Homemade Italian Potato Gnocchi with Sage Infused Butter and Crispy Bacon

You no longer need to go to your favorite Italian restaurant to eat these soft and deliciously smooth Italian gnocchi, 
served with sage infused butter and sinfully crispy bacon.
See how easy is to make these dumplings right in your kitchen!

Three basic ingredients and 45 minutes of your time is all it takes to transform a few potatoes in a delicious dinner for your family.
Making traditional Italian gnocchi from scratch is not really hard, as you will see in this step-by-step recipe and my video. But there are a few things that you will need to keep in mind if this is your first time.
The goal is to have soft enough gnocchi (but not mushy) with a smooth texture. To make sure your dumplings will not be hard and too chewy, you need to use the least amount of flour possible in the dough... but enough flour to hold the gnocchi together, so they won't fall apart when dropped in boiling water. The secret to accomplish that: do NOT overcook the potatoes. If you do, the potatoes start absorbing water. More water in the mashed potatoes means more flour needed in the dough. So, watch the potatoes carefully and set your timer.
The second thing you want in gnocchi is a smooth texture. Nobody likes grainy and coarse-y dumplings. All you need to do is mash the potatoes when they are still hot. For this reason I like to peel the potatoes before boiling, so I don't waste time (and burn my fingers!!!) to peel them when hot. AND I cut them in half ... just the right size to fit my ricer. Easy enough, right?!?

You can serve gnocchi in many ways: with Bolognese or a tomato/basil sauce. To bring out the delicate flavor of the potatoes, I like a simpler sauce made with sage infused melted butter, freshly grated Parmesan cheese, and ...why not? Some crispy bacon strips to make this dish irresistible to anyone!

Enjoy :)

Ingredients: 4 medium servings (or 3 large)
For the gnocchi:

• 4 large russet potatoes (about 2.2 lb, 1 kg)
• 1 cup (150 gr) of all-purpose flour, plus a couple of tablespoons
• 1 egg
• salt

For the sauce:

• 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 5 oz (140 gr) of bacon
• a few leaves of fresh sage
• freshly grated Parmesan cheese, about 1/2 cup

Preparation time: 45 minutes
Directions:
1: Peel the potatoes and cut in half. Place the potatoes in a large enough pot, and cover with cold, salted water. Bring to a boil. As soon as the water boils, lower the flame to medium-low, and cook in a slow boil for about 18 minutes, based on the size of the potatoes. Test with a fork. When ready, you should be able to stick the fork all the way in. Please do not overcook, or the potatoes will start absorbing water.

2: Remove the potatoes promptly from the water, and pass them through  a ricer. Add one egg and the cup of flour.  Don't overdo with the mixing, just combine until the mixture holds together. Add more flour if needed.

3: Move the potato mixture to a clean, lightly floured counter. Take some of the dough at a time, and roll it into a rope about 3/4 inch thick. Cut the gnocchi, about 3/4 inch length. Place the gnocchi over parchment paper, or a lightly floured surface, until ready to serve. Don't overlap the gnocchi or they will stick together.

4. When ready to eat, fry the bacon cut in strips, until crispy. And in a large frying pan, melt the butter with the sage. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop the gnocchi - some at the time if necessary. And let cook for about 2 - 3 minutes. You can remove them as soon as they rise to the surface. Add the gnocchi to the frying pan. Sprinkle with the Parmesan cheese and the bacon strips. Mix well, and serve hot :)

Buon Appetito!

Fourth of July Popsicles Made with Fresh Berries and Greek Yogurt

Celebrate this Fourth of July with these super healthy and cute popsicles made with only three ingredients:
fresh organic blueberries, strawberries and vanilla Greek yogurt. No added sugar or food coloring. 

And, ready to be amazed?? One of these popsicles is only 40 calories. Simply perfect :)

Sweeten up your Forth of July party with these American flag-inspired, patriotic popsicles, made with fresh, organic strawberries, blueberries and vanilla flavored Greek yogurt.
The best part of this recipe: no food coloring is necessary for your red, white and blue. And NO added sugar, just the natural sweetness of the fruit (and well ... what's in the yogurt!). In addition to the fruit, I used one of those 100-calories cup of Greek yogurt. I added the caloric value of the fruit and came up with a total of 160 calories for four servings. Sooooo.... each popsicle is only about 40 calories! Not bad, right?! I say, not bad at all :)

As you can see in my video here, this recipe is quite easy. All  you need is 3 ingredients. 10 minutes of your time, a food processor and pop molds. That's all!

I used a squeeze bottle to pour the yogurt into the molds, to limit spillage on the sides. You can also use a small spoon. If you like perfection, make sure to clean any drops before you move to the next layer. But don't go crazy trying to make precise lines. I really think that homemade dessert doesn't have to look perfect... just wholesome and delicious!!

You can also have fun with this recipe, and change it up a little. Add honey for extra sweetness. Use lemon flavor or plain yogurt. Add some lemon juice for a citrusy twist.
No matter what you do, you won't feel guilty when your kids will ask for one (or more!!) of these popsicles. After all, they are only fruit and yogurt in a frozen and colorful form.
So why make them only for this holiday weekend, when it's a perfect, fresh treat all summer long?!?
Enjoy :)




Ingredients: to make 4 popsicles of about 1/3 cup (80 ml) each

5.5 oz (155 gr) of (organic) strawberries

1.5 oz (40 gr) of (organic) blueberries

1 cup = 5.3 oz (150 gr) of vanilla Greek yogurt

Preparation time: 10 minutes to prepare, plus 5 hours (or more) in the freezer
Directions:
1. Puree' the strawberries in a food processor or blender. If you'd like, you can add a bit of lemon juice and sugar (or honey) to make it sweeter. If your strawberries are sweet as mine, no need to add anything.

