Gnocchi with Summer Veggies

This is one of my favorite recipes and this is the perfect time of year to make it. I'm really surprised that I haven't blogged this before. It is super simple and it is so easy to get the ingredients fresh from the market. In the past few years I've been able to go out in the back yard and just pick the veggies and basil to make this recipe. I've frozen the base for this and it worked out really well too.

This year I made it and blended a bit for Abe. He loved it!

Gnocchi with Summer Vegetables
Source: Martha Stewart
Yield: 4 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 zucchini or summer squash, or one of each (about 2 pounds total), quartered and sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 package (15 to 16 ounces) frozen gnocchi
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano cheese
1 tablespoon butter
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1.In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add squash and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until squash is crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until juicy, about 2 minutes.

2.Meanwhile, in a large pot of boiling salted water, cook gnocchi according to package instructions. Reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid, drain gnocchi and transfer to skillet. Toss gnocchi, adding enough cooking liquid to create a sauce. Remove from heat and stir in basil, cheese, butter, and lemon juice.

Ice Cream Sandwiches

It is 90 degrees in Maine.

We Mainers - we don't deal with the heat too well.

Throw us a Nor'Easter and frigid temperatures and we are fine. Once the mercury goes over 80 we get melty.

You know what helps me cope...ice cream. You know how to take ice cream to the next level...put it between two awesome cookies.

Yes. These are amazing and awesome. I would have made my own ice cream but the freezer is packed with frozen baby food so I have no room for the ice cream bucket.

Chewy Chocolate Cookies for Ice Cream Sandwiches
Source: Laura's Recipe Collection (who's Laura??)
Yield: about a dozen or more sandwiches

2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1¼ cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
sugar for rolling

Mix the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt together in a bowl and set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, roughly 2 minutes. Beat in the eggs and vanilla until combined, then reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add in the flour mixture. Beat until just combined.

Form the dough into a disk and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about an hour until firm.

Preheat the oven to 350°. Shape the dough into 1¼ inch balls and roll each ball in the sanding sugar. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cookies are set. They will still look a bit gooey when removed from the oven. Cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes then remove from the cookie sheet and cool completely.