Sunday Night Romance

I love cooking romantic meals for my husband and I think French and Italian food is by far the most romantic cuisines to make for someone. I mean think about it, whenever you went on a "big" date where did you go? Chances are it wasn't a gastropub or McDonald's (if your significant other takes you to McDonald's for a big date you may want to rethink your relationship.)

So tonight to treat my incredible, sweet and loving husband I'm making grilled chicken with gnocchi (no-kee; aka dumplings of delicious potato) and pesto. 

Grilled Chicken with Gnocchi Pesto 

1 3oz chicken breast, grilled 

4 Tbsp olive oil 

1/2 tbsp salt 

2 tbsp pepper

1 tbsp garlic powder 

1/2 tbsp garlic salt 

1/2 tbsp onion powder 

1/2 tbsp poultry seasoning 

1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes 

1 package gnocchi, boiled 

1/2 C pesto, I like the Classico brand Basil Pesto (as I've said many times, yes homemade is always better but this is a great substitute if you don't want to go through the whole process of making pesto) 

1/4 C parmesan cheese, grated 

1/2 baguette, warmed (for serving) 

Marinate chicken breast with 2 Tbsp oil and spices (using only 1 tbsp pepper, 1/2 tbsp garlic powder, and 1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes, reserve the other half of these spices for serving with your baguette) covered in the fridge for roughly 6 hours, but remember the longer it marinated the better the flavor will be. 

Nate and I (regrettably) do not have our own outdoor grill because our apartment complex will not allow it...but we have a fireplace, go figure. However, we do have a little table-top electric grill so I will be using that so adjust accordingly if you are using an outdoor grill. Grill chicken until cooked through, again the time is completely dependent upon what you are using for your grill; my grill takes roughly 15 minutes. By the time my chicken was done (beautiful grill marks and perfectly juicy), the water for my gnocchi wasn'teven  boiling yet. Slice chicken into several slices (you know, like how restaurants serve grilled chicken on a salad or something?) against the grain. 

Boil the gnocchi according to the package directions and heat the pesto using the residual heat after the gnocchi has been drained. 

Top the gnocchi with the grilled chicken and cheese and enjoy your dinner with a fancy baguette with dipping oil and I recommend a nice dry red wine to go along; we're drinking a bottle of the Jemez Red from Ponderosa Valley Winery. This vinery is located at 3171 NM-290, Ponderosa, New Mexico and is frankly the cutest little vineyard I've ever been to! The tasting room is like walking into grandma's house (if grandma owned a vineyard, that is). 

Serve this delicious meal with half a baguette, sliced and warmed. To make the dipping oil, combine 2 Tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp pepper, 1/2 tbsp garlic powder, 1/2 tbsp red pepper flakes and 1/2 tbsp Italian seasoning. 

Enjoy treating your special someone with this romantic and indulgent meal, readers!