Making the Most of It: Pre-Trip Festivities!

Another amazing Colorado weekend in the books.  With my trip to the United Kingdom a matter of FOUR days away, I am trying to make the most of my last week in Colorado before we leave.  Over the weekend, other than prepping for our impending travels, the hubs and I were busy hosting the in-laws for a delectable home cooked meal, getting in some miles in preparation for our fall races, and I met up with some local sorority sisters for a hike and an unexpected adventure.

Saturday started off with a nice five mile run with the hubs, followed by necessary errands to prepare for our trip.  With all of the changes we have made in our diet and regular exercise routine, my hubby has lost quite a bit of weight.  It was definitely time, possibly overdue, to get him some new duds to show off his svelte figure.  Obviously we want to look our best abroad, and London is a classy city, so it was the perfect opportunity to take advantage of updating his wardrobe.  Besides, I love shopping for him… there’s something so enjoyable about dressing men!

That evening we hosted my in-laws for a home cooked meal as a thank you for taking care of our adorable pup, Rocco, while we’re away.  We’ve

I cannot begin to express how much I am going to miss my puppy boy!

had our puppy for just over a year and have never left him for more than 4 days.  This is going to be a big switch for us, and I can already tell I am going to have separation anxiety.  Luckily my in-laws also have a Chihuahua who is our pup’s best friend in the whole world.  Something tells me this will be a vacation for Rocco too.  On the menu for the evening was a delicious cheese plate with Manchego and Pecorino cheeses, rosemary olive oil crisps and crostini from Whole Foods, and black seedless grapes.  With this in mind, the hubs and I decided to go Italian.

We prepared homemade pork meatballs, which we seasoned ourselves, freshly made creamy polenta (my first time making it!), and topped with homemade San Marzano tomato sauce, Parmigiano-Reggiano and arugula.  I am a bad blogger and didn’t take a picture of the awesomeness.  The recipe was based off of a dish I used to order at my favorite little Italian restaurant in Boulder, Radda Trattoria.  The hubs and I were so spoiled because this restaurant was just across the street from our townhome, so it became a restaurant staple.  The meal is called Polpette e Polenta, and is too delicious for words.  Without fail, this was always what I ordered.  It’s also this restaurant where I first had a Martini Basilico, which my hubby has beautifully been able to recreate at home (YAY!).  We finished the meal with my mother-in-law’s homemade peach bourbon upside down cake.  Overall, it was a phenomenal meal.

Another perfect day for a hike!

The next morning I met up with two local sorority sister for a Sunday morning hike.  We drove west towards Morrison, the same place I had hike the weekend before, but this time we went to a trail on the opposite side of Red Rocks amphitheater.  The trailhead, Mt. Falcon, takes two paths.  One, the Castle Trail, is mountain biker friendly, so a number of adventurists passed us on the trail, impressively navigating the terrain on bike.  At the first summit, you can see beautiful vistas of the valley below and the Denver skyline in the distance.  Although we decided not to go to the top of Mt. Falcon, for timing reasons, we took the Turkey Trot trail around the back side of the foothill, which allowed for amazing views and a gorgeous woodsy atmosphere.

My hiking buddies, Kaitlin and Christie!

The Turkey Trot trail took us through some beautiful woodsy paths.

Love these views!

We found Red Rocks!

After hiking, we drove to downtown Golden for lunch.  We sat on the back patio of the Buffalo Rose bar and grill, and quickly realized we were in the middle of the USA Pro Challenge cycling race.  The main street of Golden was lined with spectators trying to catch a glimpse.  I’d never seen a cycling race in person, so when the hordes of cyclists passed a dizzying speeds, followed closely by pace cars, I was pretty excited.

Definitely an unexpected surprise for our day!  Source

Shortly afterwards we tried to leave Golden, and realized the city was shut down for the race.  We managed to cross into the entrance to the Coors factory, and the guard at the gate allowed us to drive through their property

Fort Keg, it’s a pretty formidable structure.

to get back to the highway.  Having done the Coors factory tour four times now, I had absolutely no idea how HUGE the factory is.  We drove for quite some time through service roads connecting the facility together, interspersed with Coors’ own railway system.  It was impressive.  Then we saw the castle of kegs, and that was incredible.  I doubt they were full (that would not live up to the Coors cold-brewed standard), but it definitely made me wonder how much beer could fill all of them…  It was in every way a memorable day!

