Mish Mash My Spaghetti Made a Splash!

Long about a Saturday Night…a couple of glub, glubs relaxin’ drinking some beer, thinkin’ ‘bout food. Well I looked in my cupboard and put my face in the fridge, I scratched my head and I grabbed all the leftover stuff and then I made a Mish Mash of my Spaghetti splash and well, I had a blast!

 

Ok, that opening statement is probably lame and geeky, but it’s been in my head for about a few weeks now and just had to start this post with it. It actually explains why I seem so giddy right now. Not only do I have a mash of a recipe for you, but I am also informing those who actually do follow me, that I finally, after 2 years ( I won’t say long, as time has gone by very quickly for me, even if I wasn’t productive) have a JOB! Yes, I finally have a job with a very prominent organization.

 

I don’t know if I can legally state the company name, but what I can tell you is that they are a Fortune 500 Company, they are currently listed as one of the best companies to work for in 2010, they are also listed as one of the best companies to start a career in (this is especially noted for those upcoming youngungs).

 

The company I am working for is one of the most respected tax & accounting firms out there. The fact that I can now put their name on my resume will open tons of doors. No matter, because the division/folks I work with after just a week, are most incredible and I am truly excited to learn more from them.

 

Back to the Mash…I started this blog to keep me busy while I was out of work. However I found that I truly enjoy posting my cooking/baking efforts for all those who are interested in these antics of mine. So, I do promise that I will continue to update this blog with every effort. Though the postings may not be as consistent as they have been; so, for those who do follow, please keep checking in. I really do appreciate your loyalty.

 

Today is a new day, as I am officially going to coin the phrase “Mish Mash Eats” AKA “MME” or the Eats can be substituted for Pasta which would be “MMP”. So unlike “EVOO” or other crazy culinary coined phrases, from some well know celebrity chefs/cooks, are in some ways just bogus to us regular folk who are just trying to make a meal out of nothing. MME, MMP or MM(any other major addition),is much easier because the acronym includes anything and everything you might have in your kitchen that is edible.

 

MME is just that, a Mish Mash of Eats left over in your pantry, fridge or freezer to create a satisfactory meal concoction. You just have to be open on how you utilize the ingredients. MME does not mean throw all that you have in a pot and hope it will be tasty or even edible. MME does have to have some compromise to the taste buds and work well with the all the other ingredients.

 

Now the MME I have for you is of singular left over stuff and not “leftovers” from a previously prepared meal. My leftovers in this instance are the bottom of the jar kind, with a half a box of Pasta, which would now make this meal an MMP.

 

I occasionally come up with odd MME’s that eventually are really tasty, but I will admit that all my MME’s are very fattening and without frying, probably have the same fat and calories as if you ate a burger with cheese. But in my case, I only have enough for one serving anyway and no leftovers to temp me even more. So those watching the waistline, should not be offended or disgusted, but rather take the “technique/method/idea” and make a healthier MME (or MMS –Mish Mash Salad) to make you feel better.

 

 

 

So here are my ingredients for my MME/MMP – these are all approximate measurements…use your eye on what you have left. If you have less of what is listed, use it anyway. This is all about using the bottom of the jar, not about exact measurements.

 

Mish Mash Pasta 

• Any Pasta – About 1-2 servings Left in the box
• Ricotta – about 1/8th Cup
• Capers – about 1 tbls
• Sour cream – about 2-3 tbls
• Salsa – about ½ jar
• Basil – about 4-5 Leaves-Chopped
• Parm Cheese – I always purchase whole Parm Cheese to grate on Demand…If you buy the “jar” or pre-grated crap, use the little you have left.
• Gorganzola – I had this on hand from another recipe…I used only a portion of what I had, as it is a strong cheese, but what it does if used properly with an MME gives a bit more flavor, like adding S&P to taste. When mixed with other milder cheeses, it will enhance those flavors.
• Half and Half – about 1-2 tbls.
• Garlic – I always have this on hand and never try to run out…so for me, 5-6 large cloves minced work. Eyeball it depending on how much pasta you are actually cooking. 5-6 cloves of Garlic for ½ lb of pasta is good for me!
• Oil…I Only use Extra Virgin Olive Oil for 99% of my cooking. But if you only have corn/canola or other oil, that will still work. Just keep in mind that some oils are stronger than others. A sesame or flavored Oil may be too much, but what would I know…it’s your taste buds. 

