Super Bowl Appetizers and Snacks

Whether you are a fan of football or not, who doesn't love a reason to have friends gather? And Super Bowl weekend isn't just about football, it's about food. Lots and lots of food. Guacamole, queso, charcuterie boards, and spinach dip are some of the more usual game day fare found at Super Bowl gatherings. So if you are looking to mix it up a bit, the following eight appetizers just might make their way on your table this year! 

French Onion Dip - Always a hit! And so much better than anything store bought. Serve with your favorite, sturdy potato chips! Make the night before to let the flavors deepen.

Texas Caviar - A hearty, healthy-ish crowd pleaser. Make this one the early in the day or night before as to maximize the flavor wow factor! 

Everything Chicken Puffs - What is not to love about a chicken and cream cheese mixture rolled up in a crescent roll and served warm? These will disappear quickly.

Baked Soft Pretzels - Does anything go better with beer than pretzels? Warm, buttery, pillowy, and salty, these are certain to make everyone happy.

Cranberry Meatballs with Creamy Ranch Dip - Make a double batch of these! This retro recipe is taken to a new level with the Creamy Ranch Dip. 

Cinnamon Spiced Nuts - Put out a big bowl of my new favorite addictive nuts! Or if you are going to Super Bowl gathering, put them in a beautiful bowl, wrap them with cellophone, and tie with a bow. You will the most beloved guest ever.

Steak and Arugula Flatbread with Marinated Onions - this hearty appetizer is likely to appeal to almost every steak lover. 

Bacon Wrapped Dates with Red Pepper Sauce - these sweet and savory bites are even more delicious when dipped in the red pepper sauce. These are definite contenders for scoring big with your friends.

Whiskey Sour

For as many times as I have traveled to Colorado over the past almost twenty years, I had never been there during the winter. But that all changed this past weekend. Days before leaving about eight inches of fresh snow fell in Boulder giving way to an absolutely beautiful winter landscape, yet some dicey snow packed trails. With the exception of a day with some strong winds, it was a perfect blue sky, sunny winter weather weekend. Lost luggage, tweaking my knee in a freak accident, and not coming home with my usual number of photos were some of the more forgettable experiences. However, staying in my favorite place, waking up to spectacular sunrises, discovering new hiking trails, eating at new places, and finding a great running store more than made up for them. Just being able to spend a few days in one of my happy places is always enough to sustain me until my next trip to the mountains. Already I am planning my return.

Ever since discovering the deliciousness of bourbon, I have been on a mission to try as many classic bourbon based cocktails as possible. From Paper Planes, to the Boulevardier, to the Old-Fashioned, my interest in and love for bourbon cocktails has only deepened. So it only made sense that I added the iconic Whiskey Sour to my repertoire. Going back to the 1870s, the Whiskey Sour is a sweet, tart, spicy, warm cocktail. From its' tart lemon flavor, to its' sweetness from simple syrup and St. Germain (elderflower liqueur), to the warmth and spiciness of the bourbon, to the creamy, foamy texture of the egg white, I have to wonder why it took so long for this classic cocktail to come into my life. But as they say, better late than never.

The very earliest recipes for Whiskey Sours did not include egg whites. Nor were they made with elderflower liqueur. However, these two ingredients help to create an even more luscious, memorable version of the Whiskey Sour.

To help create the finished foamy, frothy texture, many recommend using the dry shake method. Instead of mixing the ingredients and ice in a cocktail shaker, the ingredients are first mixed in a cocktail shaker without ice. After giving the ingredients a vigorous shake for 20-30 seconds, you can add in the ice and shake again or simply pour the cocktail over a glass filled with ice. If, by chance, your cocktail isn't foamy enough to your liking, you can always use a frother. 

When it comes to garnishing the Whiskey Sour nothing compares to or elevates a cocktail more than Luxardo Cherries. If, for some reason you can't find them at your local spirits, food specialty, or grocery store, use maraschino cherries instead.

The Whiskey Sour is of those year round kind of cocktails as it is as refreshing in the summer as it is warming in the winter. While it is typically served in an old-fashion glass, I strong recommend you serve it in a coupe glass as it makes for a great swoonworthy presentation. 

So the next time you are having friends over for cocktails, dinner, and/or movie night consider starting out serving them Whiskey Sours. Even non-bourbon lovers may find themselves swooning over this classic, impressive cocktail. 

