Up close and personal

The blog is back, Bitches.

I have a new goal, that seems somewhat reasonable-ish, seeing as I have made lots of promises with very little follow through. Each week, I’m going to aim to have 2-3 new posts a week, focusing on recipes for 2, kid friendly meals, and quick and easy. This one falls into all three categories as long as your kid(s) will eat cauliflower. Mine don’t eat anything that isn’t a grilled cheese, a meatball or a nugget, so I’m shit out of luck on that one. Anyways, back to the blog…

I couldn’t find/remember my password, but turns out, I had it saved in an email from 2012, so I only had to go back 6+ years of deleted emails to find it. Easy enough with two tiny dictators running around all the time. But alas, I’m back, and sharing a recipe that won’t benefit any of my West Texan friends, but will benefit anyone with a TJ’s in their city (aka every other human).

I love my life. Great friends, great family, blah blah blah, but there is truly one thing missing in my life. Some people may want a baby, or a new car, or a new house. Not me. All I want is for a frickin’ Trader Joe’s to open in Midland. Someone make it happen. TJ’s has some of the best shortcut staples (ie. Cauliflower Gnocchi) and Midland needs one. We are lazy, we like good food, and while HEB has great sh*t, nothing compares to Trader Joe’s. I would like to say that my family is my favorite thing about going to Dallas, but lets get real…My fatass likes to load up a cooler full of Kung Pao and cauliflower gnocchi. Speaking of, this cauliflower gnocchi bake is super easy and a perfect meal for two. You should have plenty of leftovers for a lunch the next day, or enough for a kid or two to share.  Here it goes.

Salami bake getting the attention it deserves

Cauliflower Gnocchi Bake

Feeds 2+ depending on your appetite

• 1 package of Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi (Don’t cook it how the directions state)
  • If you don’t have cauliflower gnocchi, you could just roast some regular cauliflower or use any sort of cooked pasta
• 1.5 cups marinara sauce (I like Rao’s tomato basil or Michael’s of Brooklyn)
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 to 1 ball of burrata cheese, cut into smaller slices
• 5 basil leaves, chopped
• Optional: salami, pepperoni, ground chicken/beef or any other meat you have lying around.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. 

Baked cauliflower gnocchi for 10 minutes, then flip and bake 15 minutes more. Remove from the oven and turn the oven on broil (or 500 degrees if your oven doesn’t have broil settings)

Divide the gnocchi between two mini skillets (or one big one) and mix with marinara sauce (1.5 cups total) of your choice (I like Rao’s – any variety- or Michael’s of Brooklyn). Top with the mozzarella cheese and dollop the burrata as wanted. Broil for 5 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbling and golden. Top with chopped basil. 

If you’d like, add in any meat you wish. It’s great with crumbled cooked ground chicken, salami (pictured in one), pepperoni, or ground beef. Enjoy!