Got leftover mashed potatoes? How about Potato Pie!

I've been holding onto this recipe for a long time so I actually can't remember at all where I got it from so if it's yours, let me know and I'll give you the credit. It's a great way to use those leftover mashed potatoes AND make a weeknight dinner ahead.














1 unbaked pie shell (I use Pillsbury)
2 cups 1% milk cottage cheese
2 eggs
2 cups mashed potatoes
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper (I omitted)
1/2 cup scallions (I omitted)
1/2 cup shredded low fat cheddar cheese

Beat the cottage cheese until smooth. Add in the next 6 ingredients and beat in again until smooth. Stir in the scallions. Pour the mixture into the pie shell and sprinkle with the cheese. Bake at 400 for 45-50 minutes.

Walnut Pesto

I bought basil at the store today with the intent on making a pesto however, I forgot the pine nuts. Not to worry! Walnut to the rescue. I found this recipe on Cookinglight.com and voila. Pesto is now in the freezer for future use!

Mac and Cheese

It was a comfort food kind of night so I called on my trusty Cooking Light mac and cheese recipe to hit the spot. I did make a few changes to suit the ingredients I had in the house. I do love this one, and so does my husband, we were both very satisfied tonight.














1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups 1% low-fat milk
1/2 cup (3 ounces) shredded guyere
2 ounces Alpine Lace American cheese
1/2 cup shredded monterey jack cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded extra-sharp light cheddar cheese
6 cups cooked elbow macaroni (about 3 cups uncooked)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray
1/3 cup panko

Preheat oven to 375°.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Place flour in a large saucepan. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thick (about 8 minutes), stirring constantly. Add cheeses; cook 3 minutes or until cheese melts, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in macaroni and salt.

Spoon mixture into a 2-quart casserole coated with cooking spray. Top with a little extra cheddar cheese and the panko. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Crockpot BBQ Meatballs

My mother in law makes a great BBQ meatball appetizer and I wanted to see if I could find a recipe that was similar. This one was really good but I still think hers was better. I paired the meatballs with mac and cheese for dinner tonight as I was really craving comfort food.

Meatballs:
2 lbs lean ground beef or ground turkey
1 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon garlic powder
2 envelopes onion soup mix
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
2 eggs

Sauce:
1 cup chopped onion
2 cans tomato paste (12 ounces total)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup brown sugar
12 oz. can beef broth














Combine meatball ingredients and mix well. Shape into meatballs and brown in a skillet with 1 tablespoon of oil. Drain on paper towels. Add all sauce ingredients to Crock Pot and stir well. Add meatballs and cook, covered, on low for 5 to 6 hours (high for 2 to 3).

Dinner Tonight: Chicken and Turkey Marsala, Cheesy Mashed Potatoes and Zesty Broccoli Casserole

Tonight, my brother and sister in-laws came over for football and dinner. I had a lot of food in the house that I wanted to use before it went bad. I also had turkey cutlets and needed to find a use for them. I decided to try them with a marsala sauce and it came out great. I also made chicken cutlets so that everyone could have a choice. I used this recipe from a previous dinner.

Surprisingly, I've never made mashed potatoes. Yes, this is true. The reason is because we usually only eat them at holidays and I don't host a holiday that would call for mashed potatoes. But tonight I made them. I mashed up about 3 lbs of potates with some milk and shredded cheddar cheese. Luckily for me, I didn't over mash or add too much milk so these came out quite good. I served a side of zesty broccoli casserole to round out the meal as well and I think everyone really liked it and were happy and full.














Zesty Broccoli Casserole















Chicken Marsala















My Plate

Hot Artichoke and Spinach Dip

I broke in my new stoneware today with a yummy dip for football day. Go Jets and Giants! My husband, brother and I had a lot of fun eating it. And I love my latest piece of cookware.














1 jar (12 oz) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
1 package (10 oz) chopped spinach, thawed and drained
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1/2 cup shredded part skim mozzarella
in a bowl, combine the artichokes, spinach, garlic, sour cream and mayo. Transfer to an oven-safe baking dish. Top with the mozzarella cheese. Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes.

Fall Exchange Gift

Thank you Joelen! Your gift was awesome!!!! I so appreciate the thoughtfulness and all the wonderful things. This is a great idea and I was so excited to get it. The girls on the WC board are truly the greatest. I am hosting Christmas Eve and everything will come in handy. I've already used the spoon today.

Here's a pic of what was in my package. Love it all!

Homemade Gnocchi and Vodka Sauce

So today was the day for me to put my new potato ricer to use. I've wanted to make homemade gnocchi forever but it was too warm to have the oven on that long in the summer. Today was the perfect day. The weather outside was below freezing and I had a willing assistant, Emma. It was pretty easy. The time it takes to bake the potatoes and then let them cool really is what adds to the prep time. I admit I was nervous that they'd come out mushy but I was so happy when they didn't. The trick is definitely to remove them as soon as they rise to the surface of the water. The vodka sauce is an old tried and true... we love it and it never disappoints. I would definitely make these again and serve them to guests. It was a great experience and really made me happy we got them right. I got the recipe for the gnocchi from Lauren's blog, which happened to be a Cooking Light recipe which made me even happier.