What was left out.

"Nothing much. We'll see how it goes..."

(yup, boiling potatos. look out Giada...I'm coming after your job.)  I feel like that is my standard answer when someone says..."Whatcha doing today?" or "What's your week like?" or "What are you doing with your life?" (okay maybe not that last one) Seriously though, existing in such a structured world for so long and then being blessed with the privilege of taking each day for what it brings me and my bundle of all things wonderful has been a big adjustment. A great one, but an adjustment nonetheless.

(that, my loyal four readers, is my potato ricer. it is wonderful, soothing and never again will I mash) I love posting here but sometimes when I am doing something during the day that I think would be a great blog entry, I'm either halfway through it, don't have my camera ready or just can't muster the energy to plate/present it in a way that would be anything less than perfect visually appealing on screen. (Type A anyone...?)

(ooo, now mashed potato on a cookie sheet...I promise it gets better) I have been reading so many different blogs and people are just amazing - amazing cooks, amazing designers, amazing crafters, amazing mommy's and it seems like every day they are posting these perfectly coiffed (I spelt this with a q when I first started typing it, thanks higher education and thank you spellcheck) cupcakes and meat loafs and scrapbooks and I think really people? Wow!  

(aren't they cute? and yes, I only fork rolled (sounds dirty but isn't) the first few because I got bored and the reality is Little sixtyone45 doesn't exactly stop to admire his mama's cooking before shoveling it in)  Really though I feel both – a bit inspired and a bit defeated. How do they do it? Every. Single. Day. How do these (mostly) women find time to raise their multiple children, cook, clean, play barn with said children and then at the end of the day post beautifully edited photos and witty anecdotes of the seven steps it took for them to churn the herbed butter they made for dinner. (that sounds more snarky then I intended)

(I think my ma-in-law would be so shocked proud) If you recall I started this blog with the intention of finding my creative DNA and doing something creative every other fourth single day. Well I learned a few little secrets from these super bloggers that help them accomplish this.  There is a WHOLE lot to learn about blogging but these are a few things that are going to help (1) make me a better blogger/writer/story teller and (2) appreciate (aka stop comparing and judging) all the other amazing bloggers out there doing their best to tell their stories.

(next time half the batch)

One.   Keep your camera handy and snap the mundane, it may turn into something amazing. It may not. But that is the power of the little “trash can” on my camera.

Two. Just because I did it today…doesn’t mean I have to post it today.

Three. Take “before” pictures now. I did this for a bunch of projects around the house. For the projects I have completed, I regret not taking the before picture. Way more powerful. It also means I eventually have to get to all these little projects.

Fourth. What Didn’t Get Blogged About (example) or Tuesday Things (example numero two). I love this idea. A couple of my favorite bloggers post a weekly recap of just stuff that happened, they did, they discovered etc…kind of in lieu of a formal post or instructional post. I like it. I therefore, shall steal the same approach (hence the title of this post)

(I only cook a few to sample and didn't have sage which would have made them awesome. In full disclosure, I also took a bite out of that one on the bottom left before I realized I needed to photo it. thank you crop function) I don't know what day of the week I will do it yet, but each week I will post a "What was left out". Basically (and selfishly) to force me to take note of my week, reflect back on the fun, the discoveries, the milestones me and the boys experienced. So when asked "wha'd ya do last week?" I can say smile...

 and show them...ldb.


Gnocchi (adapted from Mario Batali)

Ingredients

• 3 pounds russet potatoes
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 egg, extra large
• 1 pinch salt
• 1/2 cup canola oil

Directions

Boil the whole potatoes until they are soft (about 45 minutes). While still warm, peel and pass through vegetable mill onto clean pasta board.

Set 6 quarts of water to boil in a large spaghetti pot. Set up ice bath with 6 cups ice and 6 cups water near boiling water.

Make well in center of potatoes and sprinkle all over with flour, using all the flour. Place egg and salt in center of well and using a fork, stir into flour and potatoes, just like making normal pasta. Once egg is mixed in, bring dough together, kneading gently until a ball is formed. Knead gently another 4 minutes until ball is dry to touch.

Roll baseball-sized ball of dough into 3/4-inch diameter dowels and cut dowels into 1-inch long pieces. Flick pieces off of fork or concave side of cheese grater until dowel is finished. Drop these pieces into boiling water and cook until they float (about 1 minute). Meanwhile, continue with remaining dough, forming dowels, cutting into 1-inch pieces and flicking off of fork. As gnocchi float to top of boiling water, remove them to ice bath. Continue until all have been cooled off. Let sit several minutes in bath and drain from ice and water. Toss with 1/2 cup canola oil and store covered in refrigerator up to 48 hours until ready to serve.