Potato Gnocchi with Wild Mushroom Sugo

adapted from Michael Chiarello, Foodnetwork

If you are being lazy like me then you can get gnocchi from the store. I found mine at my local grocery store by the pasta. Or Target also carries a few different kinds. I have also heard sometimes they sell them in the freezer section. But if you want to go all out, the homemade gnocchi had rave reviews online I will try them one of these times when I have more time.

For the gnocchi:

• 2 pounds russet potatoes
• Coarse salt
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Pinch freshly ground black pepper
• Pinch freshly grated nutmeg
• 1 to 1 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

For the sugo:

• 1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 cups mixed wild mushrooms, finely chopped (basic white button mushrooms work just fine)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 1 tablespoon minced shallots
• 1/2 cup tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup red wine
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 generous tablespoon unsalted butter, optional (I left this out)
• 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley leaves
• Parmesan

Directions

For the gnocchi:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Bake potatoes until very soft on a bed of coarse salt in a baking dish, about 45 minutes. (The salt keeps the potatoes from touching the dish and developing a hard spot.) Cool potatoes until warm, then halve lengthwise and scoop out the flesh. Pass the flesh through a food mill or ricer, or push it through a coarse sieve. You should have about 4 cups.

In a bowl, combine potato, egg yolks, Parmesan, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Work the mixture with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add 1 cup of the flour and knead very gently, patting and pressing the dough with your hands until all the flour is incorporated. Add some or all of the additional 1/4 cup flour if the dough feels too moist, it should be soft but shouldn't stick to your hands. Transfer dough to a work surface and roll into a log about 3 inches in diameter. Cut the log into 8 equal pieces.

Give each piece a quarter-turn so that you are rolling the dough in a different direction, then roll into ropes, a generous 1/2-inch in diameter, as if making breadsticks. Flour the ropes generously, and then cut crosswise at 1/2-inch intervals. You can shape the gnocchi on a ridged butter paddle or on the back of a fork, or you can cook them as is. Let them dry at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before cooking.

For the sugo:

Heat a large saute pan over high heat. When hot, add oil, and then sprinkle in the mushrooms. Don't stir! Let the mushrooms sizzle and caramelize for 7 to 8 minutes. Stir and season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for about 1 minute to release its fragrance. Add the rosemary and shallot and cook for about a minute. Cook briefly to release their fragrance, then add tomato and red wine and simmer until almost evaporated. Add the broth or water. Simmer until slightly reduced, 4 to 5 minutes. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Remove from heat and stir in the butter. Sprinkle with the parsley and keep warm.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the gnocchi. They are usually done about 2 minutes after they float to the surface, but test 1 to be sure. Lift them out with a skimmer and transfer to a large platter. Pour the warm sauce over the gnocchi. Grate Parmesan over the top and serve immediately.

Soft Mahi Mahi Tacos with Ginger-Lime Dressing

adapted from Allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• salt and pepper to taste

• 6 (3 ounce) fillets mahi mahi fillets

• Or substitute Breaded Fish Fillets(you know the fishstick kind)

• 1/3 cup sour cream

• 1 tablespoon lime juice

• 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

• 1 dash cayenne pepper

• 1 large mango - peeled, seeded and diced

• 1 cup diced fresh pineapple

• 1 avocado - peeled, pitted and diced

• 1 jalapeno pepper, minced

• 6 (6 inch) flour tortillas, warmed

• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, optional

• shredded cabbage, optional

Directions

1. If you use the frozen fish fillets, cook in the oven as directed. If you use fresh fish do the following heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Season the mahi-mahi with salt and pepper. Cook the fillets in the hot oil until the fish is golden brown on each side, and no longer translucent in the center, about 3 minutes per side.

2. Meanwhile, whisk together the sour cream, lime juice, ginger, cumin, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to taste; set aside. Gently combine the mango, pineapple, avocado, and jalapeno in a bowl.

3. To assemble, place a cooked mahi-mahi fillet into the center of a warmed tortilla. Place a scoop of the mango salsa onto the fish, then drizzle with the sour cream sauce, and finish with a generous pinch of chopped cilantro.

Chicken Alfredo Pizza

adapted from allrecipes.com

SAUCE

• 4 tablespoons butter

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 dash ground black pepper

• 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour

• 1 cup milk

• 3/4 cup grated Romano cheese (parmesan can be substituted)

DOUGH

• 1 cup warm water

• 1 (.25 ounce) package instant yeast (2 1/4 tsp.)

