Recipe Review – Southern Living Chicken and Gnocchi

It’s getting to that time of year when my favorite activity is to snuggle up on the couch, sit down with a big pile of magazines, and go back through them to remind myself what I marked the first time (or what I missed completely!). When I was re-reading one of my Southern Living magazines (February, 2014), I came across this version of a chicken and dumplings recipe that I just had to try! I’m a sucker for comfort food and this looked amazing.  The twist is that instead of making a traditional southern dumpling, you make a gnocchi (an Italian dumpling).

After making the recipe a couple of times, we’ve all decided it’s a keeper! This Chicken and Gnocchi was creamy and comforting without being too heavy.  The wine sauce was light and silky and let the flavor of the roasted chicken and veggies come through.  The gnocchi had a nice texture and gave the dish a heartier feel. I topped my rendition with a bit of freshly chopped parsley for brightness and served it with a crusty roll for sopping up any extra sauce. As has become my usual, I used my poached chicken and homemade stock (from this previous post!), and I do think homemade stock makes anything better.

If you’re looking for a hearty, comforting meal without feeling overly stuffed, this is the one. Give it a try!

Recipe from February, 2014, Southern Living linked here: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/chicken-gnocchi-50400000133132/

(In the spirit of honesty, the above picture shows a time when I cheated and used store bought gnocchi instead of making it like the recipe says to. I actually preferred the recipe’s home made version, and it really wasn’t that difficult.)

Cinnamon Apple & Almond Oatmeal

The past few mornings around here have been amazing.  The temperatures have been in the 50’s, and I have been getting up early and opening the windows to bring a chill to the house. A cozy blanket, hot coffee, and my “me time” starts my day off right. I figured some warm, hearty oatmeal would just complete the picture.

Cinnamon Apple & Almond Oatmeal     makes 2-3 servings

• 1 Apple, cored and diced
• 1 Tablespoon Butter
• ½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
• ½ cup Oats
• 1 ¾ cup Almond Milk (or regular milk)
• 1 Tablespoon Brown Sugar
• ¼ cup Sliced Almonds

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium high heat. Add diced apple and cinnamon; cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Pour apples into a bowl while you cook oatmeal.

In same pot, bring milk to a boil, add oats, reduce to a simmer and cook 5-6 minutes stirring frequently. Stir in brown sugar and almonds. Stir in apples. Serve hot.

Presto! It’s Pesto!

My favorite thing about the summer season very well could be making pesto. There is something so satisfying about blending up my own batch from my very own basil that I grew! I usually make at least 3-4 batches each summer, and this year, I might even be able to squeeze a couple more out of my basil plants. My dad always said that if you cut your plants back every once in a while, they will grow better. Well, I’ve been cutting, and that basil has been growing!

My favorite pesto recipe is Ina Garten’s, and that’s where I always start. I like that her recipe uses both walnuts and pine nuts. Pine nuts are so expensive these days that using a combo with less expensive walnuts helps keep the cost down. I don’t usually put in quite as much olive oil as her recipe calls for because I like a thicker pesto (more like a spread), and I can always add a little oil to thin it out depending on what I’m making.

Pesto is so easy to throw together, and you feel like you made something really special.  I usually put it in ice cube trays and freeze it, then pop out the cubes and keep them the freezer for pesto all year long. Just pull out a couple of cubes, defrost for a few minutes on the counter and you are good to go! I wanted to share a few of my favorite ways to use pesto, so here goes!

1. Warm a little extra virgin olive oil in a shallow dish, swirl in a spoonful of pesto, enjoy as a dipping sauce for good crusty bread.
2. Slather it on sandwiches! I love turkey and pesto or grilled chicken and pesto, but it’s also fabulous on a simple grilled cheese.
3. Cook your favorite shape pasta, mix a spoonful or two of pesto with a little of the pasta water, and toss. Throw in some halved grape tomatoes. Easy dinner!
4. Toss pesto with cooked veggies. One of my favorites is pesto and roasted green beans and potatoes. Sounds strange, but so good!
5. And finally, today’s recipe – Roasted tomato and pesto toasts. One of my go-to appetizers, and always a hit!

Roasted Tomato and Pesto Toasts           makes 8

• 4 Roma tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon coarse (or kosher) salt
• 2-3 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling/brushing
• 8 slices French baguette, cut into 1/2” slices
• 3 Tablespoons pesto
• 2-3 Tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese

Slice tomatoes into 4 slices each (cut lengthwise for oval slices). Lay down a double layer of paper towels, places slices on towels in a single layer, sprinkle with the salt. Let the tomato slices rest for 15 minutes. The salt will draw some of the moisture out. After 15 minutes, blot dry with another paper towel.

Preheat oven to 400⁰. Place tomatoes on a baking pan prepared with non-stick spray. Roast tomato slices for 20 minutes.