Recipe

Whiskey Sour

Make 2 cocktails

Ingredients

4 ounces Bourbon

3/4 ounce simple syrup (preferably homemade)

1 1/2 ounces fresh squeezed lemon juice

1 ounce St. Germain or Elderflower liqueur

2 teaspoons to 1 Tablespoon egg white (the more egg white used, the frothier finish)

Ice cubes

4 Luxardo cherries

Directions

1. Add in the Bourbon, simple syrup, lemon juice, St. Germaine, and lastly the egg white to a cocktail shaker. Shake for 20-30 seconds. Note: This is the dry shake method as it's shaken without ice.

2. Add ice cubes to either coupe or old-fashioned glasses. Pour the cocktail mixture over the ice cubes into each glass.

3. Garnish with Luxardo cherries.

Notes: (1) Use a good drinking Bourbon. I happen to like Russell's and Buffalo Trace. (2) While slightly unconventional, I highly recommend serving the Whiskey Sours in coupe glasses. (3) You can use a frother to further whip up the egg whites after you pour the cocktail in your glass. (4) To make your own simple syrup combine one cup of water and one cup of granulated sugar in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, whisking occasionally. When the sugar has completely dissolved remove from the stovetop and let cool completely. Store the simple syrup in a bottle or jar in the refrigerator. It will be good for slightly more than a month. (5) If you are interested in learning more about the history of bourbon, you might want to watch this documentary Neat: The Story of Bourbon. 

Boulder, Colorado (February 2022)

Cinnamon Spiced Nuts

Winterpalooza finally made an unwelcome appearance this week. Dangerously cold arctic weather combined with snow and ice have me longing for the return of above freezing temperatures. While a fresh blanket of snow set against a blue sky makes for a beautiful landscape, it makes going out for a run a little treacherous. Right about now a forty degree temperature day would feel downright balmy to me, but would probably send shivers down the spines of my friends living in warm weather parts of the country. On bitter cold days my body craves comfort, hot, or spiced foods. And my idea of a snack to warm me up on a wintry day would be these Cinnamon Spiced Nuts. Although to be honest, these slightly addictive nuts would just as likely be easily inhaled on a warm day too. 

What makes these Cinnamon Spiced Nuts so craveworthy are their crunch and sweet-ever so slightly spicy flavor. Cinnamon, ginger, and coriander are the ultimate winning trifecta combination. Ginger and coriander create an intriguing citrusy and a warm flavor with a hint of sweetness. With cinnamon serving to ramp up the heat of the ginger, together these three spices transform nuts into something feeling seriously sinful. Don't be at all surprised when someone says they remind them of the 'pricey' nuts served in paper cones or bags at Christkindlmarkts, county fairs, or Farmer's Markets. 

These sweet, spicy nuts were made with raw/unroasted cashews and pecans, but any combination of your favorite nuts would work too. Almonds and walnuts would be great options. For the Cinnamon Spiced Nuts to have the best texture use a combination of two, three or four different kinds of nuts. I used half cashew and half pecans in this batch, but there are no rules for nut ratios. Let your personal preferences decide your nut choices.

An egg white and a tablespoon of water whisked to a frothy, soft peak consistency is what's responsible for binding the spices to the nuts as well as creating their crispiness.

Roasted on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper in a preheated 300 degree (F) oven for 40-45 minutes, the aroma of the nuts is a sign of what is to come. Once slightly cooled, the nuts are broken apart and transferred to a serving bowl. If stored in a tightly sealed container, the Cinnamon Spiced Nuts will be good for at least a week. Chances are pretty good they won't last that long.

These Cinnamon Spiced Nuts are the kind that will cause your friends and/or family to either hover over the bowl or make frequent return trips back to it. They would make for the most perfect bites at a cocktail party, as an appetizer, or as a hostess gift. Because they take just slightly more than an hour to make, they can easily be made for a casual, impromptu gathering. These nuts are destined to be one of your go-to favorites!

Recipe

Cinnamon Spiced Nuts

Perfect for a gathering up to 8

Ingredients

1 large egg white

1 Tablespoon water

1 pound (452g) of nuts (mixture of raw/unsalted cashews, pecans, almonds, and/or walnuts) - See Notes

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon toasted ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon flaky sea salt or Kosher salt

1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees (F). Line a large rimmed baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the sugar, cinnamon, coriander, ginger, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a medium-large sized bowl, whisk the egg whites until frothy. Add in the water and whisk again until very soft peaks form.

