EASY RECIPES
The easy recipe this week is kind of a modern version of the dreaded tuna fish casserole that people my age endured when young. But unlike the old school, I decided to make an easy fun family meal loaded with wonderful Gorgonzola cheese, a little canned tuna, and minimal herbs. All in all the perfect go to family meal. I have test cooked this dish with my wife and son and can report it was a hit. So, follow the step by step recipe and you will create a great fun family meal.
Ingedients
1/2 Cup Cream
1/8 Cup Sherry 
4 oz Gorgonzola cheese – broken up
7 0z can Albacore Tuna -in water not oil -drain and break apart tuna
1/3 tsp Thyme
1/2 tsp of Chives diced (and more for garnish)
1 clove Garlic diced
3 Green Onions diced
2 Tbsp Caper – drained
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
17 oz package of of Gnocchi
salt and pepper to taste
Parmesean – shaved
Preparation
This is a very fast meal once everything is diced and prepared, so make sure everyone who is going to be eating is home before you start the cooking.
In a large 5 Qt pan start heating water to boil for gnocchi. When at boil turn down to high simmer to keep water temp up. Do not put gnocchi in the water yet.
In a high sided fry pan heat the olive oil to simmer temperature and briefly saute the onions. Turn heat down to low add the Cherry and stir, then add the cream and stir. Add the Thyme and Capers.
Bring the 5 Qt pot of water to a boil and add the gnocchi. They are done when floating on top of the water.
Next to the fry pan add the Gorgonzola broken into to pieces to assist with melting, to the creamy mixture and keep stirring the mixture so cheese does not burn. When cheese is melted stir in the tuna fish, keep gently stirring.
Drain the water from the gnocchi pot, through a colander, and place the cooked gnocchi into the fry pan and gently stir.
Plate individual servings, add a touch of Chive for garnish and top each serving with shaved parmesean. You have just made a fine dinner in no time that kids and adults are going to love.
AND STUFF
If you ride the snow you know last winter was epic. This winter looks good, but who knows.
Last year, our friend Kacy and family went up for the Christmas light show in Mammoth the day before us. I got a text from her while sitting in my office stating that the snow line was at oh about 40oo feet, and next she texted saying chains were on.
I am at my desk, my son is at half day of school, and She Who Must Be Obeyed is at work in the Westside. I am staring at my watch waiting for the time to pick the boy up from half day of school.
Done, I have him, and the rain in LA is coming down like crazy (note; this is usually a good thing for Mammoth). We inch our way down the 405 to the Westside, pick the little lady up at her office, and roll for Mammoth.
Ok roll was a bit strong, we inched our way toward Mammoth in the downpour. It took at least an hour to get from the Westside to the turn off. The rain was still pouring. After the turn off the speed picked up to maybe 30 or 40 mph. We were flying.
We called Kacy and told her we had broken out of LA, and asked her how it was in Mammoth. Then we learned the snow was epic, deep, and dumping.
To be clear, a snow dump is always good, but when Lancaster is an hour away and it is 4:00 in the afternoon one must weigh the options. Should we fight our way through the last 38 miles up the mountain to Mammoth in the dark, or do we stay in Bishop?
Well, it rained the entire way to Bishop, and that meant if was dumping in the dark the entire way to Mammoth. If I was younger and did not have my wife and son in the SUV, no problem. But, the adult in me, along with Sue instructing that we should do the climb in the day light, meant we would stay in the best motel in Bishop we could find.
The motel we chose in Bishop was really nice, and close to food. We had a late dinner and then settled into our room for a little cable tv. We watched the end to Elf, which is one of my son’s favorite Christmas movies. We told our son to click the channels for another movie and -boom- he found the middle of the Sound of Music. So a super special family night was taking shape on our snow delayed stay over in Bishop.
Well, in our jammies and 1 1/2 movies under our belts we said to the boy, hit the remote for another movie…… and then we froze. Sue was the first to speak, yelling “shut your eyes”, I was right behind her yelling “change the channel!!” Seems the motel did not block the porno channel, so lets just say it was showing the content it was supposed to be showing.
Well, once the channel was changed we all had a big laugh. I do not know why, but to this very day, although my son and I always suggest staying in Bishop, She Who Must Be Obeyed now says regardless of weather “go for it to Mammoth its only 38 miles”.
I bet we are not the first to have had such an experience on a trip. Why not tell your funny story about your trip gone wild.
Good Eating and Table Talk,
Roger
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