the cooking process. Place all of the shells in the baking dish as close together as possible and pour the remaining 2 cups of sauce over top. Bake for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees or until the sauce is bubbling up around the edges.

Ricotta Gnocchi

GNOCCHI

Pronunciations sounds like: NYAH-key
Official pronunciation: nókee
Plural Noun
Definition: Italian dumplings: in Italian cooking, dumplings made of potato, semolina, or flour, usually boiled and served with soup or a sauce.
Source: http://www.bing.com/Dictionary/search?q=define+gnocchi&qpvt=define%3a+gnocchi&FORM=DTPDIA

I have never had gnocchi before I made this dish and, honestly, I didn't even look up what it was exactly. But it sounded really good and the picture looked tasty so I thought, "Let's try it!"

I really enjoyed this dish. It is definitely different and you may be surprised by the texture. My husband was a bit turned off by the fact that the dumplings are really soft and he felt like he was eating raw dough... I thought of them as really fat noodles and it didn't bother me. The taste was really great - rich and flavorful. We will be repeating this recipe again. 

The recipe below is my adapted recipe. If you want to view the original recipe you may do so at this site here: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/ricotta-gnocchi/detail.aspx. The picture is located here: http://wynolapizzaexpress.com/Recipes/ricotta_gnocchi.jpg

RICOTTA GNOCCHI

Adapted from Allrecipes.com

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Ingredients

Gnocchi:

• 1 (8 ounce) container ricotta cheese
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½  teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, or as needed

Sauce:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil (I used half oil, half applesauce)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes
• 1 dash crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
• 1 Tbsp. dried basil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1-2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1/3 – ½ shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Stir together the ricotta cheese, eggs, Parmesan Cheese, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a large bowl until evenly combined. Mix in 1 cup of flour. Add additional flour if needed to form a soft dough. (Dough should be just a little sticky.)
2. Divide the dough into 3 or 4 pieces, and roll into 1/2-inch-thick ropes on a floured surface. Cut each rope into 1-inch pieces, and place on a lightly floured baking sheet. Place in the refrigerator until ready to use.
3. Heat olive oil (and applesauce if you use it) in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic, and cook until softened and fragrant, about 1 minute. Pour in diced tomatoes and red pepper flakes; bring to a low boil over medium-high heat, and cook for 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in basil and balsamic vinegar and season to taste with salt and pepper. (I didn’t add any extra pepper.)
4. While sauce is simmering, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Drop the gnocchi in the pot, being careful to not splash the hot water on yourself. Once you have all the gnocchi in, stir gently one time. Boil the gnocchi until they float to the surface, 1 to 2 minutes, then drain.
5. To assemble the dish, stir the mozzarella cheese into the sauce and allow the heat of the sauce to soften, but try to not melt the cheese. Place gnocchi into a serving bowl, and spoon sauce over the top. We also like to stir the gnocchi with the sauce in a large bowl to get a more even sauce distribution.

Tuscan Chicken Simmer

Okay, take a minute to look at this recipe. Six ingredients, three directions... are there any questions? Is it good? OHHHHH YES!!!! And this is coming from the girl that doesn't like tomatoes.... This recipe was so easy and delicious. We especially loved the sauce. We will be repeating this in our house!

I made a few minor changes to our dish. After cooking the tomatoes I took a fork and popped each of them. I then flattened them out and stirred them around. This gave the sauce a distinct red tint and tomato flavor while the tomato skins became more like sun-dried tomatoes. My mom made this dish as well and absolutely loved how the tomatoes popped when she put a bite into her mouth. Whatever your preference may be you can't really go wrong.

I also cooked the chicken as indicated but then I cut it into bit sized pieces for better distribution.

The recipe and picture are courtesy of Kraft Recipes and can be found at this site here: http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/tuscan-chicken-simmer-111677.aspx

TUSCAN CHICKEN SIMMER

From Kraft Recipes

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4 small boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)

4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cubed
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup pesto
2 cups grape or cherry tomatoes
1 cup KRAFT Finely Shredded Italian Five Cheese Blend

HEAT large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium-high heat. Add chicken; cover. Cook 5 to 7 min. on each side or until done (165ºF). Remove chicken from skillet; cover to keep warm.

ADD cream cheese, water, pesto and tomatoes to skillet. Cook, uncovered, on medium heat 2 min. or until heated through, stirring occasionally.

RETURN chicken to skillet. Cook and stir 1 min. or until chicken is coated and heated through. Sprinkle with shredded cheese. Serve over pasta or with pasta on the side.

Skillet Parmesan Zucchini

In case you haven't noticed, I have developed a serious love for meatless meals. That doesn't mean that I won't still cook with meat on occasion but I have enjoyed the large number of meatless recipes that have come my way lately. This is another one that didn't disappoint. It came together so quickly and was very tasty. Now you may think that this is just a glorified spaghetti sauce, and maybe it is. But don't fret! Just serve it over your favorite noodles. Personally we liked this just fine all by itself, but to each their own!

