Midweek break

Good Morning!
So it's been a few days since I updated. In that time I went to see my family, came home, and worked. I'll start with the weekend.
I drove up Saturday morning. It was a really nice drive. I took the new car (I truly love that car) and a few books on my ipod and just drove. I've never made that drive on my own though lord knows I've gone up there enough times. I was a little worried since the second half (from Santa Barbra to los osos) always makes me tired. even when I'm driving down that part is always the hardest. But I made it just fine. We started cooking around 2 and I actually got everything I was trying to make done and on the table only a half hour behind our original dinner time. Pretty good I would say. I always love cooking with my family and in that kitchen. People wonder in and out and join the conversation as they come. There is always music playing in the background and laughter from the other rooms. So overall I would say dinner was a success.
Sundauy we had pancakes. For those of you who know grandma Marti's pancakes no more needs be said. For those of you who don't you are missing out. They are thin and have a different flavor. They are not those cakey pancakes you get in restaurants. They are truly amazing. After breakfast my dad, uncle david, and I went into Moro Bay. I hadn't been there is a while and it was really fun to go see all the places I remember from my childhood. We had a lot of fun. It was a beautiful day and I wish I could have stayed longer. But I had to drive home that afternoon. The drive home was fine and I got home in good time and was able to get ready for work on Monday.

Monday was a little crazy at work. The mom is off work or something this week and so she picked the twins up around 1 so I got off early. It gave Jono and I time to go take Bella to a clinic to get her shots updated.  Yesterday was less crazy and I got to go in 2 hours later then normal.

Today I plan on cleaning and finish the filing (I left it all over the bedroom floor in piles). Here are the recipes I used this weekend. Hope you like them!

Roast Chicken with pancetta and olives
From gourmet Italian kitchen
serves: 8
active time: 25 minutes
start to finish: 1 1/2 hours

Ingredients

2 Chickens (about 3 1/2 lb each), backbones cut out and each chicken cut into 12 pieces (wings, drumsticks, thighs, and each breast cut into 3)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp chopped Thyme
1 Tbsp chopped Rosemary
1 Tbsp fine sea salt
1/2 tsp hot red-pepper flakes
10 garlic cloves, peeled
2 (1/4 inch thick) slices pancetta, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup dry white wine
24 oil-cured black olives

Preheat oven to 450f with rack in middle.

Toss chicken with oil, thyme, rosemary, sea salt, red-pepper flakes, and 1 teaspoon pepper, rubbing mixture into chicken.

Arrange chicken, skin side up, in 1 layer in a 18-by-13 inch heavy rimmed baking sheet. Scatter garlic and pancetta on top and roast until chicken begins to brown, about 20 minutes.

Drizzle wine over chicken and roast 8 mintues more.

Scatter olives over chicken and roast until skin is golden brown and chicken is cooked through, 15-20 minutes more.

Let stand for 10 minutes.




Souffléd Gnocchi
from Gourmet Italian Kitchen

serves: 6
Active time: 35 minutes
Start to Finish: 2 hours

Ingredients

3 cups whole milk
3/4 cup semolina (3 oz. sometimes labeled "semolina flour")
3 eggs
7 Tbsp grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
4 1/2 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened

Bring milk with 3/4 teaspoon salt to a simmer in a 2 to 3 quart heavy saucepan over medium-low heat. Add semolina in a slow stream, whisking, then simmer, stirring consantly with a wooden spoon, 12 minutes (mixture will be very stiff).

Remove from heat and stir in eggs 1 at a time, then stir in 6 tablespoons cheese and 3 tablespoons butter.

Spread into a 1/2 inch thick slab on an oiled baking sheet using a lightly oiled rubber spatula, then chill, uncovered, until cool to the touch, about 10 minutes.

Cut out rounds from gnocchi with cookie cutter dipped in cool water (incorporating scraps as you work) and gently transfer rounds (they will be VERY soft), slightly overlapping, to butter baking dish. chill gnocchi uncovered, 1 hour.

Put oven racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 450 f

Melt remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons butter and brush over gnocchi, then sprinkle with remaining tablespoon cheese. Bake in upper third of oven for 10 minutes, then switch dish to lower third of oven and continue to bake until gnocchi are slightly puffed and lightly browned, about 10 more minutes.  Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Notes: This I also prepared the day before. The gnocchi can be chilled up to one day after cut and placed into baking dish. You just cover it after 1 hour.



Hugs+kisses
mce