Place baguette slices on another baking pan. Drizzle or brush with olive oil. When the tomatoes come out of the oven, put the bread slices in for 4 minutes. They will lightly toast.

Spread each toast evenly with pesto, top with two roasted tomato slices, and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Put the assembled toasts back in the oven for 5 more minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

My Best Friend’s Wedding…Shower

 

So my best friend is getting married (insert girly squeals here), and I had the opportunity to host one of her showers!

We wanted a laid back, fun shower where people could just hang out and families could get to know one another. You’d have to double check with her, but I think we achieved it.

The couple is super outdoorsy (as in 5 bikes, 2 kayaks, and all kinds of camping gear in their garage), so our “camp” theme was a no brainer. We asked guests to bring gifts for their campsite and backyard and served food including sliders, corn on the cob, and s’mores on a stick.

I just thought I’d share a few photos of our fun evening.  Feel free to borrow ideas for your next event. (I’m sure I borrowed quite a few myself!)

We held the shower in the backyard, and decided to go pretty simple with the decorations. I made a couple of wooden signs reminiscent of what you might think of for a classic summer camp. Flowers from the garden, burlap accents, and yard games finished it off.

The “S’mores on a Stick” we’re a huge hit, and really quite easy to make.  I made 60 and only needed one bag of chocolate candy melts and one sleeve of graham crackers. Mason jars filled with uncooked rice held them upright with no problems.

We finished the evening with everyone filling up a goodie bag from our trail mix bar. We had a table full of nuts, candies, and dried fruit with more touches of burlap and tags that matched the invitations.

Amazingly the rain held off, and it was a fantastic night with plenty of food, fun, and fellowship.

Three Meat Italian Casserole

Usually by this time of year, I’m over the summer heat, and the first sign of fall gets me super excited.  I’m ready to break out the casseroles and the comfort food, which is just what I did this weekend. We had a couple of cooler days in a row, and I thought, “why wait?” So, I made my favorite Italian casserole, and the whole family chowed down!

This Italian casserole is filled with three different meats, a rich tomato sauce, and all the cheesy goodness you could hope for.  It makes way more than our family of three can eat, so I usually break it into two casseroles and either give the other one to a friend or freeze it for later (yes it freezes!). It’s also a great one to make over the weekend, put it in the fridge, and just bake it later in the week when you need an easy dinner.

Are you ready for cooler temperatures and hearty casseroles? Give this one a try!

3-Meat Italian Casserole

• 1 lb. package Italian sausage links
• 1 lb. lean ground beef
• 1 lb. ground sausage
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ Tablespoon dried basil
• ½ Tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 14oz. cans diced tomatoes and liquid
• 1 28oz. can crushed tomatoes
• 2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/8 cup sugar
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 16 oz. box pasta (I like penne or rigatoni for this dish.)
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese

Brown Italian sausage links on all sides over medium heat in a frying pan. Add ½ cup water, cover, and continue to cook. Turn links over after 5 minutes, recover, and cook 5 minutes more. Slice links into pieces. Set aside.

In large pot, brown ground beef and ground sausage. When almost done, add onion and cook about 5 minutes more. Drain, if needed. Add garlic, salt, and pepper, and cook 1 minute more.

Stir in basil, oregano, all tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, and reserved Italian sausage slices. Bring to slow simmer. Stir in cream of mushroom soup. Simmer for about 30 minutes stirring occasionally.

While sauce simmers, cook pasta according to package directions, but leave it underdone. It will continue to cook once you add the sauce and bake the casserole. Nobody wants mushy pasta!

Drain the pasta, turn off the sauce, and combine the two. Pour into one giant casserole dish (coated with non-stick spray) or two smaller dishes.  Top with cheese.

Cover and refrigerate, or go ahead and bake.

Bake uncovered at 375⁰ for about 25 minutes if baking right away. If refrigerated, bake covered with foil for about 45 minutes, then remove foil and bake another 10 minutes to brown top.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

I love a good soup, and generally I don’t follow that unwritten rule that you can’t have hot soup in the summer. If I want soup, I’ll have soup – no matter the season.

So, a couple of weeks ago, I decided I was ready for the homey goodness that only a bowl of soup can bring, and I made a big batch of my chicken pot pie soup. (Much to the surprise of the Hubby who exclaimed, “soup in August?!” I guess he does follow that rule.) Oh well, we had soup, and he thought it was delicious!

All of the rich flavors I would normally put in my regular chicken pot pie are now in an amazing soup, and I think I like it better this way. The brothy-ness of the soup makes it a little lighter than a traditional pot pie.

I do poach my own chicken and use the rich homemade broth (look back here for a how-to), but you can certainly use store bought broth and a rotisserie chicken for an easier, time-saving version. And if you think you’ll miss the pastry crust that comes with a pot pie (my favorite part!) just bake off some squares of puff pastry and float them on top of the soup.

