Pinterest Recipe Review: Gnocchi Mac & Cheese

Holy sinfulness. This was creamy and cheesy and carby. It generally made you want to have the meal go on forever and at the same time want to curl up under a blanket on the couch to eat this. I am definitely in a carb coma right now--and loving every minute of it. I'm sure you can see from the post that this is NOT going to be a low-point meal. Save it for the day after your weigh-in day.

Here's the link to the original recipe: http://thecuttingedgeofordinary.blogspot.com/2010/10/gnocchi-mac-cheese.html#

Given my new obsession with freezer meals--as long as you cook it first, this meal would freeze really well.


What's Needed:
1 lb. gnocchi
2 T. butter
2 tsp. garlic, finely chopped
1 T. flour
3/4 C. milk
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 C. Asiago cheese, shredded
1/4 C. Fontina cheese, shredded
1/3 C. shredded Parmesan cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 375.

2. prepare gnocchi according to package directions. Drain and place gnocchi in a single layer 1.5 qt. shallow baking dish that has been sprayed with nonstick spray.

2. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook garlic 30 seconds. Whisk in flour until it thickens and bubbles. Then whisk in milk and dijon mustard. Cook until slightly thickened 3-5 minutes.

3. Combine Asiago and Fontina cheese. Add by the handful to the pan. Add by the handful. Once all cheese is melted, season with salt & pepper.

4, Pour over gnocchi. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake until gnocchi puff and cheese is golden & bubbly--about 25 minutes.

5. Let gnocchi rest for about 5 minutes.

PointsPlus: 10 for 1/4 of the pan
Husband's Grade: A+

Inspired by: http://thecuttingedgeofordinary.blogspot.com/2010/10/gnocchi-mac-cheese.html#

Pinterest Review: Bruschetta Chicken

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This was fantastic. I'm re-thinking the side I serve with it for next time. This time, I made garlic bread, because it was fast and easy. My husband suggested next time adding some spinach to the chicken and serving it with rice. This sounds like a great plan to me, so that is what we'll be doing. On a plus side, the leftovers are AWESOME as a salad. All you need is just a little bit of the sun-dried tomato dressing, and you're in business.

What's Needed:
4 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 C. Kraft Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing
2 tomatoes, finely chopped (I didn't have any fresh tomatoes, so I used a can of petite diced tomatoes, drained)
1/2 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
1 tsp. dried basil

1. Heat grill pan to medium-high heat. Spray with cooking spray.

2. Marinate the chicken (for at LEAST 10 minutes prior. The longer you can marinate, the better).

3. Remove chicken from bag; discard bag and dressing.

4. Grill on grill pan for about 8-10 minutes. Meanwhile, combine remaining 1/4 dressing, tomatoes, basil, and cheese.

5. Turn the chicken over. Top with tomato mixture. Cover grill pan and cook 8-10 minutes or until chicken is done.

PointsPlus: 6
Husband's Grade: A-

Inspired by: The Girl Who Ate Everything

RR Chili Converted for Crockpot

Since I converted one soup recipe of Rachael Ray's for the crockpot, I figured I would try more. Some (like the Papa al Pomodoro I'm trying next week) just won't work in the crockpot. This recipe, Italian Chicken Chili with Pancetta Crouton Toppers worked splendidly. All I had to do when I got home was make the croutons, and that took no time at all.

What's Needed:
3 T. extra-virgin oilive oil
1 to 1.5 lb. ground chicken, cooked and drained
Salt and black pepper to taste
2 medium onions, chopped
3 carrots, peeled and grated (I shaved mine using my peeler)
1 dried bay leaf
1/4 C. balsamic vinegar
1 T. thyme
2 tsp. paprika
1 T. chili powder (add another T. if you like it spicey)
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
4 C. chicken stock
1/3 pound pancetta, chopped
3 T. butter
1 medium-size loaf crusty bread, cut into 1-inch squares
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 C. Parmesan cheese
2 T. rosemary

1. Add to the crockpot the chopped onions, carrots, and bay leaf.

2. Next, add the cooked ground chicken and all seasonings (thyme, paprika, chili powder, allspice, salt, and pepper)

3. Finally, add the balsamic vinegar and the chicken stock.

4. Set the crockpot for 8-8.5 hours.

5. When you get home, set the oven for 350.

6. Heat the extra-virgin olive oil in a small skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and brown it about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate.

7. Add the butter to the cooking oil, turn off the heat, and let the butter melt into the olive oil.

8. Place the bread and garlic in a large mixing bowl. Pour the butter mixture evenly over bread. Sprinkle the pancetta, cheese, rosemary, and pepper over the bread cubes and toss to coat/combine.


9. Spread the croutons out on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until evenly golden, tossing it 1-2x while cooking (about 15-18 minutes).

Serve the chili with the pancetta croutons on top.
Serves 6-8 people.


Husband's grade: A+
PointsPlus: 8

Taken from and inspired by: Rachael Ray Just in Time!

