Gnocchi!

Growing up, gnocchi was not one of my favorite foods:  gluey, heavy, little lumps of dough...yuck!  Then I married into a family where gnocchi seems to be a family favorite.  Sigh.  In the interest of keeping everyone happy at the dinner table, at least occasionally, I found a recipe and learned to make them.  Lo and behold, that recipe I LOVED!  So now, on occasion, the kids and I make a giant batch of gnocchi and freeze some.

A while back, Don decided to surprise me and make a batch of gnocchi.  In the end, I think he used a full ten pound bag of potatoes, so we had lots for the freezer, which is one of my favorite things.  Don and I make these completely differently.....


...he boils his potatoes, I bake mine.



Draining...

...and peeling the potatoes.

Mine contain potatoes, eggs, cheese, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.  His contain potatoes, egg, and....

...flour.  That's it.

I cut mine and roll them on a fork to give them the distinctive ridges.  He...

...cuts them and pushes them wtih his thumb.

We both try to let the kids help.

And we both end up with trays of yumminess!

I think, on this day, he wound up with enough gnocchi for 5 dinners or so.  I love that!  Having things on hand for those days when life gets in the way of cooking dinner is priceless in this family.  And even though our recipes and methods are totally different, having him take the initiative to have a "gnocchi day" with the kids goes really, really far towards bridging the gap. 

Even Maddie got to be at the table "helping"!

And any smart woman will tell you, if your husband decides to surprise you and cook dinner, only open your mouth to put in more food!  (And Don is a good cook, too!)