Swedish Meatballs in Sour Cream Sauce

I found this recipe on Land O' Lakes website years ago. To make it a little easier, I started using frozen meatballs.

Swedish Meatballs in Sour Cream Sauce

2 bags (16 oz) Armour meatballs
2 cups half & half
1 cup sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 teaspoon salt
1 package egg noodles

Cook meatballs as directed on package in 13x9 baking dish.

Combine half & half, sour cream, cream of chicken soup and salt in medium-sized bowl. Pour over meatballs. Continue baking, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes or until sauce is heated through.

Meanwhile, prepare noodles as directed on package. Drain.

Serve meatballs and sauce over hot cooked noodles.

Makes 8 servings.

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

I am not a soup person. Every time I find what looks like a good recipe, I still think to myself, "Soup's not a meal." But then there is this one. Oh, my, gosh! I am having a love affair with this soup. (And if anyone can tell me the three t.v. shows I've pulled from in the last four sentences, you have my admiration.) Wow, is it amazing! Honestly, you've got to try it. It's a copycat recipe for the Chicken Gnocchi soup at Olive Garden, and even if it's not right on target (I couldn't remember well enough to compare), it doesn't even matter because it's so good on it's own that I don't even care. Make it as soon as you can!

I left out the celery (which I hate), and I did not use the whole rotisserie chicken like the original recipe because it seemed like too much.

Printable Recipe

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

from Jamie Cooks It Up

Time: 30-40 minutes total    Yield: about 12 servings

1 medium onion, chopped
2 large carrots, peeled and grated
4 stalks celery, chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
2-3 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cups Rotisserie Chicken + 1 C reserved broth from the bottom of the chicken container (if you don't have enough, I just used regular chicken broth to supplement)
7 cups water
8 chicken bullion cubes
1 (16 ounce) package Potato Gnocchi
4 cups half and half
1 1/2 cups spinach, chopped
1 tsp thyme
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp butter
1/4 cup cold water
5 Tbsp cornstarch
salt and pepper 



Peel and chop onion and garlic; peel and grate carrots; chop celery.

Heat a large pot up over medium high heat. Pour 2-3 tablespoons of Olive Oil into it.

When the oil is hot, add the vegetables into the pan. Cook them over medium high heat, stirring occasionally for about 5-8 minutes or until the onions are translucent. 

Pour the broth that is left in the bottom of the chicken package into a large measuring cup. If needed, add extra canned or homemade broth to make 1 cup.
  
Pull the skin off of the chicken, and take the meat off of the bones. Chop it up with a sharp knife.

When the vegetables are done cooking, pour the broth from the chicken and 7 cups of hot water into the pot.

Add 8 chicken bullion cubes and stir.

Add 2 cups of chopped chicken and bring the soup to a boil.

Pour Gnocchi into the pot. Let the soup come to a boil again and allow the gnocchi to cook for about 3-4 minutes. The gnocchi will be cooked  through when they float to the top of the broth, which should happen pretty fast.

Chop about 1 1/2 cups of spinach and add to the pot.

Pour in 4 cups of Half and Half, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 tablespoon sugar and 2 tablespoons of butter. Stir and then let it come to a boil. 

In a small bowl, combine 1/4 cup cold water and 5 tablespoons of cornstarch. Mix it well and pour it into the soup pot.

Bring the soup to a boil, while you stir. It will thicken as the soup reaches a boil. 

Taste it and season to your liking with salt and pepper. 


Serve with: Breadsticks, Salad

Elegant Chicken

And so the feud continues. As I said yesterday, Elegant Chicken is my favorite. I'm going to say that Anthony probably prefers the Bacon Ranch Slowcooker Chicken simply because he's had Elegant Chicken so many more times. Because truly, this one is the better choice.

I'm adding this warning though--DO NOT use low-fat cream cheese. Yes, we all want to save calories where we can. This is not the place. I thought I had regular cream cheese in the fridge, but we'd run out, so I tried to substitute. Ugh. Nowhere near the flavor it should have. Trust me on this one.

