Category Archives: How To

Beet Gnocchi

Ahhh. That’s a sigh of relief to be finally posting this recipe. This post has been a long time coming. Like last week, this is not my own recipe. But this again, is too good not to be shared with you.

I discovered this recipe, from Food and Wine, at the beginning of winter and have made it every week since, I think. The first time I made it, Greg declared it as his new favorite meal. And even as I’ve made it many more times, it’s still a favorite. It’s just plain good. Homemade beet gnocchi with a butter sage sauce and topped with toasted walnuts and parmesan cheese – need I say more?

I’ve found some tips and tricks that make the preparation of this meal go smoothly. Today I’m going to share those with you. If you want to make this meal, read the original recipe on Food and Wine. Then read through my tips and take a look at my photos. I feel that a visual always helps. Before making this, I had no experience with homemade gnocchi or pasta of any kind. Trust me, it’s not hard. You can totally do it. And it’s so fun. It’s fun and tastes so good. Have you got a weekend coming up with not much to do? Plan to start this in an afternoon and slowly make your way through the recipe. Play some music, have a glass of wine. You’ll love it.

So, warning: lots of words and photos ahead. If you decide to make this, read and look through. If you aren’t going to make this, look through the photos anyway – this dish is pretty!

1. Use parchment or wax paper to cover your cutting board while peeling roasted beets. While my cutting board still got just a bit stained using wax paper, it’s a lot better than when using nothing at all.

2. The four small beets I used (as you see in the photo) produced just under 1 1/2 cups of beet puree (what the recipe calls for). For a full 1 1/2 cups, I would have used 5 small beets. The amount of beet puree that you use, however, is slightly forgiving in my experience. I have used both slightly less and slightly more than 1 1/2 cups for this recipe and it has always been good.

3. Your beet puree does not have to be perfectly pureed. My food processor can’t seem to puree the beets into a perfectly smooth consistency. There are always still some small chunks. I have learned that not only does it not poorly affect the finished product, I quite like the small chunks of beet scattered throughout the cooked gnocchi.

4. I used white whole wheat flour for this recipe rather than all-purpose flour, just because it’s what I had on hand. It worked quite well.

5. The recipe calls for toasted walnuts. My suggestion is to start toasting walnuts in large batches and keep them on hand. Since I started to make this many months ago, I started to keep chopped, toasted walnuts in a plastic reusable container to use whenever I please. Toasted walnuts taste incredible and go well on so many things. My favorite dishes to sprinkle them on are this, any pasta dish, lentils and green salads. Having them on hand eliminates a step while making this.

6. View my photos on how to easily roll out the gnocchi dough. Once the dough sits at room temperature for 30 minutes, I cut it into 10 mostly even pieces with a sharp knife. I then flour my cutting board, take one piece of the cut dough and roll it into a ball. I place it on the cutting board to coat the ball in flour and roll the ball into a rope, about the length of my cutting board. I then cut that rope, with a sharp knife, into pieces, about 1/2 inch long, usually making 18 gnocchi from one rope.

7. The recipe on Food and Wine calls for 1 1/2 sticks of butter for the sauce. While I do think that butter is delicious, I don’t prefer to use that much on a regular basis. I use 2-3 tablespoons of butter plus a couple of tablespoons of olive oil for the sauce instead. I have never felt that I was missing out on the butter I didn’t add.

8. Speaking of the sauce, don’t skimp on the sage leaves. I don’t always love to buy fresh herbs because I rarely use the entire thing, but for this recipe, buy fresh and use all that you can.

9. I do the ending of this dish a bit differently than the original recipe calls for. What I do (this is what I do instead of steps 6-8 of the original recipe): once the gnocchi is cut and I am ready to cook, I set up my stove with one large pot of boiling water and on another burner, my cast iron skillet. In the cast iron, I melt a couple tablespoons of butter and a couple tablespoons of olive oil. I tear the fresh sage leaves into tiny pieces into the cast iron and let them fry while the gnocchi boils. I boil the gnocchi as the recipe says – boiling 1/3 of the gnocchi at a time and removing it from the boiling water with a handheld slotted strainer. Instead of transferring it to an oiled baking sheet, I usually let it drain off very well in the handheld strainer and put it directly into the hot cast iron skillet and turn the heat down to low. You don’t want it to burn, but I like the crispiness the outside of the gnocchi gets as it cooks in the cast iron skillet. Once all the gnocchi is boiled, I let it all cook for several more minutes in the butter/olive oil/sage sauce in the cast iron skillet. I then put it on plates and garnish with the toasted, chopped walnuts and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese.

