Creamy Tomato Basil Sauce with Sausage and Gnocchi

What was on the menu wasn't really thrilling me today.  So, I looked around my newly organized pantry and in my fridge and freezer and pulled together the following items and came up with a yummy dinner!  And, the kids... they liked it!  One love gnocchi and so he ate as much of that as I could keep on his plate.  The other loved the sausage in the sauce and devoured that.  In fact, they even resorted to swapping the parts of their meals with each other that they liked best.  Works for me! 

Creamy Tomato Basil Sauce with Sausage and Gnocchi

5 Italian sausage links (I used Trader Joes Spicy Italian Vino and Formaggio Chicken Sausage)
4 cloves garlic, minced, divided
4 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
3 c. baby spinach
4 oz. cream cheese
1 tsp. dried basil
1 1/2 c. tomato basil sauce
1 pkg. multi-colored gnocchi
fresh grated parmesan cheese, for garnish

In a large skillet, heat 2 Tbsp. olive oil and 2 minced garlic cloves.  Remove sausage from casings and cook in oil.  When sausage is cooked through, add spinach and cook until wilted.  Add tomato basil sauce, dried basil, and cream cheese and reduce heat to low.  Stir occationally to combine as cream cheese melts into the sauce.

In a seperate pan, bring water to a boil.  Boil gnocchi for 2-3 minutes until they are floating on the surface of the water and are tender.  Remove from water and set aside.  In a large skillet, heat remaining 2 Tbsp. olive oil and garlic cloves until fragrant.  Place gnocchi in a single layer in the pan.  Cook until it begins to get crisp on one side (about 3-4 minutes).  Give the pan a good shake to rotate some of the gnocchi.  Cook for another 2-4 minutes until gnocchi are crispy all around.

Serve gnocchi with sauce on top and garnish with fresh grated parmesan cheese.

Husband Rating: 6 out of 10 (My husband is a bit of a sauce snob - he likes white sauces to be white, red sauces to be red, but doesn't like when the sauces are a bit in-between like tonight.  So, I was pleasantly surprised with a six on a meal I didn't really think he would like!)  :)

Food for Thought: You could skip the crisping part of the gnocchi and serve it soft as well.  I just personally like the texture of the crispy gnocchi in contrast to the sauce.  If you are pinched for time or don't want to dirty another pan, simply just boil the gnocchi and serve! 

Mom's Delicious Lasagna

I love, love, love lasagna!  It's one of those comfort foods that I always can eat large amounts of!  My mom's homemade lasagna recipe is the best.  I love it!  That's all I need to say about that!

Mom's Delicious Lasagna

1 medium onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. ground beef, turkey, or Italian sausage (whatever you prefer, I use Italian sausage)
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 10 oz. pk. frozen chopped spinach (optional)
1 c. water
1 1/2 tsp. dried basil
1 1/2 tsp. oregano
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. salt
pepper to taste
1 pkg. oven ready lasagna noodles or 8 oz. lasagna noodles, cooked al dente and drained
2 c. cottage cheese
3/4 c. Parmesan cheese
16 oz. mozzarella cheese, sliced

Instructions:

Saute the onion and garlic in oil over medium high heat until tender.  Add the meat and brown.  Add tomato sauce, paste, spinach, water, and seasonings.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer covered for 30 minutes.

In a 9x13 baking dish, place 1/2 of the lasagna noodles across the bottom of the dish.  Layer 1/2 of the cottage cheese, 1/4 c. parmesan cheese, and half of the mozzarella cheese.  Add half of the meat sauce.  Repeat the layers.  Use the remaining 1/4 c. Parmesan cheese on top.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Bake the lasagna for 45 minutes and until hot and bubbly.  Remove pan from the oven and let sit for 15 minutes before cutting into it.  Slice and serve.

Husband Rating:

Food for Thought: This is an easy make-ahead and freeze kind of meal.  I usually double or triple it if I am going to go through the work of making it and put a few in the freezer.  Simply make the sauce and assemble the lasagna.  Prior to baking, cover the lasagna and freeze.  When you plan to  cook it, set it in the fridge to thaw or plan for additional baking time.