Yeah, not sure we really should have been allowed back here… oh well!

The sunsets along my run are always so beautiful!

This week, interspersed with packing, I have jam-packed in fun events and last-minute get-togethers.  Yesterday I fit in a 5K run in preparation for the Esprit de She 10K this Thursday.  The sunset was stunning, and the weather perfection (finally).  Hello 65º!  I hope Thursday night has similar weather.  Tonight, after Zumba, I am stopping by the Esprit de She Packet Pickup Party at the Athleta shop in Denver’s Cherry Creek area.  Not only can I get my bib, but as a participant we also get 20% off in store, snacks, giveaways and more.  Yes please!  Tomorrow evening I will be going to the Squeaky Bean with my friend Danielle for pre-trip cocktails.  The Squeaky Bean boasts one of the best professional mixologists in Denver, so the drinks are fabulous.  Finally, Thursday I will be running the Esprit de She with my friend Christie, and cannot wait for the post-race festivities.

Have a great week everyone – make every day an adventure!

How did you make the most of your last summer weekend?  Do you know how much beer could fill all of those kegs?  What are you looking forward to this week?

Waffle Doughnuts and August Adventures

I was not really aware, not being an expert in the field of doughnut creation, that such a thing could exist: waffle doughnuts.

Seriously – first cronuts, now wonuts? Brilliant!

Mind blown. Tomorrow is my boss’ birthday so we celebrated today, and thankfully my cleanse is coming to an end. I may have partaken in the deliciousness. If you haven’t tried them, you should, preferably with chocolate icing. What can I say? I have a sweet tooth!

Other than the delightful world of doughnuts, August is shaping up to be a pretty fantastic and adventurous month! Last weekend the hubs and I had the pleasure of hosting some of our dearest friends from Washington D.C., Alex and Colleen. They flew out for a whirlwind of a weekend trip and we were up to the challenge. They arrived late last Friday evening, so we decided to have a relaxing evening in so we could rise early on Saturday and head into the mountains for a quick day trip. If you live along the Front Range and have attempted the journey up I-70 this summer, you know what a bear it’s been to get past Idaho Springs. Given the long winter months in the mountains, all road construction takes place in a short window, and a lot needs to be completed in a limited amount of time. In other words, it was slow going, but we finally arrived in Vail just before 11:30am. We wandered around the town a bit, basking in the mountain air and watching the Keen Kids Adventure Race (it was a pretty epic ordeal). The race was a series of obstacles, starting with a climbing wall, followed by a bike race, and ending with an inner tube race along Gore Creek. I cannot deny that it looked like so much fun. And because it’s Colorado, these kids were fiercely fit and very competitive.

Beautiful views from the Mountain Standard patio!  The race is in full swing.

We had lunch along the creek, with full view of the festivities, at a fantastic restaurant called Mountain Standard. By 12:15pm the place was packed – a good sign in my book! We had a light lunch, mine consisting of a fantastic caprese salad with homemade ricotta and fried polenta “breadcrumbs”. It was delish! If you find your way to Vail, it’s a definite must, especially in the summertime.

After lunch we stopped by my all-time favorite Christmas shop (let’s be honest, Vail looks like an eternal Christmas card), The Gilded Spruce. They provide some incredible ornaments made in Colorado, as well as European treasures. I was born in Germany, so I grew up with traditional German Christmas ornaments, including handmade wooden German pyramids/windmills and smokers. This shop definitely takes me back to my childhood, and I love being transported to a Christmassy winter wonderland! Better still, I love visiting the shop to see my friend Peter’s mother, Betsy. Although I wasn’t sure if she’d be working that day, I had to stop in. Luckily she was there and the shop was quiet, so we were able to catch up and introduce our friends. The hubs and I will be returning to Vail in months’ time with our friends Peter and Ade, and Betsy is kind enough to put us up!

Great day with friends and the hubby in my favorite mountain village!

Picture perfect day in the mountains!

This view needs no filter.

After the Gilded Spruce, we wandered the town a bit more, checked out some shops, and walked by the gondola and the finish line of the kids’ race. The day was beautiful, and the mountains are utterly peaceful. We left around 3:00pm so we could get back with enough time to relax before dinner. The hubs made some signature cocktails before we got an easy dinner nearby. The next day the boys played golf, while Colleen and I got in some serious pool time.

