$70/Week Challenge - Day Five: Potato-Ricotta Gnocchi Bolognese

Please Note:  If you do not have a pasta press, these gnocchi, while light and delicious, are not the prettiest of pastas, thus the EXTREME CLOSE UP! :) 

Gnocchi
Ingredients:

• 16 oz whole milk ricotta cheese
• 1 C potato flakes (instant potatoes)
• 3/4 C flour (plus extra to roll)
• 2/3 C Parmesan Cheese
• 3 eggs
• 2 t garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste

Bolognese Sauce

Ingredients:  

• 6 C Tomato sauce Click here for recipe
• 1 lb ground beef (I use 80/20 for this recipe, be sure to drain off fat)
• 1 small onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 t red pepper flake (or to taste)
• 2 T canola oil
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

1. In a large skillet over medium high heat, saute onion in canola oil until golden brown (about 6-7 minutes).  
2. Add garlic and pepper flake and saute for an additional 2-3 minutes until garlic turns golden brown. 
3. Add ground beef and break up into small pieces and cook until browned.  Drain off fat and add salt and pepper to taste. 
4. Add tomato sauce and stir to combine.  Cover and reduce heat to low.
5. Combine all gnocchi ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix with hands until it forms a sturdy dough.
6. Divide dough into 6 equal pieces.
7. Dust a clean, cool surface with flour.
8. Using clean hands, roll out the 6 pieces to 1" strands.
9. Cut the strands into 1" cubes.
10. In a large sauce pot, bring 4 quarts of salted water to a rolling boil over medium high heat. 
11. Add 1/2 the gnocchi and gently stir.  
12. When the gnocchi is done, they will float to the top.
13. Remove with a hand held strainer.  
14. Add the other 1/2 gnocchi and cook until they float to the top.  
15. Top with sauce and serve with Parmesan cheese and basil garnish.  
16. Pairs perfectly with a Lindemann's Bin 57 Shiraz, but that would be outside of budget. :D  This meal cost $9.50 for 6 servings!!   Enjoy! 

Creamy Buffalo Dip and Baked Potato Chips

TV season is fast approaching as the summer is quickly winding down.  One of my biggest challenges in maintaining a healthy lifestyle every fall is snacking in front of the tube.  A craving for buffalo wings, and a yearning for potato chips led to this protein packed, low fat dip and healthier chip alternative.  I'll be sure to have this on hand for all the upcoming season premieres (I think 3 of the shows I watch are left on TV, HA!).  Enjoy!! 


Ingredients:

• 1 C fat free plain Greek yogurt
• 1 small minced sweet onion
• 2 T light mayonnaise
• 2 T hot sauce (or to taste)
• 1/4 C reduced fat bleu cheese crumbles
• 1 t onion powder
• 1 t garlic powder
• a pinch of cayenne pepper
• a pinch of sweet paprika
• a pinch of celery salt
• 1 large russet potato
• 2 T canola oil or extra virgin olive oil
• salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Slice the potato using a mandolin, or a vegetable peeler
3. Toss with oil, salt and pepper and spread into single layer on a baking sheet.
4. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes until crisp and a dark brown.
5. Place chips in a paper bag and add a little salt and shake the bag. The bag helps soak up any excess oil
6. Arrange chips on a serving plate.
7. In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients. For best results, allow to set in the refrigerator for at least two hours to allow the flavors to develop.

Serving suggestion:  prepare the dip a day in advance, and serve while the chips are still warm. I also  serve with celery and carrot sticks in addition to the potato chips. 

Bacon Basil Chicken with Bleu Crushed Potato and Haricot Vert

Ingredients:

