The classic Italian potato dumplings or gnocchi as their called, make for a hearty meal no matter how you serve them: baked with creamy cheeses, sautéed with veggies, dressed in a tangy tomato sauce… you name it. The most common way to serve them in Italy is with a light butter sauce and fresh sage.
Gnocchi go back to Roman times when they were made of semolina dough mixed with eggs, but they have evolved into many different variations since then. At first, they existed with different ingredients such as squash and breadcrumbs, made of ordinary wheat flour or cornmeal. Then came the cheese and potatoes. But they didn’t become the potato dumplings we know today until the 16th century when potatoes were introduced to Europe. The potato gnocchi originated in Northern Italy, where the cooler climate was better suited for growing potatoes rather than grain. These potatoes are starchier and make the light, airy dough which produces the soft, pillowy texture and more ‘potatoey’ flavor of the gnocchi.
Being a dumpling lover, I absolutely love gnocchi any way they are served. This recipe boasts all the winning attributes of a well-balanced meal. The creamy sauce softens and flavors the pillowy potato gnocchi – a perfect base for the tender seasoned chicken breast.
From their humble beginnings, the gnocchi are now a world cuisine.
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Gnocchi w/ Chicken & Veggies
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Rating: 5
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Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
In a skillet over medium-high heat, cook bacon until crisp, 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove bacon with a slotted spoon & set aside.
Season chicken breast with salt, pepper & 1 tsp of the Italian seasoning. Add the chicken to the skillet & cook 5-7 minutes per side. Remove chicken from the pan & set aside.
Reduce heat to medium, add garlic & mushrooms; cook until fragrant. Add the milk, gnocchi, cheese, bacon & remaining Italian seasoning. Bring to a boil, reduce heat & cook, stirring frequently, until the milk has reduced slightly & started to thicken, about 3-5 minutes.
Stir in peas. Add the cooked chicken & simmer until peas are cooked & sauce thickens a bit more. Place in a serving dish & sprinkle with extra parmesan if you wish.
Food historians have all agreed on the fact that this retro classic dish is not Italian. Truth is it was named after the Italian opera singer Luisa Tetrazzini. Chef’s often named dishes after prestigious clients at their restaurants.
Tetrazzini is a rich dish combining cooked spaghetti tossed with either cooked poultry or seafood (never red meat) and a tangy sherry -cream parmesan cheese sauce. Sauteed mushrooms (a must), along with steamed peas, asparagus tips or broccoli florets are common additions.
Whether it is made individually or as a casserole, it is sprinkled with sliced almonds and additional parmesan, then broiled or baked until crunchy and bubbly with a golden top.
Time and home cooking have stripped away many of the dish’s continental flourishes, with modern versions of tetrazzini being more sturdier and less grand. The recipe means different things to different people with shortcut recipes sometimes using canned cream soups. Although tasty, they never quite measure up to the original iconic dish.
Brion and I absolutely love this meal. It might be a bit more expensive but using the Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano as opposed to generic parmesan cheese is well worth it in this recipe.
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Shrimp Tetrazzini
Votes: 6
Rating: 4.33
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Ingredients
Sherry-Cream Parmesan Sauce
Ingredients
Sherry-Cream Parmesan Sauce
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Votes: 6
Rating: 4.33
You:
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Instructions
Pasta
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In a large stockpot, bring 2 1/2 liters of water to a boil & add 1 1/2 tsp salt. Break pasta in half & add to boiling water. Cook pasta until slightly less than al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain well & return to stockpot. Add the butter, Parmesan & pepper. Toss until butter is melted & pasta is evenly coated. Transfer to a large bowl & set aside.
Shrimp
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In the same stockpot, bring water, wine, lemon juice, lemon rinds & bay leaves to a boil. Add the shrimp. Start timing immediately & cook for 3 minutes. By the time 3 minutes are up, the water should be boiling. Drain immediately & rinse in cold water to stop the cooking. Squeeze any remaining juice from the lemon over all. Toss into spaghetti & set aside.
