Weekend Food 11/12-11/14

Back in the kitchen and it feels so good.  

This weekend we were home, which is always when the best kitchen activity happens. Breakfast in many forms, crackers and cheese made into a meal, with jalapeno laced Vermont cheese and an ice cold Gewurztraminer. A homemade pizza with arugula pesto and caramelized onions, and a mess of sweet potatoes - transformed into sweet potato based goodies - made their way in a long parade through the oven and over the stove top. Looking ahead this week I'll be sharing some hearty sweet potato pecan muffins, and a sweet potato gnocchi. The gnocchi, for all the hype about its supposed difficulty, was incredibly easy. Made up of part skim ricotta, roasted sweet potato puree and whole wheat flour, then kissed with nutmeg and sage, they were delicious served in just a little local butter and some thyme from our window herb garden. The past few weeks have been crazy as I prepare to leave my long time and well loved job for a new position, and a new start. Its been stressful and to say it was emotionally taxing is an understatement, but after a weekend in our kitchen, stirring and baking and rolling gnocchi with the man, I feel more grounded, and ready to meet new challenges and stresses head on.