Gnocchi

GNOCCHI
Fresh Ingredients

2 eggs

1 cup ricotta cheese

8 tsp. butter

1 cup Romano cheese, grated

Storage Ingredients

1 cup instant potato flakes

1 tsp. salt

3 cups flour

Prepare instant potatoes as directed on package. Combine potato with eggs and salt and whip until fluffy. Add ricotta cheese, butter, Romano cheese and flour. Knead until smooth. Shape into 1/2″ rolls and cut into 1″ lengths. Make impression with thumb in each piece, then lightly dust with flour. Drop into boiling water and cook only until they rise to the surface. Drain and serve with your favorite red sauce, cream sauce, or both!

***NOTE: Before cooking, gnocchi may be frozen on a cookie sheet, then placed in a plastic bag to store for up to a month in the freezer.

KILLER CHEESE SAUCE

Fresh Ingredients

1 cup butter

16 oz. cream cheese

2 c. whipping cream

Storage Ingredients

1/2 tsp. dry minced garlic

1/2 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients and heat very slowly. Stir until smooth and pour over pasta.

RED SAUCE WITH SAUSAGE

Fresh Ingredients

1-2 lbs. mild Italian sausage

Storage Ingredients

2 jars spaghetti sauce (1 lb. 10 oz. each)

Bake or saute sausage as instructed on package, until fully cooked. Slice and add to jarred sauce. Heat and serve over pasta.

This recipe for homemade gnocchi makes two pans full of potato dumplings, smothered in a deliciously rich, creamy blend of cheese, cream, tomato, and sausage. Everyone, including very little children, absolutely loves it. I like to prepare the gnocchi days ahead of time, keep them frozen in the freezer, and then boil them about 20 minutes before we’re going to eat. I also prepare both the cream sauce and the red sauce with Italian sausage slices the day before and slowly warm them ahead of time.

After boiling the gnocchi, I drain and divide them equally between two 9 x 13 inch cake pans, cover each with the Killer Cheese Sauce, and store in a warm oven (300 degrees) until ready to serve. When we’re ready to eat, I also like to garnish the cream sauce with a little additional grated Parmesian cheese and chopped fresh basil or Italian parsley. I serve the red sauce separately so that the guests may help themselves and select the amount of meat they prefer. The preparation for this dish takes some work, mostly ahead of time, but is sooo worth the effort.

Tags: instant mashed potato recipe, provident living, using your food storage

Brown Butter & Balsamic Ravoilli

buy the chicken and cheese ravioli from Costco. It is a quick and easy dish to prepare. Be sure and brown the butter but don’t burn it!

Do you have a favorite side dish??



Brown Butter and Balsamic Ravioli

1 12-16 oz. package of fresh or frozen ravioli (I prefer chicken and cheese)

3 Tbsp. butter, cut into small pieces

2 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

2 handfuls grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

Bring a large pot of water to a boil for ravioli. Salt water and drop ravioli in water. Cook 8 minutes or until ravioli expand, float to top of water and are al dente.

Melt butter into large frying pan and brown. Add cooked ravioli to browned butter and turn and cook until browned. Add balsamic vinegar and stir until coated. Sprinkle cheese over the top, salt and pepper to taste. (I forgot to add the cheese for the photo!)

Italian Baked Chicken and Pastina
from Giada De Laurentiis

1 cup pastina pasta (or any small pasta - I used cellantani)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup cubed chicken breast (1-inch cubes)
1/2 cup diced onion (about 1/2 a small onion)
1 clove garlic, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes with juice
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
1 tablespoon butter, plus more for buttering the baking dish


Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until just tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Drain pasta into a large mixing bowl.


Meanwhile, put the olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat. Add the chicken and cook for 3 minutes. Add the onions and garlic, stirring to combine, and cook until the onions are soft and the chicken is cooked through, about 5 minutes more. Put the chicken mixture into the bowl with the cooked pasta. Add the canned tomatoes, mozzarella cheese, parsley, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine. Place the mixture in a buttered 8 by 8 by 2-inch baking dish. In a small bowl mix together the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over the top of the pasta mixture. Dot the top with small bits of butter. Bake until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.

