Gnocchi/Kale/Sausage Soup

Found online, forgot where… My whole family loved this. It is super spicy with the spicy sausage, but no complaints here.

1 pound hot Italian sausage
1 small white onion (I always just do onion powder for little Juddy)
4 cups chicken broth
1 jar roasted red peppers, drained and diced
1 pound gnocchi
1/2 cup heavy cream (or evaporated milk)
top with parmesan cheese

Brown sausage and onion in pot.
Drain excess grease.
Add broth, red peppers, bring to simmer over medium heat, the reduce to medium-low heat. Add kale and gnocchi. Stir to combine. Stir in cream. Add pinch of salt and pepper.

Top with fresh/grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

Chicken Pitas

Slice of pita bread (Costco)
smear it with spicy avocado hummus (Costco)
fill with sliced rotisserie chicken (Costco)
then stuff it with fresh garden veggies.
My favorites: cucumber, raw zucchini, bell peppers, tomatoes

Grilled Chicken Alfredo Pizza with Zucchini

I grilled a pizza tonight on our Traeger. It was amazingly delicious.

I used this homemade whole wheat pizza crust. (I know I got the crust recipe online, but I can't remember where.)

Whole Wheat Pizza Crust:

1 t. white sugar
1 1/2 cups warm water
1 Tbs active dry yeast
1 Tbs olive oil
1 t. salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups white flour

Dissolve sugar in warm water, sprinkle yeast on top and let stand 10 minutes.
Stir olive oil and salt into yeast mixture. Mix in wheat flour and 1 cup white flour. Knead rest of flour in on counter for about 10 minutes. Coat dough in oil, cover with towel and let rise 1 hour. Form into ball and let rise for another 45 minutes.
You can break it into two pieces and make two pizzas with thinner crust or one pizza with thick crust.

As for my pizza, I just dumped 1/3 a bottle of Alfredo sauce on it, added shredded rotisserie chicken from Costco, sliced zucchini and shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bake (or grill) at 425 for 16-20 minutes.

Make it. Eat it. Love it.

Taco Salad

I made taco salad for dinner last night. It is one of those meals I forget about for a while, and when I make it again I wonder why I don't make it more often.
Taco salad doesn't really need a recipe, but here is what I put in mine…

1 lb ground beef (I buy the family packs, cook it all up at once, and then freeze it in 1 lb increments.)
taco seasoning (mom- kroger brand has no MSG)
lettuce
cheese
olives
peppers
tomatoes
kidney and/or black beans
corn
cheese
crushed Doritos
sour cream
avacado
topped with Ranch dressing

Baked Ziti with Turkey Sausage

This is my own variation of a Weight Watchers recipe. (Each serving is 8 points for anyone who cares.) It makes 8 servings.

3/4 lb Sweet Italian Turkey Sausages, casings removed

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium green pepper, chopped

28 oz canned diced tomatoes

10 oz frozen green peas, thawed

2 T canned tomato paste

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried basil 

1/2 tsp dried thyme

salt to taste

fresh-ground pepper to taste

12 oz uncooked whole wheat ziti pasta, cooked according to package (or regular ziti if that's how you roll. I'm sure it tastes better that way.)

6 oz shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brown sausage over medium heat. Drain off fat. Add onion and bell pepper and cook until softened. Stir in tomatoes, peas, tomato paste and spices. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and cook uncovered for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in pasta and half the cheese. Spread into 9x13 in baking dish. Top with remainder of cheese. Bake until cheese has melted, about 20 min, then turn oven to broil until cheese becomes brown and bubbly.

Sorry, no picture. Already put the leftovers in the fridge and don't feel like getting it out. Jared and I liked this a lot, enjoy!

Stroganoff Meatballs

This is one of the easiest and yummiest stroganoffs I have made. Roo, Jud and Logan inhaled it.

1 1/4 cups beef broth (I just did a whole can)
2 Tbs flour (I did heaping Tbs to make up for my extra broth)
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
16 frozen meatballs
1 jar sliced mushrooms, drained
1/2 cup sour cream
1 Tbs parsley

Beat broth, flour and Worcestershire with a wisk. Add meatballs and mushrooms. Heat to a boil, reduce heat to simmer for 6 minutes. Cover while simmering. Remove from heat, stir in sour cream and parsley. Serve over wide egg noodles.