The hubs got the Fort’s Game Plate, complete with bison, elk and quail! 

That evening we went to dinner at the Fort. I have been hearing about this place since moving to Colorado, and although the hubs had been before, it had been many years. The Fort is a Colorado staple: it serves dishes more common to the region, including bison, elk, quail, and the occasional rattlesnake. The structure itself it a replica of Bent’s Fort, an old fur trading fort built in 1833, constructed by a family seeking the true western experience nestled in the foothills outside of Denver. Now it is a culinary collaboration of Native American and southwestern flavors, and boy is it good! The service is spectacular, the food awesome, and the portions are insane. We left with tons of leftovers and full stomachs. If you visit Denver anytime soon, you simply must go to the Fort.

Monday morning we dropped off our friends at the airport bright and early, and the rest of this week has been a blur. I can’t believe it’s Friday already! Last night after an awesome Zumba class I went to the Matador in the Highlands. I had recently read about the incredible Jalapeno Cucumber Margaritas from Chocolate Covered Race Medals, and thankfully some of my local sorority sisters had planned a happy hour there for Thursday. They did not disappoint whatsoever. I could have had way more than two, but thankfully I did not so I could get home safe and sound. I can’t wait to take the hubs and get some grub (we just munched on an awesome plate of nachos). Everything there looked awesome.

Tonight the hubs and I are hosting some of our friends for a couples date night at our house. They are thrilled as they have

I cannot wait for Yoga on the Rocks – watching the sun rise over Red Rocks while doing yoga, yes please!

two adorable little daughters, ages 3 months and 2 years. My hubby has some awesome brined grilled chicken, corn on the cob, sweet potato fries and arugula salad planned, and I will work on a sweet treat for dessert. Tomorrow morning I am rising before 6:00am so I can meet up with two of my gal pals for Yoga on the Rocks. Red Rocks is a stunning outdoor amphitheater carved into the red rock face of the foothills by Morrison. Starting at 7:00am during most Saturdays in the summer, they host a giant yoga class with people and their mats lining the many rows of seating all the way down to the stage. I cannot wait! Afterwards we plan on doing a short 4 mile hike nearby.

The most exciting part of this month is my countdown to London and Edinburgh!! The hubs and I leave in two weeks’ time for an incredible adventure, and it’s all I can do to make it through the day without wanting to drive to the airport and leave right now! Have a great weekend everyone – make it an adventurous one!

Any amazing weekend plans in your future?  Have you ever done a mass yoga class – what was it like?  Where is your favorite day trip?

May Margaritas and Go-to Quiche

I have been on a bit of a baking and cooking kick as of late, and I think it’s due mainly to this bizarre weather that Colorado has experienced during the past few weeks.  This cold snap may be getting to me – I refuse to think that it actually snowed on Sunday and Monday.  Luckily everything melted off yesterday, and it’s climbing into the 60s today (okay, it’s going be 60 degrees, semantics…).  But given this odd shift in the weather, I have had more time inside, planning meals and finding some good new recipes and revisiting great old ones.

Homemade waffles with strawberries and maple syrup. I am one lucky puppy mommy!

Sunday was Mother’s Day, but given my newfound role as a puppy mom, the hubs decided to rise early and prepare waffles with strawberries.  It was the perfect way to start the day.  We spent much of it playing with our pup, going to the gym (thanks a lot May snowstorm!), catching up on our favorite shows (“Game of Thrones” and “Mad Men” really make Sunday nights amazing), and concocting cocktails and making a lovely fish dinner.  Robbie grilled (in the snow!) halibut with a Cuban rub and I prepared my all-time favorite salmon recipe, grilled salmon with a lime butter sauce.  We prepared sweet potato fries (with a drizzle of honey and a sprinkling of sea salt) as a side.  So good, I tell you, so good.

I had sent the hubs a recipe earlier in the week for a drink I wanted to try.  I found a recipe for a fresh strawberry margarita on the Anthropologie blog, and decided this would be my beverage for Puppy Mom day, regardless of the snow.  It’s definitely worth it, not too sweet, and full of fresh ingredients.  I learned early on that fresh orange juice makes a world of difference in margaritas, and that is proven true in this awesome libation.

Fresh Strawberry Margarita

Ingredients

2 oz. strawberry puree (see below)

2 oz. tequila

Such a tasty treat on a cold snowy day!

