Tastefuls Wonders

Once upon a time when we lived in Alaska we had the experience of having authentic Italian Gnocchi (Thank you Mr. McM!) Even though these dishes are vegetarian in nature, we meat-lovers love it too.  I am sure it would be awesome with a little Italian sausage marinara.  mmm.  Here are two recipes that are relatively easy to make (unless you get magic smoke as I did last time I made it) and make your kitchen smelt like burnt plastic all evening.

Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Gouda Cheese Sauce

adapted from: http://tastykitchen.com/recipes/main-courses/sweet-potato-gnocchi-with-gouda-cheese-sauce/

Gnocchi

1 pound sweet potatoes, baked until able to be pierced easily with a fork (400 for 1 hour)

6oz ricotta cheese 

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1 t salt

1 3/4 cup flour

Sauce

2 cups milk, warmed

1/2 t onion powder

2 garlic cloves, roughly chopped

3 T butter

3 T flour

1 cup Gouda cheese (about 4oz)

salt/pepper

After potatoes have baked.  Cool completely.  Mash.  Incorporate cheeses, salt and flour(1/2 cup at time).   Roll into 4-20inch snakes.  Cut each snake into about 20pieces.  Place each piece on a lined-baking sheet.  Let dry out slightly.  Boil some water with 1T salt.  Drop some gnocchi into boiling water (just a few at a time in order so they don't stick together).  Cook about 5-6minutes until pasta is floating   Remove with a slotted spoon to a oven-safe serving dish.  Place in dish in a warm oven as they come out of the boiling water.  Repeat until all gnocchi are cooked.

While gnocchi are cooking make sauce.  Heat milk in microwave with garlic chunks.  In a medium saucepan melt butter with onion powder; stir in flour.  Add warmed milk.  Stir until thickened.  Remove garlic chunks and from heat.  Stir in Gouda cheese until melty and gooey. Pour over warmed gnocchi.  Serve with a fresh spinach salad....mmmm.

Basil Gnocchi (I use spinach) - these are similar to the ones we had in Alaska.
adapted from: Food Network Magazine

Gnocchi
1 1/2 cups instant mashed potatoes
1 cup fresh basil (spinach)
1 egg, beaten
1/4 cup Parmesan
1 cup flour

Sauce (I have never made this sauce)
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup pine nuts
salt
3 shallots, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 pounds heirloom tomatoes, diced
pepper

Mix potato flakes with 1 cup boiling water.  Let them absorb water (about 3minutes).  Puree basil with 1/4 cup cold water.  Stir in potatoes, egg and Parmesan.  Gradually fold in flour.  Divide 'dough' into 3 portions; roll into snakes.  Cut off smallish (1inch) sections.  Place on lined-cookie sheets.  Refrigerate.

For the sauce: heat oil.  Add pine nuts; toast.  Remove toasted nuts to a small plate.  Add garlic and shallots to pan; saute until soft and clear (about 3minutes or so).  Add wine; boil.  Add tomotatoes.  Cook until just soft.  Remove to a serving dish.

Cook gnocchi (as in the other recipe); dropping to boiling water a few at time until floating.  Toss in sauce.  Serve with pine nuts and extra Parmesan. 

Breakfast (Is Served) Via Cups

As you may have noticed, I enjoy experimenting in the kitchen.  I love trying new recipes or tweaking old ones to make them with my own twist.  I found perfect (almost) bite size recipes for this special weekend.  I thought I would make life easier on myself for this last weekend...just prepping my meal ahead of time, so all I have to do on Sunday for breakfast is heat and serve.

Hashbrown Muffins
adapted from: http://thevillagecook.com/hash-brown-muffins/

32oz shredded hashbrowns (I used 1-32oz bag frozen shredded ones that I thawed and drained)
8 eggs
12oz bacon, cooked and crumbled
1/2 cup milk
salt
pepper
onion powder
garlic powder
2 T onion, diced UBER fine
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese

Preheat oven to 375.  Grease 2-standard size muffin tins.  In a large bowl whisk together eggs, milk, and seasonings.  Add hashbrowns and onions.  Stir in bacon bits.  Add (a smidge under) 1/3 cup mixture to each cup.   Top evenly with cheese.  Bake for about 20-25minutes until slightly golden.   Enjoy with your favorite hot sauce (salsa and sriracha are our favorites) or ketchup.

