Fontina Mac N Cheese Gnocchi with Basil Chicken Sausage

I have been super awful about posting things recently, being so busy with everything wedding!
But, I'm going to try to get better! So here's a great one to start back up again!

Ingredients! (for 2 servings)

- 16oz Sweet Potato/Whole wheat Gnocchi (I get mine at World Market)
- 1 Tbsp Corn Starch
- 1/3 Cup veggie or chicken stock
- 2/3 Tbsp Olive oil
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/3 cup Milk (I used lactose free)
- 3/4 Cup Fontina Cheese
- 1/2 Cup Cheddar Cheese (I used a Cheddar goat cheese - Sprouts)
- 1/4 Cup grated Parm Cheese
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp pepper
- Freshly chopped Basil as a topping
- Basil Chicken Sausage (I got it fresh from Sprouts)

1. Cook the Gnocchi according to the package.
2. While you're doing that, sear your sausage in a pan and cut into medallions.

3. Once your Gnocchi is floating, drain them and put them to the side.

4. Whisk the cornstarch and the stock together in a bowl until the cornstarch is dissolved.

5. Heat olive oil in a saucepan and add garlic for 1-2 minutes.

6. Start searing your sausage medallions while you wait for your oil to heat. Leave those on for 4 minutes a side or until nicely browned.
7. Stir the cornstarch mix into your saucepan with the garlic, and whisk.
8. Add the milk and whisk constantly until it reaches a boil then get it off the stove and add all of your cheese and season with salt and pepper!

9. Combine your gnocchi, sauce, and sausage in a large bowl or pan and toss to mix.

10. Serve with basil and .... nom nom nom.....

Persian Grilled Chicken with mixed veggies and Jasmine Rice

Ingredients: (6 servings)
- 1 cup greek yogurt
- 1/8 cup oil
- 3 Tbsp Garlic
- juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tsp Cumin
- 1 tsp Saffron (Soaked in 2 Tbsp hot water for 10 minutes)
- 1/2 tsp coriander
- 6 tenderloins

Mix EVERYTHING! Let marinate for 1-3 hours.

While that's marinating, chop up some veggies and put them in a little extra of the marinade.


Grill chicken and saute the veggies!

Make the Jasmine rice while the food is on the grill.

Serve and enjoy.

Grilled Teriyaki Pork Chops

Ingredients!

- 2/3 cups soy sauce
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 1Tbsp chopped garlic
- 2 tsp ground ginger
- 4-6 pork chops

Sides
- Couscous (I made with salt, pepper, and garlic)
- Broccoli

***** note***** This recipe needs marinating time :)

1. Combine everything but the pork chops in a saucepan.
2. Bring to a boil until the sugar has dissolved.

3. Let the sauce cool for about 30 minutes.

4. Put the pork into the sauce and place into the fridge for about 4-6 hours.

.......4-6 hours later......

5. Prepare your grill for the chops.

6. Pour the marinade into a pan and boil for 3 minutes.... use this to baste the pork on the grill.

7. While that pork is cooking, make your sides.

Enjoy!!!

Almond Crusted Chicken with a Strawberry Vinegarette

Ingredients!
- 2 chicken breasts
- 3/4 cup panko
- 1/3 cup sliced almonds
- 1 Tbsp fresh rosemary
- pepper to taste

- 1 tsp oil
- 1/4 cup diced shallot
- 1/2 cup strawberry preserves (I like mine sweet, if you want more vinegar, reduce to 1/3)
- 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
- 1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth


So first, preheat your oven to 375 deg F

Then throw your almonds, pepper, rosemary, and panko into your food processor. Pulse a few times until it's even and then pour onto a plate

Coat your chicken in the panko mix and put on a pan and into the oven for about 15 minutes.

Brown your shallots in a little bit of olive oil.

 

Add your vinegar and cook off for about 2 minutes. 

Add your strawberry preserves and mix until all cohesive and melted.

Add your chicken broth and mix until it reduces just a bit.

Cut up some strawberries, pour your sauce over your crusted chicken, and enjoy!

Copy-cat Medieval Times Tomato Bisque

Ingredients!
(for this batch I multiplied everything by two, to get all of the freezable containers.)
- 1/8 cup butter
- 1 onion
- 1.5 sticks celery
- 1 carrot
- 2 cloves garlic
- 3 Tbsp flour
- 3 Tbsp tomato paste
- 4 cups chicken broth (or 2 chicken, 2 veggie)
- 2 (14.5oz) cans of fire roasted tomatoes
- 3 Tbsp sugar
-1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 cup cream (or soy milk)
- salt and pepper to taste

So gather you ingredients and and prep a huge pot.