This recipe and picture are courtesy of KraftFoods.com and can be found at this site here: http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/skillet-parmesan-zucchini-112444.aspx

SKILLET PARMESAN ZUCCHINI

Adapted from Kraft Foods

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1 small red pepper, chopped

1 small onion, chopped
3 - 4 small zucchini (1 lb.), thinly sliced
1/2 - 1 cup spaghetti sauce (depending upon how saucy you want it)
3/4 cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
2 Tbsp. Grated Parmesan Cheese

COOK and stir peppers and onions in large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium heat 5 min. Add zucchini; cook and stir 2 min.

STIR in spaghetti sauce; cover. Cook 8 min. or until vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring occasionally.

SPRINKLE with cheeses; cook, covered, 1 min. or until mozzarella is melted.

Chicken Parmesan Bundles

I really like the idea of any kind of recipe that calls for chicken to be wrapped around something. I absolutely LOVE chicken cordon bleu and so when I saw this recipe I knew for sure we would like it. And we did! It was really good and flavorful. It was missing the "wow" factor though. It was good but it wasn't something I would want to eat once a week. Once in a while I wouldn't mind having it again, but it is a bit labor intensive. It is definitely worth trying though and next time I will pair it with my homemade marinara sauce (watch for the recipe - coming soon!)

The original source of this picture is from Kraft Foods but I got it and the recipe from Mer's Kitchen Creations. They can be found at this site here: http://merskitchencreations.blogspot.com/2011/05/chicken-parmesan-bundles.html

CHICKEN PARMESAN BUNDLES

From Mer’s Kitchen Creations

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·         5-6 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/4-inch. thickness

·         4 oz. cream cheese, softened
·         1 cup frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained
·         1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
·         1/2 cup cottage cheese or ricotta cheese
·         1/2 cup parmesan cheese
·         1/2 cup Italian bread crumbs
·         1 jar spaghetti sauce, heated

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix together the cream cheese, spinach, mozzarella cheese and cottage cheese in a medium bowl. Spoon onto chicken breasts. Roll up chicken tightly, securing with toothpicks if needed. In a separate small bowl, mix together the parmesan cheese and bread crumbs and roll each chicken bundle in the mixture until coated. Place in sprayed 9x13 pan and bake, uncovered for 30 minutes or until cooked through. Serve chicken topped with spaghetti sauce and some fresh mozzarella.

*If desired, serve over a bed of warm pasta

Homemade Buffalo Macaroni and Cheese

How many grown-ups actually like and desire macaroni and cheese from the box? Anyone? Anyone? Maybe for lunch, once in a blue moon, but for dinner? Nah. But the concept of macaroni and cheese is a great one. And this macaroni and cheese is easily my favorite one that you home make. And it was super easy.

Funny story. The lovely friend that I got this recipe friend accidentally put in the recipe to use 4 - 5 Tbsp. of Frank's Hot Buffalo Sauce. For those of you who are familiar with the sauce you are laughing at me right now. But I was not familiar with the sauce before. I very skeptically put in 1 Tbsp of the stuff before tasting it and it was already bordering too hot. Make sure that when you make this you use REGULAR Buffalo Sauce and NOT the extra hot stuff. They are actually labeled in the store differently. Let me show you:

Buy THIS:

Do NOT buy this (unless you have a death wish):

Okay, now that we have that out of the way... this really was a delightful dish and my hubby liked it so much that he immediately requested it again (just with less heat.) The original recipe says to steam the broccoli but I roasted it in the oven instead and boy was it delicious! Next time I think I will double the recipe so that we have more for the next day.

The original recipe and picture are courtesy of Mer's Kitchen Creations and can be found at this site here: http://merskitchencreations.blogspot.com/2011/01/homemade-buffalo-macaroni-and-cheese.html

 

HOMEMADE BUFFALO MACARONI AND CHEESE

Adapted from Mer’s Kitchen Creations

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·         8 oz. shell pasta, uncooked
·         2 cloves garlic, finely minced
·         3 Tbsp. butter
·         3 Tbsp. flour
·         1 cup milk
·         1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, grated
·         1/8 tsp. pepper
·         1/8 tsp. nutmeg
·         1/2 tsp. garlic salt
·         1 tsp. cajun seasoning
·         1/2 cup half-and-half
·         1 “head” broccoli, cut with stems shortened (about 1 lb)
·         2 Tbsp. olive oil
·         ¼ tsp salt
·         ¼ tsp pepper
·         1 cup diced ham
·         4-5 Tbsp. Frank's Buffalo sauce

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook the pasta according to package directions and drain. While the pasta is cooking, toss the broccoli in 2 tablespoon oil and ¼ teaspoon each of salt and pepper and roast for about 15 minutes. Set aside. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter and saute the garlic over medium heat until light brown, about 2-3 minutes. Add in the flour and stir until a thick roux (dough-like texture) forms. Slowly add in the milk and stir over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until it thickens and begins to bubble, and the roux is dissolved. Add in the cheese and stir until melted and thoroughly combined. Stir in the pepper, nutmeg, garlic salt and cajun seasoning. Turn heat to low and add in the cooked pasta, broccoli, ham and half-and-half. Mix together until all ingredients are coated in the cheese sauce. Stir in the hot sauce, one tablespoon at a time, until completely incorporated. Serve warm with extra cheese sprinkled on top.