Gnocchi with Chicken Meatballs and Roasted Parmesan Eggplant

Homemade gnocchi with chicken meatballs! 

See my homemade gnocchi here. Gnocchi is a potato dumpling. I love them! I make big batches of them and freeze them. They freeze perfectly. Just throw them in the boiling water frozen.

Chicken Meatballs

• 1 pound chicken (I buy mine at Homestead Farms)
• 1 tbsp seasoning (I use this mix. Thyme, garlic, onion, paprika, and more. Love this mix.)
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• About 10 basil leaves, chopped

Hand mix. Form meatballs. Place on a cookie sheet (I lined mine with foil tonight for easy clean up, not necessary). Bake at 400 for about 12 minutes.

Tomato Cream Sauce

• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 - 28 oz can crushed tomatoes
• 1 - 8 oz can tomato paste
• about 20 basil leaves, chopped
• salt & pepper 

Saute the onion and garlic in about 2 tbsp olive oil for about 5 minutes on med-high.

Add the tomato paste and saute for about 5 minutes. I always do this with the tomato paste in a sauce, let it simmer in the oil. It's a trick I learned from my Italian mother-in-law.

Add the crushed tomatoes and about half a can of water.

A pinch of salt and pepper.

Basil.

Half a pint of cream (this is from Earthwise, low-temp pasteurized)

Add the meatballs. Turn down to low and let simmer while you cook the gnocchi.

These are frozen. See me make them here. Drop them in boiling water. Don't overcrowd them, just 1 layer at a time (about 20). They are done when they rise to the top. Scoop them out with a slotted spoon and add them to the sauce. Let simmer on low while you make the eggplant.

Slice the eggplant. Mince 2 garlic cloves. Chop about 5 basil leaves.

Mix the eggplant, about 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese, garlic, basil, about 1 tbsp olive oil, and a pinch of salt and pepper in a bowl. Spread on a cookie sheet. Roast at 400 for about 15 minutes.

The Moose loves gnocchi! Well, really, I think he loves pasta sauce.