Converting a Rachel Ray Soup to Crockpot

I love this soup, but I did not want to come home on a Friday and immediately set to work on making this. To solve my problem, I converted the recipe to a crockpot recipe. Here's the recipe re-done for you. Enjoy!


What's Needed:

4 celery ribs, chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
2 C. shredded carrots
1 dried bay leaf
Salt and black pepper
6 C. chicken stock
1 lb. ground chicken
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 egg
1/2 C. Italian seasoned bread crumbs
1/2 C. grated Parmesan cheese
1 package fresh gnocchi
1 C. frozen peas
Parsley

1. Place chicken in a bowl and season with salt and pepper. Add garlic, nutmeg, egg, bread crumbs, and cheese. Combine chicken mixture with your hands, then roll into walnut-sized meatballs.

2. Add celery, onions, carrots, and bayleaf to crockpot.

3. Add chicken meatballs to crockpot.

4. Add chicken stock.

5. Cook for 7-8 hours on low.

6. In the last 5 minutes of cooking, add gnocchi, peas, and parsley.

7. Allow to stand 5 minutes in crockpot to thicken up. Discard the bay leaf.

8. Ladle into bowls. Serves 8

Husband's Grade: A-
PointsPlus: 6

Taken from (and inspired by) Rachael Ray: Just in Time

Sausage Bean Soup and Italian Grilled Cheese

Sinfully delish! That's exactly how I would describe this meal--especially the grilled cheese. It's the best grilled cheese because it's right in between grilled cheese and savory french toast. Make sure you save points for this meal, because you're going to need them.




What's Needed:
Soup:
3/4 lb. bulk Italian sausage
1/2 C. chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 can (15 oz) garbonzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (14 oz) beef broth
1 tsp. dried basil
Parmesan cheese (optional, and will be additional points)

Grilled Cheese:
4 slices Italian bread (1 in. thick)--I cut mine in half and made mini-sandwiches.
4 slices provolone cheese
3 eggs
1/2 C. milk
3/4 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
2/3 C. Italian-seasoned bread crumbs.

Soup:
1. In a large saucepan, cook sausage, onion, and garlic until sausage is no longer pink. Drain.

2. Add beans, tomatoes, broth, and basil.

3. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, if desired.
Serves: 6

Grilled Cheese:
1. Cut the 4 slices of bread in half. Place a slice of cheese in the middle and top with the other half.

2. In a bowl, beat eggs, milk, Italian seasoning, and garlic salt. Soak bread for 2 minutes on each side.

3. Coat bread with bread crumbs.

4. Cook on a greased hot griddle until golden brown on both sides.
Serves 8

Husband's Grade: A+
PointsPlus--Soup: 9 for 1/6 of the recipe
PointsPlus--Sandwich: 8 for 2 mini-sandwiches

Inspired by: TasteofHome Classic Cookbook

Italian Chicken and Rice

My husband and I buy our chicken and steak from a door-to-door company. Consequently, I have chicken that has been pre-marinated with different flavors. I decided to try my Italian chicken with this recipe, since I didn't have any plain chicken on hand. I think this would work equally well with Lemon-Herb chicken (add some additional lemon juice to the rice while cooking).

Don't make the same mistake I made. This recipe uses INSTANT brown rice. I had to re-cook my rice for 20 minutes more when I realized the rice was still crunchy.

What's Needed:
6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (pre-marinated in Italian dressing)
1 T. canola oil
1-2 chopped bell peppers (your choice of color)
1/2 an onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 C. INSTANT brown rice
2 C. chicken broth
1 1/2 C. frozen corn, thawed
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 C. fat-free Italian dressing

1. In a large skillet, brown chicken in oil for 4 minutes per side. Remove and keep warm.
2. In same skillet, saute peppers, onion, and garlic until tender.

3. Stir in rice, broth, corn, dressing, salt and pepper; bring to a boil.

4. Transfer to a 9x13 baking dish coated with nonstick cooking psray. Top with chicken.

5. Cover and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake 5 minutes longer or until chicken juices run clear.

Husband's Grade: A+
PointsPlus: 6 (1 chicken breast, 1/6 of the rice)

Inspired by: Everyday Light Meals

Quick Lasagna

Very good, but needed more sauce. I made a change in the recipe for next time to use 2 jars of sauce instead of one.

What's Needed:
1 lb. extra-lean ground beef
12-oz. package broad egg noodles
1 C. fat-free cottage cheese
1/2 C. shredded low-fat mozzarella cheese
1/4 C. grated Parmesan cheese
2 16 oz. jars of spaghetti sauce

1. Brown ground beef in a skillet. Set aside
2. Cook noodles and drain. Toss noodles with cottage, mozzarella, and Parmesan cheeses.
3. Mix together browned beef and 1 jar of spaghetti sauce.
4. Spoon 1/3 of the meat sauce on the bottom of the slow cooker, plus 1/3 of the 2nd jar of spaghetti sauce.
5. Layer in half of the noodles. Repeat layers.
6. Cover. Cook on LOW for 5-6 hours.