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

• 1 tablespoon white sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 2 boneless chicken breast halves, roasted

• 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning

• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 8 oz. Mozzarella Cheese, grated

• 3-6 mushrooms, sliced

• ½-1 onion sliced

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• sun dried tomatoes to taste

Directions

1. To Make the Dough: Pour the warm water into a small bowl and stir in the yeast until dissolved. Allow to rest until yeast foams, about 5 minutes. Mix the vegetable oil, sugar, salt, rosemary, and garlic powder together in a mixing bowl. Stir in the yeast mixture, and gradually stir in the flour. Gather into a loose ball and knead until a smooth ball forms. Cover, and let rest 1/2 hour.

2. To Make Sauce: Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Blend in salt, pepper and flour, then stir in the milk and Romano cheese. Simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened. Remove from heat, cover and set aside.

3. Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a skillet and sauté mushrooms and onion. Season with salt pepper, and rosemary. Add minced garlic the last minute of cooking and remove pan from heat.

4. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Season the roasted chicken with rosemary, thyme, poultry seasoning, garlic powder and salt. Chop or shred and reserve.

5. To Assemble the Pizza: Spread dough out on prepared pizza stone. Spread with Alfredo Sauce (if necessary, warm to spreading consistency), leaving crust edges. Top with chicken, then sauted mushrooms and onions, sundried tomatoes. Top with shredded mozzarella.

6. Bake in preheated oven at 450 degrees for 20 minutes, or until bottom crust is lightly browned. Remove from oven and let set for 2 to 3 minutes before cutting.

Biscuits

Biscuits

• 2 cups flour

• 1 tablespoon baking powder

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 teaspoon sugar

• 1/4 pound (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced

3/4 cup half-and-half

1 egg, optional for egg wash on top

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Add the butter and mix on low speed until the butter is the size of peas. Add the half-and-half and combine on low speed. Dump the dough out on a well-floured board and, with a rolling pin, roll out to 3/8-inch thick. Cut out twelve circles with a 2 1/2-inch round cutter. Brush with an egg wash on top if desired. Bake for 12-14 minutes at 350 degrees

Chicken Stew

This was really good and creamy, and believe it or not it is not that high calorie about 200 calories a bowl. If you care about calories which I don't I served this with biscuits on the side. You can serve the bicuits with stew ladled over the top or on the side with butter and jam.

Adapted from Barefoot Contessa, Foodnetwork

2 chicken breasts, cooked and shredded

1.5 onions, chopped

3 cups carrots, sliced(about 4 carrots)

½ cup butter, one stick

½ cup of flour

5 cups of chicken broth

¼ cup of half and half

10-12 oz. frozen peas

salt,pepper, parsley to taste

Melt the butter in a large pot. Add onions and carrots and cook for about 10 min. Then add flour and mix together. Cook for 2 minutes. Add chicken broth and let simmer for a few minutes until thickened add the frozen peas and half and half. Simmer until vegetables are tender season with Salt, Pepper, and parsley.

Fishstick Tacos

So this was Joe's idea. They were delicious and I am not always a fish fan. It was a great way to get kids to eat fish. If you want to substitute just regular fish that would be delicious too. We recommend not using salsa because that flavor just doesn't work with fish.

Fish sticks-cooked

tortillas(we used the fresh ones you cook at home)

lemons, cut into wedges

sour cream

tomatoes

avocado

lettuce

Place 2-3 fish sticks on the bottom then squeeze some lemon juice over the top. Proceed to top with sour cream, lettuce, tomatoes, and avocados.

Teriyaki Fried Rice

2 cups uncooked brown rice (4-5 cups cooked)

2 Tb olive oil

1 large chicken breast, finely sliced (about 1 lb)

1 bunch green onions, chopped

1 carrot, finely chopped

1-2 cups sugar snap peas, fresh or frozen

red bell pepper

cabbage, optional

peas,optional

1/2 cup teriyaki sauce

Cook rice as directed on package. Over med-high heat, stir fry the chicken in 1 Tb olive oil until fully cooked, about 5 minutes. Remove from pan. Add the other 1 Tb olive oil and saute green onions and carrots over medium heat for 5 minutes. Stir in peas, rice and chicken. Pour in the teriyaki sauce and stir to distribute evenly. Cook another few minutes over medium heat, stirring frequently.