Using Up All the Bits and Pieces

How many times do you find yourself with odd amounts of ingredients from a meal that aren’t enough to make a whole new dish with but more than you feel comfortable throwing out? I think this accounts for the largest portion of waste in my kitchen. And in this economy, waste just isn’t something I’m willing to accept.

I found myself with a few odds and ends from my catered lunch and not a lot of motivation to cook. I had also received a free sample of Philadelphia Cream Cheese Cooking Cream, which had been sitting in the fridge for about a week. Thus my plan was hatched.

Using a package of gnocchi I had on hand (This is a staple in my house. If it isn’t in yours, a cheese ravioli, or even just some plain Jane pasta would work), I threw together this yummy little dish in about 15 minutes, which amounted to the time it took to bring the water to a boil and cook the gnocchi.

I put together a recipe here for you, but just understand that this was truly a trip around the kitchen to see what was around and could be used. I just wanted you to get an idea of how you can go about using up all of those bits and pieces.

Mish Mash Pasta

1 package gnocchi (or other pasta), cooked according to package directions
½ shallot (left over from my catering job), finely diced
2 Tbs olive oil (pantry staple)
1 small zucchini (found in produce drawer in the fridge), cubed
¼ cup white wine (pantry staple)
1 cup cherry tomatoes (left over from my catering job), halved
¼ cup fresh basil (left over from my catering job), cut into chiffonade
1 cup cooked chicken (left over from my catering job), diced
1 container Italian herb Philly ‘cooking cream’
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese (left over from my catering job)
¼ cup toasted hazelnuts, chopped (left over from my catering job)

While water is coming to a boil for the pasta, heat a skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil and shallot. Sauté until shallot begins to soften. Increase heat to medium-high and add zucchini. Cook, stirring frequently, until zucchini begins to brown. Deglaze pan with white wine and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated.

Add cherry tomatoes, basil and chicken to the pan. Reduce heat to medium-low (your water’s probably boiling about now and the pasta can be added). Spoon in cooking cream and slowly combine the ingredients. When pasta finishes cooking, add to the pan (Don’t bother draining all the pasta water. Just use a slotted spoon to fish out your pasta and add to the sauce - a little bit of water won’t hurt).

Stir until pasta is fully incorporated into the sauce. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Top with toasted nuts and serve immediately.

Butternut Squash Gnocchi Redux

Because the butternut squash gnocchi was just so tasty, I decided to make it again for Christmas dinner.  This year we opted for an Italian spread in honor of my mom's recent return from Rome.

This stuff freezes really well.  Just place the individual gnocchis in a single layer on a wax paper lined cookie sheet and freeze.  Then pop them into a freezer bag and store in the freezer until you're ready to use them.  They go right into boiling water and make for a quick meal.

Just a word of warning, though, from someone who knows...  If you are transporting your frozen gnocchi in their freezer bag in a heated car 45 miles to your sister's house to prepare, they will begin to thaw and stick together, and a portion of them will be unsalvageable.

You have been warned.

Anyway....  This went together quickly and to rave reviews.

Sautéed Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Sage and Ricotta Salata

1 recipe Butternut Squash Gnocchi
1 cup cooked, cubed butternut squash (I used the leftovers from making the gnocchi)
2 Tbs unsalted butter
1 Tbs olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
3 fresh sage leaves, cut into a chiffonade
Shaved ricotta salata*

Bring a large pot of salted water to a simmer (you really don't want a hard boil on this).  Add the gnocchi, let it come back up to a simmer, and cook for 15 minutes.  Drain well.

In a large frying pan, add the butter and olive oil.  Heat over medium - medium high heat until butter starts to sizzle.  Add cubed squash and sauté until squash is warmed through (remember, it's already cooked).  Add drained gnocchi.  Cook, turning occasionally with a spatula (to avoid breaking the gnocchi) until gnocchi begins to turn golden.  Season with salt and pepper.  Add sage leaves and continue to cook until gnocchi is browned and slightly crisp on the outsides.

Sprinkle with cheese and serve.

*Ricotta salata is the firmer version of ricotta cheese.  If you can't find it, use any firm cheese you'd like.  Parmesan or Asiago work great.

When Inspiration Strikes

So, I found myself on my own.  Friday night and with the freedom to go anywhere I wanted, I naturally ended up at...  Market of Choice (also known as Mecca to me).  And because I had a VISA gift card burning a hole in my purse, I was looking around for things to pick up for Turkey Day.  But instead, I ran across this...

Yes, a real live, honest-to-goodness Oregon truffle.  And right next to that...

Mmmm.  Chanterelles.  Luckily no one was close enough to hear the little joyous gurgling sounds.

I had also snagged a can of organic butternut squash puree, and soon the wheels started turning.  I snapped up a very nice, very fresh Dungeness crab (another one of the absolute joys about living in Oregon).