So now to prepare this MME: This time I am going rogue on my previous instruction template and explain more about the method/technique. Look, in some ways there is no right or wrong way to put an MME together. But there are times where you still have to be somewhat methodical about it.

 

In this MME/MMP case, it’s really about how the above ingredients fit into what you eventually want, which ultimately becomes and “Alfredo” or “White Sauce”. There lies the actual technique. If you know how to make a “white sauce”, then you can figure out how to incorporate all of the ingredients above. If you don’t know how to make a “white sauce”, it’s pretty easy.

 

Many of those who think they can’t cook or even are afraid, already have applied master cooking techniques without even realizing it. For instance, has anyone ever made homemade Mac & Cheese? The base of the Cheese mixture is what is called a “white sauce”. The real “white sauce” is essentially and even mixture of Butter (maybe even oil), Flour and milk. Butter, Flour and Milk can be substituted for any other “like” ingredient.

 

So, how do you make a “white sauce” (which is an actual culinary requirement) and then make it your own variation with all the bottom of the jar ingredients or even follow a proper “white sauce” recipe?

 

Here’s my hacked method for quick and easy white sauce:

1. Take a sauce pan over medium heat
2. Add butter and/or Oil until melted/hot.
3. Add Garlic (in this recipe) and sautee for just a few moments. You don’t want the garlic to burn.
4. Add Flour and whisk immediately
5. Add Dairy: Half and Half & Sour Cream – Heat until sauce thickens. (note: this may thicken quickly if it’s a small serving)
6. Add Cheese to melt

--The above is your Quick and Easy White/Cheese Sauce--

1. Add Salsa or Tomato Sauce
2. Heat until slightly thickened again. It won’t get as thick as earlier.
3. Transfer your cooked pasta to sauce pan and mix.
4. Add Ricotta, Capers and Herbs to Pasta and mix again.
5. Don’t forget to S&P to taste! 

There you have it…MMP-Mish Mash Pasta!

Mac Attack!

So, ok, I eat a lot of pasta, as there is definitely a pattern in most of my posts. This post is no different, but I hope in this case, it will give you ideas on “Food to Go” or “Fast Food” for the whole family. It’s all about making something ahead of time, portioning it out and storing it for those meals to take to work, a snack for the kids after coming home from school or even late night eats.

I don’t think I have ever met anyone who doesn’t love one of the greatest comfort foods of all time, Mac & Cheese. Yeah, yeah, it’s not the healthiest food around, but if it’s in moderation, like all other things in life, indulging yourself every once in a while shouldn’t make you feel guilty.

About twice a year I make myself a “family sized” batch of homemade Mac & Cheese. I have this great recipe I found in Saveur Magazine many years ago and never looked at another recipe again (well that’s not entirely true).

Now you may be asking, since I am single why make so much for myself?

Well, the main reason is that I know that I can portion it and then store each portion in the freezer for when I have that cheesy craving in about 5 minutes. If I decide to take a portion to work, it will thaw by lunch time and I can nuke it for just 2-3 minutes.

That’s less time than if you made a box of the store bought “blue box” or a family sized portion of the frozen “orange box”! The only major difference is that you took one day out of a 6 month timeframe to prepare the dish that can last you several. And I must say, it still only takes about 40 minutes to prep and cook all together.