10. This does freeze so well. With just Greg and I eating, I always freeze half of this recipe. After cutting the gnocchi, I always end up with two cookie sheets full. I place one cookie sheet directly into the freezer for 30 minutes. I then transfer the gnocchi to a gallon-sized zip bag and freeze. When I’m ready to make it (I’ve saved it for up to a month), I cook the gnocchi directly from frozen. We love this as a quick weeknight dinner!

11. The most important tip I have for this dish is to truly enjoy making it. It is a dish that is meant to be enjoyed during the process of making it and the process of eating it. Make sure you do it when you have plenty of time and will not be rushed. I remember one Sunday a few weeks back where I spent the entire afternoon slowly making my way through this recipe and being so happy while doing it. I was even happier when after a long day of cooking, I sat down with Greg and enjoyed this beautiful meal.

Okay, I think I’m done. I know that was a lot to take in. If you want to make this dish and have questions about my experience, leave them in the comments! I hope that you find this helpful, but like with all things cooking, you will of course find your own rhythm and shortcuts as you go. Enjoy!

Recipe from Food and Wine.

DIY: Wine Cork Label Holder

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Things are getting crafty today on The Dreaming Foodie!

I don’t think that I’ve really talked about it much before, but you should know, I do like to try to be crafty. I always have. It’s just the type of person I am – I like to make things. Things like food and decorations, and wine cork label holders. Mostly things that are cute and pretty!

My mom and I have made many seasonal wreaths over the years, many centerpieces for various events and I’ve always jumped at the chance to try DIY home decor things.

But honestly, I haven’t done anything crafty in so long. Too long! I was so excited about these wine cork label holders, I thought I just had to share them with you!

So, a few weeks ago, I helped a friend from work host a holiday party. We prepared a bunch of delicious food and drinks and had a wonderful time. While planning for this party, I was trying to think of ways to label the food. I came across this page, which featured these amazing wine cork appetizer place cards, and that was my inspiration! The instructions on that blog, Raisin & Fig, are excellent, so you should definitely check that out too! The way I did it is just a bit different and I am going to show you now!

Here’s what you need:

-Assorted wine corks
-Kitchen twine or string
-Small card stock paper
-A pen or other writing utensil

Four simple things, that’s it! I don’t save a lot of things or keep a lot of things around, but one thing I have saved over a couple of years is wine corks. I have a little white box that I put them in after they are out of the bottle. In the box, they are out of the way and not cluttering anything, but, I always know where they are. I’m so glad I had them around when I decided to do this little craft.

I got the kitchen twine and small card stock at Michaels. Each were cheap and will last a long time and will be used for many different things! I used a fine point black pen to do the writing.

So, all you do is choose two corks that are the same height. They definitely don’t have to be from the same winery, and I actually kind of like it when the two corks are different.

Cut a piece of twine or string to about 16 inches. Place the wine corks down on the string, wrap the string around to the front and tie a tight double knot. Here’s what it will look like at this point:

Now, wrap the string around the corks several times. I wrapped mine around two more times. There should be enough string left after wrapping to tie a bow. So, tie the wrapped string into another knot to make it tight, and then in a bow. Here’s what you’ll have:

Stand the corks up, with the smooth side of the cork down, and here’s what you’ll have:

Next, write on the pieces of card stock and place the card stock in between the two wine corks. That’s it! Easy as pie.

This idea is so cute and went over very well at the party. I love that it’s so easy to do and requires so few materials. These add a nice little touch without much work. That’s the best.

Also, these can be customized to different occasions by using different colors of twine or string. Get creative with the color you use depending on the reason for celebrating!

Hope you enjoyed this little craft!

And, just one more picture to share, my little helper!

{How cute! :))

Happy holidays!

How To: Make Your Own Pumpkin Puree

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Hi all! How are ya?

Question for you: what is your favorite fall flavor?

Is it apple? Pear? Pumpkin? Gingerbread?