Italian Recipes

Baked Spaghetti
Caprese Lasagna with Spicy Turkey Sausage
Cheesy Basil Stuffed Chicken with Roasted Tomatoes
Chicken Pesto Pizza on Whole Wheat Crust
Chicken Puttanesca
Creamy Tomato Basil Sauce with Sausage and Gnocchi
Crispy Pesto Gnocchi with Tomatoes and Ham
Farmer's Market Pizza
Garlicky Meatballs and Linguine
Gnocchi Alla Romana
Grilled Tomato Basil Pizza
Homemade Pizza
Meaty Baked Ziti
Mom's Delicious Lasagna
Penne with Italian Sausage and Peppers
Pesto Chicken Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions and Havarti
Pumpkin Gnocchi with Browned Butter and Sage
Spaghetti Bolognese
Stuffed Shells with Italian Sausage
Summer Veggie Baked Pasta
Sundried Tomato Pesto Chicken Sandwich
Tuscan Kale and White Bean Soup

Pumpkin Gnocchi with Browned Butter and Sage

I saw a package of pumpkin gnocchi at Target and thought, why not?  Let's try it!  I love gnocchi, I love food with pumpkin in it.  So, let's see what we can make with it.  Yea, this was a delicious meal! 

Sage is not an herb I use often... if ever.  I will now!  Yum!  We served it with some chicken breasts I cooked up with a little of the same butter and sage flavoring and had some fresh green beans on the side.  But, the true star of this meal was the gnocchi! 

 

Pumpkin Gnocchi with Browned Butter and Sage

 

1 package pre-made pumpkin gnocchi (I got mine at Target)

3 Tbsp. butter

1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced

5-6 sage leaves, coarsely chopped

 

Instructions:

 

Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil.  Cook gnocchi for 2-3 minutes or until they begin to float.  Remove from water and set aside.

 

In a large saucepan, heat butter until it begins to brown.  Add in onions and sage and cook until onions begin to caramelize (about 6-7 minutes). 

 

Place cooked gnocchi to the onions in a single layer and brown about 2-2 1/2 minutes per side until lightly crispy. 

 

Husband Rating: 8 out of 10



Pesto Chicken Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions

Mmmmm, why go out to eat at a restaurant when we can have delicious meals like this at home?  This turned out amazing.  I got the recipe from one of my favorite food blogs, www.fortheloveofcooking.net.  I highly recommend checking out her blog if you have time.  Her recipes always turn out delicious!  This meal was amazing and quite easy to do.  We will definitely be making this one again.  We served it with a caprese salad on the side.  Yummy!

Pesto Chicken Sandwiches with Caramelized Onions

6 chicken breasts
1 c. basil pesto
2 small yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. olive oil
pinch salt
tomatoes, sliced
sliced havarti cheese
sesame buns
mayonaise (optional)
extra basil pesto (optional)

Instructions:

Place chicken breasts in a large freezer bag and seal.  Pound with a kitchen mallet (or in my case because I don't have one, I use my rolling pin) until thin.  Add the pesto to your bag and marinate for 4-6 hours. 

In a small skillet, heat olive oil over medium high heat.  Add the onions and a little bit of salt and saute for about 15 minutes or until carmelized. 

Heat a grill to medium high heat. Remove chicken breasts from the bag and grill for about 4 minutes per side or until cooked through.  Add a slice of havarti to each chicken breast and continue cooking an additional 30 seconds until cheese starts to melt. 

Toast buns (spread a bit of olive oil or butter on the buns if you are planning on toasting them on the grill to prevent burning).  On each bun, place on chicken breast, some onions, and a slice of tomato.  If you like, also spread some mayonaise and extra pesto on the bun.  We used mayo but not pesto and it was delicious! 

Husband Rating: 9 out of 10

Food for Thought: This would be easy to have in the freezer ahead of time.  Simply pound the chicken and then add the pesto and freeze.  If you wanted to make this meal in the winter when the grill wasn't available, I would use a grilling pan on the stove or try baking the chicken as I am sure it would turn out delicious that way too.  It was definitely a delicious meal we plan to make again and often!

Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Chicken Sandwich

Apparently I am on a hot sandwich kick.  My little sister, who is living with us right now, made the comment that she hadn't thought of sandwiches for dinner before.  But, after the last few meals we've had she has begun to rethink that. 

This hot sandwich recipe comes from my friend Katie who is another great cook and does a lot of similar style cooking as mine.  I loved the recipe before I even got to cook it.  It has all the makings of a great meal - mozzarella, pesto, sun dried tomatoes, basil, roasted red peppers... Yum!  Put it all together and you have a delicious, warm sandwich that makes a great meal. 

