One Skillet Sausage and White Bean Gnocchi **

This was my first attempt at making anything with gnocchi at home. We love the Olive Garden gnocchi soup, so I knew we'd eventually need something for that at home as well. I'm WAY behind on my reviews, so when I made the recipe, it was way too hot for the soup. This seemed like a good way to incorporate it into our meal plan. We did all like it a lot. The gnocchi didn't quite soften up like it should have, though. I don't have a Dutch Oven, so I cooked it on the stove in my regular skillet and then transferred it to a 9x13 baking dish to put it in the oven. That could have had something to do with it, I guess. Anyway, we did like it, but I don't know that I would bother with this exact recipe again. I'm usually pretty busy in the evenings, so this takes a little more prep work that I prefer, unless it's a phenomenal dish that we all are crazy about. I doubt I'll be making it again.

ONE SKILLET SAUSAGE AND WHITE BEAN GNOCCHI
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ ChelseasMessyApron)

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion chopped
2 cloves garlic minced
1 package (13 ounces) Butterball Hardwood Smoked Turkey Sausage
1/4 cup water or chicken broth
1 can (14.5 ounces) Italian diced tomatoes
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika optional
Seasoned salt and pepper
1 can (15 ounces) white kidney or cannellini beans
1 package (16 ounces) gnocchi
1 and 1/2 cups fresh spinach ~4-5 ounces
1/2 cup freshly grated mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Optional: fresh parsley

Move a rack in your oven to the upper third of the oven and then preheat to 425 degrees F.
Put a large oven-safe skillet (I use a 12 inch lodge dutch oven skillet), on the stove at medium-high heat. Pour in the olive oil.
Add in the chopped onion and stir until the onion is transparent -- about 4 minutes. Add in the garlic and stir for another 30 seconds.
Coin the turkey sausage and add to the skillet. Cook over high heat until lightly browned or about 3-4 minutes.
Add in the water or broth, undrained Italian diced tomatoes, oregano, parsley, garlic powder, paprika, seasoned salt and pepper, THOROUGHLY rinsed, drained, and dried cannellini beans, and uncooked gnocchi. Stir until everything is well combined. Gently stir in the spinach and make sure it's covered with liquid.
Top with mozzarella and Parmesan cheese and place in the oven.
Bake for 17-22 minutes. If desired, turn on the broiler and then broil for another 2-3 minutes for a delicious crispy top.
Remove from the heat, top with additional salt, pepper, and some chopped fresh parsley if desired. Enjoy immediately.

One-Pot Cajun Pasta ****

I'm sorry I've been gone a bit.  I'm still cooking, but I just started a new job last month, after working from home for the past 4 months.  It's been quite an adjustment, so I've been sticking mostly to old tried and true favorites.  Now that I've (hopefully!) found my new rhythm, I plan on getting back in to trying new recipes again!

This was just absolutely amazing.  The kids and hubs raved.  Both kids begged to take leftovers to school.  And the 10-year-old said that when he sat back down at the table after reheating his in the microwave, his friends were all telling him how it smelled like his mom must be a really good cook.  Proud mama moment. :-)  But seriously, this recipe is so amazingly easy that it would be really hard to mess it up.

I took a few little shortcuts, just because I have so little time after work now (my commute home with my new job is longer than it used to be).  For the onion and peppers, I just used a bag of frozen fajita blend peppers and onions.  I meant to set it out to let it thaw ahead of time, but since I forgot, I just threw them in with the chicken at the beginning.  The only difference was that I had to pour out a bit more liquid after everything had cooked down.  No biggie.  Then I used the pre-sliced mushrooms from the produce section.  Ideally, I would have thought to dice the chicken and sausage ahead of time, but alas, that did not happen.

We will most definitely be having this again.  They were all asking me to make it again the very next night, lol.  I'd really like to try it with some crawfish tails.  I can see them being amazing in something like this!

ONE-POT CAJUN PASTA
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ BuzzFeedTasty)

2 Tbsp olive oil
2 chicken breasts, diced
8 oz Andouille or smoked sausage, sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 yellow onion, sliced
1 red pepper, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced
2 cups fresh mushrooms, sliced
16 oz box of the pasta of your choice (we used linguine)
5 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 cup shredded Parmesan
1 Tbsp Cajun seasoning

1. Pour olive oil into the pot. Add diced chicken breast to the pot, cover with Cajun seasoning (You can use a store-bought Cajun spice mix or make your own! We used equal parts cayenne pepper, onion powder, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.), and stir until the chicken is evenly seasoned. Then, add sliced sausage and stir. Cook the meat on medium heat for 5-10 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
2. Once the meat is cooked, add in the garlic, onion, peppers, and mushrooms, and stir. Continue stirring for 3-5 minutes as the veggies cook down.
3. Add the dry pasta to the pot (if using long, thin noodles, break in half), then pour in the chicken broth. Stir until everything is well-mixed. Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, keep covered bring the heat down to a simmer for 10 minutes (stirring every two minutes). If there still extra chicken broth, you can discard it, cook longer until the liquid evaporates, or add a little cornstarch to thicken the liquid.
4. Lastly, add heavy cream and Parmesan and stir until your pasta is well blended. Garnish with green onions, more Parmesan, a sprinkle of Cajun seasoning (if you want some extra spice), and salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
*luckymommy/Amy's notes: I used a bag of frozen fajita blend peppers and onions and put them in with the chicken at the beginning.

