Pop Art

Lately I've been playing around with photos and gIMP, trying to branch out of my comfort zones. Most all of my photos are of Odin, so I was able to find a couple that I thought could work.

Through a lot of trial and error, here's the finished product.

Tiny Art

Looking to fill some days with love, I'll often sketch out tiny pieces to send via some form of private messaging.

How do you use your talents to bring a smile to those you love?

Lose yourself

Beet Dough

A few friends and I decided to have a cook off a couple of weekends ago. The goal was to create a unique dish featuring a secret ingredient, and then we all got together for a potluck. (Kinda like Iron Chef, but we had a whole week to prepare if necessary!)

Beet & Cheese Gnocchi (and Perogies!)

1 cup fresh ricotta
1 cup roasted beat puree (approximately 3-4 large beets, roasted, peeled, and pureed)
2 cups flour (sifted), plus additional for flouring work surface
2 whole eggs
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper

1. In a large bowl, combine the ricotta and beat puree and mix until evenly combined.

2. Add the eggs, one at a time, followed by the salt, and pepper.

3. Slowly add the flour, 1/2 cup at a time until it is all incorporated into the dough. If your dough seems a bit too wet, feel free to add an extra 1/4 cup of flour.

4. Turn the dough out onto a heavily floured work surface and knead for a few minutes. The dough will still be fairly wet, but you should be able to handle it.




Gnocchi
5. Working with about a handful of dough at a time, roll out a long snake about an inch thick. Use a floured knife to cut out the gnocchi every inch and a half or so. Roll each gnocchi along the tines of a fork (or simply indent by gently pressing the back of the fork into the side of each nugget).

6. Place the formed gnocchi on a floured baking sheet.

7. When ready to cook, bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil and add the gnocchi in batches. Let cook until they bob to the surface and then cook for an additional 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to pull out of the pot and serve with your favorite sauce.

TIP: For extra crisp, finish in a skillet with a bit of butter and herbs

Perogies
5. Working with a handful of the dough, roll the dough out to 1/4" thickness. Using a circular glass, cut circles out of the dough. 

6. Place a dollop of  your filling (I used the leftover ricotta cheese with a bit of herbs mixed into it) into the center of the perogy. Wet the edges of the dough, and pinch together.

7. Place the formed perogy on a floured baking tray.

8. When ready to cook, bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil and add the perogies in batches. Let cook until they bob to the surface and then cook for an additional 2 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to pull out of the pot and transfer into a frying pan that has melted butter. 

9. Lightly fry the perogies until golden brown. Remove and serve hot.