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The chicken is cut into strips and is cooked until brown in a large nonstick skillet with a bit of olive oil. It’s then removed from the pan and kept warm. More olive oil is added to the pan and the broccoli, mushrooms and bell pepper are sautéed until wilted. Sliced scallions and peperoncino are added cooking the vegetables until crisp tender. To finish the dish, the chicken and reserved sauce is added to the pan, ingredients tossed and cooked until everything is heated through and the sauce thickens.
What a tasty, quick meal. My husband loves a stir fry and this one did not disappoint. This is a nice handy recipe to have when you’re short on time and need dinner on the table fast. In my daughter’s Instagram feed, a drink recipe came across called “Buddy the Elf” Maple Sour. What I especially love about this drink is that it’s made with bourbon. For the drink you’ll need 1.5 ounces of bourbon 1 ounce maple syrup, 1.5 ounces lemon juice and ginger ale to top off the drink. Using a 16-ounce mason jar as a shaker, I added ice and t all but the ginger ale. A few shakes then into an old-fashioned glass topping off with a pour of ginger ale. What a divine cocktail, so smooth with the bourbon and maple syrup complementing each other. These go down very easily. Eataly-New Jersey opened in The Mall at Short Hills on November 13th, just in time for the holiday season. My husband and I have been to Eataly in SoHo and Boston and I’ve also been to Eataly in Chicago. Although not as large as SoHo, it was a hopping place on New Years Day. My son-in-law’s office is across the road from The Mall at Short Hills. He tried to go there for a sit-down lunch one day and found tables unavailable. He suggested making a reservation if going to eat there. On New Year’s Eve, I snagged a table for the following afternoon at 1:15 PM. We got to the mall about a half hour before our reservation which gave us time to peruse the store. Eataly Short Hills has a gelato bar, sandwich bar, patisserie, fresh pasta, assorted cheese and specialty Italian meats. There’s a wine section, which I didn’t check out and “groceries” such as olive oils, vinegars, dried pastas, spices, a small section of fresh produce, and ground coffee to name a few. Although I could have purchased more, I restrained myself and found a chocolate and orange panettone. We had lunch in the restaurant which was excellent. My husband and I shared Burrata con Caponata which was Liuzzi burrata topped with fresh basil and a drizzle of Olitalia Extra Virgin Olive Oil which sat on a bed of Sicilian caponata…heavenly. Despite the fact, I just had pasta on New Years Eve, I chose Ravioli di Zucca, which was homemade butternut squash ravioli, with a butter and sage sauce topped with Agricola Parmigiano Reggiano®️DOP and my husband had Baccalà which was pan-seared cod, on top of roasted butternut squash, black kale, with crispy chickpeas and sorrel. He said it was one of the best cod dishes he’s ever had. We passed on dessert as were going to back track after shopping and stop at the patisserie. However, the small section with tables were filled with customers enjoying some of the many delectable offerings from the case such as Tiramisu di e Eataly, assorted tarts and gelato to name a few. I was able to order to iced cappuccinos for the ride home. You could actually taste the espresso in the drink which was topped with a wonderful cold foam. I had some free time on Saturday and decided to try a recipe that I saw on Cook's Country for Instant Mashed Potato Gnocchi. As odd as it sounds, these gnocchi were easy to prepare. Using instant mashed potatoes provides a consistent mixture, very easy to make and moisture content of the mixture will not vary like russet potatoes. For the recipe you’ll need plain instant mashed potato flakes (Idahoan brand is what I purchased), 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons of table salt (I used Diamond Crystal Kosher salt), 1-1/2 cups of water and one large egg. The potato flakes are mixed with the flour and salt. In a measuring cup the water is added and the egg is whisked into the water. I made a well and added the liquid to the dry ingredients and mounded the mixture together. The mixture needs to rest for 15 minutes for the dough to hydrate. Using my late grandmother’s pasta board, I needed the dough on a lightly floured surface to help develop the gluten and consolidate the ingredients. A five-minute rest is needed before forming the gnocchi. I’m providing a link to America’s Test Kitchen segment on this recipe so you can see how the gnocchi is shaped. It’s amazing how fast the gnocchi cooks in salted, boiling water, about 3-4 minutes, or when they pop to the surface. I used a spider to remove them to a skillet where I heated some fresh tomato sauce. WOW, were these ever so wonderful. They’re light as a feather, not heavy tasting or filling. Although I served with a simple tomato sauce, I did find a recipe from Ina Garten on “The Food Network” website for Gorgonzola sauce. Flavia’s Cucina in Asbury Park has a gnocchi dish dressed with Gorgonzola cheese sauce and toasted walnuts that is divine. As it’s so easy to make these gnocchi, my next attempt will be with this sauce. Also, I made a luscious tossed salad with beets and goat cheese dressed with homemade champagne vinaigrette. I found the recipe on the website “Serious Eats” by Genevieve Yam. I used a 16-ounce mason jar and a whisk attachment on my hand mixer to make the vinaigrette. You’ll need champagne vinegar, Dijon mustard, honey, Diamond Crystal kosher salt, vegetable or neutral oil and extra virgin olive oil. I tossed the salad with two tablespoons of dressing making sure that I didn’t overly dress it, yet have every piece covered. It was scrumptious, as good as our favorite restaurant, but done at home.