This serves 3-4 people. Mom, if you are making it for the boys, I would suggest doubling it. :)

Easy Tomato Basil Soup

From the blog Picky Palate:

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 lb Italian Sausage
10 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade (stacked, rolled and thinly sliced)
1 26 oz jar of your favorite pasta sauce or homemade sauce 

1 Cup water

1 1/2 Cups half and half
Pinch of salt and pepper

Place olive oil into a medium sized dutch oven over medium heat. Cook sausage until browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in basil leaves, pasta sauce, water, half and half, salt and pepper. Cook until warm then reduce heat to low. Simmer until ready to serve. It’s that easy!

4 servings

Cheesy Zucchini Soup

This is apparently a famous ward soup recipe, and it is totally one of my favorites! I'm so excited that it's going to be soup season again soon!

Sautee until tender:
2 medium zucchini chopped (one yellow, one green makes it looks prettier)
1 medium onion
2 T parsley
1 tsp dried basil
1/3 c. butter

Stir in:
1/3 c. flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 cups water
3 chicken bouillon cubes (or 3 cups chicken broth instead of water)
1 tsp lemon juice

Bring to a boil for 2 minutes.

Add:
1 can tomatoes
1 can evaporated milk
1 pkg. corn or 1 can drained

Reduce heat. Simmer 5 minutes.

Add:
1/4 c. Parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Enjoy!!

Crock Pot Chicken Cordon Bleu

I got this recipe from this blog. It has a ton of great crock pot recipes. This is what I'm making for dinner tonight. I hope it's good!

6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cream of chicken soup
1 cup milk
4 ounces sliced ham
4 ounces sliced Swiss cheese
1 (8 ounce) package herbed dry bread stuffing mix
1/4 cup butter, melted
Mix together the cream of chicken soup and milk in a small bowl. Pour enough of the soup into a slow cooker to cover the bottom.
Layer chicken breasts over the sauce.
Cover with slices of ham and then Swiss cheese.
Pour the remaining soup over the layers, stirring a little to distribute between layers.
Sprinkle the stuffing on top, an ddrizzle butter over stuffing.
Cover, and cook on Low for 4 to 6 hours, or 2 to 3 hours on High.

Enchilada-style Burritos

(This homemade enchilada sauce is better than any canned sauce I have ever tried!)
6-8 frozen burritos (Lynn Wilson, etc)
2 T butter
3 T flour
1 3/4 c water
8 oz can tomato sauce
1 1/2 t chili powder
1 t cumin
1 t beef boullion
1 t salt
shredded cheese

Melt butter, whisk in flour. Then add water and cook on medium heat until it starts to simmer and thicken. Add tomato sauce and seasonings. Pour over burritos and cover with foil. Bake at 350 for 40 min. Remove foil and sprinkle cheese.

This can also be cooked in the microwave for 15 to 20 min.

Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta

I made this up. Actually I was trying to copy the Firehouse version. It tastes pretty close, I think.

12 oz pkg penne pasta, cook
While it's boiling make this sauce:
Whisk together 1/2 c. sour cream with 1/4 c. flour. Add to 2 c. milk. Cook on med heat until thick. Then add 1/2 grated swiss cheese and 2 T. grated parmesan cheese.
In a 9x13 pan put the following:
2 c. diced cooked chicken (I used a rotisserie, but you can George Foreman your own)
6 slices deli ham, cubed
The penne pasta that you cooked.
Pour the sauce over the top.
Then top with 1 c. more grated swiss cheese and 1/4 c real bacon bits.
Broil on high until cheese is browned and crispy. Serve.

Tomato Leek Tart for 2 (MIchaelene Grassli)

1 pkg (15 oz) refrigerated pie crust (Pillsbury)(comes with 2)
4 oz of combined cheese: Gruyere, Provolone (Shredded)
1 lb Leeks, white portion only, thinly sliced
6 med Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
1/4 c grated parmesan cheese
1/4 t. garlic powder
1/8 t fresh ground pepper
1 c shredded Mozzarella cheese

Place parchment paper on cookie sheets. Place a pastry on each pan. sprinkle each with all cheeses, leaving 1" around the edges clear of filling.
Arrange leeks and tomatoes on the cheese. Sprinkle garlic powder and pepper on top. Sprinkle Parmesan cheese. Fold edges in over the filling to make a side crust. bake at 425 for 18 to 22 minutes. Serve warm.

