Gnocchi with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce, Chicken Apple Sausage, and Peach & Pecan Salad

My in laws are going out of town for 3 weeks so we wanted to have dinner together last night before they left.  For a simple summer supper I opted for Gnocchi.  I love gnocchi, something about the texture I think. I usually prefer fresh or vacuum sealed gnocchi but last night I used two packages of frozen.  The sauce recipe is from Foodnetwork.com and was light and easy to make (and I could eat it!).  I bought chicken apple sausage.  The brands I like best are Aidells and Applegate Farms.  I made a very simple yet delightfully summery Peach & Pecan Salad, also from Food Network.com which everyone enjoyed.  


Oh, this is one of those stupid things, but every time a recipe calls for toasted nuts I have to look up how to toast them.  In the case of the pecans in the salad, preheat the oven to 350 degrees, spread the pecans out on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray and cook for 5 minutes...done.


Hopefully the MIL and FIL have a fun and safe time on their adventures!!


Gnocchi with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

• 1 (16-ounce) package refrigerated gnocchi
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 (6-ounce) jars roasted red peppers, drained
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 to 2/3 cup heavy cream, or to taste (I used silk soy creamer)
• 1/4 cup minced fresh basil leaves, plus more leaves torn for garnish
• Fresh lemon juice, to taste
• Chunk of Parmesan for grating

Bring large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the gnocchi according to the package instructions. Drain in a colander in the sink.

In a saucepan, heat oil over medium heat until hot, add garlic and cook, stirring, until golden. Add peppers, salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Transfer to a processor or blender and puree. Return sauce to pan, add cream and bring to a simmer, stirring. Add basil, salt, pepper and few drops lemon juice, to taste.

In a large bowl, toss the gnocchi and sauce together. Divide among bowls, strew over some torn basil leaves, and grate some Parmesan over the top. Serve immediately.

Peach & Pecan Salad

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 large ripe peaches, sliced into about 16 pieces
• 1 head Boston Bibb lettuce, washed and dried well
• 1 cup toasted pecan halves
• 4 ounces goat cheese, separated into 4 pieces and crumbled

In a small bowl, add the cider vinegar and shallot and season with salt and pepper. Gently whisk in the olive oil until completely incorporated.

Place the peaches, lettuce leaves, pecans, goat cheese and dressing in a large bowl. Toss well to distribute the dressing. Divide the salad onto 4 salad plates. Serve immediately.

Getting Grilling Sunday (Salmon Burgers, Blue Cheese Burgers, Potato Salad)

It can happen to anyone.  You're walking along, enjoying a beautiful summer day and BAM, it hits you:  that undeniably pungent aroma of flaming charcoal and you just know that someone's getting ready to grill something you'd kill to sink your teeth into.  It happened to me last Saturday and I knew that Sunday would have to be a grilling day.  I roped my husband, family and friends into the festivities and set forth to make a menu that would fulfill my yen and perhaps cause others to brush off their own barbecues.  For the carnivorous folk in my party I decided on Blue Cheese Stuffed Hamburgers, for myself and whomever else would like to partake I chose Salmon Burgers and finally, as a side dish I opted for Potato Salad (one which would fit the guidelines of my new diet and still happily serve others).  All the recipes were from FoodNetwork.com.I bought both whole wheat and potato bread hamburger buns, but the potato bread buns sold better.


The meal, the company and the cooking certainly satisfied the hunger, but I am fully aware that it will creep up once again when I least expect it.  Perhaps this weekend.  


Blue Cheese Hamburgers:

• 1 1/2 pounds ground chuck beef
• 2 tablespoons minced garlic
• 2 eggs, beaten
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 ounces crumbled blue cheese
• 6 ounces unsalted cold butter, cut into small cubes, divided
• 1/4 cup canola oil, for frying
• 6 large potato rolls, or rolls of choice
• Iceberg lettuce
• 2 tomatoes, sliced
• 1 red onion, sliced into rings
• Mustard, ketchup and mayonnaise, optional

In a large mixing bowl combine the beef, garlic, beaten eggs, and salt and pepper, to taste.

Divide the meat mixture into 6 round even patties. Press 1-ounce of blue cheese and 1-ounce of the cold butter into the center of the formed patty. Remold the patty so that all the cheese and butter are hidden inside the center. Continue until all the beef patties have been formed. Refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes.

