Potato Gnocchi Cooking Class - Artepicure ~

My youngest son gave me a lovely gift last Christmas.  A pasta making class at this wonderful and charming little school, Artepicure in Boston.  He has given me these kinds of gifts before, but never one that included him as my cooking partner.

It was a special treat, hanging out and making pasta all day with my son.  I loved that day and hope we can repeat it again soon.

We made three handmade pasta dishes and doesn't the gnocchi look amazing? It was fabulous. It took us a good hour to hand roll each piece, but it was so worth it.  The gnocchi are so light and airy, nothing like the store bought at all ~

I cannot share the specific pasta recipe with you, I don't have permission.  I do have a recipe to share, but mine is not far from the school's recipe.  So, I'll share this one.  By the way, hand made pasta is simple to make, but does take time and practice ...

Potato Gnocchi ~


Ingredients
800gr Up-to-date potatoes - about 5 potatoes
200gr flour + more flour for rolling of gnocchi
salt
1 extra large egg

Serves 4 people.

Method:Bake the potatoes in a  425 F. oven until fork tender. As the potatoes come out the oven, halve them and scoop out the flesh and push through a food ricer. Allow to cool a little and then add 1 cup of the flour and salt, work it through, add the egg and then if it needs more flour, add the rest of the flour. Take care not to over-process the dough as your gnocchi will be tough and dense rather than pillow-like.

Divide the dough into "ropes", about 2,5 cm thick. With a floured knife, cut the "ropes" into small gnocchi (1,5cm)and roll over the back of a fork to make the grooves. The grooves are just so that the sauce will cling better to the gnocchi.

Heat a big pot of water on the stove, add some salt and cook the gnocchi in batches, making sure the water always stays at boiling temperature.

Serve with a basic pesto or tomato sauce.

A link to Artepicure School, if you want to check it out. 

http://www.artepicure.com/

Pretty in Pink Lemonade Cookies ~

Aren't these just so pretty?  I fell for them, hook, line and sinker ~

I usually don't use a boxed cake mix, but I threw caution to the wind on these beauties.  Because they looked so pretty and it's May after all, who wouldn't want to try these.  The only change I made was not to roll them in sugar before they baked.  I rolled them in powered sugar after they came out of the oven. 


These look so good sitting in my kitchen window, the light brings out the pink in them. And they are just so easy to make.  You will have to try these for yourself, but to me they were yummy. 
 

The cream cheese in these cookies make them nice and chewy too.  I love chewy cookies, don't understand people who like crisp cookies either.  But that's just me....  the chewier, the better.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients

• 8 ounces, weight Cream Cheese, softened
• 1/2 cups butter, softened
• 1 whole Large Egg
• 1 teaspoon Lemon Extract
• 1 whole Large Lemon, Zest Grated
• 1 package (18.25 Oz. Size) Pink Lemonade Flavor Cake Mix
• Granulated Sugar, For Rolling (*I did not use)
• Confectioners' Sugar For Rolling

Preparation Instructions

Put the butter into a large mixing bowl. Cream the butter until soft and creamy. Add the cream cheese and beat until mixture is smooth. Beat in the egg, lemon extract and lemon zest until combined. Add the cake mix and beat just until well mixed.
If the dough is too soft to roll into balls, cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 1-2 hours or until it’s easy to handle.
 
Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Place some granulated sugar and confectioners’ sugar into separate bowls.
Roll the dough into 1-inch to 1 1/4-inch balls.
Drop each dough ball into the bowl of granulated sugar and roll it in the sugar to coat completely.

I skipped the next part:
 
*Immediately drop the sugared dough ball into the confectioners’ sugar and roll it to coat heavily with the sugar. Rolling the dough balls in the granulated sugar first helps the confectioners’ sugar coating not sink into the baked cookies.

Place the dough balls 2″ apart on ungreased cookie sheets; flatten slightly. Bake at 350 F for 10-12 minutes. DO NOT overbake. Take the cookies out of the oven when they look a little underdone.
Let the cookies cool on the pan for 1-2 minutes, then remove them from the pans to wire racks and cool completely.