Sun-dried Tomato Pesto Chicken Sandwich

1 loaf ciabatta bread
2 chicken breast
salt/pepper
garlic powder (approx. 1/2 tsp.)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 small jar roasted red bell peppers, drained
2-3 Tbsp. sun-dried tomato paste
2-3 Tbsp. basil pesto
fresh mozzarella
handful fresh basil leaves

Instructions:

In a skillet, heat olive oil.  Season chicken breast with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to your taste preferences.  Cook them over medium high heat until no longer pink in the middle, approximately 4-6 minutes per side.  Set aside.

Cut ciabatta loaf in half the long way. 

Combine tomato paste and pesto in a bowl.  Use more or less of each depending on your taste preferences.  Spread it on one side of the bread. On the other side of the bread, lay the roasted red peppers in a single layer.  Brush olive oil onto the bread in the spaces between the red peppers so the bread doesn't burn.

Slice the chicken thinly or shred.  Lay chicken on top of pesto spread.  Add fresh mozzarella to the top of the chicken.  Bake sandwich open in the oven at 375 for 10 - 15 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly and sandwich is hot. 

Remove from oven.  Add basil leaves and put the two halves of the sandwich together.  Slice, serve, enjoy!

Husband Rating: 7 out of 10 (Which is incredibly high because my husband does not like sun dried tomatoes!)

Food for Thought: I did see in the store a sun dried tomato pesto already mixed up if you want to skip one step.  However, by mixing it up yourself, you can favor your flavor preferences.  Mine is definitely more heavy on the basil pesto side, especially because my husband doesn't like the sun dried tomatoes.  Either one works just fine!

Caprese Lasagna with Spicy Turkey Sausage

Love the recipes I am getting from this blog, www.iowagirleats.com.  This one was delicious too!  It's a take on lasagna using a white sauce and spicy sausage that was simply delicious!  It was lighter than traditional lasagna making it more appetizing during the warm fall weather we've been having.  The hot Italian sausage was a bit spicy for the boys so I might use something a little milder next time but I sure loved it!  Yum!

 

Caprese Lasagna with Spicy Turkey Sausage

Recipe adapted from www.iowagirleats.com

1 pkg. oven ready lasagna noodles
extra virgin olive oil
1 pkg. hot turkey Italian sausage (could use sweet - I might next time for the boys' sake)
2 Tablespoons butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 Tablespoons flour
1 1/2 cups chicken broth
1 1/2 cups milk
salt & pepper
5-6 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
3/4 cup torn fresh basil
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Squeeze sausage out of its casing and cook while breaking up until no longer pink. Remove to a plate and set aside.

In the same skillet, melt butter, then add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle in flour, then whisk to combine and cook for 30 more seconds.

Slowly pour in chicken broth a few tablespoons at a time, whisking to break up any lumps. Continue pouring and whisking until mixture is smooth. Pour in milk and whisk to combine. Season with salt & pepper.  Continue stirring until thick and bubbly, about 10 minutes.  Set aside.

Spray the bottom and sides of a 9×13″ baking dish with non-stick spray. Pour 1/4 cup sauce into the bottom, then spread evenly with a spatula. Layer 1/3 of the lasagna noodles.  Then top with 1/3 of the tomatoes, 1/4 cup torn basil, 1/3 of the cooked turkey sausage, 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, and 1/3 of the remaining sauce. Repeat 2 more times, for a total of three layers.

Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 15 more minutes, or until cheese is golden brown and sauce is bubbly. Let sit 5 minutes before slicing and serving.

Husband Rating: I don't think we got one for this meal but I will ask him next time because there will definitely be a next time for this meal!

Food for Thought: I think that adding some chopped spinach would be really a nice addition to this dish.  I am going to try that as well as turning down the heat on the Italian sausage for next time.  Enjoy!

You could also do this for the freezer, cooking it all up and before baking it cover it well and stick it in the freezer.  Allow to thaw in the fridge and then cook up according to instructions. 

Tuscan Kale and White Bean Soup

Even though today ended up being a lovely day and not all that cool, I am still in fall mode and in the mood for Fall-ish foods.  It doesn't help that I have family over in Italy right now on vacation.  It makes me want to eat all kinds of Italian style food... So, thought I would give this recipe a try!  The result, a delicious, healthy soup!  I loved it!  And so did the rest of the family, even the kids.  We served it with some yummy garlic bread on the side.

Tuscan Kale and White Bean Soup
Recipe adapted from www.iowagirleats.com (Love her recipes!)

1 Tbsp. olive oil
5 large carrots, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
salt/pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 kielbassa, sliced
6 c. chicken broth
1 can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
2x2 parmesan cheese rind
1 bay leaf
6 cups chopped baby kale (see note)
2 Tbsp. shredded parmesan plus more for garnish

*Baby kale is more tender.  If using regular kale, be sure to remove tough stems before chopping

Instructions:

In a large soup pot, heat oil over medium heat.  Add onions and carrots, season with salt and pepper, and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.  Add garlic and cook another 30 seconds before adding kielbassa.  Cook for another 3 minutes.

