Nurturing my inner... tools of the trade

Have you ever had gnocchi?  If so, I bet you have one of two views.  1.) It was a light, pillowy, delightful dream.  Or  2.) It was akin to consuming grape-sized pouches of lead that sunk to the bottom of my stomach.  No one likes to be super full after two bites.  So I set out to make the airy and delicate kind.  And I'll show you how I did it.

Potato Gnocchi

2 lbs of russet potatoes, cooked and riced (more on this later)
1 1/4 - 1/2 cup flour (depending on the humidity)
Sprinkle of salt

Not a ton of ingredients, just a little work.  But fun work.  Like playing with clay in kindergarten.

Boil 2 lbs of russet potatoes until soft.  Put them into the pan whole in the skin so there is less absorption of water into the potato.  You may not think this is so important, but it is!  It's one of the tricks of good gnocchi.

30 - 40 minutes. Done when you can stick
a knife through them easily.

They will be easy to peel once they are cooked.  But very HOT!  So use a small towel to hold them and don't burn yourself.

No skins in this dish.

Now for a special tool.  It's called a ricer.  And what it does is finely extrude potatoes.  Keeping them light and airy.  Trick number two for making light gnocchi.  Just pop the cooked potato into the chamber, flip the handle over so the flat part fits in flush and use those biceps to squeeze the potato through!

In ya go, whole!

You might think you could just mash the potato with a fork, but it's not quite the same.  See how the potato is extruded?  It's light, airy and fine.  Pressed, not mashed.

Ribbons of potato!

When you're done, it almost looks like a bowl of noodles.

It's quick work. Really.

Add in the flour slowly and lightly mix with your hands.  (Just get in there!)  You don't want to over mix so the dough gets tough or add too much flour so it gets heavy.  Start with sprinkling in a cup, a bit at a time, then go from there.  If the dough seems a little sticky, add a little more flour.  That's the thing about making pasta.  I can give you a recipe, but you may have to tweak it depending on the weather.

Forms a soft ball of dough.

Next you're going to roll out the dough into logs.  About 1/2 inch in diameter.

See, just like art class.

With a sharp knife, cut into pieces about a half inch long.

Line 'em up!

And here we go!  Second special, yet not expensive, tool of the day.  A gnocchi board.  Yes, you can use a fork to make the marks, but this is more fun and makes them look so professional.

Imported from the homeland. (Through
the Internet.)

Put a piece of the pasta on the gnocchi board, take your thumb and press and roll it to the right.  It will create these lovely ridges that will be very useful later to hang on to the sauce.

Oh yeah, now that's some good ridges!

Flour a baking sheet and place them on top.  Very handmade looking in their uniqueness.  I had a few helpers, so we all had our different flair.  Toss into boiling water for just a couple/few minutes.  They are done when they float to the top.  Skim them off with a cooking spider if you have one.

Can you tell which ones are mine? Didn't think so.
I can't either.

A traditional way of serving gnocchi is with pesto.  I got mine at the Wegmans olive bar.  Best store bought pesto I have ever found.  And you can place it into small baggies and freeze for future use.  (That way I always have some on hand for making bruschetta or flavored cream sauce.)  I added some toasted pignoli nuts and cooked up some diced pancetta which I put on the side as an option.

Look at those beauties. Light version.

For variety's sake, we also made a simple bolognese sauce with garlic, sauteed beef and fresh basil.  Half went into that.  Toss lightly though.  Gnocchi are delicate and you don't want to hack them to pieces when you're stirring them with the sauce.

Hearty version with meat.

One friend brought a caprese salad, another steamed some asparagus.  That looks like a pretty European plate to me!

Some with each sauce. Liked them both!

To be honest, I thought making gnocchi would be harder.  Don't they make it look hard on TV?  (I don't even think my grandmothers made gnocchi.)  Now we know from the photos, it really isn't hard at all.  Having the right tools made all the difference.  You can get them off of Amazon if you don't have a trip to Italy planned any time soon.  The gnocchi were light, soft, tender and took on whatever we flavored them with.  I like that we did the comparison of different types of sauces because it showcased their versatility.  (And lack of lead like qualities!)

Since all this rolling, cutting and crafting made you think of your childhood art classes, I just know you can't wait to make them yourself!  Invite some friends over and have fun!

Nurturing my inner... korean sweet shoppe

Before I got a groupon suggestion (I don't always buy them, but I do write down their names) for this place, I had no idea what a Korean Bakery was.  Or why it was so popular.  Turns out, there are several around here.  Some of the most popular ones are just down a ways in good old Centreville, VA.  I had to read a bunch of reviews to choose one over the other, but I settled on Shilla.  So, I dragged one of my adventurous friends out with me.  It's a great little place to have a bit of breakfast.

Unassuming store front in a strip mall.
Yea for GPS.

I'm not sure I was fully ready for the bounty of unfamiliar treats that awaited me.  If you notice the little baskets near the cellophane wrapped packages, there were plenty of fresh samples from that morning's baking.  This was crucial as I had no idea what anything was.  They tried hard with their descriptions to give me a clue, but really, tasting was the only way to truly figure this flavor puzzle out.  (Not that I minded.  Always willing to take one for the team.)

