In Which I make Spinach Gnocchi, or What Would Mario Do?

Hi, we�re coming to you once again live from the lake house. Jetskis hit the lake before dawn this am again, trying to cram an entire summer into this last weekend.

And speaking of the end of summer, thanks for all the e-mails reminding me that August 30th isn�t really the last day of August. Ok, 30 days hath September�. Got it!

This brings us to the spinach gnocchi. There are 14 people at the lake house this weekend and some of them are going to want to eat. I consult with my Martha clone sister Betsy and she says �Many mouths to feed=pasta�

I just got from Italy. I know pasta, so I volunteer to make spinach gnocchi. The fact that I have never made it before, don�t know how to make it and don�t have a recipe doesn�t bother me in the least.

I get a recipe. Thanks Mass! I buy ingredients�nothing to it; spinach, eggs, flour, parmesan cheese, ricotta, salt, pepper, garlic.

The dough is supposed to be sticky.

It�s not sticky, it�s wet. When confronted with a cooking dilemma, I ask myself that most important question �What Would Mario do?�

Mario would add more flour. I add more flour�and then more flour

Have I mentioned that while I am a good cook, I am not a tidy cook? The kitchen is beginning to look like it has been dusted for fingerprints.

�Looks wet, did you drain the spinach? �, Betsy asks. �You need to add more flour�

Now I am 3 cups over what the recipe called for. The dough is finally getting sticky. Recipe says to turn the dough out on to a floured bread board. No problem, the whole freakin� kitchen has been floured. Making gnocchi is now like making cookies. Pinch off a little of the dough, roll into a ball, flatten repeat until you have enough to feed 14 people.

It takes forever. People are getting hungry. Betsy has put together salad, bread with caramelized onions, made 2 kinds of sauces for the gnocchi, set the table and fed the baby and I am still pinching and rolling

The gnocchi is supposed to go into boiling water, when it floats, you boil for 4 minutes, fish it out and serve. Mine sink to the bottom like rocks. I am hoping Betsy has made a lot of bread and salad. Finally, one of them pops to the surface, then another. They don�t look a damn thing like the pasta Hawk and I had in Italy. They look slimy and green and embryonic. Maybe the sauce will help

Plates are being filled. The vegetarians claim that it�s wonderful, best thing I have ever made. Save the recipe! Carnivores are polite, but probably dreaming of BBQ chicken

I try it, flavor of the gnocchi is good, but the texture is heavy and rubbery. The 2 sauces my sister has made save the dish, but it doesn�t take much to become uncomfortably full. The caramelized onion bread is outstanding. The wine flows

Chiefs vs the Rams is on the TV at 7:30. We settle into our chairs with tummies full to watch a little football with good friends and good family.

Not a single person is awake by halftime.

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