(We grilled them but if you don't want to grill) Pour the oil into a large skillet over medium-high. When the oil is smoking, add the beef patties and cook on both sides until golden brown. Remove to a sheet pan and roast in the preheated oven until desired doneness is reached, about 6 minutes. Cook's Note: They can be also cooked on a charcoalgrill.

Warm the buns slightly, then put the burgers on the buns and top each with lettuce, tomato and an onion ring. Enjoy. You can, if you wish, use mayonnaise, ketchup or mustard to enhance this dish.

Salmon Burgers
Admittedly, these are not grilled, though I'm sure you could if you wanted to. 

• 1 1/4 pounds center-cut salmon fillet, skin and pin bones removed
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• Pinch of cayenne pepper
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing 4 brioche buns, split
• Tartar sauce and arugula, for topping

Cut three-quarters of the salmon into 1/4-inch pieces. Put in a large bowl. Cut the rest of the salmon into chunks; transfer the chunks to a food processor along with the mustard, mayonnaise, lemon juice, lemon zest and cayenne. Pulse to make a paste.

Add the pureed salmon mixture to the bowl with the diced salmon. Add the scallions, 2 tablespoons panko, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and black pepper to taste. Gently mix until just combined.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and brush with olive oil. Divide the salmon mixture into 4 mounds on the parchment paper. With damp hands, pat into 4-inch-wide, 3/4-inch-thick patties. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Preheat the broiler. (I didn't do this, I grilled the buns). Spread the remaining 1 cup panko on a plate. Press both sides of the salmon patties in the panko. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the patties (in batches if necessary) and cook until browned on the bottom, 3 to 4 minutes, adjusting the heat if necessary. Turn and cook until the other side is browned and the patties feel springy in the center, 3 to 4 more minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain; season with salt.

Meanwhile, arrange the buns, cut-side up, on a broiler pan and broil until toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve the patties on the buns; top with tartar sauce and arugula.

The Lady's Warm Potato Salad

Just as a note I made a few substitutions and changes here.  I peeled all the potatoes so I could eat them, and that didn't really change anything at all.  I also used Soy sour cream instead of the real thing. I didn't add the red peppers and instead of pimentos used roasted red peppers, but I think the recipe could have used the original ingredients.  It was nonetheless a very tasty potato salad. 

• 8 medium red potatoes
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves
• 1/4 cup chopped green onion tops
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 3 hard boiled eggs, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped bell pepper
• 1/4 cup diced pimento
• 1 teaspoon lemon-pepper seasoning
• 2 tablespoons seasoning salt (recommended: Jane's Krazy mixed up salt)
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 cup sour cream

In a large pot, boil the potatoes with the skins on for 10 to 15 minutes until tender. Let the potatoes cool just to the touch and cut into cubes.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Add the potatoes and mix gently.

Serve at room temperature.

Low Residue-High Life (Potato Leek Soup)

So sorry for the intermission dear readers.  I was down for the count recently and found out I have Chrone's disease. Essentially a none too happy digestive system.  Medicine aside I have been prescribed a low-fiber/low-residue diet (to see what that mostly consists of go here), which is boring to say the least and oh do I miss fresh fruits and vegetables!  But fear not, it has not put a damper on my cooking, I still have an audience that can, and does, voraciously eat fibrous foods.  That said, I did make a recipe recently for lil' ol' me that falls under my dietary guidelines and it turns out is rather delicious for the whole family.  I know its summer and soup is far from anyone's mind, but if you happen to have a cooler perhaps foggier day and would like some excellent comfort food, this is a great recipe from Epicurious.com .  It doesn't have any cream so its relatively healthy too.  


Leek and Potato Soup
(You can click the title of the recipe to link to the recipe on Epicurious)

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 large leeks (white and pale green parts only), halved lengthwise, thinly sliced (about 4 1/2 cups)
• 2 large russet potatoes (about 18 ounces total), peeled, diced
• 4 1/2 cups (or more) chicken stock or canned low-salt broth

• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add leeks; stir to coat with butter. Cover saucepan; cook until leeks are tender, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add potatoes. Cover and cook until potatoes begin to soften but do not brown, stirring often, about 10 minutes. Add 4 1/2 cups stock. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 30 minutes.

Puree soup in batches in processor until smooth. Return to saucepan. Thin with additional stock if soup is too thick. Season with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) Bring soup to simmer. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with chives and serve.