Thrifty Meals Around $5 or Less - Baked Gnocchi

I made this for my girls a couple of weeks ago and they declared it delicious!  And blog worthy too.  So here you go!

Baked Gnocchi

2 pkg. potato gnocchi

1 jar pasta sauce

1/4 cup grated parmesan

1/2 cup cream

1 cup grated mozzarella

Cook gnocchi according to package directions, drain and set aside.  In a large pot heat pasta sauce with parmesan until it comes up to a bubble and the cheese has melted.  Remove from heat and stir in the cream.  Add in the gnocchi and gently stir to coat well with the sauce.  Place gnocchi into a lightly oiled 9" X 13" baking dish.  Sprinkle with mozzarella.  Cover in foil and place into a 350° oven for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and allow to cook until cheese is lightly browned.  Serves 8.

I "baked" mine it the microwave for 5 minutes and it turned out beautifully.  The girls said it was really good and I had a hard time not trying a bite because it smelled wonderful.

Here is the breakdown on what it cost me:

Gnocchi - 2 pkgs -  $2.00

Pasta sauce - 99¢

Parmesan - 50¢

Cream -  40¢

Mozzarella - 50¢

Grand Total - $4.39

I got the gnocchi at the dollar store and it is really good.  I got the pasta sauce on sale, parmesan at Winco for 2.38 a container, cream from a quart ($3.24) so it is less than a smaller container would be and the mozzarella was a loss leader for 99¢ a package.

In some cases costs are approximated.  Groceries prices vary depending on where you live.  I don't include condiments, oils, herbs and spices when I figure the cost of a meal as it would be incredibly tedious to do so.  Plus condiments are subjective as each person uses more or less.