~~ Tuscan Chicken in Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Sauce with Gnocchi ~~

I bought one of those store rotisserie chicken and I had a half a breast left on the chicken and I though, hmm…

Ingredients:

• Dice a chicken breasts into 1 inch cubes
• 1 package of gnocchi
• 3 packed cups fresh baby spinach
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 crushed roasted garlic cloves
• ½ teaspoon each dried basil, dried oregano, dried thyme
• ½ cup julienned sun dried tomatoes, (they come in a jar packed with oil, be sure to drain excess oil)
• 1 cup chicken broth
• ½ cup half and half, or heavy cream (use heavy cream for a thicker, creamier sauce!)
• ⅔ cup shaved or shredded Parmesan cheese for topping
• fresh basil or thyme, for topping
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

• Cook the gnocchi according to package instructions. 
• In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter and add the chicken and gnocchi, cook for 5-7 minutes on each side until browned and cooked through. Set aside the the chicken and gnocchi.
• Add garlic, dried basil, dried oregano, dried thyme, sun dried tomatoes, chicken broth, and half and half or heavy cream to pan the you cooks the chicken with the already melted butter that you cooked the chicken and the gnocchi in and stir to combine.
• Bring to a boil, and continue to stir periodically until thickened and creamy (5-7 minutes).
• Add the chicken and the spinach to pan and stir the mixture for a few minutes..
• Top with cracked black pepper, grated Parmesan cheese, fresh thyme or basil, and serve.

Variations:

• Shrimp instead of  chicken
• Scallops instead of chicken
• Pork instead of chicken
• Mushrooms
• Cherry tomatoes slice in half
• Add Kalamata olives (Pitted) and use olive oil instead of butter for a more of Mediterranean cuisine
• Instead of the gnocchi you use fettuccine.

~~Monkey Bread~~

Monkey bread gives you a way to experiment with different toppings… add apples or raisins or nuts to create an endless variety of toppings.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 3 cans (7.5 ounces each) refrigerated buttermilk biscuits or refrigerated Cinnamon Rolls with Icing
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
• 3 apples of your choice, peeled & diced (Optional)
• ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (Optional)
• ½ cup raisins (Optional)

Topping for Monkey Bread:

• 1 cup confectionery sugar
• 3 or 4 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease one 9- or 10-inch tube or Bundt pan.
• Mix the brown sugar and cinnamon in a plastic bag. Cut biscuits into quarters. Shake 6 to 8 biscuit pieces in the sugar-cinnamon mix. If using apples add the diced apples to the bag.
• If using apples, or walnuts and/or raisins, arrange on the bottom of the Bundt pan.
• Arrange pieces of the biscuits in the bottom of the prepared Bundt pan. Continue until all biscuits are coated and placed in the pan. Mixing in the raisin, or nuts, or the apples pieces with the biscuit pieces.
• Melt margarine with the brown sugar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Boil for 1 minute. Pour over the biscuits.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes. Let bread cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a plate. Do not cut! The bread just pulls apart.

Topping Instructions:

• Whisk together and pour over bread. Can add more milk if needed.

~~Cranberry Goat Cheese Bites~~

I saw this recipe on the noon news and it looked easy to make…

Ingredients:

• Pillsbury™ Original Crescent Dough Sheet
•  Montchevre Chevre Goat Cheese Cranberry Cinnamon or Vermont Creamery Goat Cheese Cranberry Orange & Cinnamon

Directions:

• Preheat the oven to 375 F. degrees.
• Prepare the baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper.
• On another sheet of parchment paper unroll the Crescent dough sheet.
• Cut the dough into approximately four inches squares.
• Unwrap the goat cheese log. Slice the goat cheese from the log into about a ¼ inch thick slices.
• Place a slice of the goat cheese in the center of each square of dough. Bring the four corner together to overlap and pinch to seal the dough.
• Bake the crescent bites for 10 to 12 minutes until golden brown. Remove the tray from the oven and bake the other pan if you used two smaller baking pans. Serve the crescent roll bites warm or at room temperature.

How simple was that!

Options:

• Add Fresh Gourmet Salad Toppings Sliced Almonds Honey Roasted to each bite.
• Add Fresh Gourmet Honey Roasted Pecan Pieces Salad Topping to each bite.