Gnocchi Dokie...

So tonight's culinary adventure was gnocchi in a leek, mushroom, and spinach sauce.  It was actually a recipe from Fabio on Top Chef...

...and now I know why Fabio is on Top Chef and I am... NOT! 

So turns out gnocchi is not the hardest thing in the world to make.  But it is incredibly hard to make it right and make it taste good.  If you're not sure what gnocchi is, which I did not until a few days ago, it is basically an Italian dumpling made of potatoes.  Or as some like to call it, "a heavenly pillow."  Maybe when Fabio makes it... :)

You have to crush up cooked potatoes until their are not any lumps.  Easy, apparently, if you have a pasta press.  Not so easy if you don't.  First mistake.

Then you mix in an egg, parmesan cheese, some spices, and some flour.  Fabio's recipe assumed you already knew how to basically make gnocchi... which I did not...  so I had to google it.  Well, Fabio's recipe called for 3 cups of flour, one on allrecipes.com called for 2, and another one called for only 1 (all with the same amount of potato, mind you).  So I only added one because this seemed right.  Second mistake... well, maybe since I don't know if adding more flour would be any better.

You cook the gnocchi much like ravioli.  Quickly in boiling water until they pop to the top.  Approximately 3-5 minutes.  Easy enough... unless you have what seems like a million other things going on in the kitchen (including trying to start my little pots of homemade herbs thanks to Katie).  Then, it's easy to accidently over cook them.  And they turn into a mushy mess.  Third mistake.

The sauce that I then added them to (the term "sauce" being used lightly since it didn't have much liquid) was tasty.  It reinforced the idea that leeks are delicious... and was surprised that Fabio's call for maple syrup was not as crazy as it sounded.  But alas, a good sauce could not save the gnocchi.

It wasn't exactly that they were bad... just not that good.  They tasted more like they should have spaghetti sauce on them... which I might try since the recipe made more that I thought I could handle in the sauce.

So that is that.  Fabio is a Top Chef.  Erica is not.  :)

But I might try again... after doing a little more research on what they actually should be like.

It was fun to try.

Next up:  Chicken Marsala... which should probably not be as difficult.  :)

Oops... I forgot to mention...

If you are wondering how the miles resolution is going, here is an update:

As of today I am 3 miles behind. :(  I didn't get any done while I was in Michigan... so that had me at 5 down.  But, I have managed to make up a couple by doing two miles for three days.  Then I missed one basically due to laziness... :(  But... all in all... considering an unexpected trip, I'd say I'm doing alright! 

Erica Narcross, Top Chef Wanna Be

Seriously?  I totally haven't blogged in over a month.  I don't feel too bad considering I only have four followers - and, gotta love ya, you probably don't care all that much! :)

But... I have really been realizing lately that I need to watch less tv, and do more stuff.  That was great when Todd was around... we were making dinner together, playing games, and enjoying each other's company... but alas, baseball season has started, and I am alone.

So... I started thinking of hobbies I could take up.  I decided I would still love to make dinners that aren't cooked primarily with frozen foods and/or in the microwave.  So, I will try to keep that up.

I realized I could return to scrapbooking/crafting, so I am going to try. 

Then I realized I will do nothing if I don't have any accountability.  And the next thing you know I will be right back to sitting on the couch watching endless hours of TV... so that's where you come in, faithful followers. 

I will try to post what I am doing... if for nothing else, so that I can look back and realize I actually DID something! :) 

Here are a few of the recent things I tried (with Todd, BBS)...

1.  We made risotto!  I was so proud of us... you know, 'cause they make it all the time on Top Chef... Turns out it's not too hard, just VERY time consuming!  Endless stirring... but in the end it was very yummy, creamy, and spread out on the plate (all of which are requirements according to Tom and Padma).

2.  For our late Valentine's Day Dinner (on President's day due to the unexpected trip to Michigan) we made steak with red wine/mushroom sauce, couscous with leeks, roasted asparagus, and heart shaped (before they baked, blob shaped after baking) shortcakes with strawberries.  This night of cooking required two ingredients I had heard of (on Top Chef) but didn't really know much about and had to ask for help finding in the store: shallots and leeks.  Turns out both are delicious!  :)

So here I go... Top Chefin' it up... (should Chefin' be spelled Cheffin' since it ends in a vowel consonant??)  And you're all along for the ride...

Enjoy!