Eating our way around the world.

As you no doubt noticed the recipes I am posting are not your usual dime and dollars family food. I decided that despite the fact that we love meatloaf Mondays, Stroganoff Saturday, and spaghetti Sunday, our menu needed a change. A spark. So an idea came to me. "Why not try a different recipe from various parts of the world?"

Thus begins our culinary journey. There will no doubt be jumps and stumbles along the way as I have no culinary training at all despite the few months of Foods and Nutrition in high school(Thank you Mrs. Rhea Blake!), but I guarantee it will be at the very least interesting and comical. I will get pictures up of the creations as soon as i can. Please be patient and check back if there is not an image of that recipe when it is posted.

Gnocchi and Creamy chicken

For the dumpling you will need:

5 good sized potatoes

3 eggs

1/4 cup grated parmesan

2 1/2-4 cups flour depending on the humidity

2 teaspons garlic powder

2 teaspoons salt

Peel, and boil the potatoes. Start the potatoes in cold water, and be sure the potatoes have enough water so that they are not gluey. Once they are soft enough drain, and rice over a cookie sheet or large bowl. Store int he fridge until well chilled.

after the potatoes have completely cooled and chilled, then add the three eggs work through the potatoes then add salt, garlic powder, parmesan, and combine with enough flour to form a soft non tacky dough. Divide the dough into equal part and work into snakes about 1/2 inch thick.(use only the amount you will need for that night, the rest can be frozen on a sheet pan in the freezer then stored for use later in storage bags) Cut into little pillows and set aside while your water boils. When the gnocchi float to the top they are done. Remove with a slotted spoon or a spider to drain well and set aside.

For the chicken cream sauce:

Olive oil for sauteeing

3 boneless chicken breasts cut into cubes

one can (8 oz) Chicken broth

1 tsp salt

3 tablespoon pesto

3 teaspoons minced garlic

2 tabelspoons butter

1 cup milk or half and half 2 tbs greek seasoning

2 cups of squash medallions (this is great for using the crook neck or young zucchinis out of your garden)

1 cups spinach fresh or frozen (thawed and drained)

Coat the pan you will be using with olive oil and allow to heat until the oil ripples. add cubed chicken and garlic, cook until no pink shows outside the cubes and there is a lightly golden crust. Add chicken broth, pesto, greek seasoning, butter and milk. Bring to a boil then add the spinach and squash, cook until squash is soften. Cover and simmer until reduced by half.

Finnish by adding the gnocchi to the sauce. Toss well. Serve with salad or garlic bread.