Sausage and Cheese Gnocchi

Today, because it’s unreasonably cold, wet and rainy. 

 I decided I needed a hearty “warm your bones up” meal.  So I made Gnocchi &Cheese with sausage and peppers.  If that doesn’t make you think of fall type meal, well then please show me what a fall type meal is.. because I want one. Seriously. 

So Our star players this time are:
Butter ( you’ll need LOTS of it)
2 TBS so sauté peppers, and gnocchi .
3-4 Tbs for white sauce

Bell peppers, or what ever peppers you’d like- diced.
1 Johnsonville smoked sausage link, cut into ½ inch rounds.

¼ - ½ cup of milk depending on how ‘saucy’ you like your sauce
1-2 tbs of AP Flour

1 cup of grated cheese of your choice
Note: I also added velveeta, I didn’t realize we were low on grated cheese so I cheated a bit. Forgive me? 

First Boil the Gnocchi in salted water for about 5 minutes, or until they float. 

While the gnocchi is boiling, cut up the smoked sausage and brown on both sides in a heated skillet.  If you purchase the Johnsonville sausage link, you don’t necessarily need to brown it, as it is already cooked. But My preference is that my sausage be a little on the crispy side.   

Once the gnocchi is floating, strain it and let it cool.

While the gnocchi is cooling, pour the smoked sausage into the pot that had the gnocchi boiling in it and set it aside.   Don't be like me and get distracted by my amazingly handsome husband coming home and end up burning the sausage on one side.  There's no escaping this one by calling it flavor, those piggy's are straight up blackened to a crisp.  When I said I liked em crispy, I didn't mean extra crispy with a side of ash.  Don't be like me. 

Add 2 tbs of butter to the heated skillet and let it melt, once the butter is melted add the diced peppers and the cooled gnocchi.   Sauté until  the gnocchi starts to get color and the peppers are cooked.   

Add the peppers and gnocchi to the pot with the sausage and set aside. 

Then turn the heat on the skillet down to just above a simmer, and add 3-4 tbs of butter and let it melt, once the butter has melted add 1-2 tbs of flour and stir it all together until it makes a paste.

Gradually add the milk until you get a watery gravy, this is the base for your cheese sauce.  

Add in your grated cheese, I think 1 cup would do. I only had ¼ of a cup at the time, so I added about a 2 inch slice off the block of velveeta.   So I cheated a little in making a cheese sauce.  Don’t judge.  

Stir almost constantly until the cheese is combined with the base and it has thickened up.  Think semi-soupy gravy. At least that’s my preferred consistency.  Then add what ever spices you please to the sauce, I chose garlic powder and a hint of cayenne. 

Pour sauce over the gnocchi mixture and toss to coat.  

Divvy it up and fall in love.    No need to thank me.