That is the great reward for planning out meals. BTW Did you all even know that you can freeze your Homemade Mac & Cheese? A 9X11 or 8X11 baking dish will yield about 8 to 10 servings and lasts me about 3, 4 or even 5 months. For Snack portions you may even get 12-14 servings! That’s why I only make 2 batches a year! But those with family members of 4 or more, I would suggest making 2-3 batches of Mac & Cheese, so then you will have plenty in the freezer for all that get the craving. If packaged properly in the freezer, it’s there for the taking in individual servings!

So here is my favorite Mac & Cheese recipe I always turn to…Obviously, you can omit the spicy spice and substitute whole milk for 2% or Heavy Cream to Half & Half or Light Cream. Try different cheeses like Gruyere, Emmentaler, mix different cheeses like Parmesan and Cheddar or Gorgonzola and Emmentaler, Gruyere or Cheddar, whatever your cheese taste buds desire.

So, in the recipe, you want to get Ditalini for the “Tube” Pasta, but it was not available for me at the time, so I used Conchigliette (baby shell pasta). If either types of pasta are not available, you can always use the good ole Elbow Macaroni standby or any other small pasta that the cheese sauce will stick to. Half sized rigatoni or even small penne will work too. But don’t go with the smallest of small pastas like Orzo or Farfamille as that would be way too dense and not work.

I also added some thinly sliced tomato on top, as this was a childhood favorite memory when my father/mother baked homemade Mac & Cheese for the fam. As the "tomato thief", I love that addition to my mac, the tomato adds a nice sweetness that you don’t expect with each bite.

So from the oven:

SAVEUR Macaroni and Cheese
This grown-up version of a childhood favorite is a great way to satisfy that deep-seated yearning for melted cheese.

• 8 tbsp. butter
• 6 tbsp. flour
• 1⁄2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper
• 3 3⁄4 cups hot milk
• 4 cups grated cheddar
• 1 lb. short macaroni, cooked
• 1⁄2 cup heavy cream
• 1⁄2 cup fresh bread crumbs 

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Melt 6 tbsp. butter in a medium stainless-steel saucepan over low heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, for about 4 minutes (flour mixture must foam as it cooks, or sauce will taste of raw flour). Stir in cayenne and season to taste with salt and pepper. Whisk in hot milk, 1/2 cup at a time, and cook, stirring, until sauce thickens. Reduce heat to low and stir in 2 cups of cheese. Cook, stirring, until cheese melts, about 2 minutes.
2. Combine pasta and sauce in a large bowl, and season with salt. Sprinkle 1/2 cup cheese over the bottom of a buttered 8" × 11" baking dish. Place one-third of the pasta in the baking dish, top with 1/2 cup of cheese, then repeat, layering pasta and cheese, ending with cheese, making three layers in all.
3. Pour cream over assembled macaroni and cheese. Melt remaining butter in a skillet. Add bread crumbs, coat with melted butter, and sprinkle over macaroni and cheese. Bake until crust is golden, about 30 minutes. Allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving. 

IMPORTANT - Freezer Storage Options:

FULL BATCH OPTION: You can freeze the entire batch, but if you do, DO NOT BAKE!  Freeze pre-cooked!!!  When ready, take out for cooking, if in Glass/Pyrex, let the glass come to room temperature, if in metal, it is ok to put directly in oven.  Bake for approximately 40-50 minutes at 400 degrees, not 350 as stated above.

PORTION OPTION:  After baking, cool as per the original instructions, then put in refridgerator for 4 to 24 hours to set.  Then portion out the Batch and seal each serving in individual freezer bags.  If you have one of those vaccuum pack devices, even better!  When ready to eat, take a serving/portion and nuke for approx 5 minutes, even if frozen solid.  If the portions are smaller then I would say about 3 minutes in the nuke machine.  Nuke timing will depend on your Nuke Model.

I hope I have given you some ideas on planning and storage for at least one of the best comfort foods out there.  So, even for all of us that are single, it's ok to make a family batch of food, as long as you can portion and store it properly in the freezer for later eats!  Planning will save you time!!!

