My children seem to be more excited about Mother’s Day this year than I am. They’re so excited that they have trouble keeping their surprises for me a secret.
Bennett burst out of his preschool on Friday with a Mother’s Day gift in his hot little hands. As soon as we got to the van, he frantically ripped off the wrapping paper and presented me with a cute plant pot with dirt and seeds for planting a flower. “Look what I got you for Mother’s Day!” he exclaimed eagerly. He just couldn’t wait to show it to me.
Cole showed slightly more restraint, but dropped some pretty heavy hints. He instructed me yesterday, “Don’t wear your necklace tomorrow when I give you your present, okay Mom?” And when I got up this morning he told me, “Don’t make any breakfast.”
If your powers of deduction are as good as mine, you probably figured out that Cole gave me a necklace and made me breakfast. I had oatmeal topped with chocolate cheerios. It sounds gross but I actually liked it, mostly because it was made with love. And the necklace he made me was absolutely beautiful. I was impressed by the creativity of his design, as always.
Cole is determined to make this the best Mother’s Day ever, and has the whole day dedicated to Mommy all planned out. He even wants to make whatever I want for dinner. Now I just have to decide what I want to have. I’m thinking this amazing gnocchi soup we had a few weeks ago would be perfect on this cold and rainy day. It’s simple enough that Cole could make it (with Daddy’s help), and I would be thrilled to eat it up because I have a weakness for gnocchi.
This recipe comes from Pass the Sushi, with a few minor changes such as using turkey bacon instead of chicken and a combination of evaporated milk and regular milk instead of half and half. I love the idea of grated carrots to give the soup more color and nutrition. I couldn’t believe how fast it was to make too! It’s seriously the perfect soup.
Creamy Gnocchi Soup
Adapted from Pass the Sushi
1 tbsp olive oil
5 slices of turkey bacon, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
2 carrots, grated
1/4 cup flour
2 cans (5 oz) evaporated milk
2 cups 1% milk
1 can (14 oz) chicken broth
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 package (16 oz) gnocchi, cooked according to package directions
salt and pepper, to taste
Heat olive oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Add turkey bacon, celery, onion, and garlic. Cook until the vegetables are tender and the bacon has browned slightly. Add carrots. Sprinkle flour over top, then add evaporated milk and regular milk. Whisk together and bring to a boil until it thickens. Add broth, spinach, basil, gnocchi. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the spinach has wilted. Add a little water or more milk if it seems to thick.