Comfort Food & Good Conversation

Who doesn't like comfort food? Everyone has that go to meal that makes the world seem like a better place.  Recently, my best friend was having a bad week month.  We had planned to go out and celebrate our birthdays when she asked if we could just hang out at home and talk.  I said no problem, I'll cook dinner. I didn't care if we went out or stayed in.  I thought long and hard at what I would make for dinner that would be comforting.  Then it came to me... Chicken Gnocchi.  She loved it!  She even went home and made it the next day for her family.  So if your in need of some comfort food I have the recipe for you.

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

Time: 30-40 minutes total Yield: 12 servings Recipe adapted from Freida Loves Bread and Allrecipes 1 medium onion, chopped 2 large carrots, peeled and grated 4 stalks celery, chopped 6 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped 2-3 T olive oil 1 Rotisserie Chicken + 1 C reserved broth from the bottom of the chicken container 7 C water 8 chicken bullion cubes 1 (16 ounce) package Potato Gnocchi 4 C half and half 1 1/2 C spinach, chopped 1 t thyme 1/8 t nutmeg 1 T sugar 1/4 C cold water 5 T cornstarch salt and pepper 2 T butter 1. Get your onion and garlic peeled and chopped, your carrots peeled and grated and your celery chopped. 2. Heat a large pot up over medium high heat. Pour 2-3 tablespoons of Olive Oil into it. 3. When the oil is hot toss your chopped veggies into the pan. Cook them over medium high heat, stirring occasionally for about 5-8 minutes or until the onions are translucent. 4. Take the lovely rotisserie chicken out of the package and set it on a plate. 5. Pour the broth that is left in the bottom of the chicken package into a large measuring cup. You should have about 1 cup of broth from the pan. 6. Pull the skin off of the chicken, and take the meat off of the bones. Chop it up with a sharp knife. 7. When your veggies are done cooking pour the broth from the chicken and 7 cups of hot water into the pot. Add 8 chicken bullion cubes and give it a nice stir. 8. Add the chopped chicken and bring the soup to a boil. 9. Open up the package of Gnocchi and pour it into the pot. Let the soup come to a boil again and allow the gnocchi to cook for about 3-4 minutes. The gnocchi will be cooked through when they float to the top of the broth. It should happen pretty fast. 10. Chop yourself about 1 1/2 cups of spinach and toss it into the pot. 11. Pour in 4 cups of Half and Half, 1 teaspoon dried thyme, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, 1 tablespoon sugar and 2 tablespoons of butter. Stir it around a bit and let it come to a boil. 12. In a small bowl combine 1/4 C cold water and 5 tablespoons of cornstarch. Mix it well and pour it into the soup pot. 13. Bring the soup to a boil, while you stir. It will thicken as the soup reaches a boil. 14. Taste it and season it to your liking with salt and pepper.