Creamy Balsamic Gnocchi

I purchased some pre-made Gnocchi last week but I didn't have a chance to cook it until today. I was looking at a couple of different Gnocchi online and a lot of them were tomato based but I wanted something a little creamier. Looking in my fridge, I had spinach, cream, peppers and some random cheeses. Looked like just enough stuff to make my Creamy Balsamic Penne only with Gnocchi.



Ingredients:
1 Package  - Gnocchi
3 tbsp - Butter
1/4 - Red Onion, chopped
4 - Mushrooms, sliced
1/2 - Orange Pepper, sliced
1/2 - Head of Garlic, minced (yes, a half a head, 3 or 4 large cloves)
1 cup - Baby Spinach, torn into pieces
1.5 cups - Whipping Cream (you can substitute with milk if needed)
1 Tbsp - Flour
2 tbsp - Balsamic Vinegar
1/4 tsp - Chili Pepper flakes
1/2 cup - Crumbled Feta
1/2 cup - Walnuts



Directions:
Slice up the mushrooms and orange pepper, then chop up the onion and garlic.

Put the butter in a frying pan and add the mushrooms, pepper and onions. Put on a pot of water to start boiling for the Gnocchi.

Fry for 5 or so minutes on medium heat until the veggies start to become translucent then add the garlic and cook for a minute more. At this point you should add the Gnocchi to the water as it will only take a couple of minutes to cook.

Pour in the cream and add the flour (helping with thickening the sauce. Whisk the flour around a little bit.

Add in the Balsamic, spinach, chili flakes (remember that a little goes a long way) and a little bit of salt and pepper.

Mix everything together and cook for a couple of minutes.

Using a slotted spoon transfer the Gnocchi into the frying pan.

Mix everything together.

Close up view of everything mixed together.

Plat and top with crumbled Feta and Walnut pieces.

Balsamic Lentil Quinoa Snacks

Over the last couple of days I had been looking at various Quinoa and Lentil recipes. Most of these recipes used Quinoa or Lentils as a side dish, when flavored with something, or in a wrap or a salad to add a little protein. All of those are fine choices but I wanted something more like an appetizer that I could have for an afternoon snack. This recipe combines both Quinoa and Lentils with some added flavors and places them onto a lettuce leaf in an attempt to make a little app. I think for my first attempt I put a little too much of the topping on my lettuces leaves so it lost that "bite-sided" appeal but they were still really good!

Ingredients:
1/2 - Cup Quinoa
1/2 - Cup Lentils
1 1/2 - Tbsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 - Tbsp Olive Oil
1 1/2 - Tsp Lemon Juice
1/4 - Tsp Celery Seeds
3 - Cloves Garlic, diced
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 - Tomato, diced
1/4 - Red Onion, diced
3 - Basil Leaves, chopped
Lettuce Leaves torn into palm size pieces



Directions:
Rinse Lentils under cold water and cook per-instructions (1 cup of water to 1/2 cup lentils).

Once cooked, set aside to cool.



Rise Quinoa under cold water and cook per-instructions (1 cup of chicken stock to 1/2 cup Quinoa)

Once cooked, set aside to cool.

Combined balsamic vinegar, olive oil, lemon juice, celery seeds, garlic, salt and pepper.

  
Add in onion, tomato and basil.

Mix.

Add in the cooled Lentils.

Mix again.

Arrange the Lettuce leaves on a plate and scooped in a small amount of the cooled Quinoa.

Top with the Lentil mixture.



And enjoy!

Creamy Shiitake Mushroom Sauce

It's funny how just asking someone what they are making for dinner can get your own creative juices going.  Today I asked a friend what she was going to make for dinner and she mentioned gnocchi with probably a sauce from a can. I started looking up different gnocchi sauce recipes as ideas but then I started thinking about my own dinner. I didn't have gnocchi but I had quinoa and some amazing mushrooms but the kids don't really eat quinoa... Chicken and rice seemed like a safe bet but then I thought I could dress it up with a mushroom sauce! That is how my thought process got around to tonight's dinner idea. Creamy Shiitake Mushroom Sauce. As always, I kind of looked up some ideas and then went with my own concoction :)



Ingredients:
2 - Tbsp Butter
1/2 - Onion (1 full Shallot would have been better but I didn't have one)
4 - Oz of Shiitake mushroom (fresh)
1/2 - cup of Brandy
1/2 - cup of Chicken Stock
2/3 - cup of Whipping Cream
1/4 - cup of flour
I didn't even end up remembering to put in salt and pepper and it still tasted really good!

Directions:
Chop the Shiitake mushrooms into bit size pieces.

Heat the butter on a low/medium heat and add the onion. Cook until translucent

Add in the mushrooms and cook for 5 or 6 minutes or until they start to colour a little bit.

Measure out the Brandy and pour it in with the mushrooms and onions.

If you are using fresh mushrooms, they will soak up all the Brandy in about a minute.

Add in the chicken stock, turn up the heat to medium and the sauce should start to bubble a little bit.

Add in the cream.

Sprinkle in the flour and whisk it around (I'm not a big fan of my current whisk so I went to use a fork but I didn't want to scratch the pan. Next I switched to this wooden spoon and ended up making a little bit of a mess).

Once the flour is mixed in the sauce will really start to thicken! I've seen lots of recipes that don't require flour but then never thicken enough for me so I like to add a little in.

Spoon the sauce over your chicken and you've made an amazing meal!