Add chicken broth, beans, cheese rind, and bay leaf.  Turn heat up to high and bring to a boil.  Add in kale and cover with a lid.  Turn heat down to medium-low and simmer for about 15 minutes.  Stir in shredded parmesan cheese, taste and adjust seasoning as necessary.

Remove bay leave (parmesan rind can stay in as it will continue to flavor leftovers) and serve with additional parmesan cheese on top if desired.  Serve with crusty bread on the side.  Enjoy!

Husband Rating: 8 out of 10

Food for Thought: If you want to do this for the freezer, I would suggest cooking it all the way, cooling it, and then freezing.  I have not tried it but it seems like it should work. 

Crispy Pesto Gnocchi with Tomatoes and Ham

Ok, I know it has been a long time since I have blogged... the start up of our fall schedule and just life in general has been a bit crazy, pushing things like blogging to the side for a while.  But, I promise you, this recipe is worth the wait!  It was delicious!!!!  So yummy!  A perfect fall recipe on a crisp Minnesota evening. Well, it doesn't have to be a fall recipe, but it was a great meal for us.  It seemed extra Fall-y (is that a word?) because we also had it with some oven roasted squash, which I love!

Crispy Pesto Gnocci with Tomatoes and Ham

Recipe adapted from www.iowagirleats.com

1 pkg. pre-made potato gnocchi
2 Tbsp. pesto
1 pt. cherry tomatoes, halved
1 c. ham cubed
2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
parmesan cheese, for topping

Boil gnocchi for 2-3 minutes or until they begin to float.  Drain and set aside.

In a large skillet, cook ham until hot and just beginning to brown.  Remove from pan. 

Add olive oil and garlic.  Cook about 30 sec. to 1 min. until garlic becomes just fragrant.  Add gnocchi in a single layer and cook until it begins to crisp on one side (about 3-4 minutes).  Shake pan and cook additional 3-4 minutes until golden and crispy on all sides.

Stir in pesto and tomatoes and ham and serve with parmesan on top.  Yum!

Husband Rating: 10 out of 10

Food for Thought: I think another nice addition to this meal might be some chopped spinach.  That always seems to go nicely.  You could also easily leave out the ham if you wanted a vegetarian version.  Check out the blog that I got the recipe from.  It's adorable.  It's written by a girl in Iowa who loves to cook and loves to run.  Hmmmm, a midwest girl who cooks and runs... sound familiar???   :)

Penne with Italian Sausage and Peppers

Though this meal will also be really good when it is cold out, it was a great summer one-dish dinner. 

 

Penne with Italian Sausage and Peppers

1/2 lb. whole wheat penne pasta
1 lb. turkey Italian sausage links
2 bell peppers, yellow, orange, or red, seeded and sliced
5 roma tomatoes, diced
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 tsp. minced garlic
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/4 c. fresh basil
salt/pepper to taste
shredded asiago cheese

Cook pasta to al dente according to package directions.  Drain, rinse, and set aside.

Meanwhile, cook sausage links in a large skillet over medium-high heat for about 15 minutes, turning occasionally.  Remove from pan and slice.

In the same pan, add olive oil and minced garlic.  Saute for 1-2 minutes and then add the onion and peppers.  Saute onion and peppers about 5 minutes or until just starting to soften.  Add tomatoes and continue to cook until tomatoes are soft and saucy, about 10 minutes.  Toss sausage and pasta in with tomatoes and peppers.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Serve topped with fresh basil and shredded cheese.

Husband Rating: 7 out of 10

Tomato, Basil, and Chicken Gemelli

This is a recipe I found on one of my favorite food blogs, www.fortheloveofcooking.net.  The blogger always has great recipes that are easy to recreate and my family generally loves them.  I liked that we were able to use a bunch of the fresh basil we got from my friend Katie's garden as well as the tomatoes from the farmer's market.  I also think that this will be even better as a cold salad for lunch tomorrow. 

Tomato, Basil, and Chicken Gemelli

12 oz. whole wheat gemelli
2 chicken breasts
salt/pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 c. pine nuts
1/2 c. fresh basil, chopped
asiago cheese, to taste

Instructions:

Cook pasta according to package directions.

In a clean, dry pan, cook pine nuts over medium heat until lightly toasted, about 5 minutes.