Posted by Melanie at 8:02 PM 16 comments
Labels: Chicken, Main Dish, Pasta

Pasta Fusilli Alla Caprese

Fusilli alla Caprese
from Giada De Laurentiis

1 pound fusilli pasta
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups cherry tomatoes, quartered (about 1 1/2 pints)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup packed fresh basil leaves, torn
8 ounces fresh mozzarella, diced (about 1 1/4 cups)

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain pasta into a large bowl and reserve 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid.
In a medium skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt, and pepper. As the tomatoes cook and soften, smash them with a fork. Continue to cook until the tomatoes make a chunky style sauce, about 4 minutes. Transfer the tomato sauce to the bowl with the pasta. Toss to combine. Add the basil leaves and mozzarella. Stir to combine. Add the reserved pasta water, 1/4 cup at a time, until the pasta is moist. Serve.

Beef Stroganoff

The Ultimate Beef Stroganoff
from Tami W.

Put in crock pot:
2-3 pounds stew meat
1 tsp. salt
dash of pepper
1 onion, sliced


Mix in a bowl and pour over meat:
¼ tsp. garlic salt
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 ½ cups beef broth or stock (made up from cubes or granules)
1 tablespoon ketchup


Cook in crockpot on low for 7-8 hours or high for 4-5 hours. When cooked make a simple roux by whisking 1/3 cup flour with enough apple juice (about 5-6 tablespoons) to make a thick but still pourable flour mixture. Whisk the roux into the crockpot and add 4 ounces sliced mushrooms.


Cook on high for 15-30 minutes. Then stir in ½

Spinach and Feta Pasta

Spinach and Feta Pasta


8 oz. Penne pasta (if your math brain isn't working right now, that's 1/2 a 16 oz. box; I've used a whole box before and while it was surprisingly not terrible, it wasn't the same. Also, don't use ziti--you want the ridges on the penne to "grip" the sauce)
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes
3 c. fresh spinach (you don't even have to chop it! Could life get any better??)
1 onion, finely chopped
5-6 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
A handful of fresh mushrooms, chopped
4 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
Salt and pepper to taste




Bring a large pot of salted water to boil and add pasta. Cook according to package directions. In the meantime, heat a little olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onions, garlic, and mushrooms and cook until tender. Add spinach and cook until wilted. Add tomatoes, heat through, and then add drained pasta and crumbled feta. Add salt and pepper to taste. Heat through and serve; you can crumble a little extra feta on top if you feel the urge. Even my pickiest eater loves this meal, so you really can't go wrong! Oh, and not low-carbing it? Try serving it with Rosemary Focaccia or Garlic Breadsticks.



Serves 8
Nutritional Information
Calories: 186
Fat: 5.3
Fiber: 3.4
WW Points: 3

So tell me...what are your "Oh, crap!" meals?

Grilled Chicken Pesto Alfredo

Grilled Chicken Pesto Alfredo- This meal is easier and CHEAPER then you'd ever imagine! First grill up some chicken (personally I use thighs because they have more flavor and are much cheaper). While your chicken is grilling make your parmesan white sauce (a.k.a alfredo sauce) out of your MAGIC MIX!!

Magic Mix White Sauce-makes 1 C.
2/3 C. Magic Mix
1 C. Water

In saucepan combine Magic Mix and water. Stir rapidly (I use a wire wisk) over medium heat until it starts to bubble. (Use Magic Mix White Sauce for all recipes calling for a white or cream sauce.) Click here to learn more about magic mix.

Add 1 cup of paremsan cheese per one cup of white sauce and a dash of salt and pepper. You can stop here and have alfredo sauce or add in 1/4-1/2 C. pesto to make a creamy pesto sauce. Personally I buy my pesto at Costco and divide the large bottle into small ziploc bags and freeze.

Serve over hot noodles

caesar Chicken Pasta Salad

Caesar Chicken Pasta Salad


3 cups cooked/skinned shredded chicken breast
3 cups cooked penne pasta
2 cups thinly sliced romaine lettuce
1 1/2 cup cherry or grape tomatoes
1/2 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/3 cup creamy Caesar dressing (I use poppy seed dressing)
1 garlic clove minced

combine all ingredients in a large bowl; toss well to
coat. Enjoy!

*in other similar recipes I have seen them use feta cheese as well.

Posted by Beckie at 9:22 PM 0 comments

Fresh Tomato and Basil Pasta

Fresh Tomato and Basil Pasta
Submitted by Mindy (Melanie's recipe)


2 large, firm tomatoes, diced (about 2 cups - I used cherry tomatoes sliced in half)
1 T fresh chopped basil or 1 tsp dried basil
1-2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Shredded Parmesan cheese
6-8 oz angel hair pasta


Mix together the diced tomatoes, chopped basil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper. Cook the pasta al dente. Drain and toss with the tomato mixture. Serve with shredded Parmesan.