Printable Recipe

Elegant Chicken

2-3 boneless chicken breasts
1/4 cup butter
1 pkg. dry Italian Seasonings Dressing Mix
1 can cream of chicken soup (you can do cream of mushroom, but I think chicken is so much better)
8 oz. cream cheese
Noodles (Fettucine, Linguine, Egg Noodles, or may also be served over rice)


Place chicken and butter in crock pot.

Sprinkle with seasoning mix.

Cook on low until tender, about 4 hours.

Shred chicken and return to crock pot.

Add soup and cream cheese and mix well.

Cook half an hour more.

While sauce is finishing, prepare noodles (or rice) according to package.

Serve immediately.


The sauce can be made ahead of time and frozen for a quick freezer meal.

Bacon Ranch Slowcooker Chicken

Our house is divided. When Anthony and I started dating, I was introduced to Elegant Chicken (coming soon) at Sunday dinners with his family. One of my favorites! And then a few months ago, I ran across this recipe. It is a similar idea, and even though the ingredients are different, it seems like the same family, like their cousin recipes--sour cream instead of cream cheese, Ranch dressing instead of Italian, etc. So I thought I'd try it. But then came the problem--Anthony has declared this better than Elegant Chicken, and while I definitely enjoyed this one, I still prefer the other. I'll let you make the final decision for your home, and I hope I don't cause too much contention.

Some people say the Ranch is a little strong, or it's too salty, and they used only part of the package. I was fine with the whole thing, but you might need to experiment. I also used regular sour cream. Fat-free has a tendency to become chunky when I cook with it, especially in recipes like this where it cooks for an extended period, and it changes the consistency. If you make the switch back too, just adjust the calories (which is still pretty low even with regular sour cream).

Printable Recipe

Bacon Ranch Slowcooker Chicken

from Healthified Kitchen

2 turkey bacon strips, cooked and shredded
1 tsp minced garlic
1 package Ranch dressing mix
1 10.75 oz can condensed cream of chicken soup (98% fat free)
1 cup fat-free sour cream
16 oz. chicken breasts, frozen or defrosted/raw
8 oz. pasta (I used rigatoni), cooked

Combine the first five ingredients.

Place frozen or defrosted/raw chicken in slowcooker sprayed with nonstick cooking spray and pour sauce over the top.

Cook on high for 3.5 hours. Shred chicken with two forks.

Cook pasta per package instructions on stove.

Serve chicken over pasta.

Nutritional Information: 456 calories, 61 carbs, 5 fat grams and 36 protein grams (according to the original author)

Makes 4 servings

Chicken Alfredo

We used to take the easy route with Chicken Alfredo and use the jar of Ragu Alfredo Sauce. I can't do it anymore. This reminds me of the kind of sauce you'd get in a nice restaurant. Absolutely fantastic. It's not quite as delicious as leftovers, just because the oil and cream start to separate, but still good enough to eat. The recipe may seem like more work, but actually it all comes together very quickly, and it's completely worth it in the end. This was actually the first time we used the green onions, but I didn't notice a big difference. And I don't agree that mushrooms are optional (they taste fabulous in here), but to each his own. Normally it's creamier than the picture shows. We were slow getting the pasta on, so the sauce cooked a little longer than it should have. You'll just have to make your own to see!

Printable Recipe

Chicken Alfredo

from Essential Mormon Cookbook

16 ounces dried pasta (penne or bow ties are our favorites)
2 tablespoons olive oil or butter
1/2 pound chicken tenders or boneless, skinless chicken breasts cut in strips
2 green onions, chopped
1 tablespoon butter
3/4 cup sliced fresh mushrooms (optional)
1 tablespoon fresh or 1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 tablespoon garlic powder
2 cups heavy cream
3/4 cup grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper


In a large skillet, heat olive oil or butter over medium heat.

Add chicken and stir-fry about 5 minutes until cooked through.

In a separate pan, saute mushrooms and green onions in 1 tablespoon butter until tender.

Add mushrooms, green onions and thyme to chicken.

Add garlic powder, cream, cheese, salt and pepper.

Simmer about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is cooked and tender.

While sauce is simmering, cook pasta according to package directions.

Serve sauce over pasta.

Makes 4 servings.