Vegetables
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Slice the mushroom caps. In a saucepan, melt butter over low heat; add mushrooms, garlic powder & salt. Increase heat & cook until mushrooms are losing moisture & mixture is juicy, about 6 minutes. Add unthawed peas; cook until almost no moisture remains, 5-6 minutes. Stir into pasta mixture & set aside.
Sherry-Cream Parmesan Sauce
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In the saucepan, melt butter over low heat. Increase heat to medium & add flour, salt & cayenne pepper. Using a whisk, stir constantly, cooking until mixture is thick, smooth & bubbly, about 30 seconds. Add cream, in a slow stream, stirring constantly, cooking until smooth, thickened & drizzly, about 2 minutes. Turn off heat. Sprinkle in the Parmesan, stirring until mixture is smooth, adding milk/broth if necessary. Add the sherry, to taste. Add & toss into pasta mixture.
Topping
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Preheat oven to 350 F. Transfer mixture to individual dishes or one casserole dish that have been sprayed or lightly buttered. Without pressing down on top of the mixture, use a fork to evenly distribute tetrazzini.
Sprinkle the almonds evenly over the top, followed by the Parmesan cheese.
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Bake, uncovered, on center rack for 25-30 minutes. Top should be golden brown & casserole will be bubbling around the sides. Do NOT overbake. Remove from oven & allow to sit 10-15 minutes before serving.
Seven Layer Salad was a popular salad in the 70’s and 80’s. It was perfect for most any large gathering. Typically made with lettuce, onion, celery, frozen peas, boiled eggs, bacon and cheese. The salad was topped off with a thick layer of mayonnaise based dressing. It was always prepared a day before your event, covered and refrigerated overnight. The salad was easy to transport, a beautiful presentation and had a great taste. It could be tossed at serving time or let everyone scoop out their own serving, ‘digging’ through all the layers.
Today, there are unlimited salad combinations and ways to serve them. It seems this old-fashioned salad has found its way into Mason jars, plastic cups and small individual bowls. Just a great summer lunch to take to work, providing you can keep it cool until eaten. Make it in the evening and its ready to go in the morning. The nice thing is you can personalize it in your choice of veggies, dressing, type of cheese and even add meat or fish if you wish. All that being said, here’s a little outline of what you are seeing in the blog picture of the Individual Overnight Layered Salads.
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Overnight Layered Salad
An old idea with a few new twists.
Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Ingredients
Salad ingredients
- mixed greens, spinach or Romaine
- celery, thinly sliced
- green onion, thinly sliced
- frozen peas
- red pepper, chopped
- radishes, thinly sliced
- chick peas, rinsed & drained
- grape or cherry tomatoes, halved & seeded
- black olives, sliced
- bacon, crisply fried & crumbled
- eggs, hard boiled & sliced or chopped
- old cheddar cheese, shredded
Ingredients
Salad ingredients
- mixed greens, spinach or Romaine
- celery, thinly sliced
- green onion, thinly sliced
- frozen peas
- red pepper, chopped
- radishes, thinly sliced
- chick peas, rinsed & drained
- grape or cherry tomatoes, halved & seeded
- black olives, sliced
- bacon, crisply fried & crumbled
- eggs, hard boiled & sliced or chopped
- old cheddar cheese, shredded
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Votes: 1
Rating: 5
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Instructions
Boil eggs to hard boil stage being careful not to overcook.Cool in cold water, peel & set aside. Crisp fry bacon, drain & blot on paper towel. If using tomatoes you may want to seed them.
Layer the ingredients from the outside rim, (of whatever your serving container is) & then in toward the middle, so that you can see some of everything from the outside of the serving container. Top with salad dressing of choice, making sure it covers the salad completely to 'seal' it. Refrigerate overnight.
When ready to serve combine ingredients & enjoy!
Recipe Notes
OTHER OPTIONS:
- GREENS: Iceberg lettuce, romaine, butter lettuce or spinach
- VEGGIES: carrots, broccoli, red onions, jalapenos, fresh mushrooms, cucumber, zucchini, water chestnuts
- CHEESE: your favorite kind
- SALAD DRESSING: Ranch or your preference
- MEAT or FISH: ham, turkey, salmon or tuna