1 oz. Cointreau

2 Tbsp. lime juice

Sugar/Salt for the rim

Lime slices and additional strawberries for garnish

Directions

Strawberry Puree

Combine one pound of hulled strawberries and the juice of two oranges (preferably Valencia oranges) in a blender. Blend until very smooth and strain through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth. Store the puree in a tightly-lidded jar in the refrigerator.

If you only want to make enough puree for one drink, combine ¼ pound of strawberries with the juice of half an orange.  This should equal the 2 ounces needed for the cocktail.

Margaritas

First, prepare your glassware: With a slice of lime, wet the rim and dip into a plate of sugar (the recipe calls for salt, but it made the drink a bit too savory, so next time I will make it with sugar), and fill the glass with ice. Then, in a cocktail shaker, combine the strawberry puree, tequila, Cointreau and lime juice.  Add ice and shake vigorously. Strain into the salt-rimmed glasses and serve with a lime wedge and a fresh strawberry with the stem removed.

If you need additional sweetness, add a touch of simple syrup or agave.  Drink up and enjoy!

 

This week I made my tried and true spinach and bacon quiche, which is always a favorite given the prospect of leftovers.  It doesn’t involve too many ingredients, can be used as a base for other fillers, and always turns out perfectly.  I initially took the recipe from Kraft, but I tweaked it to mix up the cheese and add sautéed mushrooms for additional flavor.  I know you’ll like it!

Spinach, Bacon and Mushroom Quiche

Easy to make, but easier to eat!

Ingredients

1 ready-to-use refrigerated pie crust (1/2 of 15-oz. pkg.) or homemade pie crust (see my recipe below)

2 – 2 ½ cups grated cheese of your choice (I use sharp white cheddar, mozzarella, gruyere, and Parmesan)

2 Tbsp.  flour

1 10 oz. package of frozen chopped spinach, cooked, well drained

1 cup skim milk

2 eggs, beaten

3 – 4 slices of cooked bacon, chopped into ½ inch pieces

½ pint of sautéed mushrooms of your choice, or small can of canned mushrooms drained

½ tsp. salt (or less, depending on the saltiness of the cheese you add)

A dash of pepper

Directions

Heat the oven to 350°F.  Line a 9-inch pie plate with the pie crust and flute or fork the edges.  Toss the cheese with flour in medium bowl.  Add remaining ingredients and mix until fully incorporated.  Pour the mixture into the pie crust and disperse evenly.  Sprinkle with additional cheese if desired.  Bake for one hour or until knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  Serve for breakfast, brunch or dinner.  Enjoy!

 

Pie Crust Recipe

Ingredients

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1/4  teaspoon fine salt

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

8 tablespoons cold unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into small pieces

4 to 5 tablespoons ice water

Directions

Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter, fork or your fingers, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it’s in pea-size pieces that are slightly yellow in color, about 4 to 5 minutes.  Add 4 tablespoons of the ice water and mix just until the dough comes together.  Only add the last tablespoon of ice water if necessary, but don’t overwork the dough or it’ll become tough.  Shape the dough into a flat disk, cover it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, then use it in the pie or tart recipe of your choice.  You can also freeze the disks for up to two months for future use.  Place in the refrigeration prior to using to allow the dough to defrost slightly.

What are your go to recipes?  Any fun alternatives for margarita mix-ins?  What did you do for Mother’s Day?  Am I crazy for celebrating Puppy Mommy Day – my pup is my fur-child after all?

Ode to the Elliptical and Delightful Turkey Meatballs

This week has been a hit the ground running kind of week.  At work, students are entering finals week, so there is a lot of tension and nervous energy.  Thankfully I have used this as an excuse to decompress when I get home.  What does that mean?  Exercise and cooking!

Oh, how I love the elliptical!

I returned to the gym this week, instead of running outside, due to some evening storms hitting the Denver area, and rediscovered my love for the elliptical.  Over this past winter, using the elliptical really strengthened my legs, and I feel a noticeable difference now when I run.  I admit I had my doubts at first.  When my hubby first convinced me to give it a go, I thought my legs were on fire and that I would never walk again.  I kid you not.  I was in so much pain at work the next day.  To say I was a little peeved at the hubs would be a vast understatement.