Serve with: Peas

Orzo Pilaf

You may have noticed, but sides aren't my forte. I usually spend my time on the main course, and at the end I'm scrambling for something to go with it. This is one of my favorites because it's a little different, not my standard potatoes or rice. I had to make just a few small changes. I didn't have any green onions, so I used a bit of diced yellow onion, and it worked fine. The main change was the garlic. If you ever see a recipe that calls for sauteeing garlic for an extended period of time, usually with other base ingredients (like onions or carrots), don't do it! Garlic will burn long before the other items are soft. After everything is sauteed, add the garlic in for another 30 seconds or so, but no more than a minute.

Printable Recipe

Orzo Pilaf

from The Essential Food Storage Cookbook

1 tbsp. butter or margarine
4 green onions, sliced (or 1/4 yellow onion, diced)
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup orzo
2 cups chicken broth
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
1 teaspoon dried parsley
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste


In a saucepan over medium heat, melt butter.

Add onion and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic once the onions are soft, and saute 30 seconds.

Stir in orzo. Add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, until liquid is absorbed, 20 to 25 minutes.

Add cheese, parsley, and salt and pepper. Cook until cheese is melted, stirring once, about 5 minutes longer. Serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6.

Lasagna

This is the best lasagna recipe I've ever made. Technically, it's the only lasagna I've ever made, but when you find something that works, why look anywhere else? It's delicious and easy (as easy as lasagna gets, and we won't even mention certain frozen brands). You don't have to boil the noodles beforehand, and don't even bother with the no-boil lasagna noodles. They don't taste as good, and they're unnecessary. My first roommate in college, Jacqie, made this as one of our first meals together. She used to sing "Sauce, noodles, cottage cheese, cheese, (repeat), sauce, cheese." I know it sounds silly, but I still sing that every time I make it. This was also the first meal I made for my husband when we started dating. When I asked him how it was, he told me, "I'm choking it down." Honestly, he's lucky he got another date. Or meal. But, enough background, let's get to it!

(Since the sauce has a tomato base, it's great for hiding vegetable purees, or mix some fresh spinach into the cottage cheese.)

(Last thing, I promise! I'm not a big fan of cottage cheese--and by that I mean I wouldn't touch it unless my life depended on it, and even then it would be a struggle. But it really works in this recipe as a milder alternative to ricotta.)

Printable Recipe

Lasagna

Prep. Time: 30 mins    Bake Time: 1 hour

1 lb. ground beef
1 jar (28 oz.) spaghetti sauce
8 oz. pkg. lasagna noodles
1 container (16 oz.) cottage cheese
1 egg
3-4 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown ground beef in large skillet: drain. Add spaghetti sauce.

Stir egg into cottage cheese.

In a 13x9-inch baking dish, place a thin layer of sauce, followed by a layer of lasagna noodles.

Spread half of the cottage cheese over the noodles, making sure to cover the noodles completely.

Then layer with 1/3 of the mozzarella.

Repeat layers.

Place remaining sauce on top.

Bake at 350 for 45 mins.

Add remaining mozzarella and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Makes 9-12 servings.

Serve with: Salad, Garlic Bread

Italian Pasta Bake

We make this pasta bake at least once a month because: a) it's that good, b) it's super easy, and c) the ingredients are things I usually have on hand. I like to keep them around for when I get that last minute phone call asking me to take a meal to someone since it's very portable and they can actually do the final baking on their own, so it's ready whenever they are. I found it years ago (although I can't remember where), and it's become a staple. This is another one that's great for adding extra vegetables with purees, since it has a tomato sauce base. Technically, the original recipe said to use either sausage or ground beef, but we tried it with the ground beef, and in my opinion, it was only so-so, whereas the sausage kicks it up a notch. I was tempted to just take out the ground beef and not give you an option, but I relented. Do what you want, but you know what I would say!

Printable Recipe

Italian Pasta Bake

1 lb. Italian sausage or ground beef

1 box mostaccioli or penne

1 jar (28 oz) spaghetti sauce

3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

2 cups mozzarella cheese, shredded

Brown meat in large skillet; drain.

While meat is browning, cook pasta according to package directions; drain.

Stir in meat, spaghetti sauce and 1/2 Parmesan cheese. Spoon into 13x9-inch baking dish.

Top with mozzarella cheese and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.

Bake at 375 for 20 minutes.

Makes 6-8 servings.