Chicken Pot Pie Soup

• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 celery stalks, diced
• 3-4 medium carrots, diced
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon pepper
• Olive oil for sautéing, about 2 tablespoons
• 3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
• 6 cups chicken broth
• 1 can cream of celery soup
• ½ teaspoon dried tarragon
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 3 cups shredded cooked chicken

Sauté onion, celery, and carrots in olive oil with salt and pepper over medium high heat for 10 minutes or until cooked through and browned.

Stir in broth and potatoes, bring to boil, reduce heat and continue cooking at a simmer for 15 minutes.

Stir in cream of celery, tarragon, peas, and chicken. Simmer 10 more minutes.

Serve with crusty bread (or a square of puff pastry!)

Mediterranean Orzo Pasta

I have found my new go-to pasta salad! Whether it’s to eat here at home or take to a pot-luck, this is it! I really could eat this pasta salad by the bowlful.

These hot summer days call for an easy, cool side dish, so I threw together some of my favorite flavors and wow-ed the family. You have the light, lemony dressing with the sweet bites of grape tomatoes and tangy feta cheese.  Cucumber adds crunch, and herbs straight from the garden add a freshness you just can’t get any other way.

This is a great make-ahead dish and comes together in a flash. Next time you have a hankering for a summery side dish or need to take something to a picnic, give this a try. I really don’t think you’ll be disappointed!

Mediterranean Orzo 

• 1 cup Orzo pasta, cooked and drained according to package directions
• 1 Cucumber, seeded and diced (peel if you wish)
• 2 Green Onions, diced
• ½ cup Kalamata Olives, chopped
• 1 Roasted Red Pepper, chopped (about ¼ cup)
• ½ pint Grape Tomatoes, halved
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh Parsley
• 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
• Juice from 1 Lemon
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 8 oz crumbled Feta Cheese

In a large bowl, toss together cooked pasta, cucumber, onion, olives, red pepper, tomatoes, and parsley.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together mustard, lemon juice, salt, and olive oil to make a dressing. Pour over pasta mixture and stir to combine. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight.

When ready to serve, remove from refrigerator and let set for 15 minutes to loosen the dressing. Stir in feta, reserving a few crumbles to sprinkle on the top.

 

Two-Tone Dining Table

As you may have read back in an earlier post, I have a habit of picking up furniture I deem worthy of rescuing, and this table was no exception.

I came across this table while trolling the furniture section of Craigslist, and at $35, I thought it was a steal and would make a cute little breakfast table.

From the picture posted online (above), it looked like someone had already primed it, and my plan was to paint it an antique white and give it a light distressing. But plans change. When I got the table home and really gave it a good inspection, I realized a couple of things: First, the primer job was pretty terrible, and second, this baby was quarter sawn oak and would be amazing if I could restore it!!

So, plan #2 – Strip, sand, and stain to restore the table back to its original beauty. But again, plans change. Stripping the primer off this table was a nightmare.  My mom and I managed to get the top surface pretty clean, but the table base was just not having it.  I could sand it down and smooth out the primer drips, but to completely remove the primer would have taken weeks (and my sanity!)

Ok, so plan #3 – Restore the top and go with the distressed antique white on the base. Finally, a plan that stuck!

The base is my favorite white – Swiss Coffee by Behr. The top is stained with a combination of Minwax English Chestnut and Early American. The entire piece is finished with a rub-on polyurethane.

When all was said and done, even through all of the frustrations and changes, this table has turned out to be my biggest accomplishment and favorite furniture make-over.  I couldn’t just sell it to a stranger, so it was gifted to my brother and his wife as they build their new home together.  They tell me that it fits in perfectly with their style and they love it, but they have been given specific instructions to send it back this way if they ever decide to make a change!

Lemon Garlic Chicken on Rosemary Skewers

We seem to eat a lot of chicken around here, and I’m totally okay with that. It’s something we all eat, it goes with everything, and it’s one of the healthier options. So, since chicken works its way into our menu several times a week, I like to play with marinades and change up the flavors.

This lemon-garlic marinade is fresh and flavorful, and skewering the chicken on rosemary stems makes for a fabulous presentation, even on a weeknight! Plus, smaller cubes of meat on a skewer cut down on cooking time, and that always works for me!

The lemon and garlic flavors are fairly versatile – you can serve this over a simple pasta, alongside roasted or grilled veggies, or even in a pita like a gyro. I think I’ll make it again next time we have company and show off a little bit!

Lemon Garlic Chicken on Rosemary Skewers

Marinade

• Zest and juice of 1 lemon
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon pepper
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

Other

• 1 ½ – 2 lbs boneless chicken breast, cut into 1” cubes
• 4-6 rosemary stems, need to be fairly sturdy

Wisk all marinade ingredients to combine. Put chicken in a zip top bag, add marinade, massage to coat. Refrigerate at least 2 hours.

Skewer chicken onto rosemary stems leaving about ½” between cubes of meat. Grill over medium-high heat until chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes per side.