Gnocchi

Gnocchi freeze well, but they don't keep for long once you make them. So freeze any gnocchi you don't plan to eat right away.

6 large Idaho or russet potatoes ( about 4 pounds ), scrubbed, but unpeeled ( see Note )
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon salt
Freshly ground white pepper
2 large eggs, beaten
4 cups unbleached flour, or as needed
Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for serving

1. Boil the potatoes in plenty of water until easily pierced with a skewer, about 40 minutes. ( Note: Boil the potatoes just until tender, but not until the skins split. If they do, the potatoes will soak up water, and your Gnocchi will be heavy. ) Drain them, and, when cool enough to handle, peel them. While still quite warm, rice the potatoes onto a cool, smooth surface, preferably marble. Spread them out ( with a fork to prevent them from clumping ) to expose as much surface as possible to the air. ( When the potatoes are spread out, more steam will escape, and you'll need less flour to make the gnocchi, which will keep the gnocchi light. )

2. Bring 6 quarts of water to a boil in a large, heavy pot. Toss in 2 tablespoons of salt.

3. Gather the cooled potatoes into a mound and form a well in the center. Stir the remaining 1 teaspoon of salt and a dash of the pepper into the beaten eggs and pour the mixture into the well. Work the potatoes and eggs together with both hands, gradually adding enough flour, about 3 cups, to make a firm, but moist dough. Scrape up the dough from the work surface with a knife as often as necessary while working in the flour. Mixing the dough should take no longer than 10 minutes. The longer the dough is worked, the more flour it will require, and the heavier it will become.

4. Dust the dough, your hands, and the work surface lightly with flour and cut the dough into 6 equal parts. Continue to dust the dough, your hands, and the surface when the dough starts to feel sticky.

5. Roll each piece of dough with the palms of both hands into a rope 1/2-inch-thick. Cut the ropes crosswise into 1/2-inch pieces. Indent each piece with a thumb or use the tines of a fork to produce a ribbed effect. ( This facilitates adhesion of the sauce. )

6. Drop the gnocchi into boiling water, a few at a time, stirring gently and continuously with a wooden spoon, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until they rise to the surface. Remove the gnocchi with a slotted spoon or skimmer, transfer to a warm platter, and add a little sauce of choice. Boil the remaining pieces in batches until all are done. Sauce as desired, add pepper and cheese to taste, and serve immediately. Makes about 10 servings.

Variations: A few ways to serve gnocchi:

Scoop the gnocchi into a large serving bowl and drizzle some olive oil over them. Toss them with pesto and pass grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese at the table.

Toss the gnocchi with your favorite tomato sauce enriched with chopped olives, some roughly torn fresh basil leaves, and chopped fresh Italian parsley.

Melt butter over low heat so that it doesn't separate. Warm a generous amount of fresh sage leaves in the butter. Toss the sage butter with the cooked gnocchi and pass grated cheese separately.

Sticky Dump Chicken

2 tablespoons vegetable or extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
3 tablespoons ketchup
8 pieces chicken

For freezing: Place all ingredients into a 1-gallon freezer bag. Lay
flat in freezer. To thaw and cook: Take the bag out of the freezer the
night before, making sure the freezer bag is completely sealed. Place
the bag on a shelf furthest from the freezer (It works best if the bag
is laying flat, although this may not be the best option with a
side-by-side refrigerator/
freezer).

For baking: Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Place all ingredients into a
large baking dish, turn chicken to coat. Bake until chicken juices run
clear (about 30 to 60 minutes depending upon the chicken pieces used).

For the crock pot: Put chicken in the bottom of the pot. Pour remaining
ingredients over the chicken. Cook on LOW for 6-8 hours or on HIGH for
4-6 hours or until done.

Savory Tomato Soup

1/4 cup of chopped celery
2 tablespoons of chopped green onion
1 tablespoon of butter or margarine
2 teaspoons of all purpose flour
One 8 ounce can of stewed tomatoes
1 cup of water
1/4 cup of dry white wine or water
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 slices of crisp cooked bacon, crumbled

Cook the celery and onion in butter until tender, but not brown. Blend in the flour. Add the remaining ingredients, except the bacon, cook and stir until slightly thick. Reduce the heat, cook slowly for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Garnish with bacon. Makes 2 servings

Girl Scout Mint Cookies

1 box Devil Food Cake Mix
2 Eggs
2 T. Water
2 T. Cooking Oil
1/2 C. Cocoa
1 pkg. Chocolate Chips
2-3 drops Wilton's Candy Mint Flavoring

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine cake mix, eggs, water, cooking oil, and cocoa. You will need to blend this together well; this will be a very sticky mess. Let stand for 20 minutes, and then shape into very small 1/2 inch balls. Place these balls on a cookie sheet 2 inches a part, and smash down flat. You will need to spray a large spoon with Pam to make them flat. Bake for about 8 minutes. Let cool until they reach room temperature.

Heat chocolate chips in either the microwave, or in a double boiler. When completely melted add a couple drops of the mint flavoring. Be careful not to add too much, it is a powerful flavoring. You can either spread the melted chocolate on the cookies, or you can dip the cookies into the chocolate

Pumpkin Fudge

3 cups sugar
3/4 cup butter or margarine
1 (5 1/3 ounce can or 2/3 cup) evaporated milk
1/2 cup solid pack pumpkin
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 (12 ounce) package butterscotch morsels
1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow cream
1 cup chopped, toasted almonds or pecans
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In heavy saucepan, combine sugar, butter, milk, pumpkin and spice; bring to
boil, stirring constantly until mixture reaches 234 degrees (about 10 minutes).
Remove from heat, stir in butterscotch morsels. Add marshmallow creme, nuts and
vanilla. Mix until well blended. Quickly pour into greased 13x9 inch pan,
spreading just until even. Cool at room temperature; cut into squares. Store
tightly wrapped in refrigerator. Yields 3 pounds

Mock Baby Ruth Bars

2/3 cup margarine
1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
1/4 cup Karo light corn syrup
1/4 cup peanut butter, crunchy
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups quick cooking rolled oats
1 12 ounce milk chocolate chips
1 6 oz. package butterscotch chips
2/3 cup peanut butter
1 cup spanish peanuts, salted

Melt margarine, sugar and syrup. Add 1/4 C. peanut butter and vanilla. Pour over oatmeal and mix well. Press into 9 x 13" well greased baking pan. Bake in 375° oven for 12 minutes. Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips. Add 2/3 C. peanut butter and peanuts. Pour over baked mixture. Cool and cut into squares. 48 Servings

Tomato Basil Soup

2 (28 ounce) cans whole tomatoes
salt and pepper
1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 carrots
2 ribs celery
1 yellow onion
2 cloves chopped garlic
4 Tablespoons butter
1 can chicken broth
1 bay leaf
12 to 14 leaves fresh basil
1 cup heavy cream, optional

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Strain tomatoes,
reserving juice. Place tomatoes on a rimmed baking
sheet and drizzle with 1/4 cup olive oil. Season with
salt and pepper. Roast for 15 minutes, or until
caramelized. While tomatoes are roasting, chop carrots,
celery and onion. Heat 2 tablespoons butter and
remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saucepan.
Sauté vegetables, along with chopped garlic, for 10
minutes, or until softened. Remove tomatoes from oven
and add to pan, along with reserved tomato juice,
chicken broth and bay leaf. Simmer for 15 to 20
minutes. Add basil and remaining 2 tablespoons
butter. Puree in batches in a blender or use an
immersion blender. Add cream before serving.
Note: Soup may be frozen but do not add cream
before freezing. Thaw, reheat and add cream before
serving.