Gnocchi with Sage-Butter Sauce

We bought some pre-made gnocchi at Sam's Club. We ate the first two bags with pasta sauce, but this is the way I made the last bag and will make the rest from now on. Notice that my photo was used on allrecipes! I'm famous!


INGREDIENTS
2 (12 ounce) packages potato gnocchi
1/4 cup butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon dried sage
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS
Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the gnocchi pasta, and cook until they float to the surface, 2 to 3 minutes; drain.

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat. Stir in the garlic, and cook until the garlic has softened and is beginning to turn golden brown, about 4 minutes. Stir in the sage and salt for a few seconds, then add the cooked gnocchi. Toss gently with 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese and the pepper. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 tablespoons Parmesan cheese to serve.

Servings: 4

Baked Pork Chops

In an effort to use up food we already have, I've been searching my favorite website, allrecipes.com, for new recipes. They allow you to search by ingredients. Here's a wonderful find for Pork Chops. I used 6 thin sliced chops, so cut the initial bake time to 45 min. Obviously I served it over mini penne pasta.


INGREDIENTS
6 pork chops
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
2 egg, beaten
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups Italian-style seasoned bread crumbs
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup white wine

DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Rinse pork chops, pat dry, and season with garlic powder and seasoning salt to taste. Place the beaten eggs in a small bowl. Dredge the pork chops lightly in flour, dip in the egg, and coat liberally with bread crumbs.

Heat the oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Fry the pork chops 5 minutes per side, or until the breading appears well browned. Transfer the chops to a 9x13 inch baking dish, and cover with foil.

Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. While baking, combine the cream of mushroom soup, milk and white wine in a medium bowl. After the pork chops have baked for an hour, cover them with the soup mixture. Replace foil, and bake for another 30 minutes.

Servings: 6

Chocolate Caramel Bars

I've had this recipe since college, and feel it makes the best chocolate caramel bars in the history of the universe!

INGREDIENTS:
2 cups flour
2 cups rolled oats
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg
--
1 cup butter, melted
--
6 ounces chocolate chips
14 ounces caramel candy, Hershey's work well
1/3 cup milk

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat over 350 degrees. Grease 9x13 pan.
2. Mix first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Stir in butter with fork until crumbly. 3. Press 1/2 into pan. Bake for 10 min.
4. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Drizzle with caramel mixture.
5. Sprinkle remaining oat mixture over top. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown - 20-25 min.
6. Cool 30 minutes. Loosen edges from sides of pan.
7. Cool completely, cut into bars.

CARAMEL MIXTURE:
Heat caramels and milk over low heat. Stir frequently until smooth.
OR
Microwave on high for 2 min 30 secs in Pampered Chef Micro-cooker, stirring after each minute.

All Purpose Taco Blend

This recipe is from my friend, Lisa. She made us quesadillas using it, and I made grilled stuffed burritos with it last night. Also good for taco salad, taco casserole and whatever else you have in mind!

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 can black beans, canned
1 small can chopped green chiles, undrained
1 package onion soup mix
1 can diced tomatoes, Mex Style, undrained
1 package taco seasoning mix
1/2 cup water
1 package Spanish rice mix, cooked

Directions:
1. Brown beef and add all ingredients
2. Simmer mixture 5-7 min and add water as needed

Murder Mystery Chicken

Taken from http://www.recipezaar.com/recipes.php?chef=237063


INGREDIENTS:
8 boneless chicken breasts
8 slices swiss cheese
2 cans cream of chicken soup (10 1/2 ounce)
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup melted butter
1 cup crushed croutons, herb seasoned
Rice

DIRECTIONS:
1. Grease a baking dish.

2. Place chicken breasts in the dish.

3. Top with slices of Swiss cheese.

4. Combine soup and wine, pour over chicken and cheese.

5. Drizzle with melted butter and sprinkle the top with the crushed croutons.

6. Bake covered at 350 for 1 hour, then uncovered for 10 minutes.

7. Serve over rice.

8. For Once a Month Cooking:.

9. Put together cheese, chicken soup, wine and put chicken on top.Freeze uncooked. When ready to cook, top with croutons or bread crumbs with butter and cook at temp in recipe.