Despite my horrific first encounter, I gave it another go.  Since then, I realized its fantastic benefits.  What are those benefits, you ask?  I have five important reasons why I love the elliptical and the benefits it provides (I gleaned much of this from Ben Greenfield’s fitness blog, an Ironman athlete, coach, author, speaker and former bodybuilder):

1. The elliptical allows you to maintain athleticism and fitness without the harsh impact to your joints that you would get from running.  It’s a great complement to running, but so much easier on the knees, hips, ankles, etc.  Studies have shown that the workout you get from an elliptical is highly similar to what you’d receive from running on a treadmill, but again, better for those joints!
2. The elliptical works your quads in a way that running, walking, and cycling does not.  For me, this was a major weakness prior to using the elliptical, and now I can feel the difference.  My legs are stronger, particularly my quads.  My legs don’t really tire when I run, and that’s been a phenomenal change.
3. Using the elliptical helps to target other weak muscle areas, like your glutes (and boy do I love me some glute exercises… thus my adoration of Michele Rogers), hamstrings, and hip flexors.
4. So this was a surprise to me, but could explain a slight shift in my stride: your stride actually increases when using an elliptical, which maximizes your workout.  I just hope this translates to running.
5. I use elliptical machines that require arm motion, which actually helps to incorporate the upper body and core into the overall workout.  By engaging the arms, you get a great workout in one single machine.  I do aspire to have arms like Jennifer Anniston or Cameron Diaz, so this makes me very happy.

 

Besides reconnecting with my love for the elliptical, I also tried a fun new recipe for turkey meatballs!  Again, I stole this recipe idea from my friend Justine, our gracious host for the Nike Women’s Half Marathon.  She made these for us the night prior to the race and I’ve been dying to make them ever since.  It’s a recipe from Giada De Laurentiis, and I have always loved her cooking.  Her Spicy Baked Italian Macaroni is ridiculously good.  I like to think of this meatball recipe as the kitchen sink turkey meatballs, it’s got just about everything in it!  They are worth it, though, because they’re flavorful, moist, and light.  I definitely recommend giving them a try!

Giada’s Classic Italian Turkey Meatballs

Ingredients

1 cup plain breadcrumbs

½ cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more for serving

These meatballs are worth the effort. You can always freeze the extras!

¼ cup chopped fresh basil (I used my newly planted sweet basil!)

¼ cup chopped fresh Italian parsley

¼ cup whole milk, at room temperature (again, I don’t often purchase whole milk, so I used heavy cream)

1 tablespoon ketchup, optional (I recommend using it though!)

1 tablespoon tomato paste

¾ teaspoon kosher salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 large eggs, at room temperature

2 cloves garlic, minced (or one tablespoon of pre-minced garlic)

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 pound ground turkey meat

1 pound Italian seasoned ground turkey meat (Jennie-O has a good option)

Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

 

Directions

Perfectly portioned and a great addition to pasta night.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, basil, parsley, milk, ketchup, tomato paste, salt, pepper, eggs, garlic and onions. Using a

wooden spoon, stir to blend the ingredients. Add the ground turkey to this mixture. Using fingers, gently mix all the ingredients until thoroughly combined.

Using a 1-ounce ice cream scoop, form the meat mixture into 1 1/2-inch balls (22 to 24 meatballs). Place the meatballs on a heavy nonstick baking sheet, spacing apart. Drizzle with olive oil and bake until cooked through, 15 minutes.  Serve with your preferred pasta (I made Angel Hair) and sauce (for pre-made sauce, I really like the San Marzano Pasta Sauce), and top with the extra grated Parmesan.  Enjoy!

These meatballs were so delicious, and because we actually used about 2.5 total pounds of turkey meat, we made about 30 meatballs.  Looks like meatball subs are on the menu tonight!

 

What are your thoughts on using the elliptical – yay or nay?  Any inspired dishes on the menu recently?  How do you balance your exercise routine?

Colt & Gray Do-over for Foodie Friday

Back in March I had all the best intentions of taking our friends Julia and Alex to Colt & Gray in Denver. Plans change, and much like the whispering willow, I am flexible. Suffice it to say, we did not go to Colt & Gray, and since then I have been trying to find an excuse to partake! Lo and behold, it’s Foodie Friday, and this month it was my pick! Can you guess where it is I may have forced requested we go? None other than Colt & Gray!