Grilled chicken teriyaki pasta salad (Janine Rogers)

Make the dressing first and sit it out at room temperature so the sugar can dissolve.
Dressing:
1 T. fresh garlic, grated
3/4 c. vegetable oil
1/2 c. sugar
1 t. salt
3 T. soy sauce
1 T. sesame oil
2 T. rice vinegar

Salad:
1 small bag baby spinach
1 (12 oz) pkg. bow tie pasta - cooked and cooled
2 - 4 T toasted sesame seeds
1/2 c. sunflower seed (salted)
1 can chopped water chestnuts
3 grilled chicken breasts, seasoned w/ lemon pepper ( or rotisserie chicken)
1 can bean sprouts

Don't pour the dressing until ready to serve or spinach will wilt.

Spinach Bow Tie Pasta Salad

Note: this makes a huge salad so I half it

3/4 cup canola oil
1/3 cup rice vinegar
1/3 cup cider vinegar
1/2 cup teriyaki sauce
6 T sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 (16 oz) bow tie pasta
1 can water chestnuts
1 1/2 bags spinach (fresh)
1 6 oz bag craisins
2 can mandarin oranges
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
6 oz honey roasted peanute (optional)
1/2 c. fresh parsley (optional)
add chicken for a main course salad

Buttermilk Banana Bread

Mix Together:
3 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Stir these together and add:
3 eggs
3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
4 large mashed bananas
Mix well.
Butter pans.
Make a "sling" out of parchment paper and put in each pan before filling.  This helps them come out easily.
Bake at 350 dgrees for 30-35 min for small loaf pans. Makes 6-7 small loaves. Add more cooking time for regular size loaves.

Chicken Enchilada Nachos

This recipe was on Studio 5, I think.

1 can chicken breast
1 can enchilada sauce
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can of corn
1 can of black beans
1 small can diced green chilies

Heat in a saucepan and serve over tortilla chips. Garnish with cheese, olives, sour cream. (And I put some diced tomatoes on mine, too)

Best part of this, it can be made in minutes. And it is actually great as a main dish or a snack.

Grilled apple and cheese sandwich and other variations.

Thinly slice an apple ( the more tart, the better)
Cheese - you could use any kind but Gruyere or Swiss is REALLY yummy.
Bread - once again any kind will work, but that dark rye-type from Costco or Sourdough are so good.
Butter the bread, put on the cheese and apples, grill. Serve.

Variations: Grilled chedddar cheese and fresh tomato, with fresh sage is good, too.
Another good one - Grilled turkey (deli or sliced), sliced artichokes, spinach leaves and provolone. (I stole this idea from Zuppas)

Tomato Basil Soup

6 medium fresh tomatoes, or 28 oz can
2 cups chicken broth
6 to 8 basil leaves
1 carrot (if you don't have a good blender, leave this out)
1/2 onion
2 cloves garlic
1/2 cup cream or milk
2 T olive oil
salt to taste

Blend everything in a blender. Cook in a pan for 15 minutes.

This is really good served with a grilled cheese and apple sandwich

Green Beans and Ham

OK I give up. This stinking blog site keeps telling me I have exceeded my number of photos and so I can't put another one on. Nice. So here is the recipe sans a photo.

Fresh greens beans
About 1 cup water
1/4 c. butter
fresh minced garlic
ham, chopped into cubes
onion, chopped
fresh mushrooms (optional - I have made it with and without)
salt and pepper

Put everything in a pan, cover with a lid. Simmer for 20 min, or until green beans are tender. Don't drain off juice. Spoon out beans, etc. with a slotted spoon onto plate when you are ready to eat.

Our Recipes Are Great and All

but check out this food blog. (Holls, this is the one I was telling you about.)

jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com

For starters, I think I will make the zucchini cake with sour cream frosting, s'more cookies, double chocolate zucchini muffins, chocolate hot fudge cake, oreo turtle bars.... mmm I am about to gain 10 pounds.