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: Ranch House Pork Chops with Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

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(Excuse the picture. I forgot to take it until after I
had put it away).

This is one of the first times since I've been married that I've made pork chops. The main reason being that my husband claims to not like them. But since J was born, I'm trying to make as many different finds as possible, so that he can try them. Considering the fact that my husband doesn't like pork chops, his grade of an A+ came as a complete surprise. He said they were tasty and tender.

This recipe is excellent. Easy to throw together and delicious when it's done. It even reheats well! I unfortunately didn't have time to make the mashed potatoes from scratch. I'm posting both the original and the quick version of the potatoes.

What's Needed: Pork Chops
1 can cream of chicken soup
6 pork chops
1 packet dry Ranch dressing mix

1. Place pork chops, ranch seasoning, and soup in the crockpot.
2. Cook on LOW for 6 hours or HIGH for 4 hours.

PointsPlus: 5

What's Needed: Mashed Potatoes--Quick Version
Instant mashed potatoes (I made 6 servings--enough for 1/2 C. Mashed potatos per pork chop)
1 C. Parmesan cheese
4.5 tsp. Of Roasted Garlic and Herb Mashed Potato Seasoning mix (I fOund this at Ultra Foods)

1. Prepare instant mashed potatoes according to package directions.
2. When you add in the mashed potato flakes, add the Parmesan cheese and seasoning mix.
3. Stir until well mixed.

Points Plus: 3

What's Needed: Parmesan Mashed Potatoes--Original
4 lbs peeled, cubed potatoes
5 Tablespoons real butter
1 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
6 cloves roasted garlic (directions are below)
1- 1 1/2 Cups warm skim milk (any milk will do, I used skim)
1 Tablespoon salt, or to taste
1 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper, or to taste

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Place bulb of garlic with skins on, wrap lightly in tin foil and bake for 1 hour.
3. Remove from foil and let cool for 15 minutes.
4. Remove garlic from skins, place in a bowl and mash with a fork until completely mashed.
5. Set aside. One garlic bulb will have around 12 cloves.
6. Place potatoes into a large pot of cold water. Place onto stove top over high heat and bring to a boil.
7. Once water is boiling, cook for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender.
8. Drain and transfer to the work bowl of a stand or electric mixer.
9. Mix on low until potatoes are mashed then add butter, Parmesan, garlic, milk, salt and pepper. Season to taste if needed. For thinner mashed potatoes add more milk, slowly until your desired consistency.

Points Plus: 8

Husband's Grade: A+
Inspired by: Real Mom Kitchen

Summer Edition: Cheaper Than Shake-N-Bake

I was so happy when I found this recipe for crispy baked chicken. I honestly couldn't wait to try this. Because honestly, who doesn't like a piece of crispy chicken with a side of mashed potatoes? This smelled great cooking in the oven, and when I took it out and tasted it, I thought "Wow. This tastes like Shake-N-Bake chicken". And then it dawned on me. For cheaper than I could have bought a box, that's exactly what I made. And it was pure heaven. Please enjoy the recipe (and the $$ saved) below.

What's Needed:
1/2 C. cornmeal
1/2 C. flour
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. pepper
Chicken breasts or chicken tenders, about 2-3 lbs.
1/2 C. milk
1/3 C. butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 375.
2. Combine first six ingredients.

3. Dip chicken in milk, then roll in the cornmeal mixture.

4. Place in a greased 9x13 pan. Drizzle with butter.
5. Bake, uncovered, at 375 for 50-55 minutes or until juices run clear.

PointsPlus: 9 (for one chicken breast or 3 chicken tenders)
Husband's Grade: A+

Inspired by: Taste of Home Classic Cookbook

Country Style Steak

This was excellent with a side of mashed potatoes. Very easy to throw in the crockpot, and made the house smell like I had cooked a roast for hours. I substituted top sirloin steaks for the cube steak, since that is what we had in the house at the time.

What's Needed:
4-6 beef cube steaks
All-purpose flour
1 T. vegetable oil
1 envelope dry onion soup mix
1 envelope brown gravy mix.
Water

1. Dust the steaks with flour. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-low heat. Brown steaks on both sides. Drain fat. Transfer steaks to crockpot.

2. Add soup and gravy mixes and enough water to cover the meat. Cover; cook on LOW 6-8 hours.

Serves: 4-6. Serve with a side of mashed potatoes.