Hoppin' John ****

Being born to a family with Southern roots, black-eyed peas are a staple on New Year's Day.  That, along with putting quarters in the windows and not doing laundry are a must in our family.  My grandmother just passed this last summer, and up until her very last New Year's, she would call around the night before and remind everyone not to do laundry.  It's the only way in which she was superstitious.  Every other fiber of her being was rooted in what is stable and reliable.  So for the remainder of my years on this Earth, I will be enjoying black-eyed peas with my quartered windows and dirty laundry on New Year's Day.  And I will be missing her the entire time.

That said, this is the only way my hubby will eat black-eyed peas, which is odd, considering that he was born and raised in the South, while I was born and raised further to the North.  So many of our first years of dating and marriage were spent with me trying to force-feed him a spoonful of black-eyed peas once a year.  Thanks to GatorGrrl, though, we've been enjoying this one together for the past 6 years.  I always serve it with Sweet Corn Cake (also from the BBC CFYF board).  Both recipes are typically only a once-a-year thing for us, which makes them a special treat.  Our kids love it as much as we do, which is a blessing in itself.  I've made a few changes over the years (mainly using green chilies for the jalapeno and cubed ham for the ham hock), but all in all, we stick pretty firmly to the recipe.  Why fix it if it ain't broke?  ;-)

HOPPIN' JOHN
(Sharon --GatorGrrrl)

4 cans black eyed peas
2 pieces of chopped up bacon
1 large onion, diced
1 large carrot, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno (take the seeds out to cut the spice)
1 large smoked ham hock
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp parsley
1 tsp oregano
1-2 cups water
Cooked white rice

Saute 2 pieces of chopped up bacon.  Use the bacon drippings to saute a large onion, garlic, and a jalapeno. Then add big smoked ham hock, 4 cans of black eye peas, a tsp each of thyme, parsley and oregano.  Add just enough water to make it soupy, about 2 cups.
Let it simmer for at least an hour, but the longer the better.  At a certain point, take the ham hock out and let it cool and chop up the ham and stir it back in.
Serve over white rice.
*Amy's notes: I use a can of chilies in place of the jalapenos and cubed ham steak in place of the ham hock.  I also stir 3-4 servings of white rice directly into the peas before serving.

Past Reviews:
1/2/11 ~ Oh man, oh man, oh man. This was wonderful! I made very few changes to the recipe, because it was the first time I've ever attempted Hoppin' John. Although I live in the South (transplant though I may be), I am sad to admit that I'd never even heard of Hoppin' John until last New Year's. My family had always done black-eyed peas and ham for luck on NYD, but dh hates black-eyed peas with a passion. He says they smell like stinky feet and taste about as good as they smell. :) He eats one bite, just for me, every year, but he detests even that much. After my boss described Hoppin' John to me last year, I decided to give it a shot, just to see if I could find a way of making them that dh could tolerate. He actually enjoyed this. For one thing, canned peas don't have that "dirt" flavor to them that fresh do, and he definitely liked that aspect of this recipe. That's why I chose this one in particular. That and the fact that I didn't want to slave away all day on some big fancy pea recipe, just to have him turn his nose up at it, lol.
We all loved this. The only big change I made was to use an 7-oz can of chilies instead of the jalapeno. My kids aren't much on spice, so this was the right decision for us. At the end, I just put 2 servings of white rice directly into the peas. I also used an extra hamhock, with the hopes that I might get some more meat off of it. Instead, I have come to the conclusion that unless you get a much better hock than I did, there is very little usable meat on it. I'm grossed out by eating the fat or skin off of it, so after sawing on those hocks for ages in search of meat, I eventually chunked them. However, I adore the smoky flavor that the ham hocks give it. I've decided that next year, I'll put the one ham hock in there, add chopped ham, and then just let someone's dog have the hock when we're done. Other than that, I am SOLD on this sucker! :)
I served it with Sweet Corn Cake, which gave the perfect mix of sweet and spicy.

