Taste of Home Tuesday: Chicken Gnocchi Pesto Soup

Last week it had cooled down a little and we were in the mood for soup.  Justin had seen this recipe in my Taste of Home and thought it looked good.  I had never had gnocchi before and didn't really know what to expect.  The soup was very rich and very filling.  It had a good flavor.  It's not one we want on the menu each week, but just once in awhile just to break things up.  Enjoy!

Ingredients
1 jar (15 ounces) roasted garlic Alfredo sauce
2 cups water
2 cups cubed rotisserie chicken
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 package (16 ounces) potato gnocchi
3 cups coarsely chopped fresh spinach
4 teaspoons prepared pesto

Directions
In a large saucepan, combine the first six ingredients; bring to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. Stir in gnocchi and spinach; cook 3-8 minutes or until gnocchi float. Top each serving with pesto. Yield: 4 servings.

Taste of Home Tuesday: Steak Fingers and Gravy

I actually found this recipe on The Pioneer Woman's website a couple of weeks back.  Of course we thought it looked too good to pass up and we were right!  These steak fingers were delicious!  It says to serve with a salad, but we agreed that mashed potatoes couldn't be beat so that was our side.  Give them a try, they are yummy!

Photo by The Pioneer Woman

Ingredients

2 pounds Tenderized Round Steak Or Cube Steak, Cut Into 1-inch Strips

1 cup Flour

1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt

1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper

1/4 teaspoon Cayenne

3 whole Eggs

1 cup Milk

Canola Oil And Butter For Frying

2 cups Milk (additional)

Salt And Pepper, to taste

Preparation Instructions
Combine flour, seasoned salt, pepper, and cayenne in a dish.
Whisk together milk and eggs in a separate dish.
To bread the meat, first dredge in flour, then dip quickly in egg mixture, then put back into the flour to coat on both sides. Continue until all the meat is breaded.
Heat canola oil with 2 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Fry steak strips 4 or 5 at a time, turning midway through. When golden brown, remove from the pan to a paper towel-lined plate. Continue until all the meat is done. Cover loosely with foil to keep warm.

To make the gravy, pour off all the grease from the pan. Add 1/4 cup of the grease back in, then sprinkle on 2 to 4 tablespoons of the flour mixture (or you can use fresh flour.) Whisk mixture till it becomes a paste (add more flour if you need to) and cook the paste over medium-low heat until it's deep golden brown. Pour in milk, whisking constantly. Allow the gravy to cook and thicken, whisking regularly and adding more milk if it seems too thick right off the bat.
Season gravy with salt and pepper.
Serve steak fingers with gravy and a salad. Yum!

Taste of Home Tuesday: Sunny Peaches & Cream Pie

This is an AMAZING pie!  There are no other words you just have to try it for yourselves!

Ingredients
1-1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons margarine, melted
Filling:
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed
Topping
1 package (3 ounces) peach gelatin
1 package (3 ounces) cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix
1-1/4 cups water
2 cups sliced peeled fresh peaches or canned sliced peaches

Directions
In a small bowl, mix cracker crumbs and sugar; stir in margarine. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9-in. pie plate. Bake at 375° for 6-8 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack.
For filling, in a small bowl, mix cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until blended. Fold in whipped topping. Carefully spread over crust; refrigerate until set.
For topping, in a small saucepan, combine gelatin and pudding mix; stir in water. Bring just to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring constantly; remove from the heat. Cool 5 minutes.
Arrange peach slices over filling. Spoon gelatin mixture over peaches. Refrigerate for 4 hours or until chilled. Yield: 8 servings.

The Entire Family

My whole entire family was together this past weekend.  We were celebrating several things.  

1. Nathan and Ashley were here from Pennsylvania for several days.  It had been a while since they had been back so that in and of itself was a great reason to get together!
2. They are expecting their first little baby in November, so we had a little baby shower for them. 
3. Mom turned a special age clear back in July and we wanted to surprise her.  We decided if we waited til now she'd never guess ... and she didn't!:) 

It was so wonderful to all be together again!  

Taste of Home Tuesday: Grandma's Potato Salad

This potato salad was delicious.  A lot of time potato salads are bland, but the Miracle Whip, vinegar, and sugar gave this one some kick.  The onions and salt also help the flavor.  (Mom's is still the best!  I've never had any as flavorful as hers.) 

