Gnocchi in a Fennel Tomato Sauce Recipe

Talk about easy and tasty!  This recipe will have dinner on the table in 30 minutes or less.  The secret is to cut corners by using premade gnocchi and canned tomatoes for the base of the sauce.  For all of you who don't like strong taste of fennel, I think you will still like this recipe since you cook out a lot of that licorice flavor out.  Next time I think I will add some Italian sausage to the dish! 

1 14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes ( I used the kind with basil, garlic and oregano already in there)

1/4 cup of tomato paste

1/3 cup of red wine

1/3 cup of fresh fennel, cut into long strips

1 pinch of crushed rosemary

1 package of gnocchi

1/2 cup of freshly grated parmesan cheese

1.  In a medium sized sauce pan add the canned tomatoes, tomato paste, red wine, fennel and rosemary.  Bring to a boil and then drop down to a slow simmer.  

2.  Fill a large pot with water and add salt.  Bring to a boil and then add the gnocchi.  Once the pasta floats to the top scoop out as it is done.  

3.  On a large serving plate add the gnocchi and then add the tomato sauce on top.  Sprinkle cheese on top and then serve.  

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with New York State Maple Syrup and Rosemary Recipe

I had some free time before I had a freelance photography event I had to cover so I thought hey, why don't I head to my favorite produce stand up the road!  I bought a whole case of yams for only 3 bucks.  I really don't know what I am going to do with all these sweet potatoes, so if you are curious why the next few weeks there are so many yam recipes on here, it now should make sense.  Once starting to bake, the syrup starts to caramelize, which further enhances the sweet, earthy flavor of the roasted veggies and intensifies the rosemary.  Am I painting an aromatic dining experience yet?   

5 large sweet potatoes, cubed

2-3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup of maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon of dried rosemary

Salt and Ground Pepper to Taste

1.  Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.  Spread the sweet potatoes in an even layer on a baking sheet.  Drizzle olive oil and maple syrup on top.  Sprinkle the dried rosemary.  Mix so that everything is incorporated.  

2.  Place into the oven for about 30 minutes or until tender.  

Bacon and Blue, Red Potatoes Recipe

I had a few of my guy friends over and they were hungry after helping to work on my car!  So, I wanted to treat them right by making them some din din.  Let's just say a steak paired with my Bacon and Blue, Red Potatoes were a huge hit!  If you don't like the taste of strong blue cheese, these may be right up your alley.  The  heavy cream makes for a creamier texture and helps to thin out the strong cheese flavor, leaving an irresistible rich flavor!

1 pound of red potatoes, scrubbed and cooked until tender
2 tablespoons of butter
1 onion sliced
1/4 cup of heavy cream
1/4 cup of blue cheese crumbles
5 Slices of bacon
Salt and Ground Pepper To Taste

1.  In a medium sized skillet cook the bacon until crispy.  I used turkey bacon, but I think it would have been better just to use the good stuff instead of trying to be healthy!  Cook until golden brown and crispy.  Place cooked bacon on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess grease.  Let cool and then crumble with your hands. 

2.  In the same skillet add the butter and allow it to melt.  Add the onion and cook for about 4 minutes.  Add in the heavy cream and blue cheese crumbles.  Cook until the sauce thickens. 

3.  Place the potatoes on a platter.  Sprinkle some Drizzle the onion and blue cheese sauce on top of the potatoes.  Add the bacon  and then serve.

Sweet Potato Cakes with a Peach Lime Salsa

This is the perfect recipe to make while entertaining for guests.  It's totally different than probably anything they would expect you to make and is perfect out on the patio!  The fruity and refreshing salsa compliments the sweetness and warm depth of the flavors from the potato.  Try using the peach salsa on top of grilled chicken or fish too! 

2 sweet potatoes

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 yellow onion, minced

2 tablespoons of olive oil

2 tablespoons of butter

1 pinch of nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon of ground cloves

1/2 cup of panko crumbs

Salt and Freshly Ground Potatoes

For The Peach Salsa

2 ripe peaches, with skins removed, diced

2 teaspoons of honey

4 mint leaves, chopped finely

1 teaspoon of chili pepper puree (the kind that comes in a tube)

1 tomato, diced

2 green onions, sliced thinly

1 tablespoon lime juice

1.  Take a fork and poke several holes in the sweet potatoes.  Microwave the potatoes for about 8 minutes or until tender and then peel the skins off of them.

2.  In a frying pan, add olive oil garlic and onions and saute for about 3-5 minutes or until tender.

2.  In a medium sized bowl mash the potatoes.  Then add the garlic, onions, butter, nutmeg and ground cloves.  Combine all ingredients and shape into pattys.  Put in a bowl in the refrigerator for about 15-30 minutes while making the salsa by combining all the ingredients.

3.  Heat the pan that you used to saute the onions and garlic.  Add the patties and cook for about 3-5 minutes on each side.  Place on a dish and then serve with the salsa.