I like all that I mentioned, but I must say pumpkin is definitely a favorite. I talked about pumpkin here, with my 4-ingredient pumpkin smoothie (delicious) and here with pumpkin cupcakes.

But let’s get back to the basics. Let’s talk about the pumpkin itself. And where that pumpkin is coming from.

Now, if you are already a fresh pumpkin pro, you can skip this post. That’s all you will see here today: how to deal with fresh pumpkin.

To be honest, I had no idea how to use/cook with/bake with a fresh pumpkin exactly two years ago at this time.

It was fall 2011 and I got it in my mind that I would learn. I had been preparing my mom for weeks. We would do it on a weekend. We would find the perfect pumpkin, and we would turn it into a pie.

I remember Google-ing and searching the internet, over and over again. We planned days in advance, we wanted to be prepared.

Looking back at that now, it seems kind of silly. I wouldn’t change the experience — I remember having so much fun doing it. And I remember enjoying the end product immensely. The pie tasted so good, and knowing that my mom and I accomplished turning a pumpkin into a pie, made it even better.

But, it’s really not that complicated. I was under the impression that cooking/baking with a pumpkin was this crazy thing that could only happen on weekends/holidays. I was used to thinking that a pumpkin was only a fall decoration. I was under the impression that a pumpkin was like nothing else I had ever used in the kitchen.

But that’s just not true. If you are new to using fresh pumpkin in the kitchen, think of it this way: a pumpkin is just like any other squash you use. Butternut squash, spaghetti squash, even yellow squash. It may be covered by a thick skin, but inside, you will find the good stuff. Stuff that just needs a little cooking to come free from that skin. And once it’s cooked, it is so, so versatile.

I hope that you all are ready, because after today, I will be coming at you with some pumpkin recipes! Be prepared for both sweet and savory.

Now, yes, it is easier to just use canned pumpkin. And really, I have no problem with it. Most brands, I assume, are just pure pumpkin in a can, and nothing else. And that is just fine! But using a fresh one is fun. It’s a bit more labor intensive than opening a can, yes, but in the right situation it is way more fun!

I will never forget the time my mom and I made that pie. It was fun and it was memorable. Do you want to do something fun with your daughter or your mother or friend or anyone? If you do anything this season: make a pie from a fresh pumpkin!

Let’s talk about how it’s done.

Here’s the quick version:

-Preheat the oven
-Wash the pumpkin
-Cut the pumpkin in half, and then in half again
-Clean out the pumpkin seeds
-Brush the pumpkin with oil
-Roast the pumpkin for ~30 minutes
-Let the pumpkin slightly cool
-Remove the pumpkin skin
-Place the pumpkin in a food processor and puree away!

You’re done, that’s it. Now you have fresh, pureed pumpkin, ready to use in all of your favorite recipes!

Now, I’ll go into a little more detail, and show you some photos!

First, pick out your pumpkins. As far as I know, most grocery stores and markets should carry these little guys around this time of the year. They could be called pie pumpkins or sugar pumpkins. Mine were called baby pie pumpkins! The size is really up to you. How much puree do you want. The pumpkin I used was around 3 pounds (estimate) and I got a little over one cup of puree from it.

After preheating the oven and rinsing the pumpkin, you will cut the pumpkin in half. It isn’t as hard as it sounds. It is much more difficult, in my opinion, to slice through a butternut squash. Pie pumpkins are much smaller and I think softer than big carving pumpkins we’re used to seeing. I just choose one side of the stem on top and cut straight down through the pumpkin. Use a very sharp, large butchers knife and it will go smoothly. Cut the pumpkin in half again, so that you have quarters.

Next clean out the seeds. It’s super simple, and you’re probably used to doing it from carving pumpkins. Get a spoon and scrape away until all the seeds are out! Save the seeds, if you’d like. Clean them and roast them up for a healthy snack. For a sweet taste, I’d roast them with cinnamon and for a savory I’d do rosemary!

I then lightly brushed the inside pumpkin flesh with olive oil. I thought this would help it roast better and get more tender. Place the pumpkin quarters onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, with the skin side up, like the two in the middle in the photo below.

Roast the pumpkin in the oven for about 30 minutes. It could take longer or shorter depending on your oven and the size of your pumpkin, as well as how many you are roasting. What you are looking for is a soft, slightly wrinkled skin on the pumpkin that a fork will easily pierce through. The flesh of the pumpkin should be soft as well, and possibly slightly browned.