Servings: 8

Wild Rice Soup

Recipe from Kristi
Lori's Notes: Doubling this recipe called for the big dog yellow stock pot. A single recipe would probably have fit into my crock pot. I didn't keep track of how long it cooked, exactly. I didn't realize the rice had to be pre-cooked, so I had everything else boiling while I cooked the rice. Probably 1 hour, and then added the rice and cooked for another hour or so?

Used Kitchen Aid shredder to do carrots and potatoes. Next time, will try on the coarse blade, instead of the thin OR use the food processor. The Pampered Chef mandolin didn't work well.

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 c. white rice
1/2 c. wild rice
1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
2 c. chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup
3 c. milk
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
1 pkg. Hidden Valley Ranch buttermilk dressing mix
1 c. shredded potatoes
1 c. shredded carrots
1 c. mushrooms, optional
1 c. onion, chopped

DIRECTIONS:
1. Prepare rice according to package directions.

2. In a large pot, combine broth, soup, milk, cheese, dressing mix, hamburger, vegetables and rice.

3. Warm over medium heat until thoroughly cooked.

Servings: 6

Lil' Cheddar Meatloaves

I made into the egg-shaped loaves, put on wax paper, flash froze and then we vacuum-sealed them 4 to a pack. We'll thaw them, cover with sauce and bake as directed. http://www.recipezaar.com/59056

INGREDIENTS:
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese(4oz)
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup chopped onions
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon rubbed sage (optional)
1 lb lean ground beef
2/3 cup catsup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons prepared mustard

DIRECTIONS:
In a bowl, beat the egg and milk.

Stir in cheese, oats, onion, salt and rubbed sage.

Add beef and mix well.
(It will seem runny at first but will thicken up as you mix.) Shape into 8 equal sized loaves (oval/egg shaped) and place in a greased 9X13X2" baking dish.

Sauce: Combine catsup, brown sugar and mustard.

Spoon over each loaf so they are all covered in the sauce.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until meat is no longer pink and a meat thermometer reads 160 degrees.

For OAMC:.

To Freeze:Place the meat loaves in the casserole dish (without sauce).

Wrap with foil and freeze.

To Reheat: Defrost overnight.

Mix together the sauce and top each meat loaf with sauce.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until meat is no longer pink in the center.

Cooked meat loaves (already topped with sauce) also freeze very well and then can be defrosted and heated in the microwave for a quick meal.

Servings: 8

Italian Hero Calzones

I altered this from http://www.recipezaar.com/78044

INGREDIENTS:
2 tablespoons cornmeal
1/2 pound sausage meat, spicy
3 ounces thinly sliced smoked turkey or pepperoni, chopped
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (3 ounces)
2 packages pizza dough (refrigerated or frozen) (10 ounce)
parmesan cheese, finely shredded or grated
1 green pepper, chopped
1 cup diced tomatoes, drained

DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 425f degrees.

2. Lightly grease a very large baking sheet and sprinkle with cornmeal, set aside.

3. Drain tomatoes well.

4. In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, tukey and/or pepperoni, and olives.

5. Stir in the mozzarella cheese.

6. On a lightly floured surface, roll each package of pizza dough to a 12 x 9 retangle.

7. Using a round cutter, cut each rectangle into circles.

8. Place a small portion of the meat/cheese mix slightly off centre on each dough circle.

9. Fold dough over mixture, forming a semicircle.

10. Seal the edge of each semicircle with the tines of a fork.

11. Place the calzones on a prepared baking sheet.

12. Brush the tops with the reserved oil from tomatoes and sprinkle with parmesan cheese and, if desired, cayenne pepper.

13. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until calzones are golden.

14. Serve warm.

15. MAKE AHEAD: Prepare and bake calzones as directed.

16. Remove to a wire rack and cool completely.

17. Place the calzones in a freezer container or freezer bag.

18. Seal, label and freeze for up to 2 months.

19. To reheat, preheat oven to 350f degrees.

20. Place the frozen calzones on an ungreased baking sheet.

21. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until heated through.

22. If necessary, cover loosely with foil to prevent overbrowning.

Servings: 6

March OAMC

So Sharon inspired me to get back into the OAMC routine! Here's what we made:
* Italian Calzones
* Lil' Cheddar Meatloaves *NEW*
* Murder Mystery Chicken *NEW*
* Three-Way Chili
* Healthy Chicken Fingers and Fries
* Wild Rice Soup *NEW*
* Chicken Lo Mein

I'll add reviews as we try the new stuff.