So today I thought I would prepare myself, as any foodie fanatic would do, for the selections of the evening. It is before noon Mountain Standard time, so I thought I would peruse the dinner menu before venturing to cocktails. As it always manages to do, the charcuterie and cheese section immediately caught my eye. All I know is that I want to someday write descriptions for wine and cheese. I appreciate a fantastical turn of phrase, and fancy myself a bit of a wordsmith on occasion. So now I know if I fail at life, I too could be writing phrases like “Briny and gooey, with a robust pungent flavor. Finishes with slightly mushroom and salty flavors.” Now that is cheese with a presence. Sold.

I may or may not be a HUGE fan of a cheese board… and may have had only this for dinner… on multiple occasions.

After satiating my desire to plan ahead and appeal to the taste buds, I turned to the Cocktails and Beer menu. I rarely review wines in advance… typically I am a little overwhelmed to think about wine. So instead, I focused on my pre-dinner beverage. The list is both unique and hilarious, with appropriate references to Ron Burgundy and Sex Panther (“Contains real Panther; so you know it’s good.”). Where would we be without a few Archorman references? I, personally, have my eye on the A-Sharp (which is always better than B flat… oh wait… This one is for all the pun-appreciative musicians out there!).

One of the most unique drink menus I have seen thus far. Pay close attention to the footnotes. Source

I am excited to have another amazing Foodie Friday in the books, and thrilled to finally try the long-awaited Colt & Gray! Happy Friday everyone!

Any fun Friday plans?  Is there a new restaurant on the menu?  Do you plan out your dinners in advance or wait for the surprise?

Arugula & Basil Pesto with Gnocchi and Mushrooms

I have been feeling more adventurous and motivated recently, in all things: work, domestic enterprises (aka cooking and decorating), finding new places to go and things to do. I think it’s a combination of this beautiful springtime weather (this time last year it was snowing on a weekly basis) and the excitement of my parents’ visit this weekend (I CANNOT WAIT!). Last week I was inspired by a recipe posted by Chocolate Covered Race Medals. She made delightful looking arugula gnocchi. Hello, yum much? So I thought I would mix it up a bit and test out arugula and basil pesto with gnocchi. I am a wee bit obsessed with pesto, and the hubs and I are huge fans of arugula. It’s got a lemony peppery taste that just brightens up any dish.

After hunting for a good recipe, I found this one courtesy of Emeril Lagasse (BAM!). I added some sautéed mushrooms and my favorite Parmesan Pesto Sprinkle from Savory Spice Shop (just in case it wasn’t pesto-y enough), but otherwise followed the recipe this time. Luckily we made so much pesto that we have extra left over. Needless to say there will be a pesto pizza in our future, as in tomorrow night’s dinner.

Arugula and Basil Pesto with Gnocchi and Mushrooms

Ingredients

4 cups baby arugula

4 cups basil leaves

So green!

1 cup pine nuts, toasted

½ cup grated Parmesan, plus more for garnish

1 tablespoon chopped garlic

1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, plus ¼ cup to mix in later

Salt and pepper to taste

Dash of Parmesan Pesto Sprinkle

1 cup sautéed mushrooms

1 pound fresh gnocchi (we made a half pound and saved the rest of the pesto for pesto pizza!)

Directions

In the bowl of a food processor (or Vitamix), combine arugula, basil, toasted pine nuts, Parmesan, and garlic. With the motor running, add 1 cup olive oil in a slow stream until emulsified. Season with salt, pepper, and Parmesan Pesto Sprinkle to taste.

Sautee the mushrooms in a dash of olive oil in a separate pan. Once sautéed, keep them in the pan, as you will use this to combine the mushrooms with gnocchi and pesto. In a large pot of boiling salted water, add the gnocchi. Cook until they rise to the surface (just a few minutes for fresh pasta, but check package instructions.) Drain well, reserving ¼ cup of the pasta water.

In the pan with the mushrooms, combine pesto with remaining ¼ cup of olive oil and reserved pasta water. Pesto should become a sauce-like consistency. Add gnocchi and toss to combine. Serve warm and garnish with extra parmesan cheese. Enjoy!

Delicious meal, and enough for leftover creations – that’s the best!

It was easy-peasy and so delicious. I am so excited for tomorrow’s dinner. Imagine it: pesto pizza with grilled chicken, mushrooms, sliced tomatoes and fresh mozzarella. Is it tomorrow night yet?

Don’t you just love pesto – what’s your favorite surprise ingredient?  Anything fun on the menu this week?