Quick Leek and Mushroom Baked Gnocchi Recipe with Campell's

This Leek and Mushroom Baked Gnocchi recipe for an easy weeknight dinner idea shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone.  #WeekNightHero #CollectiveBias

Before I had kids I didn't really meal plan. After work my husband and I would cook together and create something on a whim. I mean, we had all the time in the world to cook and enjoy our meal. And if we ate late, it didn't matter.

Now meal times in my house look a little different. The natives become restless if dinner isn't on the table by 6pm. And they totally revolt if I dare to serve them something they don't want to eat. I meal plan before the weekend, shop carefully and even plan out what needs to be thawed, put in the slow cooker, and when etc. It is tough keeping it all organized!

But there are always nights when nothing goes as planned. The baby gets sick, or we need to eat fast so my son can be dropped off at cub scouts. Occasionally I fail to notice an important meeting or event my husband put in our shared calendar. Yeah, I will admit it. Seems like more weeknights than not, I am scrambling to feed my family dinner. Yeah, reality laughs in the face of best laid plans, doesn't it?

In order to save my sanity with a family of 5, I have learned to be flexible, but most importantly, keep a well stocked pantry to avert last minute dinner disasters.

This week the good weather threw all our normal scheduling right out the window. My husband has to plant and work ground when he can in the Spring. Sometimes I only have a 30 minute window in which to have dinner ready for everyone before he heads back out the door to finish up something on the farm.

Because, yes, I still like us all to sit down together as a family. Even when we are rushed.

So I grabbed a carton of Campbell's Soups for Easy Cooking as my base, and grabbed a few other simple ingredients to create this amazing Leek and Mushroom Baked Gnocchi recipe.

Grab yourself a $.75 coupon walmart.com (coupon starts 3/13/15, and is valid for 1 month)

No, these are not your grandmother's cans of soup. I may have found these Campbell's Soups for Easy Cooking in the soup aisle of my local Walmart, but these pourable cartons are an easy way to create fast and tasty weeknight meals in just a few minutes. There are 4 flavor options and all are designed to replace condensed soup or soup mixes. Look for:

• Savory Portobello Mushroom (great for skillet dishes)
• Creamy Herb & Garlic with Chicken Stock (perfect for pot pies)
• Sweet Onion (a savory addition to meatloaf and skillet dishes)
• Mexican Style Tomato (great for Mexican dishes)

Now, leeks and mushrooms are a huge thing in my house right now. They have such a sweet and savory flavor, I knew they would pair nicely with the Sweet Onion soup. You can think of this recipe as a mashed potato and gravy meets a hearty bowl of French Onion Soup. The combination is like an umami explosion for your taste buds.

Cue the fireworks.

Start by sauteing the leeks and mushrooms over medium heat in a little olive oil. You want them to be softened.

Then add pre-made gnocchi, found in the pasta section, the Sweet Onion soup,and a little sour cream. My Dad often used sour cream for a little added tang in his casseroles. It is a simple trick I still like to use today, and we always have a little in the fridge.

Let the mixture warm through and season to taste.

Then put the gnocchi mixture into individual dishes, or a larger casserole dish, and top with shredded Swiss cheese.

Bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. It just needs to heat through. Turn on the broiler, if you desire, and finish melting and caramelizing the cheese on top. I like mine all golden brown.  This little step is so worth it.

Then dig in!

 Now I have a few more cartons of Campbell's Soups for Easy Cooking stashed away in my pantry and I am ready for whatever last minute things are going to pop up.

Leek and Mushroom Baked Gnocchi

You will Need:

• 1 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 large leeks, sliced thin and cleaned
• 1 c. button mushrooms, coarsely chopped
• 1 carton of Campbell's Soups for Easy Cooking - Sweet Onion
• 1/2  c. sour cream
• 1 16 oz. package of gnocchi
• 1 c. Swiss cheese, grated
• salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large skillet over medium heat, saute the sliced leeks and mushrooms in olive oil till softened. Then toss in the gnocchi, sour cream and pour in the Campbell's Soups for Easy Cooking - Sweet Onion. Mix well and season to taste.