Crazy and not so Lazy Sunday and a Pasta Treat!

So, I’m still not really working and I have so many hours in the day/week/month to accomplish things. And I do keep busy, but there are some days, where you really feel as if you accomplished more than normal. This past Sunday (08/15 actually), I felt like I just hopped, skipped, jumped and went overboard with being productive on what generally is considered a luxury/lazy day off.

 

I actually woke up later than usual today around 10 am just in time to catch Christiane Amanpour on This Week (I think she is doing a fabulous job BTW). I wasn’t really “Feeling” it, meaning I woke not feeling all that energized and any real plans for the day, but I watched This Week and wondered how I am going to manage being a couch potato tonight, since all my favorite TV shows just happen to overlap from 9-11 on 4 different channels! 8 pm shows are a gamble, as Nature on PBS airs, but if it’s an episode I’ve seen, Big Brother wins out…Tonight the Golf Game on CBS made the decision for me.

• ABC-Scoundrels 9 pm
• TNT-Leverage 9 pm
• AMC-Rubicon 9 pm
• HBO-Hung 10 pm
• HBO-Entourage 10:30 pm
• AMC-Madmen 10 pm 

How much does it suck that all the good shows right now are all on Sunday Night? I can’t afford a DVR right now and some of the channels seem to be a bit lazy these days and not posting full episodes on-line or On Demand until the day of a “new” episode (TNT) or removed (AMC) all full episodes entirely for some odd reason. This has truly frustrated me, as I will have to stay up until 1 am to watch all my favorite shows and still manage to miss one of them, but ABC and HBO at least posts their episodes the next day online or On Demand. Thank you ABC & HBO! AMC and TNT-Get your SH*T together!

 

This brings me back to my original set up, which is the great feeling of being more productive than usual. I had a slew of things to get done, which was all about the right timing except for one major chore. So, I hadn’t really been putting things off, I knew what I needed to complete was coming and today was the ultimate day! I will say having a feeling of such accomplishment really brings up the morale and boost of energy.

 

I started with the dishes, which was the one chore I had ignored for a few days, but I went further and cleaned out my fridge and freezer, refilled all the empty seltzer bottles (8 in all) with fresh water for future refills of my 2 Brita pitchers (I know, not that big a deal).

I have cats and they can occasionally spit up those fur balls, and whattya know, they both had the urge while I was sleeping, yeah disgusting, but that got me cleaning my floors, not that they were that dirty anyway…except for their intestinal mess.

 

I took out the Fridge/Freezer and what I had for recyclables to the garbage. Walked around the block (Queens has longer blocks than Manhattan). Watered my new Basil plant I purchased on Saturday, because I am sick of buying Basil that rots in 24 hours and wasting money I just don't have. Actually found a weird little albino bug on one of the leaves, not sure what it was, but I killed it.

 

I also updated my resume, re-posted it on all those well known sites, I started building/developing an Access DB for an Arts Non-Profit Organization that will help automate their Vendor Sales Reports and even Data Entry processes and am writing this post! Looked up all inclusive Spas in the vicinity for my Bodega Family, the daughter is getting married in Mid September. I called my mother, took pics of the food for this post and cleaned them up with Photoshop.

 

BTW, I usually take about 20-30 pics of my food and then choose the best pics and I rarely modify them…meaning that I do not enhance color or layer in details. On very rare occasions I will use the Auto Level for Brightness, if it happens to be a dark day or remove a spec (a spec on the plate, but not on the food) that shouldn’t be there. All other modifications to my pics are cropping and resizing for web only. So what you see is what I eventually eat and if you are lucky, you get to eat it too!  And YES, I do pretty up my food even if it's serving just me.  I figure why should I not give myself the experience!?

 

On to the cooking and other stuff…With all my dishes scrubbed and cleaned, it was time to make some Lemon Simple Syrup for my individual Lemonade fix (I made 2 glasses). I will have a separate post for this. I made a new batch of Chicken Broth, part to use for the Pasta treat and the rest to freeze for another food concoction. Earlier during the day I had already put together the instructions for the pasta treat.

