Mozzarella-Baked Gnocchi

Mozzarella-Baked Gnocchi 

2 packages vacuum-packed gnocchi (I think they run about 15.75 ounces each)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 15-ounce can diced Italian-style tomatoes
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1/2 to 1 pound fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced (I use a full pound, because we like it really cheesy)

1. Cook gnocchi in boiling salted water, one minute shy of directions on package; drain.

2. Meanwhile, heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet. Add onion and cook until softened. Add garlic, and cook and stir for 30 seconds. Add red pepper flakes and salt and pepper to taste.

3. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, and Italian seasoning. Heat to boiling. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed.

4. Add sauce to cooked gnocchi. Pour into a greased 9 x 13-inch baking dish. Top with slices of mozzarella cheese.

5. Broil until cheese is melted and begins to blister. Serve.

Leftover Stuffing Frittata

We had a TON of stuffing left over and I really didn't want to throw it away so I googled recipes until I came across one that I thought everyone would like. This one was a hit. Melody was the only one that had issue with it and that's only because I dared to put sausage in it lol!

Stuffing Frittata

• 2 to 3 cups leftover stuffing
• 1-2 cups shredded Cheddar or Colby 
• 6 large eggs
• 2 large egg whites
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

Preheat broiler.

Coat an ovenproof nonstick skillet with cooking spray and place over medium heat. Put stuffing in the bottom of pan to warm and stir to break up a little. Sprinkle cheese over top.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites, milk, mustard powder, and nutmeg. Pour mixture over stuffing and cheese to cover stuffing. Sprinkle Parmesan over top. Cook on stovetop over low heat for 5 to 7 minutes. Transfer to the broiler and broil for about 2 minutes, until egg is cooked through and cheese is golden and bubbly.

Sprinkle with salt, pepper, and fresh parsley. Serve with sliced tomatoes

Flank Steak Stir Fry

I found this recipe because I had some flank steak and no idea what to do with it. It just so happened that asparagus AND red peppers were on sale. It was providence! So so yummy! If you like asparagus you will LOVE this. Jared wished he had doubled the sauce, but he likes things extra saucy. I think it was fine as it was.

Flank Steak Stir Fry with Asparagus and Red Peppers

3 T vegetable oil

1 lb asparagus trimmed and cut into 2" pieces

1 lb flank steak sliced into long, thin strips

2 red bell peppers sliced into strips

2 t cornstarch dissolved into 3 T water

all purpose stir fry sauce

3 T soy sauce

1 t finely chopped, fresh ginger (i didn't have fresh so I used powdered)

1 sm clove garlic, minced or pressed

1 green onion, including green tops, chopped finely

1/2 t chili oil ( I used 1/2 t vegetable oil with a dash of cayenne pepper)

1. While chopping ingredients, bring a small saucepan of water to boil. Parboil the asparagus for two minutes, drain, rinse with cold water, drain again and set aside. If you are planning to serve this dish with rice start that now.

2.Prepare the all purpose stir fry sauce by combining ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.

3. Stir fry the asparagus in a wok (or thick bottomed pan with at least 2" sides that can take high heat) in 1 T of oil, on high heat, for about 2 minutes until lightly browned. Remove asparagus from the pan and set aside.

4. Add another 1 T of oil to the pan and stir fry the beef strips, in two batches if necessary, for 2-3 minutes until browned but still pink inside. Return the first batch of beef to the pan and add the bell pepper. Stir and toss over high heat until just beginning to wilt, 1-2 minutes.

5. Quickly stir the cornstarch liquid and add it to the pan along with the stir fry sauce. Cook until sauce thickens, 1-2 minutes. Return the asparagus to the pan, toss to evenly coat and serve with steamed rice

Acorn Squash Soup

All I can say is YUM! We had this with some yummy, crusty bread and it filled us right up!

Acorn Squash Soup

• 1 small onion
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 2 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon chicken bouillon granules
• 1/2 teaspoon dill weed
• 1/4 teaspoon curry powder
• dash cayenne pepper
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 (12 ounce) can evaporated milk
• 3 cups mashed cooked acorn squash
• 1/2 cube cream cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• 5 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled

1. In a large saucepan, saute the onion and celery in butter. Stir in flour, bouillon, dill, curry and cayenne until blended. Gradually add broth and milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add the squash, salt and pepper; heat through.
2. In a blender, process the soup in batches until smooth, add cream cheese at this point into one of the batches. Pour into bowls; garnish with bacon.

chicken and dumpling soup

Yet another recipe from Melanie at Mel's kitchen cafe. I swear over half of my weekly menu comes from her site!

