Malolrie Fuhriman

Olive Garden's Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 6 servings

Fluffy clouds of potato gnocchi, tender bites of chicken and fresh spinach swimming in a sea of thick, rich broth. 

INGREDIENTS:

3 tablespoons butter 

2 tablespoons olive oil 

3/4 cup onion, diced 

1/2 cup carrots, diced 

4 cloves garlic, minced 

coarse salt and fresh black pepper 

1/3 cup all-purpose flour 

4 cups chicken broth 

1 + 1/2 cups half & half 

2 cups cooked white meat chicken, shredded or cut into small bites 

1 pound potato gnocchi 

3 cups fresh baby spinach, stems removed 

1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil 

fresh grated Parmesan and/or Romano, for serving

  

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. In a large soup pot or Dutch oven heat the butter and oil together over medium heat. Add onion, carrots, celery and garlic. Season with salt and pepper and cook until tender over medium-low heat about 10 minutes, stirring often. 

2. Sprinkle the flour into the pot and stir into the vegetables, cook 3 minutes, stirring often. Stir in the chicken broth 1 cup at a time, followed by the half & half. 

3. Add the cooked chicken. Bring up to a simmer and maintain for 20 minutes stirring often. Season with salt and pepper to taste. 

4. Cook the gnocchi separately according to package directions. Add them to the soup along with the spinach. Simmer until spinach is wilted. Stir in basil. Serve with grated cheese. 

Olive Garden Salad Mix

ï Cook time:10 minutes

ï Serves: 8

You can prepare the salad blend just like the Olive Garden does. 

Ingredients

ï 1 (12-ounce) bag Dole American Blend Salad

ï 4 or 5 slices red onion (about 1/2 onion)

ï 4 to 6 pitted black olives

ï 2 to 4 pepperoncini (if you like sweet pepper, use banana peppers)

ï 1/2 cup croutons

ï 1 small tomato, quartered

ï Freshly grated Romano or Parmesan cheese (optional)

ï Olive Garden Salad Dressing

Instructions

Chill your salad bowl in the freezer for at least 30 minutes. Empty the bag of salad into the bowl. Top the salad with the onion, olives, pepperoncini, croutons, and tomatoes, and croutons. Add some freshly grated cheese, if you like. Add plenty of Olive Garden salad dressing and mix well. Serve immediately.

Easy Cheesy Garlic Breadsticks

Ingredients

1 (10 ounce) can prepared pizza crust
1 tablespoon butter, melted
1 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, grated
1 tablespoon parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon dried basil
salt & pepper to taste

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Mix butter and garlic in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Unroll pizza dough onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet and brush with butter and garlic mixture.
4. Sprinkle cheeses and spices evenly over the dough.
5. Use a pizza cutter and cut dough into stick shapes (Lengthwise into 7 long strips and crosswise into 3 strips). Do not separate strips.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown.
7. Recut along each strip and remove from cooking sheet.
8. Serve sticks warm with marinara sauce.

Died and Gone to Heaven Trifle

Brownies: (you could just do box brownies, but I promise these homemade make it SO much better!)

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

½ cup cocoa

1⅓ cup flour

½ tsp salt

Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs and vanilla and blend well. Add salt, cocoa, and flour. Don’t over-beat. Pour into a greased 9X13 pan. Bake at 350 F for 20-25 minutes or until done. Cool completely. Once brownies are cooled completely cut into 1 inch squares. 

Remaining ingredients: 

1 (3.9 oz) box instant chocolate pudding mix 

1/2 cup water 

1 (14 oz) can Sweetened Condensed Milk 

1 (8 oz.) container Cool whip 

1 (12 oz.) container Cool Whip 

Crushed up Heath bars for garnish (optional)

In a large bowl, mix chocolate pudding mix, water, and sweetened condensed milk. Fold in 8 oz. container of cool whip until there are no streaks remaining. In a trifle bowl or glass serving dish layer: 1/2 brownies squares 1/2 pudding mixture 1/2 of 12 ounce container Cool whip remaining brownie squares remaining pudding mixture remaining Cool whip. Chill 8 hours before serving.