One Pot Tortellini and Sausage in Tomato Cream Sauce **

This one was just okay for me.  The kids and hubby liked it, but it was too salty, in my opinion.  I didn't even add in the salt that it calls for.  I figured the kielbasa would give it plenty of salt on its own, and it does.  It's not that it has a bad taste or anything.  It's just a little too much for me.  Like I said, though, the guys all liked it.

ONE POT TORTELLINI AND SAUSAGE IN TOMATO CREAM SAUCE
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ YellowBlissRoad)

1 lb package of Turkey Kielbasa
1/2 cup diced onion
20 oz. package of refrigerated Tortellini
20 oz can of whole tomatoes, cut in the can with kitchen scissors
1 cup chicken broth or water
Pinch of salt & pepper
2 Tbsp cream cheese
2 cups shredded jack and cheddar cheeses

Cook the onion in a little olive oil until soft. Add sliced turkey sausage and cook until browned. Add chicken broth, tortellini, tomatoes, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Turn heat down to low, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until pasta is cooked to al dente. Remove from heat and add cheeses, reserving a handful for topping. Cover and let stand for five to ten minutes. Garnish with green onions, if desired. Serve hot.

Chili Dog Spaghetti ***

I thought this was pretty good.  Nothing fabulous, by any means, but a good, easy weeknight meal.  Oldest ds loved it.  Youngest ds said there was "too much ketchup sauce." lol.  Dh and I both liked it.  I used angel hair pasta and turkey hot dogs, but other than that, I pretty much stuck to the recipe.

CHILI DOG SPAGHETTI
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ Taste of Home)

8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
1 package (1 pound) hot dogs, halved lengthwise and sliced
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the hot dogs, onion and celery in oil until tender. Stir in the tomato sauce, mustard, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper. Cook, uncovered, for 5-8 minutes or until heated through, stirring occasionally.
Drain spaghetti; toss with hot dog mixture. Sprinkle with cheese. Yield: 6 servings.

Dirty Rice ****

I made this for the third time tonight, and we still love it!  My 7-year-old has actually requested that I make it again tomorrow night.  And this is coming from a boy who claims to hate red and green peppers!  He cleaned his entire plate!  I really do need to make it more often, since it's so easy and so good.

DIRTY RICE
(Mommy2Serena ~ TheRecipeReview.com ~ Adapted from Allrecipes)

1 lb hot sausage
1 onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 cup white rice
2 cups beef stock

In a skillet, over medium-high heat, cook sausage, onion, red and green pepper until the sausage is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Add the cup of white rice and two cups of beef stock and stir well. Bring this to a boil, put a lid on the skillet, reduce heat to low and let simmer for 20-25 minutes.
*Amy's notes: I like to double everything but the meat and veggies.  I also sub turkey smoked sausage and roasted red peppers.

Previous reviews:
1/24/11 Wow, we LOVED this one! The kids said it tastes kind of like Granny's jambalaya, and it kind of does. She makes the Zatarain's package and adds a lot of extra white rice to it, to give it less of the heat. This has no heat at all, which makes it perfect for the kids! Dh and I loved it too. You honestly cannot beat how easy and quick this was to throw together. My only complaint is that, as is, it really only makes about 4 servings. I normally make 6-8 of everything, so that we'll have leftovers for lunches and such. I ended up doubling the rice and beef stock mixture, and it was perfect for us. I also subbed the beef boullion dissolved in water for the beef stock, turkey smoked sausage, and roasted red peppers. Sadly, we were in such a hurry to get to the kids' practices that I didn't have time to take a pic. I'll have to do that the next time I make it - because there WILL be a next time. :) Love, love, love this bad boy!!! 

Pork Chops Delite ****

OMG, this dish seriously is "delightful," lol. The entire family oohed and ahhed over it. I doubled the sauce and used 8 smaller boneless chops. When it was done, I took out the chops and added more milk and flour for the gravy. At the end of the meal, dh said, "You HAVE to make this one again." :)

Pork Chops Delite
Rachel--burns_toast

4 pork chops
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
1/2 cup beer
salt/pepper to taste
flour for dredging
1 tbsp. butter/oil

Heat butter/oil in large skillet. Dredge chops in seasoned flour. Cook in skillet until browned on both sides. Mix remaining ingredients, pour over chops. Cover and simmer about 45 minutes.

BLT Egg Salad Croissant ***

BLT EGG SALAD CROISSANT
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ Recipezaar)

6 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1/3 cup celery, diced fine
1/3 cup mayonnaise
¼ teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/3 cup crumbled cooked bacon
4 split plain croissants
Lettuce leaves
Sliced tomatoes

Mix together eggs, celery, mayonnaise and salt and pepper.
Fold in bacon.
Place ½ cup egg salad on each croissant half.
Top with lettuce and tomato and replace top half of croissant.