 

So, have I tired you out yet? I would think even for myself, I would be exhausted and even reading this post over; I must be some mad person trying to take on more than I can chew! So, since I’ve been so productive today, it’s time to make the treat I deserve and so I did.

 

Are you ready? Are you hungry now? Time for Orecchiette, Peas, Sweet Sausage, Mint & Creamy Ricotta!

 

To note on the ingredients, I did not opt for a spicy Sausage, because I felt at the time of purchase it would hold up with the Mint better. However, after making and tasting this dish, the mint would hold up with the spicy sausage, as long as it’s fresher than fresh. So, if you opt for spicy sausage, make sure your mint is extra fresh! I would not choose a sausage like Chorizo, as that would overwhelm the mint, and Cilantro would be a better addition.

 

Orecchiette (Italy's little ears), Peas, Sweet Sausage, Mint & Creamy Ricotta
Serves 4-6 as a Main Dish, 6-12 as an appetizer

• 1 Lb Orecchiette Pasta
• ½ Lb Bulk Sweet Pork Sausage (about 3 links, remove casing) **can use any sausage you like**
• 2-3 Cloves Garlic finely chopped ( I use 4-6 personally)
• 10 Oz Peas
• 2 cups Chicken or Vegetable Broth
• Grated Parmesan Cheese (about a few tablespoons)
• 16 Oz Fresh Ricotta
• About a Handful of Fresh rough chopped Mint
• S & P to Taste

Preparation:

• For Pasta, follow package directions, however make sure you remove/drain you pasta just before Aldente. About 1 to 1 ½ minute.
• In a hot fry pan, add a few tablespoons of Extra Virgin Olive, add garlic and sautee for a few moments. Add Sausage to pan, break up and sautee until cooked through. S & P to Taste
• Add Broth to fry pan and let reduce, add peas and pasta, cook for about one to two more minutes until the rest of the broth has been soaked up by the pasta.
• Stir in parmesan cheese to taste (this will help thicken the extra liquid to a sauce)
• Place pasta in individual bowls and add a dollop of Ricotta on top, sprinkle fresh mint leaves and serve.

Manga!

Risotto-PLBTG

Pancetta (P), Leeks (L), Bursting Tomatoes (BT) and Gorganzola (G), what more can you ask for in dish! I love risotto as much as love cooking it, and who doesn’t love the idea of taking an old BLT concept to an Italian rice dish!

I am going to be short and sweet on this post…I think I said all I can say about Risotto in one of my previous posts: Risotto Done in my Italian way

So, if you read my previous post on cooking risotto, you should be comfortable making different versions of this incredible dish.

Risotto with Pancetta, Leeks, Bursting Tomatoes and Gorganzola
Serves 4-6 as a main meal-can serve up to 6-8 as an appetizer

• 2 c Arborio Rice
• 2 Medium Leeks-Cut into ½ in slices and fully washed
• 2-3 cloves Garlic Minced
• A few Tbls of Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 1 Slice ½ inch Thick Pancetta (If you use Bacon, use about 2 extra thick slices) About 1/3 cup.
• 12 Oz Cherry Tomatoes
• ¼ cup Gorgonzola-Crumbled or if you like Soft.
• 6-8 Cups Broth (you can use Vegetable or Chicken-I have used Homemade Chicken Broth for this Version)
• 1-1/2 c Dry White Wine (Pino Grigio or Chardonnay-Buy what you would drink)
• S/P to taste **Note if using Bacon be careful on the salt**
• Basil-Chiffonade for Garnish 

Make sure you have all your ingredients prepped ahead of time. It will make the process easier.