Season chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and garlic powder.  Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat and cook chicken, approximately 5 minutes per side, until cooked through.  Set aside for 2 minutes before cutting into bite sized pieces.

In the same pan, toss cooked pasta, garlic, tomatoes, pine nuts, and chicken with 1-2 Tbsp. olive oil.  Top with asiago cheese.

Husband Rating: 8.5 out of 10

Food for Thought: This was better the day after... I took it as a cold salad for lunch on our picnic and it was delicious.  I think next time I might even chill the pasta and eat it cold right away! 

Baked Spaghetti

I've never made baked spaghetti before but decided to try it because a friend requested it.  I made the recipe straight from Food Networks website as it was written.  But, Paula Deen, I am sorry because I spent the meal imagining the ways I will modify your recipe if I make it again.  That being said, the kids ate it up like it was their last meal.  So, although it wasn't to my personal taste preferences, they LOVED it. 

*For those who are interested, I will put my thoughts on adaptations in the Food for Thought section but the recipe is posted as I cooked it and as it was written on Food Networks website. 

Baked Spaghetti

2 cans diced tomatoes
2 c. tomato sauce
1 c. water
1/2 c. diced green pepper
1/2 c. diced onion
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 c. fresh parsley, chopped
1 1/2 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1 1/2 tsp. House Seasoning (recipe below)
1 1/2 tsp. seasoning salt
1 1/2 tsp .sugar
2 small bay leaves
1 1/2 lb. ground beef
8 ounces uncooked angle hair pasta
1 c. grated cheddar
1 c. grated Monterrey jack

Instructions:

In a large stock pot, combine tomatoes through next 11 ingredients (bay leaves).  Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce heat, cover and simmer 1 hour.

Meanwhile, in a skillet, brown ground beef until cooked through.  Add to tomato sauce and cook additional 20 minutes.

Cook the pasta according to package directions.

In a 9x13 casserole dish, scoop a layer of sauce.  Add a layer of 1/2 the noodles and a little less than 1/2 of the cheese.  Repeat the layers and finish the top with sauce.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes uncovered.  Remove from the oven, add the rest of the cheese to the top and bake an additional 5 minutes until cheese is melted.

Allow to sit for 5 minutes before cutting into squares and serving. 

Husband Rating: He was out of town and didn't try it...

Food for Thought: So, I thought of a few different things I would maybe try in this recipe next time I make it.  I am not sure if I would try them all or just a few but here is the list:  chopped spinach and finely chopped carrots in the sauce, Italian sausage instead of beef, adding some pepperoni cut into chunks to the sauce, mozzarella cheese (because doesn't mozzarella make everything good), more garlic to the sauce, and finally, perhaps some fresh herbs like basil and oregano.  Let me know what you try!

Farmer's Market Pizza

This recipe turned out amazing!  I had my doubts as I was putting corn on pizza but we all agreed that it was like a very wonderful gourmet pizza.  Definitely will be making this one again!

Farmer's Market Pizza

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light July 2011 issue

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp. fresh thyme
1 red bell pepper, sliced thinly
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. fresh or frozen corn kernels
12 oz. thinly sliced fresh mozzarella
1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese
1 c. cherry tomatoes, halved
1/3 c. fresh basil leaves
3 oz. thinly sliced prosciutto
pizza dough (either refrigerator or homemade recipe)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat.  Add olive oil and swirl pan to coat.
Add onion and thyme.  Cook for 3-5 minutes or until onions are tender.  Add bell pepper and garlic and cook for additional 2-3 minutes.  Add corn and cook until heated. 

Roll out dough onto a cookie sheet.  Lay mozzarella across crust.  Add layer or prosciutto.  Top with corn mixture, spread evenly over crust.  Finally add Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 23 minutes and then add tomatoes.  Cook additional 5 minutes or until pizza crust is golden. 

Top with basil and serve hot. 

Husband Rating: 9 out of 10

Food for Thought:  The only change I would possibly add to this would be a bit more prosciutto.  I was skimpy on it, unsure of how it would be in the recipe as it was one of the things I added on my own.  It was a good match!

Summer Veggie Baked Pasta

This was a delicious dish packed with veggies.  Everyone in the house enjoyed it!  It's another way to use all the good veggies of summer.

Summer Veggie Baked Pasta

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light magazine.

