Three!

So three months after it began I'm done with training and finally living at home again. Daniel had moved into an apartment while I was gone, so now I've moved in with him and am currently getting the kitchen set up the way I want it. I"m loving my new job. For the most part I"m working 6:45- 3:15, which I love! I"m actually able to do things like go to the grocery store once I get off work. And of course not being stuck in an office building all day is awesome! In a few weeks I"m having a tastefully simple party, which should be pretty cool. I"m looking forward to having people over. This week I made three different recipes all brought to us by my iPhone!

Mango Shrimp

Canola Oil

Chopped Red Onion

2 Cloves Garlic, minced

Fresh Ginger, peeled and minced

Salt

Allspice

Ground Cumin

Cinnamon

1 Mango, peeled, pitted, and cut into 1/2 in pieces

Cider Vinegar

Lime Juice

Brown Sugar

1lb Shrimp, peeled

Red Pepper

Garlic Powder

1. Heat oil in a 3-qrt saucepan over medium high heat. Cook onion, garlic, ginger, 1/4 tsp salt, allspice, cumin, and cinnamon for about three min. I didn't measure anything just made it to taste.

2. Add mango, vinegar, lime juice, and sugar. Gently boil, stirring occasionally until sauce is thick. Again I added everything to taste.

3. Toss shrimp with red pepper, garlic powder and Salt. Heat remaining oil in skillet. Cook shrimp.

4. Let cool and serve with sauce.

I also put this sauce over some chicken I have baked with garlic powder on it. Served the shrimp with the chicken and mashed potatoes as a side. This was a really delicious dinner. Daniel and I ate the entire thing, with no left overs. Best of all it only took about 45 min to make.

My second recipe doesn't have pictures to go with it unfortunately. It was a bit of an experiment. And I was making it very quickly to take to a party with me. I absolutely loved it. Daniel said it was ok seeing as though it has red onions. And it seemed to be a hit at the party, so....anyways it was very easy to make and I would recommend it even as a light dinner.

Apple, Feta, and Ricotta Mini Pizza                                                                                                      

Premade fresh pizza crust

Olive oil

Block Feta Cheese

Ricotta Cheese

1/2 Red onion, thinly sliced

Fresh thyme, chopped

Butter

3 apples, cored and chopped

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

2. In a skillet heat the olive oil. Add the dough, in mini ovals, and fry until dough is lightly browned on both sides.

3. Once cooked place the ovals on a cookie sheet. Spread the ricotta over the ovals. Then place the red onions on thyme on them. Lastly place thinly cut slices of the feta on top of the ovals.

4. Bake the pizzas until the feta begins to brown, approximately 10-12 min.

5. Remove pizzas from oven and place 1/2 of the chopped apples on top of the melted feta. Place bake in the oven and continue to bake for approx. 7 more min.

6. While the pizzas are baking heat butter and thyme in the previously used skillet.  Mix the remaining apples into the skillet and cook until the apples are soft and golden brown, making a thick "sauce".

7. Spread the "sauce over the cooked pizzas and serve.

And my last recipe is one that I consider an accomplishment, my first attempt at homemade gnocchi! I found this recipe on epicurious.

Ricotta Gnocchi

~ epicurious

2 cups whole-milk ricotta

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 1/2 cups grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

1/4 tsp grated nutmeg

Butter

1 rosemary sprig

1. Stir together ricotta, eggs, 1 cup cheese, nutmeg, and 1/4 tsp each of salt and pepper. Add flour, stirring to form a soft dough.

2. Shape dough on a well floured surface into 1inch thick ropes. Cut crosswise into 1 inch pieces.

3. Cook gnocchi in batches in a pasta pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally. Cook through, about 3-4 min.

4. Cook butter with rosemary in a skillet until golden brown.

5. Toss gnocchi with brown butter and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.