Put your butter and garlic at the bottom of the pot and let the garlic brown.
Add all of your chopped veggies and let those simmer in your butter/garlic mixture.

Mix all of your liquids (except for cream) and the flour in a bowl. Leave out your tomatoes because there's a ton of them.

Pour everything in your pot, cover, and let simmer for about 15 minutes.

Once your 15 minutes have passed and all of your ingredients are tender, go ahead and use a STICK MIXER! (easiest way) to mostly liquify your soup.

Add your cream and stir in after you turn off the heat.

Now.... since I made a TON of soup. I portioned it out into double servings in containers and froze them!

*** big plus of this soup... it freezes really well and also thaws in about 5-10 min in a pot. Such a quick dinner!

Make some Garlic bread and enjoy your soup!

Skinny Beef Lo Mien

Ingredients

- 8 oz of whole wheat spaghetti

- 1 tsp Sesame Oil

- 1/2 cup boiling water

- 2 beef bullion cubes

- 3 tbsp. soy sauce

- 2 tbsp. brown sugar

- 1 lb beef

- 1.5 cup shredded carrots

- 2 cups broccoli

- 1/2 chopped onion

- 1 tbsp. chopped garlic

4-3 servings..... again.... depending on the other person eating.... nudge nudge....

Make your spaghetti like normal and when finished toss in your sesame oil.

Boil your 1/2 cup water in the microwave and throw the bullion cubes, brown sugar, and soy sauce once you have microwaved for 2 min. Zap for another 30 seconds if it's chunky.

Cook your onions, garlic and carrots in a big sauce pan or a wok while you steam your broccoli.

Remove all from heat and put your beef in the pan with 1/3 of your sauce. Sear until almost done.

Add back all of your veggies and toss for about a minute.

Add your noodles and another 1/3 of the sauce.

Serve with green onions on top for garnish and deliciousness......

Pour sauce over your noodles if you need more flavor!

Skinny Chicken Parm

I forgot to take process pictures!!!!!
But here's the recipe!

4 servings.... or 2 and a half if you have a very hungry fiance....

Ingredients

- 4 large chicken tenderloins

- 3/4 cup Italian breadcrumbs

- 1/2 cup parmesan cheese

- smart balance olive oil spray

- 3/4 cup mozzarella

- 1 cup tomato sauce

     - 1 can sauce

     - 1 can paste

     - 1 tbsp. Italian seasoning

     - 1 tbsp. garlic

- 2 Zucchini

Preheat your oven to 400 deg F

Mix your breadcrumbs with all of your parm cheese.

Coat your chicken with the breadcrumbs and put onto a sprayed backing sheet

Cook for 20 minutes.

While that is cooking put all of your ingredients for the sauce into a pot and simmer.

Also use your Veggini!!! to make zucchini pasta. If you don't have one, use a peeler or just cut pasta shaped pieces with a knife.

Take your chicken out, spray the pan and flip the pieces. Cook for 5 more minutes.

Take your chicken out and put 2 tbsp. of sauce on each piece and cover with mozzarella.

Put that back in the oven for about 3 minutes to melt the cheese.

Layer your "pasta" some sauce, and then a piece of chicken on your plate and enjoy!

Spicy Sriracha Shrimp Zucchini Lo Mein

Ingredients:
- 1 Package Lo Mein
- 1 Tbsp butten
- 1 Zucchini
- 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
- 2 Eggs
- 2 1/2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
- 1 tsp Ginger
- 1/2 cup Cilantro
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- 1/2 lb Shrimp
- 3 Cloves Garlic
- 1 Tbsp Brown Sugar
- 2 Tbsp Sriracha
- 1 tsp Sesame Oil
- 3 Green Onions

Stir together your brown sugar, soy sauce, sriracha, ginger, and sesame oil in a bowl.

 Chop up all of your ingredients and have them ready by the cooktop because the steps go pretty fast in this recipe.

 Melt your butter with red pepper flakes in a wok. Then add your eggs and cook until scrambled and remove from wok.

 Put in shrimp and cook for about 5 minutes, remove them from the wok.

 Throw in your zucchini and your garlic until the edges of your veggies are browned.

 Add your lo mein and all of your ingredients you cooked, along with 2 Tbsp of the sauce. Let that sit in the wok until your noodles are tender. Throw in your cilantro and green onions and stir.

 Serve up with a bit more cilantro as garnish and enjoy! This is a little spicy so if you need to cut the spice, add a bit more soy sauce. If you like it even more spicy, then add another tsp of your sauce!