Spinach Artichoke Gnocchi |Cooking With Amanda

The holidays are over, 2015 has officially started, and the Super Bowl is over too! It seems like things should start slowing down a little. But they aren't; life is just as busy as ever. School, work, sports, practices, homework and more seem to keep us busy every day of the week.

Let's talk about the homework. My son is in 4th grade. He has a reasonable amount of homework each night, certain days he has a lot, other days not as much. But what is it about kids and homework? He cannot seem to remember that yesterday he only had 5 minutes' worth of work, and got to play pretty much all night. So the fact that he has 45 minutes tonight isn't that bad. And if he would spend less time complaining about it, he would be done already!

Anyway. Busy weeknights mean that I need to have quick dinner recipes in my arsenal, so I am ready. Recipes like Swedish meatballs, my sausage pasta skillet, this Mexican rice skillet, and this creamy spinach artichoke gnocchi are perfect.

This just happens to be vegetarian, but you could easily add chicken to bulk it up for your family. You can also make it ahead and have it in the freezer ready for you when life gets extra crazy.

Spinach and artichoke dip is a classic, and one of my family's favorites. It is rare that we actually make the dip, so I thought why not turn it into a dinner that we can enjoy more often?

I used fresh spinach because that is what I had on hand, but frozen would work equally well. Along with jarred artichoke hearts, and a package of gnocchi, you have just a few staple ingredients to keep on hand, so you can make this spinach and artichoke gnocchi any night of the week.

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Spinach Artichoke Gnocchi Recipe

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Ingredients

2 16 ounce packages potato gnocchi
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 1/2 cups milk
4 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 jar artichoke hearts, chopped
1 1/2 cups spinach, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly ground
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

Directions

Cook gnocchi according to the package directions.
In a large skillet heat 2 Tablespoon olive oil over medium high heat. Add onion, and sauté for a couple minutes, until soft. Add garlic, and cook until fragrant.
Mix in flour, and cook until lightly golden. Slowly whisk in milk. Bring to a boil, and allow to thicken slightly.
Add cream cheese and Parmesan cheese. Stir until cheese is completely melted. Add artichoke hearts, spinach, salt, pepper, nutmeg and artichoke hearts. Mix and cook until spinach is starting to wilt.
Add cooked gnocchi, and stir to evenly coat.
Serve immediately. Top with additional Parmesan cheese if desired.

Notes

To make ahead, undercook the gnocchi by 2 minutes. Follow the remaining directions. Pour into a casserole dish, cover and freeze. To reheat place in 350 degree oven and bake for 30-45 minutes until bubbly and hot.