4. Add in the nuts, stirring to coat.

5. Sprinkle the sugar/spice mixture over the nuts. Stir to coat.

6. Spread the nuts evenly on the prepared baking pan. Bake for 40-45 minutes, rotating the pan midway through the baking process, until the nuts are dry and crisp. Remove from the oven. Let nuts cool on the baking sheet for at least 20 minutes.

7. Break the nuts into pieces. 

8. Transfer the nuts to a serving bowl. Serve them slightly warm or room temperature. Then watch these addictive nuts disappear. 

Notes: (1) I used a half pound each of the raw/unsalted cashews and pecans. Use any combination of your favorite nuts. (2) The recipe was inspired by the 2005 Cook's Illustrated Cinnamon-Spiced Nuts recipe. In this version, I omitted the step of draining the nuts after they were mixed with egg white/water mixture; used flaky sea salt instead of table salt; and, baked the nuts at 300 degrees (F) rather than 275 degrees (F).

Spinach and Boursin Cheese Quiche

Raise your hand if you are someone who loves a really good homemade quiche. I am envisioning pretty much everyone reading this post with their hand raised high in the air right now. For all of you quiche lovers out there, today is your lucky day. Because this creamy, luscious, divine, surprisingly light, drop-the-mic delicious Spinach and Boursin Cheese Quiche is going to rock your world. There are five other quiche recipes on the blog. All worthy of competing for your attention. But having been around quiche eating block more than a few times, I have to say, this may be the best quiche I have ever made. 

Aside from its' versatility in ingredients, quiche refuses to be pigeonholed into any one meal of the day. Served either warm or at room temperature, it's one of those savory dishes perfect for breakfast, lunch, brunch, or supper. 

What is not to love about a creamy eggy custard enhanced with the flavors of shallots, baby spinach, fresh thyme, and Boursin cheese encased in a flaky crust? Or how about one that is essentially foolproof? 

If you love making a homemade crust, use your favorite dough recipe when making this Spinach and Boursin Quiche. But my go to when making quiche is a refrigerated, roll-out pie dough. It almost never disappoints, always bakes up beautifully, and makes life easier. 

In order to get that crispy crust, the dough is rolled out, fitted in a 9" springform or removable bottom tart pan and chilled in the freezer for 20 minutes. Lining the tart pan with beans (or rice or pie weights), the pie shell blind bakes for 20-25 minutes (or until golden) in a preheated 375 degree (F) oven. Pre-baking the dough not only adds flavor, but helps ensure the dough has a flaky texture.

In spite of having almost a dozen different ceramic and/or porcelain quiche dishes, I used a deep 9" removable bottom tart pan. If you don't' have one, I encourage you to use a springform pan. Some claim the glass/porcelain dishes will create a crisper crust as well as make for a great table presentation. Others consider using them blasphemous, citing a springform or removable bottom tart pans make for a more impressive presentation. 

A thinly sliced shallot and rough chopped baby spinach are sautéed in olive oil just until wilted. Once cooled the eggs, egg yolks, heavy cream, sea salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and nutmeg are mixed in. Last to get blended in are the freshly chopped thyme and crumbled Boursin Cheese. Then the entire mixture is poured into a slightly cooled partially baked crust. I have used both metal and ceramic pans when making quiche, but after making this Spinach and Boursin Cheese Quiche, I think I have come around to the use of a springform or removable bottom tart pan way of thinking.

The luscious custardy texture of the quiche has everything to do with the egg to cream ratio. Four large eggs, two egg yolks, and one and a half cups of heavy cream created the custard of my quiche loving dreams. Don't be tempted to replace the cream with half and half or milk because you want to reduce the calories. The texture and flavor will not be the same. Just sayin'.

Allowing the baked quiche to rest for 30 to 35 minutes after it has baked allows it to further set up. And it sliced up beautifully!

Any leftovers will keep well in the refrigerator for several days. A slice reheated in the microwave tasted the same as it did the day it was made.

The recipe for this Spinach and Boursin Cheese Quiche is one of those dishes you want to memorize as it should become one of your savory breakfast, lunch, brunch or dinner dish staples. Having accessible ingredients available year round, it's a four season quiche. Your egg, cheese, and vegetarian friends will be either asking 'are we having that quiche' or 'can you please make that quiche today?'. I can almost guarantee it will get rave reviews. It's almost unfathomable that something this mouthwatering delicious should be so easy to make (especially if using a refrigerated roll out pie crust). 

