December 1, 2016

Gnocchi and Winter Vegetables with Sage Cream Sauce

Hi Friends! I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving.

My Thanksgiving was fairly low key, but that’s just the way I like it. I had plenty of home cooked food. Some time with family and friends. A cold, foggy walk on the beach. And a crackling fire to warm my toes. Honestly, I couldn’t have asked for anything more.

After the Holiday, I took a much needed break from the blogging world to recharge my batteries. The days leading up to Thanksgiving were filled (overfilled, actually) with work projects and Holiday preparations. And I had some turbulent emotional ongoings as well (i.e. boy trouble) that was causing me some serious anxiety and heartache. By the time Thanksgiving was here, I was exhausted in every way imaginable. I could feel my rope starting to unravel from both ends. To be blunt: I was a hot mess.

So I needed to stop and slow down for a few days. Which admittedly, is a very hard thing for me to do. But it’s something that I’m working on trying to be better at. As my acupuncturist says, “it’s good you’re doing this stuff now, so that by the time you’re 50 you’ll have it figured out”.

Which is now my new life goal: get my shit together by the time I’m 50. Good thing I’ve got plenty of time until then to work on things.

In the meantime, I’m back with some comfort food. I actually don’t consider myself usually very good at making comfort food. It’s not really my thing. I’m more of a smoothie bowl and salad type of gal. But I think I nailed it this time with this cozy pot of Gnocchi and Winter Vegetables with Sage Cream Sauce.

I absolutely adore gnocchi and I need to remember cook with it more (I constantly seem to be forgetting about entire food groups). Homemade gnocchi is great – like soft, carbohydrate pillows of deliciousness. But store-bought versions are pretty good these days, and that’s what I’ve used in this recipe. The gnocchi cooks up in just a few minutes, which is a lifesaver on busy weeknights when you need dinner ASAP before you start mindlessly inhaling a whole box of Cheez-It crackers (not that I’ve ever done that). And when combined with some hearty roasted vegetables, like mushrooms, butternut squash and brussels sprouts, you’ve got a satisfying meal that’s perfect for the coldest of nights. I finished off this pot by myself in just two sittings, but you can stretch it to feed four people if you serve it with a salad and some toasty bread. And some wine, obviously.

I’m sharing this recipe as part of our monthly 30 Minute Thursday series, where you can find other great recipes (links below!) that are perfect for fast weeknight dinners. Or for times when you’re just so damn hangry that you might demolish a whole box of Cheez-It crackers by yourself. Just saying.

Cheers,

Liz

Get the Recipe:

Gnocchi and Winter Vegetables with Sage Cream Sauce

At a Glance:

Yield: About 4 servings

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Print

Ingredients

• 2 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash
• 1 1/2 cups brussels sprouts, halved
• 1 1/2 cups button mushrooms, quartered
• 1/2 red onion, peeled and sliced into wedges
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 tsp. salt, divided
• 3/4 tsp. black pepper, divided
• 1 lb package store-bought gnocchi
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, chopped
• 1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
• 3 ounces fresh mozzarella cheese, torn into pieces

Instructions

1. Pre-heat your oven to 425 degrees. In a large rimmed baking pan, toss together the butternut squash, brussels sprouts, mushrooms and sliced red onion with the olive oil and 1/2 tsp. each of the salt and black pepper. Transfer the baking pan to your pre-heated oven and roast the vegetables for 20 minutes, stirring once half way through the cooking time. Remove and set aside. Leave your oven set to 425 degrees.
2. While the vegetables are roasting, bring some water to a boil in an oven-proof pot. Add the gnocchi and cook it according to the package instructions. Drain and set aside.
3. Using the same pot you used to cook the gnocchi, combine and warm the cream, sage leaves, Parmesan cheese and the remaining 1/4 tsp. each of the salt and black pepper over medium heat until the sage smells fragrant, about 2 minutes. Don’t let the cream come to a boil. Add the cooked gnocchi, roasted vegetables and mozzarella cheese, stirring to combine. Then transfer the pot to your oven and cook for 5 minutes more.
4. Remove the pot from your oven and allow the gnocchi to rest for about 3-5 minutes before serving. Garnish with additional fresh sage leaves, if desired.
5. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in your refrigerator for 1-2 days.

Notes

If you don’t have an oven-proof pot, you can transfer everything to a baking dish before warming it in your oven.

30 Minute Thursday Recipes

Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup from Pumpkin ‘N Spice

Jamaican Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner from Sweet Peas & Saffron

Easy Falafel Soup with Tamari Croutons & Tahini from She Likes Food

Creamy Pesto Gnocchi with White Beans and Sausage from My Sequined Life

Creamy One Pot Turkey and Rice from Bake.Eat.Repeat.