Chicken and Vegetable Dumpling Soup

*Serves 6

Chicken and Broth:
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups water
2-3 chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)
*I did two chicken breasts, but after I shredded it it seemed like way too much, so I halved it. Next time I'll only do one.*

Vegetables:
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 large carrots (6-7 baby carrots), chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup frozen peas
*I double the veggies because I like them :)*


Dumplings:
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme or sage
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil

In a large pot, boil the chicken broth, water and chicken breasts until the chicken is cooked through and tender (about 15 minutes). Remove the chicken from the pot, reserving the broth in the pot, and shred the chicken with two forks. Set the chicken aside and keep the broth warm on the stove.

While the chicken is boiling, in a large skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the celery, carrots and onions. Saute for about 6-7 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add the vegetables to the hot broth in the pot after the chicken has been removed. Add salt, thyme and pepper to the vegetable/broth mixture and stir to combine. Heat the soup to a simmer.

In a small bowl, blend ½ cup cold water and 1/4 cup flour with a wire whisk until smooth. Whisking vigorously, slowly add the flour mixture into the hot vegetables and broth and whisk until well combined. Add ½ cup frozen peas and the reserved chicken and cook, stirring gently for one minute.

For the dumplings, in a medium bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, milk and oil. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined (don't overmix, it is ok if there are a few dry spots of flour here and there).

Heat the soup to boiling and drop teaspoonful amounts (the dumplings should be small, they'll expand while cooking) of dumpling dough into the boiling soup, covering the entire surface of the soup (don't make more than one layer of dumplings). Reduce the heat to simmering, cover and let the dumplings cook for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid of the pot while the dumplings cook.

When the dumplings have cooked fully, remove the lid and gently stir the dumplings to break them apart. Serve.

Dry Onion Soup Mix

Dry Onion Soup Mix

3/4 c instant minced onion (1 bottle of the 5th season brand at Walmart is the exact amount)
1/3 c beef bouillon granules
4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp celery salt
1/4 tsp sugar
1/8 tsp white pepper

Mix all ingerdients together well. Store up to 6 months in cool dry place. Stir before each use. 5 TBS of mix is equal to 1 package of purchased soup mix

Cranberry Crunch

Cranberry Crunch
3 c unpeeled apples, chopped
1 16 oz can whole cranberry sauce
2 TBS butter, melted
1 c quick- cooking oatmeal
1/3 c light brown sugar
1/4 c flour
1/4 c chopped walnuts

Combine apples and cranberry sauce. Spread in 8x8 in pan Combine remaining ingredients and spread over apple/cranberry mixture. Bake 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees. Serve warm. If I have them I add dried craisins to the mix also.

Texas Pork Chops

4 6-oz center cut pork chops

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 c. brown sugar

3/4 c. ketchup

1 yellow onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp chili powder

In a saucepan, mix together black pepper, brown sugar, ketchup, onion, garlic, and chili

powder. Simmer for 15 minutes or until thickened. Place pork chops on a grill over medium heat and spoon a tablespoon of sauce over each one. Grill until cooked through, adding remaining sauce throughout the process.

Oh so yummy salad!

I got this recipe from Mel's kitchen cafe. She literally changed the way I look at cooking. More than half the recipes that make regular appearances at my dinner table came from her blog. If you haven't visited her site you should!

I love that my hubby is game for whatever I make for dinner, including salad. Salad was not something we had as a main course very often when I was growing up. Mostly because my dad is such a meat & potatoes kind of guy. Jared, however just said thanks for dinner and then proceeded to polish off two helpings. I can't tell you how much pleasure I get out of watching my family consume mass amounts of vegetables! This salad is definitely one I'll be making again. It was sweet and crunch and creamy and salty and it all blended together to perfection!

Sweet Chicken Salad

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 3-4 medium)
Salt and black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
1/2 cup water
1 large head romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces (about 8-10 cups)
8 ounces sharp or extra-sharp cheddar cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 Granny Smith apple, cored and chopped or sliced thin
1/2 red onion, sliced thin
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1 cup spiced pecans, store-bought or following the simple recipe below

*It also called for homemade cranberry vinaigrette, but that was more work than I was willing to put in so I just bought some low cal raspberry vinaigrette and it tasted fantastic!

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season both sides with the salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until the oil is shimmering and hot. Add the chicken and cook until it is nicely browned on one side, about 3 minutes. Flip the chicken over, add the water, and cover the skillet. Cook the chicken, letting it poach, until it is cooked through, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a cutting board and let it cool slightly before carving.