Lemonade Cheesecake (low calories)

This is very easy to make, low fat and tastes great!

Ingredients:

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Fat Free Cream Cheese, softened

1 tsp. CRYSTAL LIGHT Lemonade Flavor Low Calorie Soft Drink Mix

1/4 cup cold fat-free milk

1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP FREE Whipped Topping, thawed

1 ready-to-use reduced-fat graham cracker crumb crust (6 oz. or 9 inch)

Directions:

BEAT cream cheese and drink mix in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until well blended and smooth. Gradually add milk, mixing until well blended. Gently stir in whipped topping. Spoon into crust.

REFRIGERATE 4 hours or FREEZE for 1 hour until firm. Garnish with fruit, if desired.

Chicken Lo Mein

Another good recipe I found on Kraft's website.

Ingredients:
1 lb. spaghetti, uncooked
1/2 cup KRAFT Asian Toasted Sesame Dressing
2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, strips
1 cup fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsp. peanut butter
1/2 cup lite soy sauce
4 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
Optional:
1 green and red bell pepper, cut into strips
1 can waterchestnuts

Directions:
COOK spaghetti in large saucepan as directed on package.

MEANWHILE, heat dressing in large nonstick skillet on medium-high heat.
Add chicken and garlic; stir-fry 3 min. or until chicken is no longer pink.
Add onions, broth and peanut butter; stir-fry an additional
3 to 4 min. or until chicken is cooked through.

DRAIN spaghetti; return to pan. Add chicken mixture and soy sauce; mix.
Spoon onto serving platter; sprinkle with cilantro. Serves 8.

Healthy Chicken Fingers and Fries

This is a healthy recipe I found on Kraft's website. This is sooooo good when you stick it in the toaster or regular oven after it has been frozen.

Ingredients:
4 large baking potatoes (about 2 lb.), unpeeled
1/2 cup KRAFT Fat Free Zesty Italian Dressing
1/2 cup KRAFT 100% Fat Free Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips
2 pkt. SHAKE 'N BAKE Original Chicken Seasoned Coating Mix

Directions:
PREHEAT oven to 425°F. Cut potatoes into 1/2-inch-thick strips;
place in large bowl. Add dressing and cheese; toss to coat.
Place in single layer on large greased baking sheet.
BAKE 12 min. Meanwhile, coat chicken strips with coating mix.
TURN potatoes over with large spatula; push to one side of
baking sheet. Place chicken strips on other side of baking sheet.
Bake an additional 15 min. or until potatoes are tender and
chicken is cooked through. Serves 8.

Frozen Fruit

My friend Heather in Real Moms always makes this when it's our turn to bring breakfast. It's SO awesome, I had to have the recipe. I made it for our scrapbooking weekend.

Ingredients:
6 mashed bananas
1 can crushed pineapple
2-10 oz. cartons frozen strawberries (sliced)
12 oz. frozen OJ
Blueberries (I used one carton of frozen)
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. water

Directions:
* Thaw frozen ingredients
* Combine all ingredients in a large freezable container
* Freeze overnight
* Set out 1 hour before serving

Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes for a Crowd

Another dish I made for the birthday party. I did these the night before and just heated them up in the crock-pot, as the recipe suggests.
http://www.recipezaar.com/274058

10 lbs russet potatoes
1 lb butter, divided
16 ounces cream cheese
3 cups sour cream
1 bunch chives or green onions, chopped (optional garnish)

1. Butter and cream cheese should be allowed to soften at room temperature for ease of use. Leaving them on the counter while you peel the potatoes should be sufficient.

2. Peel potatoes, rinse, and cut into large chunks. Place in a large stockpot and fill with enough water to cover the potatoes and boil till tender.

3. While potatoes boil, blend 1 1/3 cup butter with the cream cheese. (This is best done in a stand mixer.) Add sour cream and mix well. Set aside.

4. Chop green onions, and refrigerate in a ziplock bag till serving time.

5. Drain cooked potatoes and mash or whip to your liking (I like them super smooth, but some people prefer them lumpy.).

6. Add the dairy blend to the potatoes and mix well. You can either do this in your stock pot, or divide it up into more manageable portions.