Recipe

Spinach and Boursin Cheese Quiche

Serves 6-8

Ingredients

1 refrigerated pie crust (See Notes), removed from the refrigerator for at least 10 minutes

1 medium sized shallot, very thinly sliced

2 Tablespoons olive oil

4.3 ounces/120g baby spinach, roughly chopped

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

4 large eggs, room temperature

2 large egg yolks, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

One 5.2 ounce (150g) package Boursin (garlic and herb) cheese, crumbled

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh thyme

Directions

1. Unroll the pie crust and press it evenly into a 9" springform or removable bottom, deep tart pan. Place in the freezer and let chill for 20 minutes.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F). Remove chilled crust from the freezer. Place on a baking sheet. Place a piece of parchment paper on top of the dough. Fill with dried beans, rice or pie weights. Baked the crust in the bottom third of the oven for 20-25 minutes or until the sides of the crust are golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. 

3. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees (F).

4. While the crust is cooling, make the quiche filling. In a medium-large sized non-stick skillet, heat the olive oil. Add in the sliced shallots and cook just until wilted (about 1 minute).

5. Add in the spinach and cook just until the spinach has wilted (about 1 minute). Immediately transfer the spinach/shallot mixture to a large bowl. Let cool.

6. Add in the whipping cream, eggs, egg yolks, sea salt, black pepper, nutmeg, and cayenne to the bowl. Whisk until well combined.

7. Add in the crumbled Boursin cheese and chopped thyme. Mix well.

8. Pour mixture into the partially baked crust. 

9. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until the filling has puffed on the edges and center as well as barely wobbles or wobbles just slightly (it will set up as it rests).

10. Transfer the quiche to a cooling rack. Let rest for 30-35 minutes before serving.

11. Remove from the tart or springform pan. Transfer to a platter and serve.

Notes: (1) Recipe inspired by Cheryl Day's Deep-Dish Spinach Quiche as shared in her cookbook "Cheryl Day's Treasury of Southern Baking" (2) I used the Pillsbury Refrigerator Pie Crust to make this quiche. 

Chocolate Chip Cookies, Jacques Torres Style

Late last week, we ventured out of the house to take a drive 'out west'. After a slightly more than an hour's road trip, the landscape changes from dense and suburban to wide open and rural. With the harvested fields blanketed in fresh show, the farm houses and barns set against the backdrop of a blue sky gave way to a most picturesque, tranquil setting. It never ceases to amaze me just how much something like a change in landscape can energize my spirit. Whether it's a walk in the woods, a drive in the country, or a trip to the mountains, my affinity and appreciation for these landscapes has grown considerably over the years. Maybe because it has, in part, become a kind of therapy for my soul. In less than a month, I will get a strong dose of landscape therapy as I travel out west to Colorado for a long weekend. I can hardly wait to return to one of my happy places for a few days. No matter how many times I return and as odd as this may sound, Colorado always feels simultaneously both familiar and new. 

Speaking of familiar, chocolate chip cookies are somewhat commonplace around here. Over the past several years, I have shared recipes for various versions of this much beloved cookie. I like them all for very different reasons, but Tara's Chocolate Chip Cookies have been my favorite go-to ones for the past six and a half years. They are ones I make for friends, for care packages, for raising money for good causes, for when I need some baking therapy, or for when I need to satisfy my fussytarian craving for a really, really good chocolate chip cookie. 

Fourteen years ago I jumped on the famed chocolatier Jacques Torres's Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe when the New York Times published it. Hailed as "perfect" the consummate chocolate chip cookie was described as one "built on decades of acquired knowledge, experience, and secrets." Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, laden with chocolate, and having an addictive sweet and salty combination, qualities that would bring a chocolate chip cookie aficionado to their proverbial knees. So why on earth did I walk away from that cookie in 2008? Maybe I couldn't really appreciate that cookie or maybe it was just easier to stay with the cookie I knew. Who knows. I can't tell you specifically what prompted me to give this cookie a second chance, I can only tell you that it may be the best cookie return decision I have ever made. What I am trying to say in a rather non-linear way is that this will now be cookie I will be making for friends, for care packages, for raising money for good causes, for when I need some baking therapy, or for when I need to satisfy my fussytarian craving for a great, not just really good chocolate chip cookie.

