Roasted Marshmallow Strawberries

Roasted Marshmallow Strawberries

These are as easy as can be for a quick dessert or campfire treat during the summer. I didn't make my own mallow but used the store kind in the jar. Make sure to wipe all the water off your berries to make the mallow stick I used a spoon to get the mallow on the strawberries and then a metal skewer over the stove burner. If you are really fancy, you could use a blow torch for more control. I am a love burnt marshmallows though!

Homemade Gnocchi

We love gnocchi here and usually end up buying the dried kind from Woodman's. Today I gave making my own from scratch. Lydia Bastianich makes it look so easy. How hard could it be right?  I got a new toy today too, a potato ricer. I boiled 3 lbs or so of potatoes on the stove and they are cooking. I am going to peel them rice them, and then let them cool before I attempt this dough. You can make your own pesto like I did in this recipe (my herbs just started to grow) http://tinkmomfoodie-foodobsession.blogspot.com/2014/08/peanut-pesto-focaccia.html  or you could buy the Classico brand like I did today.

Lydia's Gnocchi

6 lg potatoes
2 TBSP plus 1 tsp salt
3 eggs beaten
3 cups flour
grated Parmesan approx. 1/2 cup
Classico Pesto sauce or the sauce of your choice

Peel and rice the potatoes. (I got my potato ricer at Bed Bath and Beyond for $12.99)  Let them cool completely and make a large circle with the flour and potatoes. Leave  a well in the center. Place the eggs, a tsp of salt,  and a pinch of pepper. Move the flour from the outside of the well into the eggs. Incorporate until the dough becomes to come together. Flour hands and divide dough into 6 portions. Roll each portion into a rope 1/2 inch thick. Cut rope into smaller portions and mark with a fork. This helps the sauce adhere to the dough. Boil a huge pot of water, add two TBSP of salt. Add the gnocchi and boil until the gnocchi float to the top 2-3 minutes. Drain and top with your favorite sauce.

Crock Pot Adobo Chicken Wings

My friend George posted this recipe the other day and it looked yummy! Filipino Adobo Chicken. It's got vinegar for acidity and some soy sauce which makes for a rich sauce.

Adobo Chicken Wings

3lbs defrosted chicken wings
3 cloves garlic
2 bay leaves
1 1/2 cup vinegar
2 tsp. black pepper
3/4 cup soy sauce
2 medium potatoes cut into chunks (optional)

I defrosted a bag of chicken wings and broiled them on a tin foil lined pan for 25 minutes. This helps brown the chicken and prevents it from falling apart in the crock pot. I added the soy sauce and vinegar along with two bay leafs. I also threw in 2 tsp pepper and some salt. I put the entire thing on high in the crockpot for three hours. I poured the sauce out and reduced it on the stove to about half. I served the chicken over white rice. The family loved it!

Crock Pot Beef and Broccoli

Crock Pot Beef and Broccoli

1 head of broccoli
1 can of sliced water chestnuts drained
1 lg onion quartered
2 TBSP flour
1 cup beef stock
1 lb stir fry meat or tenderized round steak (found in meat dept)
2 TBSP oil
4TBSP soy sauce
salt

This is a crowd pleaser and you can make this with very little effort. Perfect for Mom's Day! The only cooking you will be doing on the stove is browning the meat.  Take the meat and cut down into strips. Be sure to cut across the grain. Roll the beef around in the flour. (You could also use corn starch here also)  Season the meat with salt. Add to a frying pan that has been heated with 2 TBSP of oil. Brown the meat on all sides. Once the meat is browned place it in the crock pot.

To the frying pan add  the beef broth and soy sauce.  Use a spatula to scrape all the brown bits up. Add the florets to the crock pot along with the water chestnuts. Top with the sauce. Cook on low for 6-8 hours or low for 4 hours. Add more soy sauce to taste. Serve over white rice.