Transfer the gnocchi mixture to a large baking dish, individual ramekins or mini coquettes. Divide the shredded Swiss cheese between the dishes and place in the oven for 15 minutes or till warmed through. Then switch the oven to broil and let the cheese begin to melt and bubble on top.

Remove from the oven and serve to your hungry crew.

Doesn't this look good? I know, easy wasn't it? All the warm, bubbly goodness of a weekend meal, that actually fit into a weeknight schedule.  These cartons are ready to use as is, not condensed and ready to save busy Moms time and effort to put a meal on the table.

See more weeknight dinner inspiration using Campbell's Soups for Easy Cooking at http://cbi.as/4pdn

What would you make for your family with Campbell's Soups for Easy Cooking?

Moroccan Spiced Stew - An Easy Weeknight Dinner At Home

I created my Moroccan Spiced Stew with yam and chickpeas using the Campbell's Slow Cooker Sauce as part of a sponsored post for Socialstars. All opinions and experiences are my own. #CampbellsSkilledSaucers

This week was a blur. From a leaking pipe that needed immediate attention, to my Mom arriving and the holiday, I really needed some easy dinner ideas to get us through. Of course, my family also wants something delicious, so I can't just slap down the umpteenth baked potato. That is my go-to food, but for some reason my family gets bored of my spud craze.

I thought it was the perfect time of year to bring out the slow cooker. It is probably the most under-utilized piece of kitchen equipment in my house. I even own several slow cooker recipe books, but I don't usually find things I want to eat. I want a little spice, fun, pizazz even!!

Campbell's kindly had me in mind when they created their Campbell's Slow Cooker Sauce line.

Sweet Korean BBQ? Hawaiian Luau? Mexican Red Chili Taco? ...or Tavern Style Pot Roast?

I love the idea of taking my taste buds on a global culinary tour right in my slow cooker. Yes, that is the spice and pizazz I was talking about.

I have never had Moroccan Spiced Stew, but I was sure it was going to be a great combination of fragrant spices. I also happened to already have a big pack of chicken thighs on hand, so it was the perfect choice.

After getting my children dressed and ready for the day, I took 5 minutes to cross dinner off my to-do list. Okay, that never happens in this house.

I thawed the chicken thighs overnight in the refrigerator, placed them in my 6 quart slow cooker, covered the chicken with my Moroccan Spiced Stew packet from Campbell's Slow Cooker Sauce, set the timer for 8 hours and then walked away.

In the final 2 hours of cooking I threw in a drained and rinsed can of chickpeas and sliced up a large yam. I made sure to nestle them down in the sauce to soak up all those spices. I promise, my house smelled amazing by then.

I chose to serve mine over a bed of Harvest Grain Blend that has Israeli Couscous, red quinoa, lentils and

orzo. I also served each plate with a slice of fresh Sourdough Bread so none of the delicious sauce would go to waste. No sauce wasting in my house!

Isn't that a lovely meal? And it didn't take me hours in the kitchen.

After slow cooking all day, the fragrant meat just fell off the bone. I almost feel guilty how good this tastes.

So what are you having for dinner tonight? Do you think this Moroccan Spiced Stew will end up on your menu? Or what about some of the other Campbell's Slow Cooker Sauce flavors? They are an easy way to create a simply amazing weeknight dinner for your family.

Morroccan Spiced Stew with Yam and Chickpeas over Harvest Grain Blend

You Will Need:

• 1 package of Campbell's Slow Cooker Moroccan Spiced Stew Sauce
• 2 lbs of bone-in, skinless chicken thighs
• 1 large yam, peeled and sliced
• 1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
• 1 package of Harvest Grain Blend (from Trader Joe's), made according to package instructions

Place the chicken in your 6-quart slow cooker. Top with one package of Moroccan Spiced Stew Sauce. Set on low for 6-8 hours.