6 ounces multi-colored rotini
1 package Sweet Italian Sausage, sliced (I got it from Trader Joe's)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 large zucchini, chopped
2 medium yellow squash, chopped
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1 small yellow onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
4 Tbsp. fresh basil, chopped
1 Tbsp. fresh oregano, chopped
1 tsp. salt, divided
1/8 tsp. crushed red pepper
1/2 c. part-skim ricotta cheese
2 eggs, lightly beaten
cooking spray

Instructions:

Cook pasta to al dente according to package directions, omitting fat and salt.  Drain and set aside.

Heat a large skillet to medium-high heat and add oil.  Add zucchini, squash, and onion and saute for 5 minutes.  Add sausage, tomatoes, and garlic and saute for another 3 minutes.  Remove from heat and add pasta, 1 c. shredded mozzarella, basil, oregano, 1/2 tsp. salt, and pepper.

In a small bowl, combine ricotta cheese, eggs, and remaining 1/2 tsp. salt.

Stir into pasta mixture.  Spoon pasta into a 2 quart casserole prepared with cooking spray.

Top with remaining shredded cheese and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden and bubbly.

Husband Rating: Didn't get one... that seems to be happening more often!  I will work on hounding him for his thoughts!  :)

Food For Thought: This would also be delicious as a meatless dish or a side dish (if you took out the sausage).  I liked that it was a full balanced meal (minus fruit) without having to make multiple things!

Chicken Pesto Pizza on Whole Wheat Crust

This pizza was a bit of an experiment, well, mainly the crust.  I ran out of white flour and so decided to sub in whole wheat flour instead.  Then, realizing that whole wheat flour is a bit heavier, added some additional water to the recipe.  It tasted good but still needs a bit of work as far as texture is concerned.  I would recommend spraying the pizza pan with cooking spray or rubbing olive oil over your hands before spreading the dough on the pan. 

The toppings of the pizza themselves were delicious too and a great departure from the usual red sauce we have most other times.

Chicken Pesto Pizza on Whole Wheat Crust

Pizza Crust:

2 c. white flour

3 c. whole wheat flour

1 tsp. dry active yeast

2 tsp. salt

2 Tbsp. sugar

3+ Tbsp. olive oil, divided

2 1/4 c. water, room temperature

Pizza Toppings:

2-4 Tbsp. prepared pesto

1/2 red bell pepper, sliced

1-2 chicken breasts

1/2 to 1 c. shredded Parmesan cheese

1/2 c. fresh mozzarella, sliced

Instructions:

Combine flours, yeast, salt, and sugar and stir.  Add water and 2 Tbsp. olive oil.  Stir until well combined and let sit for 5 minutes to let the flour fully hydrate.

Stir additional 3-5 minutes until dough is tacky, not sticky.  If it is too sticky, add additional olive oil.  I would also consider mixing by hand, rather than with a spoon at this point.  Rub olive oil over your hands to prevent sticking.

Divide the pizza dough into two balls.  Spray a freezer bag with cooking spray and place one ball inside to freeze and use at a later time.  (simply thaw and roll out dough as you would if fresh when ready to use the extra crust). 

Spread dough over a pizza pan that has been sprayed with cooking spray or coated with olive oil.

To prepare the pizza toppings, cook the chicken breasts seasoning to taste with garlic, salt, and pepper until juices run clear and cooked through.  Shred the chicken and set aside.

Spread prepared pesto over pizza dough.  Add chicken and bell peppers.  Top with Parmesan cheese and fresh mozzarella.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Bake the pizza for 15-18 minutes or until golden on top.

Husband Rating: 7 out of 10

Food for Thought: I am still working on the pizza dough and will report back as I make improvements; however, I won't change the toppings combination.  More to come on this recipe...

Grilled Tomato Basil Pizza

This is one of the those meals that you can pretty much adapt to anything you like.  We grill up individual pizzas often and adapt them to whatever toppings someone wants, or quite frankly, whatever is available in the fridge on a particular night.  This is also a great entertaining meal - have people build their own with fun toppings and different creations.  We are able to fit about 8 pizzas on our grill at one time so it goes rather quickly when feeding a larger crowd.  I unfortunately don't have very specific measurements for this recipe so know that most are ballpark figures and that you should adapt it to your own taste preferences.

Grilled Tomato Basil Pizza

4 Pita bread rounds, not the pocket kind (we use whole wheat pitas)
1-2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 c. sliced cherry tomatoes
1/2 c. basil, chopped
1-2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

On each pita bread, drizzle olive oil and spread around.  Top each with desired amount of tomatoes, basil, and cheese.

Heat grill to medium-low heat.

