Gnocchi With Wheat Beer Cream

For about six years I was the archivist for the YMCA of Greater New York. This is a recipe found in a back issue of the New Yorker, I don't recall the date of the issue. Someone once said that you should really only have five dishes in your repertoire and you should work on perfecting those. This is one of mine and even though I've made it a dozen times or more, I'm still trying to make it better. One shortcut I always do is substituting non-clarified butter for clarified butter. TO be honest it's really about saving time. Some day I'll get around to clarifying a large batch of butter so I can have some on hand, but I haven't found a technique I like yet.

Gnocchi With Wheat Beer Cream Ingredients

• 1 pound gnocchi
• 1 oz clarified butter
• 1 teaspoon garlic, chopped
• 1-2 oz wheat beer
• 4 oz heavy cream
  
• 1 teaspoon parsley, chopped
• Grated Parmesan
• Dash nutmeg
• Salt and pepper

Gnocchi Instructions

• Boil gnocchi in pot of boiling water, after first gnocchi rise to surface---continue for 5 additional minutes
• While gnocchi boils, saute butter
• Add garlic and beer, reduce by half
• Season with nutmeg, parsley, salt, and pepper
• Add gnocchi to sauce and heat through
• Garnish with parsley sprig
• Add grated Parmesan to taste
  

BBQ Tofu with Fried Corn

This is another inspiration from the long-defunct Big E's restaurant. This is a hearty, vegetarian meal that is really tasty. Big E served it with a corn hash. I simplify it with a real basic fried corn recipe also tastes great served on top of grits. Another variation is to cut large fillets out of the tofu, follow the same instructions, and serve it as a sandwich.

BBQ Tofu Ingredients

• 1/4 to 1/2 pound firm tofu, drained and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• BBQ sauce
  

Breading:

• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon basil
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Fried Corn Ingredients

• 1/2 tablespoon shortening
• 2-3 ears of sweet corn (or 1 1/2 cups frozen kernels)
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

BBQ Tofu Instructions

• Dip moist tofu into breading
• Pan fry in vegetable oil until golden brown (2-3 minutes at medium heat)
  
• Drain and place in baking dish and cover with favorite BBQ sauce (I prefer Ken Davis, it has no corn syrup in it)
• Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes
• Serve on top of fried corn
  

Fried Corn Instructions

• Heat shortening in large skillet until it shimmers
• Add corn, salt and pepper---heat through
• Add milk and cream and cook until corn is hot and liquid begins to boil
  

Oatmeal Cookies

This is one of the first recipes I ever made on my own, over twenty years ago, and I still use it regularly. It's from the Better Homes and Garden's 1983 New Junior Cook Book. I prefer oatmeal cookies without the additional weight of raisins, chocolate chips, or other ingredients, but if you like add a cup of your favorite ingredient and the recipe will turn out just fine.

Oatmeal Cookie Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup regular sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups quick rolling oats

Cookie Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit
• In a large mixing bowl mix together flour, both kinds of sugar, salt and soda.

• Add shortening, egg, milk, and vanilla.

• Mix in oats and raisins (if you choose).

• Drop teaspoon size mounds onto a greased cookie sheet, or silicone mat.

• Bake for 12 minutes at 350 degrees.
• Cool on a rack.
• Makes about 40 cookies.