2. Using a small spoon, baking syringe or squeeze bottle, add about one tablespoon of Greek yogurt in each pop mold. Place about 7 or 8 blueberries in each, depending on the size of your mold. With a stick or the back of a spoon, distribute and push the blueberries down into the yogurt.
To make the layers look perfect (they don't have to be!!), you should try not to spill yogurt on the side of the mold. You can also clean the sides if you wish before you move to the next step.

3. Pour a layer of pureed strawberries on top.  Add a layer of  vanilla yogurt, and finish up with one more layer of strawberries. You can decide how many red and white stripes you want based on the size of your popsicle mold.

4. With the ingredients in my list, I made 4 popsicles. Close with the top, or place a stick in the middle. And place in the freezer until frozen. I suggest a minimum of five hours, or more.

5. Run the popsicle molds under warm water to remove from the mold. Careful not too pull too hard on the stick, or it might come off. I suggest to leave the popsicles in the mold until ready to eat!

 Happy Forth of July :)

Fresh and Healthy Couscous Salad

So healthy, fresh, light, and easy to make:
couscous salad with organic tomatoes, cucumbers, fresh mozzarella cheese and your favorite olives

Perfect for these hot summer days!

I prepared this couscous salad on Sunday, for our day at the beach. It was a great hit! So wholesome and delicious. A great combination of fresh flavors. I'm  one hundred percent sure that this will become one of your favorite summer recipe too. 

This couscous salad is quite versatile. It's perfect for a picnic on the sand, a barbecue at the park, your next party ... or you can simply enjoy it after a long day at work, or pack it for lunch the next day.

Did I mention it's fresh, healthy and delicious?!? Because it's fresh, healthy, delicious AND super easy and fast to prepare. Only few ingredients are required to make this salad. Make sure to use good quality, tasteful products, tough. I bought all my ingredients at Trader Joe's, As you might guess ... one of my favorite store :) Check out my video, and you will see how easy this recipe is!

Wait, there is more! You can prepare this salad ahead of time too. Just refrigerate it, especially if the weather is warm, and if you are not planning to eat it in the next hour or so.  I just love recipes that work around my schedule :)

Ingredients: serving 4 people:

• 8 oz (225 gr) of Israeli pearl couscous (I used Trader Joe's) 
  
• 2 organic tomatoes
• 2 small (Persian) cucumbers, or one medium cucumber
• 8 oz (225 gr) of fresh mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 cup of pitted green olives (or your favorite) 
• salt to taste
• oregano 
• about 4 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

Preparation time: 20 minutes

Directions:
1. Bring about three cups (700 ml) of water to a boil. Add one tablespoon of olive oil, and salt to taste. Simmer the couscous for about 12 minutes. If you are using a different couscous than what I have, make sure to check the directions on the box on the best way to cook it.

2. Cut the tomatoes, cucumbers and mozzarella cheese in small cubes. Combine these ingredients in a large bowl. Season with salt and drizzle with about 3 tablespoons of olive oil.

 3. Add the olives, sliced.

4. When the couscous is ready, drain and run under cold water to stop from overcooking.

5. Add to the bowl, mix well and sprinkle with oregano.

Serve immediately, at room temperature or refrigerate for up to a day.

Buon Appetito!

Rice Krispies Treats with Peanut Butter and Chunks of Snickers

Crunchy, gooey, chocolaty, and nutty rice krispies treats with peanut butter and chunks of Snickers bars

Anytime is a great time for a rice krispies treat if it's this delicious!

Are you planning a last minute party or a simple get together with lots of kids? Here is the perfect recipe for you.
As you know, all kids like rice krispies treats. And when you add a little something special, like creamy peanut butter, and yummy chocolate bars, then everyone will love them too. I promise!
This recipe takes less than 15 minutes from start to finish. And the only baking required is a couple of minutes in the microwave. That's all! Just perfect for hot summer days.
What's better, making rice krispies is so easy that your kids might want to help out, or prepare these themselves. Anybody can do it, really!

Here are a few words of advise: use an extra large bowl (as you see in my pictures), to avoid cleaning up gooey and sticky stuff off the bottom of your microwave. If you have never seen what happens to marshmallows in the microwave ... they grow and grow, just for a few seconds. But that's enough to mess up your oven.
Also, measure and prepare all the ingredients before you start with the recipe. You need to quickly mix all the ingredients and shape the mixture into the muffin tins, when the marshmallow mixture is still warm. Once it cools off, it will harden and turn into an unmanageable large sweet lump :)
Check out my video too:

Ingredients: to make 24 round bars

• 1 bag ( 10 oz, 280 gr) of mini marshmallows
• 2 oz (65 gr) of unsalted butter  
• 1/2 cup (150 gr) of peanut butter
• 6 cups (180 gr) of rice krispies cereal
• 1 cup (about 120 gr) of chopped Snickers bar (or 3Musketeers or similar)* 

*I used 16 mini bars

Preparation time: 15 minutes
Directions:

1. Cut the Snickers bars in pieces and measure all the other ingredients, so that everything is ready.
In a large bowl, add the marshmallows, butter and peanut butter. Make sure the bowl is much larger that the content because the marshmallows will inflate in the microwave.

2. Microwave for one minute on high. Mix with a spoon, and microwave for an additional minute.

3. Quickly mix in the rice krispies cereal and the chocolate bars

4. Spoon the mixture into 24 regular size muffin cups. I used silicone cups. If you are using regular cups, please grease with butter or spray.

5. Press down the mixture in the cups with the back of a spoon (or your fingers!) to pack the rice krispies.

Let them cool down for a couple of minutes,  remove from the mold and ...

Enjoy :)