Place pizzas on grill and turn heat down to low.  Grill for approximately 10-12 minutes or until cheese is melted and pizza is hot through.  Watch the pizzas carefully - if you cook them on too warm of a heat, they are burnt on the bottom and not hot on top.  A low temperature and patience is key to these pizzas.

Husband Rating: I forgot to ask... TBD

Food for Thought:  We use the pita bread to make all sorts of pizzas in the summer - pepperoni and green pepper, Hawaiian pizza, etc.  It works the same way as the Tomato Basil Pizza.  Simply top the pizzas as you want and cook them on low heat.  It may take a bit longer for you to cook them with more toppings but they turn out delicious and the kids love having their very own pizza, especially if we let them put the toppings on themselves!

These also work in the oven as well if it is winter or you don't have a grill.  Simply bake them at 425 degrees for about 10-15 minutes or until hot through.  Again, an easy way to make individual pizzas that the kids love - great for toddler lunches!

Chicken Puttanesca

Another cooking first for me, using anchovies in a recipe.  I have heard somewhere along the way that anchovies are the ingredient in many Italian dishes that Americans don't know they love.  I personally thought they were going to be completely icky but this recipe was good so I guess they must have enhanced the flavor. 

Chicken Puttanesca

Recipe adapted from Cooking Light Magazine

1 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 lb. chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
1/4 c. minced fresh onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 large tomatoes, chopped
1/4 c. sliced green olives
1 Tbsp. chopped fresh oregano
1/2 c. finely chopped fresh spinach
1 1/2 tsp. capers, chopped
1/4 tsp. salt
1 canned anchovy fillet, chopped
12 oz. angel hair pasta

Instructions:

Cook pasta according to package directions.

Heat 1 Tbsp. olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add chicken to pan; cook 5 minutes or until done.  Remove chicken from pan and keep warm.

Add remaining olive oil, onion, and garlic; saute 1 minute.  Add tomato and remaining ingredients.  Bring to a simmer and cook for 9 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened.  Add chicken to sauce.

Serve over angel hair pasta.


Husband Rating: No husband rating as he was out of town this night.  Maybe another time...
Food for Thought: Though I liked this recipe, it was a bit strong in flavor for the boys.  I would maybe try cutting back on the olives and capers and upping the garlic and tomatoes for them next time just to soften the flavor a bit.

Garlicky Meatballs and Linquine

This is my kind of comfort food - a good meatball with sauce and pasta.  I know my kids are going to eat it and unknowingly get a few good veggies in there too! 

Adapted from Cooking Light, March 2012

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 c. Panko
1/2 c. chopped fresh basil
3 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tsp. olive oil
1 large jar tomato basil sauce
1/2 c. finely chopped spinach (see hint below for spinach)
1/2 c. finely chopped carrot
16 oz. spinach linguine

Cook pasta according to package directions.  Reserve 1/3 c. pasta water when draining.

Combine beef and next 6 ingredients (through egg) and shape into 1 inch meatballs.  Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add meatballs and cook 5-7 minutes browning on all sides.

Reduce heat to medium low, add tomato basil sauce and reserved pasta water.  Cover and cook additional 15 minutes or until meatballs are cooked through. 

Serve over pasta with Parmesan cheese.

Food for Thought:  This is an easy freezer meal.  Simply assemble the meatballs and brown them.  Let them cool before freezing them.  When you are ready to eat, place meatballs in a skillet and add the sauce ingredients and cooked until hot all the way through. 

For the spinach, a good friend recently told me that she buys the large containers of fresh organic spinach at a store like Costco and finely chop it in her food processor.  Then, she freezes the chopped spinach in ice cube trays and pops the spinach cubes out into freezer bags so that she can easily add spinach to any of her meals.  I did this and it was so easy!  I like to toss spinach in just about anything but don't always need the large 10 oz. package worth.  This way I can pick and choose how much I add and I know that it is something the boys will unknowingly consume!  Yay! I plan to keep up my stock of chopped spinach in the freezer now that I know this trick.  (I haven't tried this for carrot yet but may do so.  It seems like it should work the same way and again, carrot is an easy veggie to add to many meals without impacting flavor greatly.)

Spaghetti Bolognese

Having a good bolognese sauce is a nice departure from the usual spaghetti with red sauce that we have.  This was delicious and fairly easy to make.  I want to make a big double or triple batch next time and freeze some for easy future use!  And, I do love a meal that has a few hidden veggies built right into it! 

