Ciao for Now

My dear blog-world friends,

I haven’t been feeling well lately and haven’t felt as excited about blogging as I used to. I have decided to take a break. Of course, I will still visit your wonderful blogs, so we will stay in touch.

For those of you who joined me for Handmade Monday, here is a list of some other blog parties/memes where you can link your handmade projects:


Craftastic Monday at sewcando.blogspot.com

Making Monday Marvelous at craftingreallyawesomefreethings.blogspot.com

Tutorial Tuesday at hopestudios.blogspot.com

Hoo’s Got Talent at nightowlcrafting.blogspot.com

Fabric Fun Thursday at cheapchichome.blogspot.com

Look at me at funtocraft.blogspot.com



Ciao for now,

Olga

My Roses Are Blooming Again

Ask me why I am so happy today, and I will tell you that it’s because my roses are blooming again!

Take a look!









And now look at this naughty cricket (or whatever it is) eating my rose. The rose must be very delicious as half of it has been eaten. Oh well, I’ll just let the fellow enjoy it.



I’m linking my roses to

Fertilizer Friday

Show and Tell Friday

Fresh, Clean, and Pure Friday and

Macro Flowers Saturday.

Handmade Monday: Another Tablecloth Update

This Labor Day weekend has been so relaxed that I almost forgot about Handmade Monday! I don’t have anything handmade to show this week, so I thought I’d make another update on my crocheted tablecloth.

The work is slowing down now as every row gets bigger and bigger. It also gets somewhat tedious and boring. I feel like I’m ready to finish this project, but I am only halfway through. Hopefully, I won’t give it up entirely (something that has happened before with other projects).

If you have something handmade to show this relaxed Labor Day weekend, please link below. If you are joining for the first time, the guidelines are here.

Happy Labor Day!

Potato Gnocchi

The other day, I made potato gnocchi for dinner. I was surprised how easy to make they are and how few ingredients they require.
Gnocchi can be served with pesto, herbed butter, or tomato sauce. I served mine with pesto and grated Parmesan cheese.



1 ½ pounds potatoes
1 egg, beaten
1 ¼ - 1 ½ cups bread flour
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt
Pesto, melted herbed butter, or tomato sauce
Freshly grated Parmesan

Cook the potatoes in their skins in a large saucepan of boiling salted water until soft. Drain. When cool enough to handle, peel and mash until smooth.

Beat in the egg and half the flour. Turn out onto a floured board and gradually add more flour, kneading lightly until you have soft but not sticky dough.

Keep the board well floured while you roll pieces of the dough into long thick sausage shapes about 1 inch thick. Cut each rope into pieces about 1 inch long to make gnocchi.

Press the gnocchi against the back of a fork to make the traditional indentations, then place on a floured tray. Cover with a floured cloth and chill for at least 30 minutes.

To cook the gnocchi, bring a large pan of salted water to a boil. Add the olive oil and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer since fast boiling will destroy the shape of gnocchi.

Add the gnocchi to the water in batches, cooking them for 2-3 minutes. They should float to the surface when they are almost cooked. Remove from the water with a slotted spoon and keep warm in a buttered serving dish while you cook the remainder.

Have ready a melted butter or sauce. When all the gnocchi are cooked, pour the melted butter or sauce over them and sprinkle with grated Parmesan. Serve hot.

Serves 4.

The recipe is from Sarah Brown's book The Vegetarian Bible.

I’m linking to Foodie Friday

and Vegetarian Foodie Fridays.