Baked French Toast Muffins
adapted from: http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/baked-french-toast-muffins/#more-14448

Bread
1 loaf French bread, cubed into 1/2 inch cubes=12 cups bread (I used some of this bread  instead)
2 1/2 cups milk
6 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1 T vanilla
1 t cinnamon

Topping
1/4 cup cold butter
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup flour (or oats)
1/8 cinnamon
salt

In a bowl whisk together milk, eggs, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon.  Add 1 cup cubed bread to 12 greased muffin cups.  Slowly pour milk mixture over top (pressing down if necessary).  Cover and chill at least 2 hours.  Preheat oven to 350. Make streusel combined butter, sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt just until crumbly.  Remove bread from the fridge.  Top evenly with streusel topping.  Bake 25minutes until golden.  Cool 5-7minutes before removing from pan.  Serve with butter and maple syrup.

Weekly Staple

When I was younger, Mom would make granola on a weekly basis (or so it seemed at the time).  I have tried to make it myself on multiple occasions but never had it tasting just right. However recently I tried another new recipe, and it seemed about perfect.  Even though I forgot the vanilla extract it is quite tasty. My boys love this too.

Granola

adapted from: http://www.tammysrecipes.com/granola

6 cups oats

1/2 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup wheat germ

1/2 cup coconut (did not have)

1 cup chopped nuts (I used sunflower seeds and flax seeds)

1/4 cup sesame seeds

1/2 cup dry milk

2/3 cup oil

2/3 cup honey

2 T water (oops, forgot that too)

1 1/2 t vanilla (as I said I forgot)

1 cup raisins (I figured we could add our own if we wanted them)

In a large bowl, combine oats, sugar, wheat germ, coconut, nuts, sesame seeds and dry milk.  In another bowl (glass measuring cup works well) combine oil, honey, water and vanilla.  Pour these wet ingredients over the dry.  Toss well to coat.  Transfer to 2 well-greased sided cookie sheets.  Bake at 300 for about 40minutes until slightly toasted (stirring a few times during baking).  Cool for 15minutes.  Stir again.  Remove to an airtight container.

The Love Of Mothers

Today we honor mothers in a special way.  Recently I found this quote; love it.  Happy Mother's Day to all the moms in the world, especially my mom.  I could not ask for a better mother.  I love you, Mom!  Thank you for being there for me.

My Wedding Day

"The most important person on earth is a mother. She cannot claim the honor of having built Notre Dame Cathedral. She need not. She has built something more magnificent than any cathedral--a dwelling for an immortal soul, the tiny perfection of her baby's body . . . The angels have not been blessed with such a grace. They cannot share in God's creative miracle to bring new saints to Heaven. Only a human mother can. Mothers are closer to God the Creator than any other creature; God joins forces with mothers in performing this act of creation . . . What on God's good earth is more glorious than this; to be a mother?"

--Joseph Cardinal Mindszenty

Swirled With Love

I love love LOVE cinnamon-sugar swirled bread.  I love it even more it is warm, toasted and slathered with rich creamy butter.  MMM...my mouth is just watering just imagining this.  I can almost smell it (before I even have another loaf in the oven).  I think next I will double the recipe (still omitting the nuts, but adding raisins to one of them).