Balsamic Chicken Stir-Fry
Bocconcini di Pollo in Padella al Balsamico con Broccoli Active Time: 30 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes Servings: 4 Ingredients 1/2 cup chicken stock 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 tablespoon honey 2 teaspoons cornstarch Kosher salt 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 1-1/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into thin strips 2 heads broccoli, cut into small florets, stems trimmed and peeled and cut into matchsticks 8 white or cremini mushrooms, trimmed and quartered 1 red bell pepper, cut into thick strips 1 bunch scallions, including green parts, cut into 1-inch pieces Peperoncino flakes Cooked rice, for serving, if desired Preparation In a small bowl, stir together the chicken stock, balsamic vinegar, honey, and cornstarch. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt, and set aside. Heat a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add half of the chicken strips, season with salt, and cook, tossing occasionally, until cooked through and browned all over, about 2 minutes. Remove to a plate, and repeat with the remaining chicken. When all of the chicken is out of the pan, wipe the skillet clean with a paper towel. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil over high heat. Add the broccoli, mushrooms, and bell pepper. Toss to coat in the oil. Cook and toss until the vegetables begin to wilt, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the scallions, and a big pinch of peperoncino. Cover, and cook until the vegetables are crisp-tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Uncover, and add the reserved sauce mixture and chicken strips. Cook and toss until the sauce boils and is thickened and the chicken is heated through, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve immediately, ideally with some boiled rice. 
Instant Mashed Potato Gnocchi al Forno
“Cook’ Country Magazine,” December/January 2022 Cook’s Country TV, Season 15: Saucy Italian-Inspired Diners Serves: 4 Time: 1-3/4 hours Ingredients Gnocchi: 2 cups (4 ounces) plain instant mashed potato flakes 1 cup (5 ounces) all-purpose flour 2 teaspoons table salt, plus salt for cooking gnocchi 1½ cups water 1 large egg Sauce: 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce 1 teaspoon sugar ¼ teaspoon pepper ¼ teaspoon dried oregano ½ cup fresh basil leaves, torn into ½-inch pieces ½ cup whole-milk ricotta cheese 1 ½ cups shredded whole-milk mozzarella cheese Grated Parmesan cheese All-Purpose Whisks BEFORE YOU BEGIN: For this recipe we used Idahoan Original Mashed Potatoes. Do not use flavored instant mashed potato flakes. It is important to knead the dough to the texture of Play-Doh in step 2, or it will be too tender and difficult to roll into ropes. In step 3, be sure to very lightly dust the counter with flour before rolling the dough into ropes to keep them from sticking. A good-quality jarred marinara, such as Rao's, can be substituted for the canned tomato sauce. Be sure to use a broiler-safe skillet.
To make sauce:
Champagne Vinaigrette
By Genevieve Yam From the website “Serious Eats” Prep: 5 minutes Total Time: 5 minutes Ingredients 1/4 cup (60ml) champagne vinegar 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (20ml) Dijon mustard 1 1/2 teaspoons (8ml) honey 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use a pinch 1/2 cup (120ml) vegetable or other neutral oil 1/4 cup (60ml) extra-virgin olive oil Directions
Make-Ahead and Storage The vinaigrette can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 1 month. Shake well before each use.
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