semi-homemade...

and it didn't work out too well.  I was so excited about this meal because my meals this week's food hasn't exactly been... gourmet.  In case you haven't heard, Atlanta has COMPLETELY shut down since Sunday night.  That's a week that ice has literally crippled Atlanta.  Crippled to the point where ALL metro schools were closed the ENTIRE week.  So insane.  And as a teacher, I have to say I am really excited to make up all those days.  I know my county is already adding days to the end of the year.

That said, I can't really complain.  I have had plenty to eat and pretty much everything I need (minus company) and I have also been sick this week, so it has been really wonderful to have the time to recover at home on the couch with NOTHING else to do... and not take sick days!  So, I'll definitely look at the silver lining of that cloud.

Back to my dinner.  I am pretty souped out, and I'm basically out of butter so that totally nixes my standby baked potato.  I opened the pantry to see a box of gnocchi.  Yum.  I love gnocchi.  When done properly, it as hands down my favorite Italian dish.  I move some things around and find a jar of alfredo sauce.  Perfection.  When I lived in New York and worked at a hedge fund, we got a daily $15 stipend for lunch.  One of my favorite things to order was gnocchi in alfredo sauce with shrimp.  Calorie-fest, but so worth it.

At this point, I have grandiose visions of the meal and I build it up.  Unfortunately, it didn't turn out so well.  Maybe it's because I'm sick and my taster is off (as verified by a piece of ghiradelli peppermint bark that was awkward and waxy - not how that stuff tastes), or maybe I didn't do something right... but this is a pretty simple heat-and-serve meal...

Directions:
For the gnocchi - empty packet into 4 quarts of boiling water.  Boil 3-4 min or until the float.
Sauce - simmer and serve.

I did both of these things, but my gnocchi is chewy and has sort of a plastic taste, and the sauce is way too cheesy.  Fail.  Sad.  At least I'm not that hungry