Much has changed, including in the baking world, since I first made that Jacques Torres chocolate chip cookie. First, bread flour and cake flour are now much more readily available than they were fourteen years ago. Second, options and price points for good quality chocolate have also changed considerably. And last, and maybe most importantly, my baking knowledge has improved considerably. I am definitely not the same baker I was fourteen years ago. For those reasons as well as a few others, I will tell you I was drunk in cookie love when I took a bite of this cookie. However, in full disclosure this isn't the exact same cookie I made fourteen years ago. I made a few nuanced changes to it. 

With the exception of the vanilla, I kept the quantities of all of the other ingredients the same as the originally published recipe. So what were the specific changes I made to Jacques Torres's recipe? Instead of using only light brown sugar, I used a combination of both light and dark brown sugar and instead of using two teaspoons of vanilla, I used a tablespoon. And what were those so called subtle changes? I used European style butter as it has a slightly higher fat content than most American made butters. I can't be absolutely certain, but if Jacques Torres learned to bake in France he had to using European butter. And lastly, instead of using the very expensive oval shaped chocolate feves, I chopped up a 17.6 ounce bar of Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate. And for the coarse salt, I used Kosher salt. 

When I first made this cookie years ago, I measured the ingredients using measuring cups and spoons. This time I used my food scale and measured in grams (not ounces). If there was ever a cookie to convince you to use weighted versus cup measurements, this would be the cookie. With ingredient amounts asking for two cups of flour to be reduced by two tablespoons or one cup of sugar increased with two additional tablespoons, measuring in grams makes measuring easier.

If there was ever a chocolate chip cookie to test your patience, your ability to wait, this would be the one. Because once you make the batter, use an ice cream scoop to create eighteen to nineteen 3 1/2 ounce balls, the balls of dough need to chill in the refrigerator for at least 24 but up to 72 hours. Although I would recommend waiting until at least 36 hours before baking them. The amount of time the balls of dough need to spend in the refrigerator may sound like a drawback or deal breaker to some. But the textural and flavor benefits far outweigh any temporary inconvenience. And this is coming from someone who doesn't list patience high on their list of virtues! Note: I baked a batch at the 36 hour mark and another after a 66 hour pause. Both batches came out perfectly.

Baking time for the cookies ranges from 17-20 minutes or until they are golden brown on the edges but appear to still be slightly soft in the center. Rather than immediately transferring the baked cookies to a cooling rack, allow them to remain on the cookie sheet for at least 10 minutes. 

To get that beautiful, perfect round bakery look to your chocolate chip cookies, use a glass bowl or oversized round cookie cutter to swirl the cookies shortly (less than a minute) after they come of the oven. 

These jumbo Chocolate Chip Cookies (Jacques Torres Style) have crispy, chewy edges and soft centers, are laden with chocolate, are surprisingly light, and are a seriously scrumptious, spectacular chocolate chip cookie.  At slightly more three and a half inches in diameter, these impressive sized chocolate chip cookies are certainly large enough to share. Although I would encourage you to be a tad selfish and allow yourself to savor every last morsel. The recipe below makes eighteen cookies so there is more than enough to go around. 

How do they compare to Tara's Chocolate Chip Cookies? It would almost impossible and even a bit unfair to compare these two chocolate chip cookies as they have two completely different flavor profiles. If you love a chocolate chip cookie having a slightly higher chocolate to cookie dough ratio, you will absolutely be smitten with these. They are as rich and delicious as they are gorgeous. Bringing these Jacques Torres style chocolate chip cookies back into my life (permanently this time) reminded me that good things sometimes really do come to those who wait. 

Recipe

Chocolate Chip Cookies, Jacques Torres Style

Makes 18-19 very large (slightly larger than 3 1/2 inches), bakery style cookies

Ingredients

1 1/4 cups (283g) European or European style unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons (226g) granulated sugar

1 cup (200g) light brown sugar

1/4 cup (50g) dark brown sugar

1 Tablespoon vanilla

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 cups less 2 Tablespoons (214g) cake flour

1 2/3 cups (226g) bread flour

1 1/2 teaspoons Kosher salt

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/4 pounds (500g) dark, bittersweet or milk chocolate, chopped (I use the 17.6 oz Trader Joe's Pound Plus Bar)

Flaky sea salt (e.g., Maldon Sea Salt)

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cake flour, bread flour, Kosher salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.