One intriguing cake was dark moss green in color
and had a yummy, yet unusual taste. Loved it!
Have no clue what it was though. Eh, so what.

Because they come in small packages, you can buy many small treats without having to commit to large quantities.  (I adore variety!)

I took one of those and one of those. Hard
to stop myself.

If you're looking to buy something a bit larger for company, they have full rolls for sale.  With creme inside.  In several flavors.

Not that I couldn't dive into one all by myself,
but it's wise to share with company.

Or they had very pretty cakes with fruit and decorations on top.  Though purple hasn't been a common cake color in my experience, I did think it looked really interesting and fun for a birthday!

Kaleidoscope fruit patterns.

Not sure if you've ever heard of bubble tea, but they had that as well.  They call it Boba.  I have had bubble tea a few times and it has always been like a milky iced latte.  So it was to my genuine surprise when I got the mango one here and it was more like soft serve.  It was fantastic!  Creamy, smooth as silk.  Bursting with lovely fruit flavor.  (Look at that rich color!  I want to paint a room in my condo that shade.)  And yes, those familiar large, black tapioca beads on the bottom with a wide sipping straw.

Unusual, yet yummy.

Here was some of my pastry loot.  I wanted to try a couple typically Asian things as well as more traditional flavors.  After all my taste testing I can tell you that the top left bear claw looking one was PHENOMENAL!  Soft, buttery, sweet with a vanilla creme pudding inside.  Oh my, I couldn't stop eating it until it was all gone and yes, I would drive the 25 minutes just to go get one right now.  The one to the right was a soft, almond sliver covered creme-filled roll.  Bottom right was traditional mochi (a doughy pillow with sweet red bean paste inside) and bottom left was mini sweet buns with red bean paste baked inside and a pecan on top.

Top left one was THE BEST! I must go
there again soon. Now I'm dreaming
about it all over again. So good.

And in case you're wondering exactly what sweet red bean paste looks like, here you go:

Mini bun with teeth marks. (Woah, perhaps
a little too up close.)

They also have a cold treat called Bing Soo.  They come in various combinations of tea, fruit, condensed milk and other flavors over finely shaved ice.  Though I wanted one, of course, I couldn't fit in everything that first trip, but I plan to go back and check more of the menu out.  If I can get myself past the delightful pastries!

Nurturing my inner... knot ordinary

Time for a quick before dinner snack.  A substantial one.  Was glad I was able to find a few types of this treat at the Big Y grocery store near my mom in CT.  Kim & Scott's Gourmet Pretzels.

They come in sweet flavors: Chocolate Crumb, Apple Cinnamon, Cinnamon Roll, and savory flavors: Traditional Bavarian, Traditional Sourdough Parmesan, Cream Cheese, Cheddar Jalapeno, Egg & Cheese, Pizza Pretzel, Spinach Feta, Gluten Free and the one I chose - Grilled Cheese.

I love a two in one snack.

You can find them in the freezer section.  Two per package.  It's best if you can let them thaw before you bake.  (Uh, I don't think I did.  I'm not so much good with being patient.)  Remove from wrapper and place on a baking sheet or I used an aluminum pan.

Looks good on the outside. A sign of things
to come!

Bake for 12-15 minutes.  Until warm.

Cut in pieces and cheese is soft inside.

Love a chewy pretzel with a cheesy core.  Good snack for sharing.  Will tide you over until dinner for sure.  Hope I can find some other flavors here in VA.  Looks like they carry them at Giant, Target, Whole Foods and Wegmans!  Cinnamon Roll here I come!

Nurturing my inner... an apple a day

Yep, it's already that time of year.  Apple picking!  This is new to me.  I think one time I went strawberry picking like 10 years ago.  I remember nothing about it.  Today, I will not forget.  So fun!

For starters, I just bought some new sneakers!  Yea!  I have to do this about every 6 months because of the amount of miles I log.  So what to do with the old dirty sneakers?  Um, wear them to trek around in the wet grass of an orchard, of course.

These are wild colors. (For me.) Bright laces!
Hope they make me run faster!

Apple Turnovers

2 packages puff pastry (no, I was not going to make my own)
6 apples, (mixed varieties), peeled and diced
2 tbsps unsalted butter
Juice of one lemon
1 tsp lemon zest
4 tbsps light brown sugar
2 tbsps white sugar
2 tbsps corn starch
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of salt

One of the girls in running class had the idea to go apple picking and of course, I was on board.  Marker-Miller Orchards in Winchester, Va.  First stop, inside the Farm Market.

Not sure what's in here, but I can guess!

Inside on the right were all kinds of home made salsas, jams, jellies and salad dressings.

So many interesting flavor combinations.

They had a case with baked pies and other treats like pumpkin rolls and whoopie pies.

Make me walk away. Pie baking for later at home.

We of course were hungry after the hour and a half drive from Northern Virginia, so we snagged some of the very reasons people come here.  Fresh pumpkin and/or apple cider doughnuts.  (And some cinnamon twist thingie.)  I'm not even a big doughnut fan, but these were incredible.  Perfectly pumpkin and covered in cinnamon sugar.  A cake-like doughnut, but very tender and light.  I could have eaten three.  I restrained myself.  (But I did go back and buy more for later!)

