Gnocchi

Last night's dinner was extremely simple and even more flavorful. The sauce would make a wonderful topping on any pasta. With the temperature starting to drop, I've been in the mood for a hearty meal. Gnocchi is hearty enough to fill you up but not so heavy you feel stuffed. Peter had the leftovers for lunch and said they were great (and I'm pretty sure made a few of his coworkers jealous).

Ingredients
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 can (28 ounces) whole plum tomatoes with juice, crushed by hand
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) tomato sauce
2 sprigs basil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
Gnocchi
Thinly shaved parmesan cheese, for serving

Directions

1. Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until hot but not smoking. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add wine; cook until most liquid has evaporated. Add tomatoes and juice, tomato sauce, basil, and red pepper flakes. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer until slightly thick, about 30 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Remove from heat; cover to keep warm.
2. Bring a large pot water to a boil; add 1 tablespoon salt. Add half of the gnocchi; when they rise to the top (after about 2 minutes), continue to cook until tender, about 15 seconds more. Transfer gnocchi with a slotted spoon to pan with sauce. Repeat process with remaining gnocchi.
3. Reheat gnocchi over low heat; gently toss. Serve with cheese shavings. (Serves 6)
   

Pantry Scavenger Or Not...

According to our meal schedule, I was supposed to make pizza last night. I have all the ingredients in the fridge but for some reason was not in the mood to make a pizza. Sometimes I just want take out. Every once in awhile I will get a taste for a specific meal from a specific restaurant. Last night, that meal was the California Pita and fries from Young Avenue Deli. Not only did I want the fries but I wanted them covered with with lots of apple cider vinegar and ketchup. I hope that you have tried this combo because it is fabulous. If you live in the Memphis area and have not been to Young Ave Deli you are certainly missing out.

Salvage Yard #2 (aka A Needle in a Haystack)

A few weeks ago, my car failed to start. After much discussion and investigation we realized the problem was the starter. We are very blessed to have not one, but two neighbors, that are very handy and generous with their time and skills. We went to AutoZone and bought a rebuilt starter for $125 which our neighbor installed free of charge. This saved us at least a few hundred dollars.

Of course, this is not where the story ends. A week later, as Peter was driving my car home- in the rain- the wipers stopped working. After a bit of investigation the problem was easily identified. The wiper arm linkage had snapped and unfortunately was beyond repair. Our local autoparts stores do not carry the item and the dealer will charge us $220 for the part alone. We turned to Ebay and found one for $50. But were still hoping to find a better deal. After a few phone calls we learned that the salvage yards only charge $6 for the part- if you can find one.

Peter ventured to one salvage yard alone but to no avail. On Saturday we headed to yard number two. Entering the premises we realized the admissions fee was $2 so we fumbled through our wallets to find $4. To our surprise, when we approached the ticket lady she informed that only Peter would be charged admission. I suppose my lack of tools and outfit let her know that I would not be salvaging any parts. I did help to identify Acura's and Honda's which I seem to have an eye for. Unfortunately, after tearing apart 6 cars we were still left searching for a matching part. We found wiper arm linkages that were too short, too long, and oddly shaped. We did not find what we were looking for. So, if you have a spare wiper arm linkage that you'd like to sell for a '99-'02 Acura TL we'll take it. But, since we're already $2 invested in this project, our best offer is $4.


Also, on an unrelated note: Last weekend we attended a party at the Molly Fontaine Lounge for a dear friend who was celebrating her birthday. Molly Fontaine's is probably the coolest place in Memphis- and they know it. But, who cares? If you haven't been you really should visit.