Serve with: Salad or Green Beans, Garlic Bread


I've also made this one ahead of time as a freezer meal, and it came out pretty well. I don't know if you can keep it frozen for a long time and still have the noodles turn out okay, but it worked when I made it a couple weeks later.

Braided Spaghetti Bread

Delicious way to make an all-in-one meal. Spaghetti? Good! Garlic Bread? Good? Together? Good!!! I went ahead and made a normal size batch of spaghetti because I was having a hard time figuring out how much to make. Since I was going to have leftover sauce anyway, I might as well have extra noodles to go with it. It made enough for two loaves, if I'd thawed out another loaf of dough. If you have a large family, you might want to make two anyways. I also mixed in a couple vegetable purees (cauliflower and carrots, or you could do sweet potato or squash) into the sauce.

Printable Recipe

Braided Spaghetti Bread
from Rhodes Bake-N-Serv Blog

1 Loaf Rhodes Bread Dough or 12 Rhodes Dinner Rolls, thawed to room temp. (2 to 3 hours)                

6 oz spaghetti, cooked 

1 cup thick spaghetti sauce (I add ground beef to mine)

8 oz mozzarella cheese, cut into 1/2 –inch cubes      

1 egg white
Parmesan cheese
Parsley flakes
Garlic Powder

Preheat oven to 350.

Roll loaf or combined dinner rolls into a 12x16-inch rectangle on a Silpat or parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 10-15 minutes.

Cook spaghetti according to package instructions. Drain and let cool slightly. Mix spaghetti with sauce.

Remove wrap from dough. Place spaghetti lengthwise in a 4-inch strip down the center of dough. Top with cheese cubes.

Make cuts 1 ½-inches apart on long sides of dough to within ½-inch of filling.

Begin braid by folding the strips on one end toward filling. Then braid strips left over right, right over left. Finish by pulling last strip over and tucking under braid.

Transfer bread to baking sheet. Brush with egg white and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese, parsley, and garlic powder.

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly and slice to serve.

Makes 9 slices

Serve with: Salad

Grilled Italian Sausage and Portabellas with Creamy Bow Ties

Quick, easy and delicious. I love using Johnsonville sweet Italian sausage (and I even sneak in that fifth sausage). But I have to admit that I have never used portabellas. I haven't been able to bring myself to pay that much money for fungus, especially when I'm already doing the unthinkable and using jarred Alfredo sauce. If anyone can give me a valid reason to do so, such as, "You will dance on the rooftops from the amazing flavor of portabellas," I'll think about it. You are welcome to do as you see fit.


Printable Recipe

Grilled Italian Sausage and Portabellas with Creamy Bow Ties

from http://www.muellerspasta.com/

12 oz. Bow Ties
3 portabella mushrooms or 8 oz white mushrooms
4 mild Italian sausage links
(1/4 cup olive oil, extra virgin--if using portabellas)
2 tsp black pepper, divided
2 cups Alfredo sauce, jarred
3/4 cup Parmesan or Asiago cheese, shredded


If you are using regular old mushrooms, clean them, slice them, and then saute them in about a tablespoon of butter. (*As a side note, I remember reading somewhere that you aren't supposed to wash mushrooms because some varieties soak up the water like a sponge. I usually take a damp paper towel and wipe them off.*)

Season the mushrooms with 1 tsp. black pepper--this tastes infinitely better if you use freshly ground peppercorns. We just get the McCormick black pepper grinder in the spice section. Invest.

If you are using portabellas, clean them, and lightly brush olive oil on both sides. Season them with the black pepper as mentioned, and then grill them alongside the sausage links.

Preheat the grill to medium high heat--I use my George Foreman grill. Place the sausage on the grill.

While the sausage is cooking, prepare the bow ties as directed. Drain, and set aside.

Again, if using portabellas, grill the mushrooms for about 2 minutes on each side and remove from heat. Slice.

Grill the sausage until cooked and evenly browned on all sides. Remove from the heat and allow them to rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Mix the pasta with the Alfredo sauce and the remaining cracked black pepper in a saucepan over medium heat.

When warm, add the mushrooms and sliced sausage and stir gently. Garnish with Parmesan cheese. 


Makes 4 servings