Step 1: Cut your Leeks and Garlic and set aside
Step 2: Cut your Pancetta into small cubes
Step 3: Heat up your Broth in a separate pan and keep it on a very low setting to keep it hot.
Step 4: Prep your Tomatoes: In a fry pan, add some EVOO and Tomatoes over medium heat, cover and let tomatoes cook until a bursting stage…about 8-10 minutes. Set aside covered to maintain heat. –You do not want to add to rice as you are cooking it, as the tomatoes are at this point very delicate.

***This is now where you should not leave the pan at anytime***

Step 6: Pre-Heat a Large Fry pan or Dutch Oven over medium heat. (for Risotto newbies…I mean a Large. The rice will double in size as its being cooked)
Step 7: Add Extra Virgin Olive Oil and Pancetta. When Pancetta has slightly browned add Leeks and Garlic and sauté for about 5 minutes until Leeks have melted properly.
Step 8: Add Arborio Rice and sauté for another 3-4 minutes. Cook, stirring until rice becomes opaque in color.
Step 9: Add White Wine and continue to stir rice until all liquid has dissipated/soaked into the rice
Step 10: Add 1 ladle or 1 cup of Broth for each interval, continually stirring the rice and liquid…Meaning add 1 ladle or 1 cup of Broth and stir until all liquid has dissipated/soaked into the rice, then add another ladle or 1 cup of Broth…Continue this process until you get to about the 5th ladle/cup. Your rice at this point should start to have a starchy milky look to it. This is good, as Arborio rice should have that starchy milky liquid.

***IMPORTANT***

Now for the first taste test…The Rice should be Aldente-“To the Tooth”…Which means that the rice should have a little bit of a bite, but not too much. You want the slightest resistance of the rice. If your rice is still crunchy that you can taste the crunch more than the rice itself, you will need to add more liquid. At the 5th Ladle/Cup, you should start to taste. Make sure you keep on tasting prior to each broth addition from this point on!

Step 11: Continue to add the remainder of your broth (you may not need to use all of it) until rice is done and turn heat off.
Step 12: Add Gorgonzola cheese…Stir until everything is incorporated or until cheese has melted.
Step 13: Serve Risotto, and add a few Tomatoes on top of rice and Basil as the garnish.

Cin Cin!

Food Traditions-Bodega Style!

I’m sure some of you reading my blog may say, “Hey, she bakes a lot of sweets!” and most are probably wondering if I eat them all.

No, I don’t eat the sweets I bake. Yes, I do have a bite or two to taste, but generally I never consume what I bake when it comes to confections. So, what do I do with all these mouthwatering desires? I give my baked treats to those I know will enjoy and appreciate them.

Most recently it has been my lucky neighbors and the family that runs the 24/7 bodega around the corner from me. On a planned trip to the west village, it would be my sister and her bo, but my sister is on a very indecisive food regiment where if I introduced sweets, she would personally be mad at herself for succumbing to the sugar. So, I have to respect her food diet/issues and not temp her.

I have become somewhat close to the bodega family, as I have shown up there at least every other day or so for the last 8 years since they re-opened the store. They are a great family and I have really felt that they are the real deal. They are originally from Pakistan and in most cases I cannot and unfortunately understand the parents due to a language barrier, but their kids do speak English and are very well spoken. I have seen at least 2 of their children grow up and as I understand it, there are a total of 5 children in all.

I know 3 of the 5 kids, which work in the store in place of their father or during their respective shifts, while they attend HS or college. The mother and daughter do occasionally work in the store, but they haven’t in the last 5-6 months. Only on rare occasions do I see them now. I do miss seeing both of them there, as they are amazing women. I love talking to them.

But to the point of this post…Because I have been giving my sweets to my Bodega family, they have also reciprocated kindly by making/giving me some great eats. I was recently honored by a container of chicken and basmati saffron rice, with an onion raita. I cannot tell you how good this dish was. It superseded any restaurant Middle Eastern (even Indian) dish I have ever had. There really is no comparison to an amazing home cooked meal and done to its traditions.