Husband's Grade: A-
PointsPlus: 10 for 1/6 of the crockpot

Inspired by: Fix-It and Forget-It Lightly

Single Serving Caprese-like Salad

I've had a major craving for tomatoes and string cheese lately, especially since my neighbor was so kind as to let us have all of the ripe tomatoes in her garden while they were on vacation. I like Caprese salads (when done right), so I decided to give it a go. All measurements are approximate, as this was a very fly-by-the-seat-of-my-pants kind of cooking day.

What's Needed:
About 5 ripe Roma tomatoes (or cherry or grape--any small kind will do)
2 Low-Fat String Cheese
1 Chicken breast half
3 T. Balsamic Vinegar
2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
Pinch of salt


1. Cut tomatoes into bite sized pieces. Place in a medium bowl and season with a little salt.

2. Cut string cheese into bite-sized pieces. Place in the bowl with tomatoes. Toss with Italian seasoning and Balsamic vinegar. Toss to coat.

3. In a small skillet, cook one chicken breast half in extra virgin olive oil. Season with Italian seasoning.

4. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces. Add to the bowl and mix well.

Enjoy! Serves 1.

MY Grade: A-
PointsPlus: 5 points

Summer Edition: Pasta Primavera

What's Needed:
1 tsp. olive oil
2 onions, finelly chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 green, red, or yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced (I use frozen pepper strips instead of fresh)
1 medium cucumber, diced (or you can use zucchini)
1 C. coarsely chopped plum tomatoes
1/2 C. low-sodium chicken broth
1/4 tsp. salt
2 T. parsley
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
3 C. hot cooked penne or medium pasta shells
1/3 C. shredded smoked provolone (or other smoked cheese)
1 T. grated Parmesan cheese

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, heat hte oil. Saute the onions, garlic, bell pepper, and zucchini until the onions are golden, about 5 minutes.

2. Stir in the tomatoes, broth, salt, parsley, and oregano. Bring to a boil.

3. Reduce heat and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.

4. Pour over penne, then stir in provolone and Parmesan.

Husband's Grade: C
PointsPlus: 6 points (1.5 C. pasta and veggies)

Inspired by: Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook

Chicken 'Fettuccine'

I haven't posted in a while--we've been eating the frozen left-overs of my steady cooking. Good news is--they're just as good the second time around ;)

What's Needed:
1 T. butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 1/2 C. cooked chicken, cut in strips
1 can condensed broccoli cheese soup
1 C. milk
1/4 C. grated Parmesan cheese
3 C. hot cooked fettuccine

1. In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook garlic in butter 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

2. Stir in chicken, soup, milk, and cheese. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. To serve, pour over fettuccine; toss to coat.

Husband's Rating: A
PointsPlus: 10 (1 1/4 C. serving)

Inspired by: Treasury of Campbell's Recipes

Italian Chicken with Pasta

What's Needed:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 9-oz. package frozen green beans
1 small onion, sliced 1/4 inch thick
1 14.5 oz. can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
1 6 oz. can Italian-style tomato paste
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning, crushed
2 cloves garlic, minced
6 oz. fettuccine, cooked and drained
3 T. grated Parmesan cheese

1. Cut chicken into 1-in. pieces; set aside.

2. Place green beans and onion in the crockpot. Place chicken on top of vegetables.

3. In small bowl, combine undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, Italian seasoning, and garlic. Pour over chicken.

4. Cover; cook on LOW for 5-6 hours or on HIGH for 2.5-3 hours. Serve over hot cooked fettuccine. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Husband Rating: A
PointsPlus: 10 (1 chicken breast, 1.5 oz. fettuccine, and small ladle of sauce)

Inspired by:
Better Homes and Gardens Biggest Book of Slow Cooker Recipes

Chicken Parmesan

I decided I had the time and the energy to make a meal on the stovetop :)



What's Needed:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 egg, beaten
1/2 C. dry bread crumbs (Italian style work best)
2 T. butter
1 medium tomato, sliced
1 T. Parmesan cheese
1 C. Mozzerella cheese
Spaghetti and spaghetti sauce (any brand) as a side

1. Dip each chicken breast into egg; coat with bread crumbs

2. Put butter into a large skillet on medium-high heat. Wait to add chicken until butter is melted.

3. Add chicken. Cook chicken 10 minutes on both sides. Place chken on a baking pan. Add mozzerella cheese to each chicken breast. Top that with one tomato slice. Sprinkle the top of the tomato with parmesan cheese.

4. Position baking pan in broiler so top of chicken is 6 inches from heat. Broil 5 minutes or until topping is hot and bubling.

5. Place chicken on top of a bed of spaghetti topped with sauce. Serves 4.

Husband Rating: B- (He's not a fan of chicken parmesan)
PointsPlus: 8 for the chicken, 6 for the spaghetti and sauce