• 2 skinless boneless chicken breasts cut into 1/4" thick medallions
• 5 slices of thick cut bacon
• 2 T butter
• 1/4 cup half and half
• the juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1 dash of nutmeg
• 15 chopped fresh basil leaves (using dry would alter the flavor--you can find these in your supermarket's produce section usually for under $2)
• 5 small russet potatoes
• 1/4 C bleu cheese crumbles
• 2 T olive oil
• 1 C frozen haricot vert (fancy schmancy name for long green beans)
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Wash potatoes thoroughly and pierce the surface with a fork several times around the potato.
3. Bake potatoes for 45 minutes. 
4. Using a masher, lightly crush the potatoes to expose the inner potato.
5. Drizzle potatoes with olive oil and return to oven for an additional 10 minutes.
6. Turn off oven and remove potatoes.
7. Fry bacon in a large sauté pan over medium high heat.
8. Once the bacon is crisp (about 7-10 minutes), remove and drain on a coffee filter.
9. Reserve the bacon fat in the pan.
10. Crumble the bacon along the potatoes. 
11. Add bleu cheese and return to the oven to warm.
12. Liberally salt and pepper the chicken medallions and add to bacon fat.
13. Saute until the chicken has turned completely white (about 4-5 minutes per side).
14. Add butter and lemon juice, cover, and reduce heat to low.
15. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes.
16. Whisk in cream and add basil.
17. Cover and turn off the heat and allow to sit for 10 minutes to thicken the sauce.
18. Steam the haricot vert for 4 minutes until becoming a dark green color.
19. Coat with olive oil, salt and pepper and serve.

Enjoy!

Pierogi

Pierogi Dough:

• 2 1/4 C all purpose flour
• 1 t salt
• 2 large eggs, room temperature plus 2 whisked eggs for egg wash
• 1/2 C sour cream
• 10 T cubed butter, softened

1. In a large mixing bowl, add flour and salt 
2. Beat eggs and add to flour with sour cream and butter.
3. Combine all ingredients and knead the dough for 8 minutes (for best results, use your hands, though a food processor and dough hook can be utilized). 
4. Once the dough becomes unsticky, wrap in plastic wrap and put in the refrigerator for at least 45 minutes.
5. Allow the pierogi dough to return to room temperature. 
6. Generously flour your rolling surface, rolling pin and dough. 
7. Roll out to between 1/8” and 1/4” thickness. 
8. Using a child’s cup or a small storage bowl dipped in flour, cut dough into small circles; re-knead the leftover edges and repeat. 
9. Roll out each circle to flatten, and brush with egg wash. 
10. Put a dollop (about 1 T) of filling (see recipes below) in the center of the rolled out circle and bring the edges together to make a semi circle. 
11. Using a fork, crimp the edges of the pierogi to create a seal.
12. Bring 5 quarts of water to a rolling boil and add a touch of salt. 
13. Place pierogi, six at a time, and boil for 30 seconds to a minute after they begin to float. 

Potato Cheese Filling:

• 3 medium size potatoes cut to 1" cubes
• 1 C ricotta cheese
• 1 T butter
• 2 T milk
• a pinch of nutmeg
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Place cubed potatoes in a medium sauce pot and add water to just cover them.
2. Liberally salt the water and bring to a boil.
3. Cook until fork tender (about 10-12 minutes) and drain. 
4. Add potatoes to a food processor with 1 C ricotta cheese, 1T butter, 2 T milk, salt and pepper to taste and a pinch of nutmeg. Mix until well combined. TIP:  A hand mixer or old fashioned potato masher can be utilized if you do not have a food processor.
   
   You may substitute farmer’s cheese, though I find that the ricotta cheese pairs perfectly with the slight tang the sour cream brings to the pierogi dough. The nutmeg brings a very subtle layer of flavor that is warm and festive.

Kapusta Filling:

• 1 T canola oil
• I package of bacon cut into thin strips (TIP:  freeze the bacon first for easy cutting)
• 1 small chopped vidalia onion
• 1 C fresh sauerkraut, drained and rinsed
• a liberal amount of fresh ground black pepper
• salt to taste

1. In a large sauté pan on a medium high heat, drizzle 1 T canola oil and add cubed bacon.
2. When the bacon becomes translucent, add 1 small chopped Vidalia onion, a pinch of salt and a generous amount of black pepper. 
3. When the bacon becomes crisp and the onions have softened, add 1 C fresh sauerkraut that has been drained and rinsed. 
4. Stir frequently for 2 minutes to combine all ingredients. 
5. Cover and reduce to low and simmer for at least 10 minutes.

You may serve the pierogi as boiled dumplings with drizzled butter, or fry them in a large fry pan with butter (with traditional pierogi, they are fried with butter and onions). Frying them makes for a wonderful crisp crust, and uses less butter than drizzling them.

Serve with kielbasa and some extra kapusta and a sour cream garnish. You may want to pop an antacid one hour prior to eating (yummy sometimes comes at a price for the non- prepared). ENJOY!