*I rolled them in powdered sugar and set them on a rack to cool for about 10 minutes.

Store the cookies in an airtight container. Makes about 2 1/2-3 dozen.

Adapted from Ceegee's recipe on PW.

Enjoy ~

I am linked to Foodie Friday:


http://designsbygollum.blogspot.com/2014/05/foodie-friday-may-2nd.html

Flourless Chocolate Cake ~

I took a pasta class last weekend with my youngest son.  We both enjoyed it immensely.  However, I loved this dessert perhaps more than the pasta, even though we didn't make this cake.  No, I am joking.  But, it was right up there with how much I loved everything we ate that day. And it was a delicious ending to a very special meal. If you like dense, chocolate desserts that are not too sweet, but absolutely delicious, give this one a try.  The carmel sauce on top is deletable too.  When I make it, I'll add a smidge of whipped cream too.  Why not, right?  Oh, and I'll post about the pasta class another time though, it was fabulous.

Flourless Chocolate Cake

1 lb. bittersweet chocolate, chopped into small pieces
1 stick unsalted butter
9 large eggs, separated
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspooon vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 375 F and butter and flour a 10 inch springform pan.  Line the pan with parchment and butter and flour that too.

Put the chocolate and butter into a stainless steel mixing bowl and heat over (but not touching), about 1 inch of smmering water until melted.  Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks with the sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl until light yellow in color.  Whisk a litle of the chocolate mixture into the egg yolk mixture to temper the eggs - this will keep the eggs from scrambling.  Then whisk in the rest of the chocolate mixture.

Beat the egg whites in a mixing bowl until stiff peaks form and fold into the chocolate mixture.  Pour into the cake pan and bake until the cake is set and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean with moist crumbs clinging to it, about 20 minutes.  Let stand for 10 minutes, then remove sides of pan.

Carmel Sauce

1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Combine sugar and water in heavy skillet and cook, stirring occasionally over low heat until sugar melts.  Raise heat and cook until sugar carmelizes and turns a deep mahogany brown.  Stand back (in case mixture splatters), and slowly pour in cream.  Stir over low heat until smooth, then mix in vanilla and salt.

Enjoy ~

Penang Curry ~

I took a Thai cooking class a few months ago and one of the dishes we made was this Curry dish.  I love this dish and it's right up my alley, easy and delicious.  And there aren't a long list of ingredients that I would have to search all over tarnation for.    I could drink the sauce from it, but let us not digress....

This recipe packs quite a kick in it, so if you are looking for a mild curry, this might not be a dish for you.  Although you could adjust the amount of Penang Curry Paste you add to it.

This is the entire dish in my old wok, so parden the "age" of my pan.  It's old and not very pretty any more, but it still does a great job.... you know those kinds of pots and pans, don't you?

And the simple ingredients for this dish are:

2 halves of boneless, skinless chicken breast, sliced thinly
4 ounces of Penang Curry Paste (I use Maesri)
2 teaspoonful Fish Sauce (I use 3 Crab)
1 red bell pepper, sliced thinly
1 can of Coconut Milk (13.5oz)
1 tespoon sugar
1 handful Thai Basil (you can use regular), roughly chopped

Heat a large wok or saute pan on medium high and empty half
of the coconut milk in it.  Stir until milk starts to bubble and then add the Penang Curry and stir until blended.  Next add your chicken slices and turn heat to medium low, stir and let cook for 5 minutes.

Add sliced pepper, let cook another 2 minutes, and give it a gentle stir here and there.  Pour in the second half of coconut milk, fish sauce, sugar and basil.  Stir and turn down heat to low.  Let simmer for another minute, shut the stove off.  Cover and let sit for another minute or two.

Doesn't it look yummy?   Well it is, so enjoy ~

Strawberry Galette ~

Just one thing.  Is this a galette, crostata or rustic tart?  I guess it doesn't matter much what you call it, as long as you make it.  It is yummy.