2. In the bowl of a large standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the room temperature unsalted butter for about 2 minutes.

3. Add in the granulated sugar, light brown sugar, and dark brown sugar. Beat until light and fluffy (approximately 4-5 minutes).

4. Mix in the vanilla.

5. Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.

6. Reduce the mixer speed to low and mix in the flour mixture in three additions. When all of the flour has been added in and it is no longer visible, add in the chopped chocolate. Mix until just incorporated.

7. Using a large ice cream scoop or a 1/4 cup measuring cup, form 18 balls of dough (each approximately 3 1/2 ounces each). Place the balls of dough on a tray. Wrap well with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 36-72 hours.

8. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Note: Bake only one pan of cookies at a time.

9. Place six balls of the dough (spaced at least 3 inches apart) on a baking sheet. Sprinkle each cookie with flaky sea salt.

10. Bake the cookies on the center rack of the oven for 17-20 minutes (rotating the pan midway through the baking process) or until golden on top and along edges but still a bit soft in the center. Remove the pan from the oven. Wait one minute before using a bowl or large round cookie cutter to swirl the cookie to create a perfectly round cookie. Let cookies remain on the baking sheet for up to 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

11. Savor these beautiful bakery style looking chocolate chip cookies immediately (you have waited long enough!) or store them in a tightly sealed container once they have come to room temperature. 

Notes: (1) For calculating weight measurements, I use the following base formulas: 200g = 1 cup brown sugar, 200 g = 1 cup granulated sugar, 115 g = 1 cup cake flour, 136g = 1 cup bread flour, 226g = 1 cup unsalted butter, 371g = 1 pound chocolate (2) I chopped up the 17.6 ounce bar of the Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate for these cookies. 

Baked Gnocchi with Spinach, Beans and Burrata

"One life, one day, one moment, but infinite possibilities. They're all yours, infinite avenues are open, with infinite intersections, and infinite waypoints, infinite destinations lie beyond. An infinite variety of changes may occur along the way. Your future is sprawling and unfathomable. You can't see what will happen. Your vision is hindered by your past. Accepting the unknown isn't about discovering something new and better, but about becoming something new and better. Take a f*cking chance." This quote, this mantra, these inspiring words popped up not once, but several times on my Instagram feed this past week. It resonated with me so much I almost reposted it. Even considered sending it on to some people I know. But instead, I just let this string of compelling words sink in for awhile. While I have moments filled with pessimistic and cynical thoughts, there are more moments of optimistic, hopelessly romantic, and a bit of Pollyanna musings swirling around in my head. Which explains in part why that quote felt like a validating, life anthem worthy of orally reciting each and every day. Books move me, words move me, but these words, well I can't think of ones more perfect to frame the start, to chart the course of the new year. So I decided to include them as part of this blog post so they wouldn't get lost, so they could live on endlessly, and well, so they might spark something in you as they did in me.

So how do I now possibly segue onto now talking about this Baked Gnocchi with Spinach, Beans and Burrata dish after beginning with such profound words? Other than being completely and hopelessly smitten, what could be the possible connection between the infinite possibilities mantra and this epic baked pasta dish? Well, they both happen to be game-changers. 

The Baked Gnocchi with Spinach, Beans and Burrata had me with its' aroma. When the first bite sent my sense of taste into uncharted gastronomical delight territory, I knew my pasta eating life changed. Immediately I thought this was a dish worthy of earning the 'last meal worthy' distinction. How ever many dishes there might be on this list (I think less than ten out of the 700+ recipes on the blog), this one is at the top! But I am going to go one step further. I actually think it happens to be the baked gnocchi version of Ina Garten's engagement chicken (this would be the optimistic, hopeless romantic in me talking!). 

So here I go again sharing a recipe for a dish having a long ingredient list. But here's the best part. The Baked Gnocchi with Spinach, Beans and Burrata can be made with a good quality jarred marinara sauce rather than one homemade AND with store bought fresh or frozen gnocchi. Between the assembly and baking times, you can have this gorgeous, deeply flavored dish ready to serve in less than 75 minutes! You can even make it early in the day (up to the point of topping with the cheeses), refrigerate it, and bake it up later in the day! 

