Creamiest, dreamiest Gnocchi with Sausage and Butternut Squash puree

 This is the best way to eat squash...just ask my kids.  This dish is lick the plate clean-worthy, or at least scrape the plate clean with some crusty bread-worthy. We received tons of butternut squash from our CSA this fall, so this recipe has been on rotation.  Give it a try!

Creamiest, Dreamiest Gnocchi with Sausage and Butternut Squash

Ingredients

12 oz Italian sausage casings removed (I use 1 lb bulk Italian sausage from Aldi instead)

1 tablespoon olive oil

10 oz potato gnocchi

1 cup heavy cream

½ cup chicken broth

1 cup butternut squash puree

3 cloves garlic minced

2 tablespoons fresh sage chopped

2 tablespoons fresh thyme

salt and coarsely ground black pepper to taste

Instructions 

Remove sausage from casings and slice it.

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil on medium heat in a large, high-sided skillet.

Add sliced sausage (or bulk sausage) and cook on medium heat for about 4 minutes on one side, without turning, to get the sausage slices browned. Flip over to the other side and cook for 2 more minutes. (If using bulk sausage, simply cook until it is completely brown with no pink.)

To the same skillet with sausage, add uncooked potato gnocchi, heavy cream, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil on medium heat and stir everything well. Cover with lid, and allow the gnocchi to cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat, while the sauce boils.

To the same pan with gnocchi and sausage, add butternut squash puree, and minced garlic. Bring the sauce to a boil on medium heat, reduce to low-medium heat, stir everything well. Cook for about 3 or more minutes. Make sure the gnocchi are cooked through, the garlic is cooked to your liking, and the sauce thickens. Cook longer if you would like a thicker sauce. Remove from heat.

Stir in half of the fresh sage and half of the fresh thyme. Season with salt and freshly ground coarse black pepper and serve with crusty bread and a salad.

Tip: use your best judgment about the salt. If the sausage is salty enough, you might not need to add any extra salt.

When serving, top with the remaining half of the fresh sage and the remaining half of the fresh thyme.

Note:  You can use either pre-cut and cubed butternut squash or fresh, whole butternut squash.  For precut, follow the recipe on the bag to steam and use after it's cooked.  To roast whole butternut squash, cut in half lengthwise and remove seads.  Plase cut side up on a cookie tray and rub with some olive oil.  Roast at 375 for about 45 minutes or until you can easily pierce with a fork.