Cinnamon Swirl Bread
adapted from: http://www.closetcooking.com/2011/03/cinnamon-swirl-bread.html

Bread
1 cup milk
1/3 cup butter
2 1/2 t yeast
2 eggs
1/3 cup sugar
3 - 3 1/2 cups flour
1 t salt

Swirl
2 T butter, softened
1/3 cup sugar
2 T cinnamon
1/2 cup raisins/walnuts
1 egg & 1T milk, whisked together


Heat milk in a small sauce pan with butter, just to take the chill off and melt the butter.  Cool to lukewarm.  (I am sure this would work fine in the microwaves )  In a mixing bowl combined lukewarm milk/butter mixture with yeast.  Let rest 10minutes.  In another bowl mix together eggs and sugar.  Add to milk/butter/yeast mixture.  In a third bowl/measuring cup combine flour and salt.  Add half of the flour/salt mixture until combined.  Slowly add remaining flour.  Add more flour if necessary.  Place in greased bowl.  Let rise until double 2 hours or so.  Roll out dough as long as bread pan about 2feet long.  Spread butter all over.  Sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon (and raisins/walnuts).    Roll up jelly-roll style.  Place in a greased bread pan. Let rise again until doubled.    Brush with egg/milk mixture.  Bake at 350 until golden (30-40minutes).

When Mom Gives Me Lemons...

I make Lemon Shrimp.  MMM...it was so good.  If you like lemon with your crustaceans, you will love this dish.  I don't think you would should eat the lemons but if you want to - go for it (as my dear husband did).  I served this over hot steamed rice, a salad with a light vinaigrette and homemade bread.

Lemon Butter Shrimp
adapted from: http://joyful-mommas-kitchen.blogspot.com/2012/07/easy-peasy-lemon-squeezyshrimp.html

3 lemons, thinly sliced
1 pound tail-off UNcooked shrimp
12oz bay scallops (my addition)
1/2 cup melted butter (used 3/4 cup, since I added the extra seafood)
1 pkg Italian dressing mix (the dry stuff)

Preheat oven to 400. Place in a large roasting pan.  Place seafood in pan.  Drizzle with butter.  Sprinkle with dressing mix; top with lemon slices.  Bake uncovered 15-20minutes (until shrimp is pink).  (NOTE: I covered the pan, since I did not want it to dry out.)

Remember When...

Remember a couple weeks ago when I made that melt-in-your mouth pot roast?!  Today I replicated the flavors and made the most amazing sandwich out there.  It was every similar to this recipe that I made last year.  Awesome-ness!  I could drink this broth with a straw; it is that good.

Best French Dip Sandwiches

1 pound thin sliced deli roast beef
2 1/2 cups French Onion Soup (in the cardboard cartons)
1 cup beef broth
1 t Dijon mustard
1/2 t thyme
1/4 t garlic powder
7 banana peppers
1 small onion, sliced

Place onion in greased crockpot.  Layer half the meat on top of onions.  Top with peppers and remaining meat.  In a measuring cup combine French Onion Soup, broth, mustard, thyme and garlic.  Whisk together until lump free.  Pour over meat, onions and peppers.  Cook on LOW 8 hours.  (I forgot to plug in the crockpot for about 45minutes).  Serve on hoagie rolls.

Hoagie Rolls
adapted from: http://www.asweetpeachef.com/bread/hoagie-rolls/

1 1/2 t yeast
1 1/4 cup warm water, divided
2 t sugar, divided
2 T olive oil
2 t salt (I used 1 t sea salt)
2 cups bread flour (I used 1 cup whole wheat)
2 cups white flour (I used 3 to make up for the missing cup and make it equal to 4 cups total flour)

In your mixing bowl combine yeast, 1/4 cup warm water and 1 t sugar. Let gurgle and burp for about 7minutes (get bubbly).  Add remaining water and sugar.  Add oil.  Add salt then flour 1 cup at a time. Mixing well after each addition.  You may have to add a bit more water and/or flour for it all to come together.  Knead about 5minutes.  Turn into a greased bowl.  Cover with plastic wrap and let rise until just doubled - almost an hour.  Divide into 8 portions.  Roll into logs.  Place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Let rise 15 minutes and while oven is preheating (about 25 minutes total).  Preheat oven to 400.  Bake for about 10-15minutes until golden brown.