Spaghetti Bolognese

Recipe adapted from http://www.letsdishrecipes.blogspot.com/


1 Tbls. olive oil
4 slices bacon
1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 carrots, finely chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 pound ground beef
2 (14 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
1 1/2 cups water
1/4 c. chopped fresh basil, plus more for garnish
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 (16 oz.) box spaghetti

Directions
Preheat olive oil in a large saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add bacon and oregano and cook until bacon is crispy.  The bacon will naturally crumble as the sauce cooks so no need to chop it up.

Add chopped onion, carrots, celery and garlic and cook until vegetables are slightly softened, about 7 minutes. 

Stir in ground beef and cook until no longer pink.

Then stir in canned tomatoes, water, and 1/4 c. chopped fresh basil.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste.  Simmer 15-20 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. 

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.  Add spaghetti and cook according to package directions. 

Serve sauce over pasta; garnish with additional Parmesan cheese and fresh basil leaves.

Husband Rating:  7 out of 10

Food for Thought: Any kind of sauce like this is easy to freeze and nice to have on hand for a quick dinner.  After you cook it, simply pour into a freezer bag and freeze.  When you are ready to eat, just heat it up on the stove and cook up some noodles. 

A way to increase the hidden veggies in this would be to either add additional chopped carrots or add some pureed carrots to it.  It wouldn't change the flavor too dramatically but would pack in a hidden vitamin punch.

Gnocchi Alla Romana

These Roman-style gnocchi aren't the usual potato, ricotta, or squash kind. This recipe is for flat semolina gnocchi that is baked and served with a red sauce.  With a glass of red wine, delicious!

Gnocchi Alla Romana

Recipe from: Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson

5 ½ cups milk

¾ c. finely chopped dry packed sun-dried tomatoes

3 cups semolina flour

½ cup unsalted butter

1 c. freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping

6 egg yolks

1 ½ tsp. fine grain sea salt

3 c. bright red tomato sauce (see below)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees, clear a lot of counter space, and slather 2 9x13 baking dishes with butter.

Combine the milk and sun dried tomatoes in a large saucepan over medium heat, bring to a simmer, and simmer gently for 1 to 2 minutes, until the tomatoes have softened and rehydrated a bit.  Gradually stir in the semolina flour, mixing until it begins to pull away from the side of the pan; this takes a minute or so.  Remove the pan from the heat and quickly stir in ¼ cup of the butter, ¾ c. of the parmesan, the egg yolks, and the salt.  If you let the yolks sit in the hot dough, they will cook and set up so work them in quickly.  Let cool for 5-10 minutes.

Put a layer of cold water on the countertop – more of a glaze than a puddle.  With wet hands, turn the gnocchi dough out onto the damp counter and spread into a ¾ inch thick slab.  Cut the dough into 1 ½ inch circles with a cookie cutter.  Gather up the scraps and press them out again until all the dough is used up.  If the dough is too tacky to stamp, let it cool for another 10 to 20 minutes.  Use a spatula to lift each gnocchi into the prepared baking dish, slightly overlapping each circle on the previous one – similar to a fanned deck of cards.  (Spread between 2 pans - the original recipe called for putting it in one dish but I found that it made way more than our family could eat and cooked a little better when split in two.)

Melt the remaining ¼ c. butter and drizzle it over the gnocchi.  Sprinkle with the remaining parmesan and bake covered for 25 minutes then uncovered for another 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. (Or, cover with plastic wrap and then foil, and then freeze.  Thaw in fridge and follow baking instructions above, remembering to remove plastic wrap before baking.)

About 5 minutes before the end of the baking time, warm the tomato sauce.  Dust the hot gnocchi with a little more parmesan, cut into individual portions, ladle tomato sauce over each, and serve piping hot.

Bright red tomato sauce

2 tbls. Extra virgin olive oil

1 ½ tsp. red pepper flakes

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. fine grain sea salt

1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes

Combine the olive oil, pepper flakes, garlic and salt in a sauce pan.  Over medium high heat, sauté for 2-3 minutes or until the garlic begins to take on the slightest bit of color.  Stir in the tomatoes, bring to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes.  Remove from the heat and season with more salt to taste.

Enjoy right away or freeze in a freezer bag for later use.  When reheating, simply thaw in the fridge and heat in a sauce pan.

Food for Thought:

I added a pound of spicy turkey Italian sausage with the red sauce, simply because my family enjoys it.  Heidi Swanson is my latest favorite cook/blogger.  She writes the blog 101 Cookbooks.  Her cookbook, Super Natural Cooking, is part of my latest adventure into the world of more organic, whole grain cooking. She offers a lot of practical advice and tips on substituting more natural ingredients for highly processed ones.  I am really excited to try more of her recipes.