second annual girly oscars party

So, I took a little unintentional hiatus from the LKTC recently. Not only was I not really cooking all that much, but I didn't really feel inclined to write about any cooking I may have done. Since this has always been just a pet project, a distraction from the tedium of life in a government job, I don't feel compelled to post on any sort of schedule, and I know that my loyal audience of approximately 5 isn't expecting particularly regular missives. 

Anyways, a couple of weeks ago, a few girlfriends and I had a girly Oscars party, a tradition we started last year. You may think that's really dumb, especially if you're a male, but I'm here to tell you there's not a whole lot more awesome than dressing up, having a nice dinner, and polishing off a few bottles of champagne while critiquing red carpet ensembles and acceptance speeches.

Last year we just had an array of snacks, but this year, thanks to the evil empire of Pinterest, I really wanted to try this recipe for sweet potato gnocchi with smoked gouda sauce. Mind you I've never made gnocchi, sweet (potato) or otherwise, but sure, why not give it a whirl before a handful of cocktail dress-clad ladies were due to show up at my door expecting a meal?     

the aftermath

(not that i'd just cleaned my kitchen or anything)

the finished product(s)

I don't think I necessarily nailed the texture of the gnocchi (and definitely cut them too big), but it tasted fine, and everyone claimed they enjoyed it. The gouda sauce stole the show, though, as we ended up dipping all the leftover bread in it after dinner. I will say, if you try the recipe, be prepared for generous quantities of gnocchi and sauce. It supposedly serves 4, but we had plenty of leftovers. I'd say you could probably serve closer to 6 people, especially if you have bread, salad, and dessert.

You should also be prepared for the fact that it is hearty. What I'm really saying is that if you think a certain quantity of say, champagne, is enough, and you're guzzling it after you've consumed large quantities of this dish, well, you might find yourself staring at the bottom of your last bottle with the bulk of the Oscars still to go. Fortunately my apartment's bar is stocked with a really nice bottle of bourbon thanks to a friend, and even though DC seems decidedly northern, I felt like a proper little southern hostess when I pulled out the tumblers and ice cubes. All in all, it was a successful evening.

I actually did a respectable amount of baking/cooking this weekend, which led to some interesting adventures (along the lines of scorching my lip and setting off my smoke alarm for half an hour), so I'll be back one of these days with those glorious details.