View inside the bag. I really do take you
everywhere with me.

Back outside.  They have lots of things for kids to do.  Like this tractor train.  The carts are little cows and they each have names.  Like Jelly Bean, Tessie and Sweet Pea.


Moo moo. I mean, choo choo.


Rolling hills of miles and miles of apple trees.

Like a storybook. Golden delicious.

The sky was gorgeous and bright.

The blue, the green, the white. What a palate!

Now on for the long awaited moment, the actual picking.  We ended up with some Red Delicious, Golden Delicious, Red Stayman and Ida Red.

Sometimes some of the branch comes along
for the ride.

Making Brooke pose.  The action shot!

She is holding one of the bags you buy and you
can fill it up as high as you can carry.

Seriously, this apple was GINORMOUS!  I made her hold it while I took a picture so you could see it relative to her hands. It was bigger than a softball, I kid you not.  It took a separate car to drive home and probably will have to stay in Brooke's guest room.

That was the prize fruit of the day!
Blue ribbon moment.

Later, when Brooke was poking around she said, "Karen, you gotta get a picture under here.  It's so cool!"  She was right!  I love this shot from under the apple tree.

Inside the tree. Your VIP pass.

Let me tell you, the bag gets heavy quickly.  When I bought the 1/2 peck bag (for $9.00), I asked approximately how many apples it would hold and she said about 25.  Well, some of these apples were just gigunda.  I ended up with about 18 and felt I got my money's worth!

Filled to the tippy top.

Once we all had full bags, we took a little break.  Apple picking is hard work.  (Um, not nearly as hard as the 20 miles Brooke ran yesterday!  Woo hoo!)  We really just wanted a beverage.  They have incredible HOT cider.

Atomic hot. Have to let cool. So tasty though.

The girls enjoying their cider.

Rocking chairs. Ahhh.

After cider, we had a quick trip to Sonic.  (I know, bad girls - but we're all runners, so we didn't feel too guilty.)  Needed full bellies for the long ride home.

Some of each.

Once home, we got right into turnover making.  I took one or two of each kind of apple and my friendly sous chefs peeled and diced them.  I like having their help.  They are now invited over every time I cook.  I put all the ingredients in a pan and then simmered on medium for about 15 min.  Just long enough for the apples to soften just a little, but not turn into mush.  This is not a lesson in making applesauce.  I did that last year.

Smells like pie already.

Seeing as we had been out all morning picking apples and having a bit of a drive to and fro, I thought instead of making pie dough from scratch, I would use puff pastry.

Thaw as directed. I bought the day before from
the freezer section and put in fridge and it was
perfect. It will soften.

Flour a surface and a rolling pin and roll out the dough until it's a little thinner.  Try to keep it square as best you can.  Then slice into three equal pieces.

Eh, equal enough. This is home made.

Pile about 2-3 tablespoons of the slightly cooled apple mixture onto each strip and brush egg wash onto the three open sides.

Pastry glue, it's beaten egg to you.

Fold the top side down and use a fork to crimp the edges.

Sealed together and nice pattern to boot.

Use an egg wash and brush the outside.  Slice three vents into the top for steam.  (Plus it looks pretty.)

Pretty!

Bake at 400 degrees for approximately 25 minutes or until golden brown and puffy.  (Hence, puff pastry.  I know you get it.)  Take out and let cool on a rack.

Mmm, done perfectly.

Now for caramel sauce that will knock your socks off. 

Caramel Sauce

1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
4 tbsps unsalted butter
1 cup of heavy cream
Pinch of salt

I didn't get any pictures because you have to be extremely careful with hot sugar.  But this is what you do.

Add water and sugar to a pan on medium heat, stir and bring it to a boil.  It will take some time for the sugar to turn from clear to light brown.  I lost track of time, but it was over 15 minutes.  When it does turn that light brown color, in goes the butter and off goes the heat and in goes the cream.  (Warning: Be careful!  When you add the cream, it will bubble up like mad!  So use a big enough pan.)  You need to whisk it and whisk it and whisk it until it becomes creamy again.  You can turn the heat back on if it looks like the caramel is balling up and the milk is sort of separate.  It will all melt back together eventually and you can put it aside.

This sauce is SO delicious and light. I'll never
buy caramel sauce in a jar ever again. (I may
however invest in safety goggles.)

It made 12 turnovers.  I sliced each one in half and gave the girls a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream with it.  Covered both items in that luscious caramel sauce and that was that.  Everything fall promises delivered hot in a flaky pastry pocket.

The caramel sauce really brings it all together.
Extra special flavor.

Every activity today was a blast!  The chatty drive to the country with the girls, trouncing through the orchards, marveling at the massive apple, dining on fresh doughnuts and cider, and then coming back to my place to make the turnovers.  I'd like many more days like this throughout the entire fall.  But for now, I need to come up with recipes for the twelve large apples I have left! Fortunately when they quoted "An apple a day keeps the doctor away," they didn't say I couldn't cover it in brown sugar, butter and cinnamon!