Skillet Gnocchi

Wowza.  This recipe is amazing.  Some of you may already know this, but I am a huge gnocchi fan.  Maggiano's, a chain Italian restaurant here in town, makes some pretty tasty gnocchi.  However, I think this skillet gnocchi is my all-time favorite.

Not only is this dish bursting with flavor, but it's really easy to make and doesn't take more than 30 minutes!  What more could you want?  Makes four servings, but I'd be surprised if you managed to save any leftovers.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. and 1 Tsp. Olive Oil
• (1) 16 oz. Package Dry Gnocchi (Found in Pasta Aisle)
• 1 Medium Yellow Onion, Thinly Sliced
• 4 Cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1/2 Cup Water
• 6 oz. Spinach or Chard
• (1) 15 oz. Can Fire Roasted Tomatoes
• (1) 15 oz. Can White Beans
• Italian Seasoning and Black Pepper to Taste
• 1/4 Cup Crumbled Goat Cheese
• 1/4 Cup Shredded Parmesan Cheese

Directions:

• Heat 1 tbsp. oil in large skillet over medium heat.
• Add gnocchi and cook for 5 - 7 minutes or until gnocchi is puffed up and slightly brown.
• Put gnocchi into bowl and set aside.
• Add remaining 1 tsp. oil to pan along with onion.
• Cook for two minutes or until onion starts to brown.
• Add water and garlic, cover skillet, and cook for 4 - 6 minutes or until onion is soft.
• Add spinach or chard to skillet and cook, stirring, for 1 - 2 minutes or until spinach has wilted.
• Stir in tomatoes, beans, pepper, and Italian seasoning and stir to combine.
• Allow mixture to heat, stirring occasionally, until it starts simmering.
• Fold in gnocchi and level mixture in skillet.
• Sprinkle cheeses over the top of the mixture and cover.
• Cook for 3 - 5 minutes or until sauce is bubbling and cheese has melted.

Caramelized Onions & Mushrooms

Excuse the poor picture - I forgot to take one before we started eating these!  The weather here has been gorgeous lately.  Mr. Kitchin cleaned up our patio and grill over the weekend, so we decided to cook up some burgers.

Now, I love a (non-beef) burger with all the trimmings as much as the next person.  However, as you know, I'm trying to watch my waistline these days so instead of mayo and cheese I opted for some DELICIOUS caramelized onions and mushrooms.

These only take about 10 - 15 minutes to cook up and make enough to top six burgers.  It's so good you can even eat it by itself as a salad of sorts.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tbsp. Olive Oil
• 1 Medium Yellow Onion
• 2 Cups Sliced Mushrooms
• 2 Tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. Brown Sugar

Directions:

• Heat oil in skillet over medium heat.
• Add onions and cook 3 - 5 minutes or until onions start to yellow.
• Add mushrooms and cook 5 - 7 minutes or until onions and mushrooms start to brown.
• Add vinegar and mix well to combine.
• Add sugar and mix well to combine.
• Continue to heat for another 5 - 8 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Peanut Butter Dog Bones

These were pretty easy to make and my dogs seem to love them.  I made some with a bone-shaped cookie cutter and for others I rolled the dough into a 1" ball and then pushed down the middle with my thumb to make a little disc-shaped cookie.  You can do whatever shape you like - I'm sure you're dog will find them delicious either way.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 Cup Peanut Butter
• 1 Cup Water
• 1 Tbsp. Vegetable Oil
• 2 1/4 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
• 1 Cup Oatmeal

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375.
• Whisk together oil, water, and peanut butter until well-combined.
• Slowly mix in whole wheat flour until a dough is formed.
• Using hands, knead in last bit of flour and then slowly knead in oatmeal until well combined.
• On floured surface, roll out dough until it is 1/4" - 1/2" thick.
• The dog bones will not puff up in the oven, so they will only be as thick as you make them.
• Cut the dough into whatever shape you choose.
• Cook on ungreased cookie sheet for 30 - 35 minutes (bones will be hard).
• Allow to cool for 30 - 45 minutes and then store in airtight container.
• Makes 30 - 36 bones depending on size.

Fritz approves!

Cowboy Vegetable Bake

This recipe is really easy and pretty tasty.  I think I prefer the southwestern vegetable bake with corn bread poured over the top, but this was still good.  Low in calories and high in fiber and protein, it's healthy and hearty.  Makes six servings.

Ingredients:

• 1 Can Whole Kernel Corn
• 1 Can Kidney Beans, Drained
• 1 Can Fire Roasted Tomatoes
• 1 Medium Zucchini, Chopped
• Chili Powder to Taste
• 1/4 Cup Low Fat Cheddar
• 1 Cup Bisquick Heart Smart
• 1 Cup Skim Milk
• 1/2 Cup Egg Whites
• Salt and Pepper to Taste

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400.
• Mix all vegetables in a bowl and add chili powder to taste.
• Spread in even layer in the bottom of a large, greased baking dish.
• Top with cheese.
• In separate bowl, whisk together Bisquick, milk, eggs, salt and pepper until well combined.
• Pour biscuit mixture over vegetables.
• Bake for 35 - 40 minutes or until golden.
• Remove from oven and allow to sit for at least five minutes before serving.

Mock Tuna Salad

This delicious, vegetarian version of the classic sandwich spread is easy to make, low in fat, and high in fiber.  It's a win-win.  Have it alone, on crackers, or use it like I did to make a "tuna" melt.  This was fantastic and I will definitely be making it in bulk in the very near future.