In the final 2 hours of cooking time, add the chickpeas and yam slices to one end. Make sure they are coated in the sauce. Continue cooking.

12 minutes before serving start the Harvest Grain Blend. I like to simmer my mix with chicken stock for added flavor. Make according to the package instructions and serve underneath your chicken, yam and chickpeas.

Enjoy!

Campbells Slow Kettle Style Soups - #SlowDownAndSavor

I love soup!

There is nothing like being warmed from the inside out when eating a bowl of warm soup. Here in Oregon the weather can be pretty miserable for long stretches from Fall through the Spring. One way I cope is to curl up with a good bowl of soup.

Of course, the only thing to make it better is a soup I don't have to spend time chopping and stirring. Luckily Campbell's has introduced their Slow Kettle Style soups!

Maybe you grew up with a wide variety of Campbell's cans in your pantry growing up, I sure did! But, these are different. They are ready to be heated, full of savory and delicious chunks of real food in grown up flavors. I was sent an assortment of 3 soups to try: Kickin' Crab & Sweet Corn Chowder, Portabello Mushroom Madeira Bisque and Tuscan-Style Chicken and White Bean.

You can find all of these and more in your local grocery store in the soup aisle. I still have many other flavors that I want to try out.

Before my kids were born Campbell's launched those fabulous cup of soups, tomato and broccoli and cheese that I found so handy to heat up at work. These are so much better! The flavors are deeper and more complex with chunks of crab or beans, etc. depending on the flavor. They are just as easy and convenient to pop in the microwave for 2 minutes as their predecessors but these are closer to the soups I make at home.

I just have to rave a little more about the chunks. My favorite of the three was the Kickin' Crab and Sweet Corn Chowder. With flame roasted onions and cayenne pepper it was loaded with sweet chunks of crab meat and corn.

For vacation this Spring we headed to a water park. One of my favorite aspects of the hotel we stay at is they have mini fridges and microwaves right in the room. I took a few Campbell's slow Kettle Style Soups with us on the trip and they were the perfect way to warm up and relax between water slides. If you are a frugal vacationer like me, stock up on these soups for your big family trips this Summer!

The hardest part about these soups is getting to the bottom. Don't forget to lick your spoon!

This pregnant mama has had her ups and downs in the past month with more nausea, fatigue and general pregnancy "blahs"... but I have allowed myself time to #SlowDownAndSavor with a bowl of Campbell's soup. The nice people who sent me the samples also sent me these rockin' striped socks for my tired swollen feet. Wasn't that nice of them?

I want to know, how do you slow down and savor? Which flavor of the Campbell's Slow Kettle Style Soups do you want to try?

*Disclaimer - I received this product for free from Smiley360 in exchange for my honest review. All opinions and experiences are my own.

Overdue Date Night - Fitting in Thai Green Curry

I love Thai Green Curry.

Since becoming pregnant with baby #3 I have been craving food from all over the world. I would be happy (well, almost) to stop cooking and eat out at my favorite Thai, Greek, Japanese and Chinese restaurants every night. Somehow that just isn't so kind on my waistline or my wallet.

With two young children at home we haven't had a proper date night for months. *Sigh* And my children are not as crazy about eating out and trying new foods as I am. I have tried a few times this past month and neither time turned out very pretty.

Last year, because I love it so much, I  made a Thai dinner from scratch. Let's just say I am not falling all over myself to repeat that kitchen experiment right now. From trying to find the kefir lime leaves, to stocking up on galangal root it was both time consuming and expensive. I'm sure the real stretch though would be trying to cook with fish sauce. Fish sauce and this pregnant mama, with super-pregnancy-nose, just don't mix.

I really wanted to make a special dinner for my husband, but I wanted to be able to enjoy it as well. Luckily this version didn't leave me feeling exhausted.