7. Once it's all mixed, load it into your crockpot and whack it into the fridge.

8. On serving day, dot the top of the potatoes with the remaining butter. Put the crockpot on low setting for 2-3 hours or until heated thru, then turn down to 'keep warm' setting (if your crockpot has one) till dinner time.

9. Can be served directly from the crockpot for buffet, or divvied up into serving dishes for family style dining.

Servings: 20

Classic Macaroni and Cheese

I made this recipe (tripled) for Elise's birthday party and everyone said it was just like Boston Market!
http://www.recipezaar.com/236891

1 lb macaroni
6 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup diced onions
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt (to taste)
pepper
4 cups milk (we use skim)
2 lbs Velveeta cheese, cubed

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cook macaroni according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

3. Meanwhile, in large sauce pan melt butter. Cook onion in butter till tender but not brown.

4. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Cook one minute.

5. Pour in milk. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly, be sure to scrape bottom as it cooks. Cook and stir 1-2 minutes more.

6. Stir in cheese. Heat and stir until cheese is melted.

7. Stir in cooked macaroni. Pour into large 3 quart casserole dish. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Servings: 10

Hurricane Punch

Mix the following in a large punchbowl:

10 oz amaretto liqueur
1 1/4 cups light rum
1 1/4 cups dark rum
7 1/2 cups orange juice
7 1/2 cups pinneapple juice
3 tbsp. and 1 tsp. lemon juice
4 limes sliced
10 dashes grenadine syrup
5 oranges sliced
maraschino cherries to garnish

Add ice. Serve

Murder Mystery Bread Pudding

Pudding:
18 inch loaf French Bread
3 cups milk
3 eggs, beaten
2 cups sugar
1 tbsp. vanilla
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup raisins
3 tbsp.butter

Sauce:
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup bourbon

Tear the bread into bite-size pieces in a large bowl. Cover with milk and soak for 60 minutes. Mix well. Add egg and sugar. Stir in vanilla, cinnamon and raisins. Melt butter in a 9x13x2 bakng dish. Coat the pan well with butter. Pour pudding into dish. Bake at 375 degrees for 60 minutes.

Sauce: heat butter and sugar in top of a double boiler. Slowly whisk in egg. cool slightly. Add bourbon. Serve warm over pudding or in a suaceboat on the side. 12 servings.

Taco Chili

Here's a recipe I made up by combining some Taco Soup recipes I found.

Ingredients:
2 lbs. ground beef
1 onion, diced
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes, undrained
2 (15.25 oz) cans whole kernel corn, undrained
2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes with chilies, undrained
2 pkgs taco seasoning
1 can water
1 pkg Mexican shredded cheese
1 bag Fritos

Directions:
* Brown ground beef and onion
* Combine all ingredients except cheese and chips in large slow cooker
* Cook on low for 4-6 hours
* Serve with cheese and fritos

Servings: 12

Russian Tea

Made by my friend for a special evening with fellow moms. It was SO good!

2 quarts Apple Cider
2 cups Pineapple Juice
2 cups Orange Juice
1/2 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/2-1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
1/2-1 teaspoon of ground cloves
(The recipe did call for 2-3 sticks of cinnamon and 12 whole cloves, but I substituted the ground stuff)

I put it in my crock pot on low about 4 hours before I planned to serve it. The recipe did say to bring it to a boil first, but I imagine it would be just for the benefit of the whole spices if you were using those.

Three-Way Chili (Cincy Style)

INGREDIENTS:
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1 Small onion, chopped
1 can tomato sauce (29 oz.)
1 can peeled whole tomatoes (14 ½ oz.)
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon Allspice
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 teaspoon Pepper
1 1/2 tablespoons Chili powder
1 tbsp white vinegar
1 clove garlic
3 bay leaves
spaghetti
Cheddar cheese block, finely shredded
oyster crackers

DIRECTIONS:
Brown meat. Add onions to the meat. Cook 3-5 minutes. Drain grease. Place meat and onions in a large pan or crock-pot. Add rest of ingredients. Cook slowly 4-5 hours, covered. Remove bay leaves and garlic before serving. Serve on a bed of spaghetti and top with grated cheddar cheese and oyster crackers.

Serves: 6