Now, I know the woman that cooked and gave me this meal and I am enamored by her. This woman CAN COOK! I am humbly honored that she would take the time to think of me and give me a care package of amazing food. I hope that maybe she can show me some of her secrets one day!

I do believe in traditional food, as no restaurant, I have ever been to, can replicate the honest to goodness home cooked meal no matter how hard they try. There is nothing like an excellent home cooked meal. Restaurants can try, but they can never match the home kitchen and love that truly goes into food.

This post is in honor of my bodega family and the woman that put her love and effort into making this dish! I hope they are willing to deliver me more of their goodies!

Joking the Joker?

Ever been stupid enough to fall for the loose salt cap and more salt than you bargained for ends up all over your food? Well, salt didn't exactly happen in my most recent case, but what makes it worse is that not only was I the sucker of this cruel act, I was the perpetrator as well and that's what makes this doubly stupid.

I had recently realized after a full day of cooking confections, I hadn't eaten a thing for myself and suddenly found myself hungry for a quick late night meal before I retired for the evening. My usual idea of quick eats is a bowl of pasta with a quick parm cheese/alfredo sauce or just olive oil, garlic and herbs.

So I got my pasta cooking, start grating some parm cheese, peel a few cloves of garlic and in this case I had no fresh herbs so I decided I would use some dry Italian herb mix I had in my pantry.

When it came time to make my quick alfredo, I do what I always do...Add some milk in a sauce pan, use my beloved microplane and grate in the garlic, add freshly grated parm cheese, add salt and pepper to taste and my herbs. However this time when I went to add my herbs, I opened the jar, without realizing I had removed the "sprinkle" cap from previous use, and with 2 rapid shakes my sauce was drowning with dry herbs. So you can imagine my reaction...nothing but un flavorful comments spewed from my mouth.

So, I scooped out as much herbs as I could to try and save the sauce. What resulted from a classic joke and cooking blunder was a pretty tasty meal. The joke was still on me, as there were still more herbs that over powered everything, but I see it as, a lesson learned...NEVER PERMANENTLY REMOVE those Sprinkle caps from your jars of Herbs and Spices.

Potatoes with Style

Poor in NYC? Need a way to feed yourself and others on the cheap? Well, if you don't have alot of bucks and are willing to put a little time and effort into this next adventure, this meal is for you!

Gnocchi, Gnocchi, Gnocchi, Gnocchi!

Just 3-4 plain old russet or idaho potatoes (depending on size), 1 large egg, 1 cup of flour and a dash of salt will feed a party of 4 or even more! in NYC that adds up to approx $5-$7. I say $5-$7, because you can't just buy 1 egg or just 1 cup of flour. Most traditional recipes don't even need egg.

Yes...Make it homemade! There are plenty of recipes out there on the web that will show you how to make it. There is no special equipment needed except your hands, a fork and a little time. But if you have a food mill or potato ricer, an Gnocchi paddle, these can help but really don't speed up the process.

Now, I'm new to making Gnocchi from scratch, but not new to making my own pasta, so most of the On-line Tutorials were easy for me. Once you get the knack for making any kind of dough, it's a quick process. I recently made my own batch-took me about 60 minutes after the potatoes were cooked and cooled.

Sauce options:

• Simple Marinara Sauce (Cheap!)
• Pesto
• Gorgonzola Cream Sauce
• Alfredo Sauce
• White or Black Truffel Olive Oil and Fresh Sage and Rosemary
• Fresh Sage and Butter (Cheap!)
• Putanesca
• Wild Mushroon or Porcini

...the list can go on and on...just think out of the box

Here are some links to sites that I found extremely helpful in my quest to make homemade Gnocchi:

http://underthetuscangun.com/cookingvideos/cookingvideos.php

http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/how-to-make-gnocchi-like-an-italian-grandmother-recipe.html

YUMMY and Satisfying! I encourage anyone and everyone to make Gnocchi from scratch...You know what goes in it. You know who made it and you know it will taste better than if you bought it.