Is it really possible to make Thai Green Curry for 2, in 15 minutes, with only a few ingredients? I am not sure I would have believed the #Dinnerin15 challenge was possible if I hadn't done it myself.

I found these Campbell's Skillet Sauces at my local Albertson's with all the soups, stocks and broths. There were 6 flavors to choose from; Creamy Chipotle, Fire Roasted Tomato, Toasted Sesame, Marsala, Scampi, and Thai Green Curry. I really couldn't decide on just one, but grabbed both the Thai Green Curry and Toasted Sesame to try.

Look for signage in the meat department as well as in-store coupons on display, and on Facebook during January. I knew these sauces had to be popular because not only did the cashier at check-out rave about them, but all the in-store coupons were already snatched up!

The pouch instructions suggest picking a protein, chicken or tofu were suggested, and then serving it over rice. I love a good brown jasmine rice, but am currently watching my carbs so opted to make two choices for our date night. I did make the traditional rice, but also made some zucchini noodles with my julienne slicer.

The meal couldn't be simpler.

Just a tablespoon of oil in the pan, and brown up the chicken. For a splash of color I also sliced up a red bell pepper to add for the last minute or two of sauteing.

Then I added the Campbell's Skillet Sauce. I didn't need to add any coconut milk or water and no long simmering is required. Just pour and stir.

For my fourth ingredient I added a bag of frozen, mixed stir fry vegetables. I like to blanch them briefly to remove any extra ice and cut down on my simmering time. I love how much color they add to the dish.

A final simmer for 5 minutes with the lid on and I could finish my noodles.

I love making zucchini noodles because they are fast and inexpensive. This time of year I can still find decent sales on zucchini.

After slicing the "noodles", blanch them briefly in boiling water. I like to go 2-4 minutes. The zucchini should soften but not be mushy. Then remove from the water and shock under a cold tap or ice water. Drain well and squeeze out any excess liquid with a paper towel or tea towel.

Noodle up and top with Thai Green Curry.

My pregnancy cravings were satisfied, I was able to make a great dinner for two for a very overdue date night at home and with all the extra veggies this meal stretched for another lunch as well. Simple and satisfying I had dinner on the table in under 15 minutes and more time to chat and laugh with my husband.

You know, we were able to talk about the important things... like what to name this baby!

Thai Green Curry Over Zucchini Noodles

You will need:

• 1 Campbell's Skillet Sauces Thai Green Curry
• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 lb. chicken, boneless, skinless and cut into strips
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced
• 2 c. mixed stir fry vegetables.
• 2 medium zucchini * or substitute brown rice instead

1. Start by slicing the zucchini noodles. I use a julienne slicer for thin even "noodles", but you can also use a mandolin. Stop slicing when you get to the core and seeds. Start a medium pot of water boiling.

2. Place 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet. Brown the chicken pieces and add in the bell pepper for the last minute or two so they are just crisp tender.

3. Blanch the frozen vegetable in the boiling water for about a minute, remove with a spider or spoon and leave the water in the pan. Add the the vegetables straight to the skillet. In the same boiling water cook the zucchini noodles for 2-4 minutes, until they start to soften. Put them in a colander and run cold water over them to stop the cooking process. Let them drain.

4. Add the sauce packet to the skillet, cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

5. Blot the noodles in a paper towel or tea towel to remove extra moisture and top with the Thai Green Curry and vegetables.

Enjoy!

________________________________

During dinner my husband had me fish out the packing because he wanted to check out the ingredient list. He was pleasantly surprised. It was no different than if I had made the green curry from scratch. This is one convenience food we both gave a thumbs up to.

Date night success!

*Disclaimer - I am a member of the Collective Bias®  Social Fabric® Community.  This shop has been compensated as part of a social shopper insights study for Collective Bias®  and Campbell’s #cbias #SocialFabric. All opinions and experiences are my own.