Gnocchi with Gorgonzola Cheese Sauce

Sometimes you, just want a  taste of something different, or you want something that reminds you of a place.
This dish does it for me. Gnocchi  in a gorgonzola cheese sauce is very popular in Northern Italy.

Ingredients

1 pound baking potatoes, washed
Oil
Salt
Freshly ground pepper
1 large egg
1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons flour
2 cups milk
1 cup water
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup heavy cream
1 pound gorgonzola cheese

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Season the potatoes with the oil, salt and pepper. Place on a baking sheet and bake until tender, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the oven and cool completely. Peel the potatoes, discarding the skin, and place in a bowl. With a hand potato masher, mash the potatoes until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Add the egg and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of the flour. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup flour on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper. Turn the dough onto the floured surface and roll into a log, about 1-inch thick. Cut the dough into 1-inch pieces. Roll each piece across the tines of a fork. In a large saucepan, combine the milk, water, 1 teaspoon olive oil, salt and pepper. Bring the liquid just to a boil. Add the gnocchi and poach for 5 minutes. Remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon and drain. Place the cream in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer. Whisk in the cheese and season with salt and pepper. Toss the gnocchi with the cream sauce. Spoon onto a large serving platter. Garnish with black pepper.




Recipe from Emeril

New Year's Resolutions and Feasts.

Are you making your New Year's Resolutions yet? Or did you give up on that stuff years ago? Well if you do, did, are planning too keep reading.




Many of us tried on our favorite party clothes this Christmas Party season, looked in the mirror and grimaced. If we could put the thing on at all.

See most of us gain a couple of pounds a year if we don't do anything to keep it off. We're such couch potatoes, and junk food addicts.



I don't know how many of you are aware of this but there is even what I call Vegan Junk food. Ok so it doesn't contain any animal products or bi-products, but there is still no point to eating it. Except that we re such junk food junkies. I'm sorry but a cookie is a cookie whether it is make the traditional way with white sugar flour, eggs and butter or not.

So what about that New Year's thing?



Who’s going to stop smoking?

How about loose weight?



Notice how most of our resolutions are health related?



Ok, who’s concerned about debt?

Why else do we make resolutions? Why do we break them?

I again am going to make that same resolution as I do every year. I’m going to lose weight, and get in shape.

My apartment is on the second floor, and I’m tired of being winded when I get to the top of the stairs.

So, I’ll be telling you about things as I go along- New diets, new programs and such. This will still primarily a food blog, but hopefully about more healthy choices.

All right now here is your New Year's feast for a good New Year. And its healthy too.

Black eyed pears are a staple for Southern Americans on New Years, and I'm not talking about the band, al though ....

Differnet day

Hoppin' John By Diana Rattray, About.com Guide

slight variation by me.


Ingredients:

•1 pound dried black-eyed peas

•2 small smoked ham hocks or meaty ham bone

•2 medium onions, divided

•3 large cloves garlic, halved

•1 bay leaf

•1 cup long-grain white rice

•1 can (10 to 14.5 ounces) diced tomatoes with chile peppers, juices reserved

•1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

•1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

•3 ribs celery, chopped

•1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves

•3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

•3/4 teaspoon salt

•4 green onions, sliced

Preparation:

In a large Dutch oven or kettle, combine the black-eyed peas, ham bone or ham hocks, and 6 cups water. Cut 1 of the onions in half and add it to the pot along with the garlic and bay leaf. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer gently until the beans are tender but not mushy, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Remove the ham bone or hocks, cut off the meat; dice and set aside. Drain the peas and set aside. Remove and discard the bay leaf, onion pieces, and garlic.

Add 2 1/2 cups of water to the pot and bring to a boil. Add the rice, cover, and simmer until the rice is almost tender, about 10 to 12 minutes.

Mince the remaining onion then add to the rice along with the peas, tomatoes, and their juices, red and green bell pepper, celery, thyme, cumin, and salt. Cook until the rice is tender, 5 to 8 minutes. Stir in the sliced green onions and the reserved diced ham. Serve with hot sauce and freshly baked cornbread.


I cook mine in a crock pot and let them simmer all day.
The other ingedients I leave out is Creole Seasoning and hot peppers. This recipe is "kicky" enough.
Well try it both ways. See what you think.



To you're heath America!