All Saturday I plotted and planned, and as soon as I could, I put my plan into action.  First, I decided to tackle gnocchi.  Not something I've made before, although I've cooked with the packaged variety plenty.  This is definitely not a mid-week project.  Took me a good couple of hours to put it all together, but I had enough to make two meals (I took the finished gnocchi I didn't use, spread it out on a baking sheet, and froze them, then threw them in a freezer bag).

Butternut Squash Gnocchi
adapted from BonAppetit.com

1 12- to 14-ounce russet potato, peeled, quartered
1 cup pureed butternut squash
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 large egg, beaten to blend
1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups (or more) all-purpose flour

Cook potato in medium saucepan of boiling salted water until very tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. While potato is warm, press through potato ricer into medium bowl (I didn't have a ricer, so I pressed mine through a strainer, and it worked just fine); cool completely. Measure 2 cups (loosely packed) riced potato (reserve remaining potato for another use).


Mix squash, potato, Parmesan, egg, nutmeg, and salt in large bowl. Gradually add 1 3/4 cups flour, kneading gently into mixture in bowl until dough holds together and is almost smooth. If dough is very sticky, add more flour by tablespoonfuls. Turn dough out onto floured surface; knead gently but briefly just until smooth. Divide dough into 8 equal pieces.

Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment. Sprinkle parchment lightly with flour. Working with 1 dough piece at a time, roll dough out on floured surface to about 1/2-inch-thick rope. Cut rope crosswise into 3/4-inch pieces. Working with 1 piece at a time, roll gnocchi along back of fork tines dipped in flour, making ridges on 1 side. Transfer gnocchi to baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill at least 1 hour (oops - didn't do this, either). DO AHEAD Can be made 6 hours ahead. Keep chilled.

After I started a large pot of salted water to a simmer, I started my sauce.  Add gnocchi individually to simmering water and allow to cook 15 - 17 minutes.  Even if the gnocchi float to the top of the water, continue to cook for the recommended time.

Crab and Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce

2 Tbs. butter
1 Tbs. olive oil
1/4 - 1/2 lb. fresh Chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
1 shallot, diced finely
1/2 bulb roasted garlic (cut top off of bulb, drizzle with olive oil, wrap tightly with foil and bake in a 400º oven for 25 - 30 minutes)
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 pint of half and half
1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped Italian parsley
Meat from a 1 lb. Dungeness crab
Freshly shaved truffle (optional)

Heat butter and olive oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan.  When butter starts to sizzle, add shallot and cook until it becomes translucent.  Add mushrooms and roasted garlic and season with a little salt and pepper.  Cook and stir until mushrooms are tender.  Deglaze pan with white wine.  When liquid reduces by half, add half and half and Parmesan cheese.  Add chopped parsley and crab and stir to combine.  Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary.  Add cooked gnocchi straight from pot (a bit of the liquid from the pot will help thicken the sauce).  Carefully stir in gnocchi.  If the mixture is too thick, add more half and half or wine.  Allow to simmer a few minutes until it is of the desired consistency.

Top with freshly shaved truffle.

I think next time I will also include some cubed and roasted butternut squash for a bit more color, but I will have to say this was just really, really tasty.

Feeling a Bit... Nutty.

All on my lonesome tonight.  With Offspring #1 off living on her own, and Offspring #2 spending more and more time away from home, I seem to spend more evenings feeding just myself.  Wanted something somewhat quick but still palatable.  And kind of 'stick to your ribs'.  Opted for a some cubed butternut squash sauteéd with some pancetta and spinach.  Tossed it with a bit of cooked gnocchi (packaged) and some mascarpone cheese for creaminess.  A friend of mine was kind enough to give me a bottle of his hazelnut oil from the nuts he grows in a small grove just north of here.  Made a nice finishing touch.

Butternut Squash Gnocchi

3 Tbs olive oil, divided

3 slices of pancetta, diced (could substitute a good quality bacon)

1 shallot, finely diced

1/2 of a small butternut squash, cut into 1" cubes

Salt and pepper to taste

2 cups fresh spinach, cleaned and dried

1 package of gnocchi, cooked following package instructions

1/4 cup white wine (I used that pesky Chardonnay I had)

1/4 - 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese

1/4 cup half and half

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Shaved Parmesan cheese to taste

Drizzle heavy pan (I used cast iron) with 1 Tbs. olive oil.  Sauté pancetta until almost cooked through.  Add shallot and cook and stir until shallot is translucent.  Remove to a bowl and add the remaining olive oil to the pan.  Add the butternut squash and season with salt and pepper.

Cook squash, stirring often, until it is fork tender but not mushy.  Add spinach leaves and sauté until spinach wilts.  Add the pancetta mixture back to the pan, along with the gnocchi.  Deglaze the pan with the white wine and then add the mascarpone, half and half and nutmeg.  Cook and stir until the cheese melts and creates a sauce.  Add in your Parmesan and combine well.  Serve immediately.

*I added some fried sage leaves (which I cooked in the olive oil and then removed before adding the pancetta to the pan) and drizzled with hazelnut oil.



And just to show that I didn't forget...  An ACTUAL photo of the cranberry conserve recipe, listed here.