Ingredients:

• (1) 19 Oz. Can Chickpeas
• 2 Tbsp. Fat-Free Mayo
• 2 Tbsp. Stone Ground Mustard
• 1 Tbsp. Sweet Pickle Relish
• 2 Green Onions, Diced
• Salt, Pepper, and Garlic Salt to Taste

Directions:

• Drain chickpeas and empty into large bowl.
• Using a potato masher, squash chickpeas down until they start turning into a paste, but maintain some texture (see photo above for reference).
• Mix in remaining ingredients.
• Keeps in fridge up to one week.

Southern-Style Sweet Potato Pie

Yesterday I became a real Texas - I made my first sweet potato pie.  Sweet potato pie tastes very similar to pumpkin pie, but the flavor and texture are slightly different.  The pie was DELICIOUS and is something I plan on making again in the future.  The recipe below is a combination of a few recipes I found online.  If you've never tried it before, I encourage you to make one!  It does take some time, but the process is relatively easy.  Share pictures if you attempt your own!  Makes 8 - 12 servings depending on how large you like your pie slices.  I didn't bother with nutrition facts on this one.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• (1) 1 Lb. Sweet Potato
• (1) 9" Unbaked Pie Crust (You Can Make Your Own if You're Ambitious)
• 2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter, Softened
• 2 Medium Eggs, Slightly Beaten
• 1 Cup White Sugar
• 1 Tbsp. Unbleached White Flour
• 1/2 Tsp. Salt
• 1/2 Cup 1% Fat Buttermilk
• 1/4 Tsp. Baking Soda
• 1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 Tsp. Each: Cinnamon, Ginger, and Nutmeg
• Tinfoil or a Pie Crust Shield (Like This One)

Directions:

• Fill large stock pot with water and boil whole sweet potato, skin and all for 45 - 50 minutes or until soft.
• Run cold water over the potato until cool, then remove the skin (it should rub off easily).
• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Mash sweet potato well.
• Put sweet potato mash into stand mixer and add eggs and butter; turn mixer to medium-high level.
• In separate bowl, sift together sugar, salt, flour, and spices.
• Add sugar mix to stand mixer and continue to mix on medium-high.
• Add buttermilk, baking soda, and vanilla to stand mixer.
• Allow filling to mix on medium-high until very smooth; will be somewhat runny.
• Pour filling into pie crust
• Cover rim of crust with a homemade tinfoil circle or a pie crust shield; make sure it's not touching the filling.
• Bake for 45 minutes and then turn off oven; leave pie in oven.
• Allow pie to cool slowly in oven.  This will keep the pie from cracking in the center.  Pie can come out after 25 - 30 minutes.
• Serve pie with whipped cream or ice cream with a little pumpkin pie spice sprinkled over it.

Vegetable Korma

DISCLAIMER: This is a really lazy post.  I'm sorry.  I've been getting up at 4:45AM and going to boot camp for the past four weeks and I ran three miles after work today.  Tomorrow's post will be less lazy.

All right, y'all.  This is another Cooking Light recipe, and it kind of sucked.  It wasn't BAD, but it just didn't have much flavor.  If I had it to do over again I'd use 3 Tbsp. of tomato paste instead of one and I'd also add some salt and pepper.

Since I'm just not feeling this dish and I'm exhausted, here is the link to the recipe.  According to their nutritional info, it only has 370 calories per serving including the rice.  Makes four servings.

Goat Cheese and Artichoke Strata

Hot damn.  This week's cooking is off to a fantastic start.  If you like goat cheese and artichokes as much as I do, you will love this dish.  You could make this strata for a fancy brunch or a quiet dinner at home; it will be just as tasty at either event.  This is one of my new favorites and I will absolutely be making it again and again and again and...you get the idea.  Recipe from Cooking Light magazine (a good buy if you're looking for a food mag).  Makes six servings.

Ingredients:

• 1 Tsp. Light Olive Oil
• 1/2 Cup Chopped Green Onion
• 10 Oz. Canned Artichoke Hearts, Halved
• 2 Cloves Garlic, Minced
• 1/2 Tsp. Herbs de Provenance
• 4 Medium Eggs
• 1 3/4 Cup Non-Fat Milk
• 1/2 Cup Low-Fat, Shredded Parmesan
• 1 Tsp. Pepper
• 1/2 Tsp. Salt
• 1/2 Loaf of French Bread, Cut into 1" Cubes (About 5 Cups)
• 3 Oz. Goat Cheese
• Cooking Spray

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375°.
• Heat large skillet over medium heat.
• Add olive oil and swirl to coat pan.
• Add green onion and cook for two minutes.
• Add garlic and artichoke hearts and cook for eight minutes or until artichokes start to brown.
• Stir in herbs de provenance and set aside; allow to cool for 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in large bowl whisk together milk, eggs, salt, and pepper.
• Fold in Parmesan and bread.
• Fold in cooled artichoke mixture and allow to sit for 20 minutes.
• Grease 9" baking dish.
• Spread 1/2 of mixture to bottom of dish.
• Crumble 1/2 of goat cheese over layer.
• Spoon remaining mixture over cheese.
• Top with remaining 1/2 of the goat cheese.
• Bake for 50 minutes or until browned and bubbly.