The melt-in-your-mouth, pillowy textured gnocchi is one of the many highlights of this dish. I used a (frozen) spinach stuffed gnocchi from my favorite local Italian deli, but any high quality fresh or frozen (unthawed) potato gnocchi would work just as well. Whatever you do, do not buy the pre-made, vacuum packed gnocchi you might find sitting on a grocery store shelf. 

After sautéeing the mild Italian sausage, onions, and garlic, the jarred marinara sauce, dried oregano, fresh parsley, fresh basil, Kosher salt, and black pepper are added in. The mixture then simmers for about 20 minutes, giving it time to develop into a rich, flavorful sauce. But adding in some mascarpone cheese takes the sauce to a whole new level of other worldly deliciousness! 

Baby spinach, cannellini beans, and the gnocchi get mixed into the sauce before it's transferred to the baking dish. Grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and fresh mini-balls of mozzarella (cut in half) top the dish before it goes into a preheated  425 degree (F) oven. In 30 to 35 minutes you will have created a five star worthy dish! Honestly, I can't gush on a dish destined to go on regular repeat enough. 

Be prepared to be absolutely blown away by how mouthwatering this Baked Gnocchi with Spinach, Beans and Burrata is. Finishing the baked gnocchi with burrata is akin to being handed a personal invitation to a state of bliss. And this is one invitation you absolutely cannot mull over, put on indefinite hold, or refuse. Once you have tasted a pasta dish topped with fresh burrata your concept of what makes for a truly great pasta dish will be permanently altered. Because once you know, you know.

In a little more than three weeks we are having friends over for a post New Year's Eve dinner. While I usually spend an inordinate amount of time belaboring over a menu, it took me all of a nanosecond to decide we will definitely be having this absolutely amazing Baked Gnocchi with Spinach, Beans and Burrata (aka my new signature dish!). Combined with the wine I am planning to serve along with the salad and dessert I have in mind, this is going to be a droolworthy epic meal! 

Recipe

Baked Gnocchi with Spinach, Beans and Burrata

Serves 8-12

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 pounds mild Italian sausage, casings removed and broken up into pieces

1 medium yellow or Spanish onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 jars (24 oz/630g size) good quality marinara sauce or 4 cups of homemade (See Notes)

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

2 Tablespoons mascarpone 

1 teaspoon dried oregano

1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped

5-6 basil leaves, julienned

2 (15oz/439g size) cannellini beans, drained and rinsed

4 ounces (114g) fresh baby spinach

1 pound (454g) spinach stuffed gnocchi or potato gnocchi (frozen or refrigerated)

8 ounces (227) fresh mozzarella (small) balls, cut in half

1/4 cup (23g) freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

8 ounces (226g) burrata, bite sized balls if you can find them

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F), Have a 12" round cast iron pan (at least 2 inches deep) or a 9"x12" baking dish (at least 2 inches deep) ready.

2. In a large saucepan (12"-14") heat the olive oil over medium heat.

3. Add in the Italian sausage. Cook until the sausage has started to brown and crisp (about 6-8 minutes).

4. Add in the diced onion, garlic, Kosher salt, and black pepper. Continue cooking until the onions have softened (about 5-7 minutes).

5. Add in the marinara, oregano, fresh parsley and basil. Bring the sauce to a simmer and cook for approximately 20 minutes to let the flavors develop.

6. Stir in the mascarpone.

7. Turn off the heat and add in the baby spinach in handfuls until fully incorporated. 

8. Stir in the cannellini beans and the frozen or fresh gnocchi.

9. Pour the mixture into the baking dish or pan. Top with the mozzarella and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano. 

10. Place on a baking sheet and insert into the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the cheese has melted and the sauce is bubbling.

11. Remove from heat. Let sit for about 5 minutes, then top with pieces of burrata and some additional julienned basil.

Notes: (1) I used Rao's Marinara sauce as I think it's one of the best jarred sauces out there. (2) The frozen spinach stuffed gnocchi came from my local Italian deli. Look for a good quality fresh or frozen gnocchi. If you can't find a spinach or spinach stuffed gnocchi, use a potato gnocchi. (3) You can prepare the dish ahead early in the day. Cover and place in the refrigerator. Wait until you are ready to bake before you add the mozzarella and Parmigiano-Reggiano cheeses. (4) Leftovers store well in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keep tightly covered. (5) Recipe inspired by TheKitchn's Gnocchi Lasagna, with Spinach, White Beans and Sausage.