Let the pumpkin quarters cool a bit. You technically could remove the skin right from the oven, but it will be very hot. Once you feel it has cooled enough to touch, peel the skin from the pumpkin flesh. It should come off very easily. If you are struggling to remove the skin, the pumpkin may need more time roasting.

Once you have the skin removed from the flesh, place the pumpkin into a food processor. If you don’t have a food processor, I imagine that a good blender would work as well, although I have not tried that myself. Turn on the food processor and process until the pumpkin is smooth and no chunks remain.

What you’re left with is a smooth, fragrant pumpkin puree, ready to go in all of your favorite recipes. It can be used in smoothies, pies, cookies, cakes, muffins, pasta, quiche, anything! Pumpkin puree really is versatile and tastes great in both sweet and savory dishes.

This pumpkin can be used just as pumpkin puree from a can. Treat it the same. I do find that fresh pumpkin puree has a more yellow color than that from a can, but that’s the biggest difference I’ve noticed.

Making your own pumpkin puree is a fun process and I do encourage you to try it. It is not difficult or confusing, just some straight-forward roasting and pureeing!

I’d love you to leave any questions in the comments section as well as letting me know if you tried making your own puree! I hope that this post can serve as a helpful guide to you.

Now, go find a pumpkin and make some puree!

Kale + Mint + Cashew Pesto

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You know how people have secret recipes? Or a secret ingredient in a special recipe?

Well I think I just made my first secret ingredient recipe.

And I’m going to share it with you!

It won’t really be a secret. But if I were ever to have a secret recipe, this would have been it.

The very secret ingredient in this pesto? It’s mint!

I don’t think I’ll ever want pesto another way.

Making this was two things: random and kind of scary.

Let’s start with random. I’ve never really made pesto before because I don’t have a food processor and I didn’t think my blender could handle it. But I’ve wanted to make it for so long, so I just crossed my fingers that my blender would work and went for it!

This pesto happened because I had a bunch of random ingredients to use that I thought would make a good pesto. Cashews I bought to have as a snack that never happened. Mint I bought to use in something else but forgot what it was that I was going to make. Kale that I wanted to use for a salad but I thought tasted weird in that particular salad. A half of a lemon left over from making this dressing. This might be good, I thought.

I wasn’t sure. Like I said above, I was a little scared. Sure, a little scared that my blender wouldn’t pull through and make a smooth pesto. But, even more scared about serving Greg pesto with mint in it. He doesn’t like minty things. Things like mint ice cream or mint chocolate anything or mint tea. He says something like “the only thing mint belongs in is gum.”

So, putting mint in his pesto? I wasn’t so sure.

It was sort of like when I was afraid to give him a quesadilla with cream cheese, knowing he doesn’t like cream cheese. That turned out well, and I hoped that this did too.

I used this pesto for Greg and I very simply. I made our favorite noodles (spinach spaghetti noodles) and tossed together the noodles, pesto and some reserved cooking water. I topped the noodles with a sprinkle of Romano cheese. It was divine. Simple and delicious. A ton of flavor from the pesto.

And, Greg liked it. After he said he liked it, I told him there was mint in it. 🙂

The mint adds a hint of freshness to this pesto. It doesn’t stand out too much, but when you taste the pesto, it’s like there is something in it that is so refreshing, and of course that is the mint.

I hope that you enjoy this pesto. 🙂

Ingredients
4 cups raw kale, any variety (I used Tuscan kale)
2 small handfuls fresh mint (I used two stalks of fresh mint)
1/2 cup cashews
1 garlic clove
3/4 cup olive oil
Juice from 1/2 of a lemon
1/4 cup Romano cheese
Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes

To make the kale softer and easier to process or blend, blanch the kale first. Do this by preparing a bowl of very cold water. Then bring a pot of water to a boil. Once the pot of water is boiling, place the kale in it. Keep the kale in the water for about 1 minute, no longer. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the kale to the bowl of cold water to stop the cooking process. Then place the kale into a colander and squeeze it to remove any excess liquid. Transfer the kale to paper towels to dry off a bit.

Once the kale is dry, place all ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth.

Serve over pasta, with bread, vegetable or in quiche.

Enjoy!