Low-Key Gnocchi

It's an amazing flavor burst:

Ingredients:

• Two cloves of garlic
• Olive oil
• Butter
• 5 Roma tomatoes (in half inch slices)
• Bundle of asparagus (cut in inch pieces)
• Cream cheese (half cup)
• 8 slices of bacon (broken up into half-inch flakes)
• Two pounds Gnocchi 
• Mozzarella (one cup, julienne)
• Juice from two lemons

Directions:

1. Cook the bacon and put to the side.  Helpful hint: the bacon cooks more evenly if the skillet is covered.
2. Slice the garlic and put over medium heat in three spoons of olive oil in a pot.  
3. When the garlic begins to brown pour in the asparagus and tomatoes; cover the pot.  
4. While the vegetables are simmering, heat another skillet and put two spoons of olive oil and a table spoon of butter.
5. When the butter is melted, place the gnocchi in.  Cook until golden on one side (3 minutes) and turn over the gnocchi to brown the other side for three minutes.  
6. When the tomatoes have barely wrinkled, stir in the cream cheese and lemon juice and remove from heat.  
7. Pour the cooked gnocchi into the vegetable sauce and stir so that the gnocchi is coated with the sauce.
8. Just before serving, mix in mozzarella and bacon flakes.  
9. It's delicious.  

Buttermilk Syrup

Did you know, waffles and pancakes can be even better?  I didn't either.

If your relationship is troubled, this might be your best bet to turn things around.  That, or a sincere apology and a bouquet of flowers.

Ingredients:

• Sugar (one cup)
• Butter (one cup)
• Buttermilk (half cup)
• baking soda (1 teaspoon)
• vanilla (1 teaspoon)

Directions:

1. Melt 1 cup of sugar, 1 cube of butter, over low heat
2. Stir in half a cup of buttermilk.
3. When it just begins to boil, take it off the heat 
4. Finally add 1 teaspoon of baking soda and 1 teaspoon vanilla.

This makes an amazing Saturday morning before you get to errands and cleaning. Great on waffles with strawberries and peaches.