Japanese Style Noodle Dish

I was inspired by the Sansai Udon Noodle dish I usually order at my favorite restaurants. All you need is miso and some key ingredients and you're good to go. I cheated by using Trader Joe's instant miso soup, which by the way is very yummy on its own.

Ingredients:
Miso (instant soup from Trader Joe's)
Broccoli
Shiitake Mushrooms
Canola Oil
Somen or Udon Noodles

Optional:
Panko Flakes

Preheat oven 400º before chopping broccoli and slicing mushrooms. Place veggies on oil lined pan dashing with some canola oil, salt, and pepper. Roast for about 20 minutes. Prepare one packet of miso soup. Boil the soup then place noodles in soup. Cook until noodles are done. Noodles should absorb most of the liquid.

Take out crispy vegetables from the oven and top the noodles in the miso base. Sprinkle with panko flakes for extra flavor.

Gnocchi and Greens

It's not my fault I've been overworked lately. Blame it on the economy and the fact that we all have to wear many hats at our jobs. Rest assured, however, I am still cooking simple and good food. Here's a recipe featuring gnocchi (potato dumpling) - my favorite quick Italian food ingredient.

Ingredients:
Broccoli
Asparagus
Gnocchi (Trader Joe's has it)
Your Favorite Tomato Sauce (I use Trader Joe's Vodka Sauce, MMM)
Olive Oil

Start by pre-heating your oven at 400º. Chop bottoms of asparagus off. Then cut remainder in half. Place asparagus and pre-chopped broccoli in pan and spread olive oil evenly. Shake some salt, pepper, and a little garlic powder. Bake in oven approximately 25 minutes. Meanwhile boil some water with a splash of olive oil. Once boiled place desired amount of gnocchi in water. Boil until little dumplings float to the top. Drain. Sprinkle with olive oil.

Heat sauce. Prepare plate by covering desired amount of sauce on gnocchi. Place greens next to gnocchi. The best part about gnocchi is that it's easy to make. Whenever in a time crunch you can always count on the potato dumplings.