PointsPlus: 8 points (just steak and gravy)
Husband's Grade: A+

Inspired by: Crockpot: The Original Slow Cooker, 3 books in 1

Italian Chicken Broccoli Casserole

This was really yummy and fast (on a day when I forgot to start my crockpot meal). I used chicken marinated in Italian seasonings, but it would taste just as good with plain chicken breasts.

What's Needed:
1 1/2 C. water
1 package (6 oz.) chicken stuffing mix (I use Peppridge Farm's Herb Seasoned Stuffing)
2 C. cubed cooked chicken (about 4 chicken breast halves)
1 C. frozen broccoli florets, thawed
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) condensed broccoli cheese soup, undiluted
1 C. (4 oz.) shredded cheddar cheese

1. In a small saucepan, bring water to boil. Stir in stuffing mix. Remove from the heat; cover and let the stuffing stand for 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, layer the chicken adn broccoli florets in a greast 11 x 7-in baking dish. Top the chicken and broccoli with broccoli cheese soup.

3. Fluff the stuffing with a fork; spoon stuffing over soup. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

4. Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until heated through.

Serves 6.

PointsPlus: 4 (for 1/6 of the casserole)
Husband's Grade: A+

Inspired by: Taste of Home: Most Requested Recipes

Cheeseburger and Fries Casserole

Oooooooh my! I loved this from the first bite, and better yet, so did my boys. :) This was a hit! I was a very happy mama, since J has been going on a dinner strike. He practically licked his plate clean with this meal. If you like tatertot casserole, you will love this.

What's needed:
2 lb. lean ground beef
1 10.75 can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1 10.75 can condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 20 oz. package frozen fried crinkle-cut potatoes

Toppings: such as ketchup, pickles, mustard, and chopped tomato; optional

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. In a large skillet cook ground beef until cooked through. Drain off fat.

3. Spoon cooked meat into an ungreased 9x13 in. baking pan.

4. In a medium bowl, combine cream of mushroom soup and cheddar cheese soup.

5. Spread over the meat in pan. Sprinkle potatoes over.

6. Bake, uncovered, for 45-55 minutes or until the potatoes are golden brown. If desired, serve with topppings.

Husband's Grade: A+
PointsPlus 9 (for 1/8 of the casserole)

Inspired by: 9x13: The Pan That Can

St. Valentine's Day Baking: Cinnamon Love Knots

Yep, I cheated. I tried one already. WOW, are they good. Especially considering the points value. I know that my husband and son are going to gobble these up tomorrow morning!






What's Needed:
LOVE KNOTS:
2 packages (1/4 oz. EACH) active dry yeast
1/2 C. warm water (110-115 degrees)
1/2 C. warm milk (110-115 degrees)
1/2 C. butter, softened
1/2 C. sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. salt

TOPPING:
2 C. sugar
2 T. ground cinnamon
3/4 C. butter, melted

1. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, butter, sugar, eggs, and salt. Stir in enough flour to form a stiff dough.

2. Turn onto a floured surface; kneed until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl; turn once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.











3. Punch dough down; divide into three portions. Cover two with plastic wrap.

4. Shape one portion into 12 balls. Roll each ball into an 8-in. rope.

5. Combine sugar and cinnamon. Dip rope into melted butter, then coat with cinnamon-sugar.











6. Tie into a knot. Tuck and pinch ends under and place on ungreased baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough.










7. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

8. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until golden brown. Remove to wire racks. Let cool completely.

Husband's Grade: A
PointsPlus Value: 3 per knot

Inspired by: The Taste of Home Baking Book

Tomato Soup--ALA Rachel Ray

The thing I love about Rachael Ray's recipes, is that they're so easy to adapt.

If you don't have something, switch it out for something else. Same thing goes if you want something less/more spicey. I tried her '15-Minute Tomato and Bean Stoup' tonight, since I have a house full of sickies (myself included). This is a GREAT soup to have when you have a cold. I substituted peas for the celery and left out the zucchini, since I didn't have any. Serve this with fresh bread, and you have yourself a meal!



What's Needed:
2 T. extra-virgin olive oil
3 garlic cloves, choppped
1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes (use more if you like it spicey)
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 C. chicken broth
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes
1 5.5-oz. can tomato juice
1 6-oz. can tomato paste
2 C. frozen cut green beans
1 C. frozen peas
1 T. basil
1/2 T. oregano
Salt and pepper to taste
Grated Parmesan cheese to pass at table

1. In a medium-sized bowl, combine tomato juice and tomato paste. Stir until well-combined.

2. Add olive oil to big soup pot and place over medium-high heat.

3. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes. Cook 1 minute.