I even cheated and used store bought crust too.  Just be sure to roll it out super thin, because it gives the crust a crispier edge.  Or you can spend the time to make your own crust, which will be even more delicious.  But for me, especially in the good weather, I want to spend less time in the kitchen!

Just these few ingredients:

1 - store bought, boxed, refrigerator pie crust.

1 quart of fresh strawberries, sliced

3 Tablespoons of sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon

Sprinkle flour on a work surface and unroll pie crust.  Do the same to a rolling pin and roll the crust to 1/8" inch thickness.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the berries, sugar, lemon juice, corn starch. Stir to combine.

Preheat oven to 350°. Place dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Arrange the sliced strawberries in a pinwheel pattern starting about 2-inches from the outer edge of pie crust, forming concentric circles of strawberries.
 
Fold up the edges of the dough circles over the berries, crimping to seal.  Place in refrigerator for 15 minutes to rest.

Make an egg wash by combining 1 egg yoke and mixing with 1 tablespoon of heavy cream.  Brush all over the crust right before placing the galette in the oven.

Bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown.

Now, let's make some whipped cream while this dessert cools for 10 minutes.

8 oz. heavy cream

3 Tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon good vanilla

Add cream in a non reactive bowl and whip for two minutes of medium.  I use a hand held beater.  Add sugar and beat on high for two minutes longer.  Add vanilla and whip on high for another minute.  You are looking for peaks, but not too stiff.

Slice a piece and add a dollop of whipped cream.

Enjoy ~

Snowballs in the summer ~

                                    Coconut Snowballs

Well I know it's really not summer yet, but after the mild Winter we had, it sure feels like it.  :)

These cookies are easy, light and delicious.  Did I say easy?  And delicious?  Yummy coconut too.  Heavenly....

Make sure you put the dough in the fridge to let it rest and chill for about 15 minutes after you make it. 

Here's the recipe, originally from allrecipes.com.

Ingredients

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1/4 cup confectioner's sugar, plus more for dusting

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups sweetened flaked coconut

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter with 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar until fluffy. Mix in flour and salt until they're just combined. Stir in coconut.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls; place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet. Bake until just starting to brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Roll the warm cookies in confectioners' sugar; let cool completely.

Yum ~

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1.4

Au Jus ~

If you are anything like me, when you are going to make a nice and juicy roast beef dinner, the last thing you want to worry about is the gravy.  I like an au jus with mine, not a thickened gravy.  But, if you want it thick then after you brown your meat and onion, add 2 tablespoons of flour and stir.  Then add your broth.  So along with being easy and delicious, your dinner will be stress free.

But to me, this is my go to recipe when I want a delicous sauce to serve with roast beef..  It would be nice to use as a dip for roast beef sandwiches as well

And making it this way, sure beats standing over the stove at the last minute, hoping your gravy tastes as good as your roast beef.  Or hoping that you have enough to serve.  Too much stress.  And I don't want any part of stressful entertaining.  So this gravy/sauce can be made the day before and just reheated at the last minute.

And it's so easy that after you brown the meat and onions, you can walk away and it will cook itself. 

Ingredients are...

1 large white onion
4 or 5 beef neck bones
3 T. olive oil
32 oz. box of good beef broth (low sodium)
salt
pepper

In a dutch oven, on medium heat, add olive oil.  When oil is hot, add beef and onion.  Brown a couple of minutes on all sides.  The onions and meat will get very dark, which is what you want.  But, you don't want burnt, so watch it while you are browning.

When all pieces are nice and carmel color, pour in beef broth.  Turn heat to low, partially cover and let it simmer for 1 hour.  You can walk away, just make sure your sauce is on a very slow simmer.

Oh, I must apologize.  I forgot to take a picture of the finshed sauce.  But, after it simmers for an hour, just turn the heat off and let sit for about five minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.  Add a pinch of salt and pepper if needed. Remove meat and onion.  Pour through a fine colander and either serve with your lovely roast beef or put in a container to serve later.  It can keep up to four days in your refrigerator.

Enjoy ~