Potato Gnocchi with Rosata Sauce

I have been making gnocchi for a few years and I liked them, but I knew there was a better way.  Every time I tasted them at Gloria's Little Italy I was a bit sad because mine weren't as good.

I tried some different things, and had a Julia Child recipe in mind, but then this recipe turned up in my inbox this morning. Happily it turned out to be the one I was looking for.  I boiled two yukon gold potatoes and mashed them for the recipe.  I don't have a gnocchi board and didn't bother to use the fork.  I just used a bench knife to cut the ropes I had rolled out and plopped the pieces in the boiling water.  They were tender and delicious when served with a simple rosata sauce.  I am not surprised that King Arthur Flour once again came up with the best recipe.  I didn't try the parsley pesto because parsley isn't my favorite.

Rosata Sauce

1 Cup cream or more to taste

2 Cloves minced garlic

1 24 oz can Strianese Whole Peeled D.O.P. San Marzano Tomatoes 

Salt to taste (about 1/2 tsp)

Put the cream and a saucepan on medium heat and crush the two cloves of garlic into it.  Leave it for about 5 minutes while you open the can and blend it really well in the blender.  Pour the tomatoes into the cream mixture and simmer for about 10 minutes.  Salt to taste.  Serve with parmesan, or dry cheese of your choice.

Notes: We were out of parmesan, but we happened to have an Irish cheese I bought at Sam's Club called Dubliner.  It was really good.

I got the fancy canned tomatoes from my cousin Laura's Harvest Bundle awhile back.  I found them on amazon, and haven't looked in the grocery store.

Orzo with Roasted Vegetables

This recipe was really good.  We used some eggplant to replace part of the peppers and only used about 1/3 of the olive oil for the roasting and the dressing.   We also substituted toasted, blanched almonds for the pine nuts since we aren't millionaires ;). We ate it in homemade  whole wheat pitas.  Yum.  You can also add fresh cherry tomatoes at the end.  Next time I will try it with whole grain orzo available here.

Vegetables:
4-6 smallish zucchini
yellow, red and orange peppers (1 of each)
1 red onion
2-3 cloves of garlic
1/3 C olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

chop vegetables, toss with olive oil, salt and pepper. Spread onto a foil lined baking sheet and roast in oven at 425 for 40-50 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook orzo (1 lb.)

Toss cooked vegetables and orzo together with:

Dressing:
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup olive oil
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp pepper

drizzle over salad and add:

1/2 c toasted pine nuts
8 oz. crumbled feta cheese
15 fresh basil leaves - chopped.

Serve at room temperature or chilled.

Curried Chicken Sandwiches

I made these last week for dinner.  I used a rotisserie chicken and sliced sourdough from Sam's Club.  Artisan bread would have been better, but I didn't have time to make any.  The bread was dry, so I put some olive oil mixed with lemon juice and a little salt on the top.  It was really tasty.  We had mixed greens with the same dressing, sliced cucumber and grapes on the side.  Some of the girls ate the chicken separate from the bread and had strawberry jam on the bread instead.  Easy, no cooking, and good!  Perfect for summer.
 

Curried Chicken Sandwiches From Sunset--May 2009 page 106
Lightly season mayonnaise with curry powder. Toast sliced sourdough bread and spread half the slices with your favorite mango chutney (I like Patak's brand) and the rest with the curry mayo. Arrange sliced grilled chicken, baby spinach leaves, and sliced English cucumber on half of bread. Top with remaining bread.

Menu

This is my menu from last week.  I am trying to do them in Google Docs so that I can reference them later.  When I do them on paper I loose them.  I will be posting some of the recipes throughout the week.  If you want a certain one, just comment.  Here is the link.

Table Inspiration

 
My Grandma loves dishes and everything else that goes into making a table setting beautiful.  When I was growing up she would give me the assignment of setting a pretty table for Sunday or a family party.  I loved opening the cupboards with her and getting out all kinds of beautiful plates, goblets or cups, table cloths, utensils, place mats, cloth napkins, napkin rings, serving dishes, etc.  She usually had what she wanted in mind and would instruct me how to put everything into place.  I used to open the cupboards and peer in even on days I wasn't setting the table, just so I could get a peak at her pretty things.

I still love a pretty table, but with four young children most the time I  am lucky just to get us fed.  It makes me happy that my oldest is starting to show and interest in setting the table for special occasions.

Luckily for all of us my Grandma Harris still sets a pretty table and she has consented to send me pictures.  This means that every now and again  I will be able to post "Table Inspiration" pictures.  The first one is a patriotic one.  In Utah we still have the 24th of  July coming up, so no need to put your red white and blue away.

Dinner Tonight--Salad

I am thinking of making some sort of cob salad for dinner tonight because I have a lot of lettuce to use up and I have some pork as well.  I saw this salad this morning and it looked really good.   I think I will do something with a   more Asian theme.  I will post about it if it turns out to be the best thing ever.

Star Belly Sneetches

My Mom gave me this good idea for a red, white, and blue breakfast.  

This is my favorite biscuit recipe:

 Baking Powder Biscuits

1 1/2 C flour

3/4 tsp salt

1 T sugar (I increased this to 3 T to make the biscuits sweet)

1 T baking powder

1/3 C canola oil

1/3 to about a 1/2 Cup milk

Mix dry ingredients together.  Add oil and milk all at once and combine.  Add more milk if mixture is too dry. Roll out to 1/2 inch thickness.  Cut out in star shape using a cookie cutter.  Bake at 450 degrees until brown (8-12  minutes).

**Adapted from a recipe donated by Kathy Swift to my Grandmas ward cookbook.

Notes: I doubled the recipe and got 16, 3 inch stars.  I served them with whipped cream (that had 1 tsp vanilla, sugar to taste and 1 cup raspberries beaten in), raspberry freezer jam, and blueberries on top.

Spencer told the girls that they might turn into star belly sneetches if they wolfed too many of them down.  Luckily they are all still ok.