Toss the lettuce, cheese, apple, pecans, onion and dried cranberries together. Divide the salad among the serving plates. Slice the chicken on a diagonal and arrange over the salad. Serve with the vinaigrette. I prefer to let everyone douse their own salad with dressing, but you could toss the salad with 1/2 cup or so of the vinaigrette before assembling it on the plates and serve the extra dressing on the side.

Quick Spiced Pecans:
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
2 cups pecan halves
1 tablespoon sugar

Melt the butter in a 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in the spices and then the pecans. Toast the nuts, stirring often, until the color deepens slightly and they are lightly toasted, about 5-7 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a bowl and toss with the sugar. Let them cool completely before tossing with the salad.  *watch these carefully as they're toasting, I got distracted and they burned. 

Stuffed French Toast

So this wasn't strictly low GI since I didn't use skim  milk, splenda, or the egg substitute, but I like to think it was still pretty healthy. It was sweet enough that we didn't need syrup or any other topping. This is definitely on the menu rotation!

Stuffed French Toast

Berry Filling:
4 cups mixed field berries (fresh or frozen)
3 tbsp sugar substitute
1 tsp grated lemon zest
1 tbsp cornstarch

French Toast:
1-1/4 cups liquid egg
2 cups skim milk
1 tbsp sugar substitute
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp (approx) canola oil
12 slices whole-grain bread

1. Make berry filling: In saucepan over medium heat, combine berries, sugar substitute, and lemon zest; cook for about 5 minutes or until sugar substitute is dissolved and berries have released some of their juice. In small bowl, blend cornstarch with 1 tbsp of juice from berries; stir into berry mixture. Increase heat to high and cook, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. Make French toast: In large bowl, whisk together egg, milk, sugar substitute, vanilla and cinnamon.
3. Brush 1 tsp oil onto non-stick griddle or large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Dip bread 1 slice at a time, into egg mixture, pressing down and letting soak for 10 seconds; turn and press again for 10 seconds. Lift out, letting excess mixture drip back into bowl. Fry soaked bread slices, 2 at a time (4 at a time if using griddle), for 3 minutes; turn 1 piece over and evenly spread golden brown side with 2 heaping tbsp of the berry filling. Flip second slice, cooked side down, onto filling to form sandwich; press firmly with back of spatula. Continue frying for 3 minutes; turn sandwich over and fry for 3 minutes longer or until golden brown on both sides. Repeat with remaining bread slices, brushing griddle with more oil as needed.
4. Put any leftover berry filling in bowl and serve alongside toasts.

Chicken Cordon Bleu

This is a little different than the recipe I usually use so I wasn't sure if it would be good. It turned out a little dry, probably because I didn't use all of the butter. 1/4 C seemed like a lot, but obviously it needed it! Again I served it with steamed veggies, a salad and mashed potatoes. I've started serving the salad first because my kids tend to eat more of it when they have nothing else on their plate.

6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 slices swiss cheese
6 thin slices lean ham
1/4 C butter, melted
6 tsp dried parsley

1. Preheat the oven to 375
2. Pound out chicken breasts with meat hammer until they are all about the same thickness. I used two chicken breast for my little family and just cut them in half. It was enough to feed us all and some left over for Jared the next day.
3. Place 1 cheese slice and 1 piece of ham inside each breast. Roll up and secure with toothpicks.
4. Dip breasts in butter and sprinkle with parsley.
5. Bake in a covered baking dish for 45-55 minutes.

Pork Bites with Apples

This is a low GI meal and I was really impressed with how filling and yummy it was! The kids even ate some, which is high praise. I served this with steamed fresh green beans, cauliflower, and boiled new potatoes.

2 TB olive oil
1 1/4 lbs lean pork loin, cut into bite sized pieces
1 onion, coarsely chopped
2 tsp grated lemon rind
1 C apple juice
2/3 C water
2 crisp eating apples, such as Granny smith, cored and sliced
3 TB chopped fresh parsley

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown pork. Transfer pork to a platter.
2. Add onions to the pan, and brown lightly. Remove onions to the platter and drain any fat from the skillet. Return to heat and stir in lemon rind, apple juice, and water and boil for about 3 minutes. Return pork and onions to the skillet and cook over low to medium heat for about 25 minutes or until tender.

Add apples to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes. Transfer pork, onions, and apples to a warmed serving dish. Sprinkle with parsley.