4. Add onions and carrots. Cook for 10-15 minutes (or until onions are translucent and carrots are soft).

5. Add chicken broth, tomatoes, tomato paste mix, green beans, and peas.

6. Bring soup to a bubble. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer for 5 minutes.

7. Turn off heat. Add basil and oregano to soup.

Serve with fresh bread. Serves 4.

Husband's Grade: A-
PointsPlus: 5

Taken from and inspired by: Rachael Ray--365: No Repeats

Ham Mac & Cheese

Mac & cheese is one of my absolute favorite comfort foods. Ask my mom. When most brides are nervously pacing the halls of their home, I was scarfing down my mom's special, homemade mac & cheese.

Any time I see a recipe for mac & cheese, I need to try it. It's not a want--it's a need. I have to make it, mostly to compare it to my favorite family recipe. And while the old family mac & cheese is still my absolute favorite, this is definitely a close second. Leave yourself a lot of time for this one--it took about an hour start to finish. But boy, is it worth it!

What's Needed:
1 1/2 C. dried elbow macaroni (I used 3/4 C. macaroni and 3/4 C. wheat macaroni)
3 C. broccoli florets (I used frozen)
1 ham steak, cooked and then cubed
1 1/2 C. milk (fat-free to reduce points)
4 1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1 1/2 C. cubed Cheddar cheese
1/2 C. soft bread crumbs (I used Italian seasoned)
1 T. butter or margarine, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350. Cook macaroni according to package directions, adding broccoli and bell pepper for the last 2 minutes of cooking; drain.

2. While the macaroni is cooking, start your sauce. In a small saucepan, stir together milk, cornstarch, and black pepper. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Add Cheddar cheese; stir until melted.

3. Add macaroni mixture and cooked ham steak to a very large bowl. Stir sauce into macaroni mixture. Spoon into an ungreased 9x13-inch baking pan.

4. Bake, covered, for 20 minutes. In a small bowl, combine bread crumbs and butter. Uncover casserole; sprinkle with bread crumb mixture. Bake about 15 minutes more or until bubbly and crumbs are lightly browned.

Makes 6 servings

Husband's Grade: A+
PointsPlus: 9 (for 1/6 of the casserole)

Inspired by: Better Homes & Gardens: 9x13 The Pan That Can

Venison Potpie and Rustic Peach Tart

This first recipe, I can not say how it went--personally, that is. I can't stand venison, but having a ton of it in my freezer downstairs, I decided to use the ground venison for a recipe today. Husband raved about it. I'm glad I made two smaller versions instead of one big potpie in the 9x13 pan I normally use. Honestly--cooking it wasn't so horrible. The ground venison was also mixed with pork, so there wasn't an overwhelming smell of venison.

What's Needed:
1/2 of a 15-oz. package rolled refrigerated unbaked piecrust (1 crust)

1-1.5 lb. of ground venison

2 C. refrigerated diced potatoes with onions or loose-pack frozen diced hash brown potatoes with onions and peppers

2 C. loose-pack frozen mixed vegetables

1 15-oz. can tomato sauce

1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes, drained

2 tsp. sesame seeds

1. Preheat oven to 400. Let refrigerated piecrust stand according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook ground benison over medium heat until cooked through, using a wooden spoon to break up meat as it cooks; drain off fat.

3. Stir in potatoes, mixed vegetables, tomato sauce, and tomatoes into the meat mixture. Spoon into an ungreased 9x13-inch baking dish.

4. Unfold piecrust; cut into 8 wedges. Place half of the wedges with points toward center, along one long side of teh dish, overlapping wedges slightly at the base. Repeat with remaining pastry wedges. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

5. Bake uncovered for 18-20 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown. Let stand 10 min. before serving.

Husband's Grade: A+
PointsPlus 6 for 1/8 of the casserole

Inspired by: 9x13: The Pan That Can





This, on the otherhand, I can say was scrumptious! Don't forget to put down parchment paper on your baking sheet. I have to throw mine out now, because it's beyond cleaning. I admit I took the easy way out on this, but it was good, notheless.

What's Needed:
1 ready-to-bake pie crust
1 can (about 20 oz. or so) Peach pie filling
1 T. milk
A pinch course sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375. Let refrigerated piecrust stand according to package directions. Line cookie sheet with parchment paper.

2. Unroll pie crust. Add peach pie filling to the middle of the pie crust. Bring up the sides of the pastry and pinch together.

3. Coat pie crust with milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar.

4. Bake at 375 until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly.

Husband's Grade: A
PointsPlus: 7 for 1/6 of the tart

Inspired by: The Taste of Home Baking Book