I halved the recipe so we wouldn't be eating potato salad for the next month.  This would be a great potluck dish!

Prep: 45 min. + cooling     Cook: 15 min. + chilling    Yield: 24 Servings
INGREDIENTS:
6 pounds medium red potatoes
Water

DRESSING:
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup white vinegar
2 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
4-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream
3/4 cup Miracle Whip

SALAD:
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 green onions, sliced
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 hard-cooked eggs, sliced
Paprika

Directions
Place potatoes in a stockpot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender. Drain. When cool enough to handle, peel and slice potatoes; cool completely.
For dressing, in the top of a double boiler or metal bowl over barely simmering water, heat water, butter and vinegar until butter is melted. In a small bowl, beat eggs; add sugar and cornstarch. Add to butter mixture; cook and stir for 5-7 minutes or until thickened. Transfer to a large bowl; cool completely.
In a small bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form. Stir Miracle Whip into cooled dressing mixture; fold in whipped cream. Stir in onion, green onions, salt and pepper. Add potatoes; toss lightly to combine. Refrigerate, covered, until chilled.
To serve, top with hard-cooked eggs; sprinkle with paprika. Yield: 24 servings (3/4 cup each).

When Looking For Answers

I was reading over some blog posts I had missed over the weekend and came across Ann Voskamp's post from Thursday entitled The 1 Thing You Have Got to Know ... When You Are Looking For Answers.  Here are some of her statements that stuck out to me as I read:

My lips may have said yes to God’s grace of the Messiah – but my life has said No to God’s gift of this moment

I may want Christ – but to be crucified?

I may want to be in Christ – but to be inconvenienced?

I may want to be rescued – but to be refined?

My word to God, it has been a divided word– Yes and No.

And heart divided against Him cannot stand. And she who lives with fork tongue to God, she pierces her own heart.

I have known storms – and haven’t let peace birth in my heart.

The wind has blown hard. And I have not moved.

But every moment my inner heart is saying No to the God of the universe – I am say saying Yes to the enemy of my soul. We are always saying yes to Someone.

She went on to say:

Peace isn’t the absence of the dark. Peace is the assurance of God’s presence in the midst of the dark. And when we want peace – we only need to say yes to God’s purposes.

How often do we get upset when we feel inconvenienced or the refining begins and it is uncomfortable or painful.  We begin to question God and wonder where He's at.  We forget that He's El Elyon, The God Most High, the Sovereign God.  We forget that His Word says,

"Surely, just as I have intended so it has happened, and just as I planned so it will stand... For the Lord of hosts has planned, and who can frustrate it?  And as for His stretched-out hand, who can turn it back?" Isaiah 14:24, 27

I love knowing that whatever happens in my life God has a plan.  Nothing surprises Him or catches Him off guard.  He planned it out so I can completely trust in Him.

If you click here or on the link above you may read the rest of her post.

Taste of Home Tuesday: Creole-Spiced Shrimp Po' Boys

Justin and I both enjoy shrimp and he loves spicy things so we thought we'd give the Po' Boys a shot.  They were not near as spicy as I thought they were going to be.  I usually have to have a large glass of milk to tame down the fire in my mouth, but these sandwiches had a great flavor and didn't burn my mouth.

Ingredients
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup ketchup
1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce
Oil for frying
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup cornmeal
1 tablespoon Creole seasoning
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound uncooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed
4 French rolls, split
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
2 cups shredded lettuce

Directions
In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, ketchup, horseradish and pepper sauce. Cover and chill until serving.

In an electric skillet, heat 1/2 in. of oil to 375°. In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the flour, cornmeal, Creole seasoning and salt.

Add shrimp, a few at a time; seal bag and toss to coat. Fry shrimp in oil for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

Spread rolls with some of the sauce. Layer bottoms with lettuce, shrimp and tomatoes; serve with remaining sauce. Yield: 4 sandwiches (1 cup sauce).

Editor's Note: The following spices may be substituted for 1 teaspoon Creole seasoning: 1/4 teaspoon each salt, garlic powder and paprika; and a pinch each of dried thyme, ground cumin and cayenne pepper.