Chicken & Gnocchi Soup

1 cup Potato Buds

¼ tsp. plus 1/8 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. scant ground nutmeg

1 cup boiling water

1 egg yolk

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

Make the gnocchi by mixing the potato buds with the salt and nutmeg.  Stir in the boiling water and continue mixing until no dry flakes remain.  Stir in the egg yolk until the mashed potato mixture has an even pale-yellow color throughout.  Stir in flour and knead for about a minute with your hands. Use a ½ tsp. to measure out smack portions of the dough.  Using floured hands, roll the small dough portion around between the palms of your hands, making a ball, then press each ball down onto floured wax paper, making a small disk.  When all the gnocchi are made, you can begin to make the soup.

2 Tbsp Vegetable oil

½ cup shredded carrot

¼ cup diced onion

¼ cup diced celery

1 tsp. minced garlic

4 cups chicken broth

4 cups water

1 ½ tsp. salt (I omitted this because the chicken broth has enough salt in it)

½ tsp. ground black pepper (I used white pepper)

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

1 ½ cups half & half (I used milk)

1 roasted chicken with meat removed and chopped (about 1 pound of meat)

Heat the oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat.  Add the carrot, onion, celery and garlic and sauté for 3 minutes.  Add the broth and water to the vegetables. When the mixture begins to boil add the gnocchi.  Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the milk and simmer for another 10 to 15 minutes or until the soup begins to thicken.  Add the chicken and simmer for another 10 minutes.

Makes 8 cups.

Note:  If you want you can freeze the soup, just wait to add the gnocchi until the day you are ready to have the soup.

Veggie Taco Dip - Try a New Ingredient

2 cans of drained chickpeas

1 /2 garlic clove

1/2 sm onion

Olive oil

In blender mix onion garlic and the chickpeas slowly add olive oil to you get a nice consistency. Add 1/2 teaspoon of taco seasoning you've now made Taco hummus.

Use a hummus as your basis for your taco dip.

I added black beans guacamole sour cream cheese a cheese sauce and on- top put shredded cheddar olives and jalapeno lettuce and tomato

Parsnip Salad - Try a New Ingredient

Scrape 4 uncooked parsnips. Shred on coarse garter.

Add 1/2 c. mayonnaise & 2 T lemon juice at once to prevent discoloration and mix well.

Add 1 c. thinly sliced celery, some grated onion and salt to taste.

Serve in lettuce cups and garnish with slices of hard boiled eggs (hard cooked), paprika and olives.

Healthy Oatmeal Muffins (No flour, no sugar, no oil) - Try a New Ingredient

2 ½ cups old fashioned oats (1.5 cups ground, 1 cup whole)

2 Tablespoons old fashioned oats for muffin tops

2-3 large overripe bananas (or 1 cup applesauce)

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

⅓ cup honey

¾ cup milk

2 teaspoons real vanilla

2 teaspoons baking powder

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place oats on a baking sheet and toast until lightly browned, stirring once (about 4 to 6 minutes). Let cook to room temperature. If you are in a hurry, you can skip this step, but toasting them adds to the flavor.

Divide the oats into portions of 1.5 cups, 1 cup and 2 Tablespoons.

Turn oven heat up to 350 degrees.

Place 1.5 cups of oats in a food processor and blend/pulse until they reach a rough, flour-like consistency.

Mash bananas wel, they should have no lumps. I use my mixer to mash them before adding the other wet ingredients.

Add eggs, honey, milk and vanilla. Mix to combine.

Add dry ingredients (including the oats and 1 cup whole oats) to wet ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Allow these to sit for 10 minutes to soak the oats.

Optional: fold in ½ cup fruit, raisins or nuts.

Scoop into muffin tins, lined with muffin wrappers (makes 14).

Sprinkle muffin tops with 2 Tablespoons of reserved oats and press lightly to make sure they stick.

Bake at 350 for about 20-23 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Enjoy!

Gnocchi - Try a New Ingredient

3 large baking potatoes (1 ¼ lb.) scrubbed

1 large egg

1 tsp. salt

¼ tsp. freshly ground white pepper

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour or more if needed

(The soup above is called Chicken & Gnocchi Soup and is also featured on my blog)

Place potatoes in a large pot with enough cold water to cover.  Bring water to a boil and cook, partially covered until potatoes are easily pierced with a skewer but the skins are not split, about 35 minutes.  Drain potatoes and let stand just until cooled enough to handle. Remove skins and put through a ricer or use a very fine grater. Spread the potatoes into a thin even layer on the work surface without pressing or compacting them.  Let cool completely.

In a small bowl beat the egg, salt, pepper and nutmeg.  Gather the cooled potatoes into a mound and form a well in the center.  Pour the egg mixture into the well. Knead the potatoes and egg mixture together with both hands gradually adding the grated cheese and enough of the flour to form a smooth but slightly sticky dough.  It should take no longer than 3 minutes to work the flour into the potato mixture. Remember the longer the dough is kneaded the more flour it will require and the heavier it will become.

Wash and dry your hands.  Dust the dough and your hands and work surface lightly with flour.  Cut the dough into 6 equal pieces and set off to the side. Using 1 piece of dough and both hands in a smooth back and forth motion roll dough into a rope ½ inch thick.  Slice ropes into ½ inch thick rounds. Sprinkle rounds lightly with flour and roll each piece quickly into a rough ball.

Flour dough balls and hands lightly again.  Hold a fork at a 45-degree angle to the table.  Take a ball of dough and with the top of your thumb press the dough lightly against the tines of the fork as you roll it downward toward the tips of the tines.  As the dough wraps around the tip of your thumb it will form into a dumpling with a deep indentation on one side and a ridged surface on the other. Set on a baking sheet lined with parchment lightly floured.  Continue making gnocchi with remaining dough. Cook gnocchi immediately or freeze.

Fresh Spinach Salad - Try a New Ingredient

fresh Spinach

cup cottage small curd cottage cheese

red bell pepper, cut in small pieces

fried onions

sliced nuts (of your choice)

Dressing

1 Tablespoon cranberry Mustard

6 Tablespoons blueberry balsamic dressing

Toss spinach, cottage cheese, bell peppers and nuts. Mix together mustard and balsamic dressing. Dress salad as desired and top with sliced nuts.

Cream Style Corn with Chorizo - Try a New Ingredient

2 cans of cream corn

9 oz. of chorizo meat

1 can of diced tomatoes with green chilies

Mixed together and put in crock pot. Let cook for 4-6 hours on slow.