Its that time of the season again. There are certain food and drinks that scream, “Its Autumn!” Hot apple cider. Pumpkin spice anything. And butternut squash. I absolutely love butternut squash. I will be working on a butternut squash soup in the upcoming weeks but soup is my aichilles heel. I’ve only mastered a few stews in my life and for whatever reason I have this huge block when it comes to creating soups. Too bland, too salty, too watered down - you name it - I’ve messed it up. But I digress…

All you need is a baking sheet and large pan to make this recipe. If you have awesome knife skills you can cook this whole meal in 20 minutes. But if you’re like me and your cutlery skills are mediocre at best this dinner is ready in about 30 minutes which is still really great!

Cooking gnocchi in a pan is not the norm. At least not for us regular folk;) Usually you drop gnocchi in a boiling pot of water, reduce it to a simmer and call it a day. But by cooking them in a pan you are able to give the gnocchi a slightly golden crust and keep the inside warm and chewy. Yum!

The aromas from this recipe will fill your home with such intensity it will be hard not to start eating it even as it cooks. Rich buttery garlic and hints of lemon are a divine combination that will melt in your mouth. This recipe keeps its flavor as leftovers, too! My family reheated this for lunch for the following two days and it tasted amazing. Go ahead, try it!

Ingredients:

• 1 pound brussels sprouts

• 1 pound cubed butternut squash

• 1 package (18 ounces) refrigerated potato gnocchi

• 1 large garlic clove; minced

• 1 lemon; zested

• Extra-virgin olive oil

• Kosher salt and black pepper

• ½ teaspoon red-pepper flakes

• 2 TBSP butter

• ½ teaspoon honey

• Shredded Parmesan, for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Set rack on top position.

2. Trim and halve the brussels sprouts. Zest the lemon using a grater.

3. In a large bowl combine the brussels sprouts, butternut squash, lemon zest , red pepper flakes and minced garlic. Next, spread the vegetables out on a baking sheet. Drizzle olive oil all over and season with kosher salt. Bake on top rack until brussels sprouts begin to char; approximately 15 -20 minutes.

4. Next, in a large deep pan, heat 1 tablespoons butter over medium-high heat. Break up any gnocchi that may be stuck together and add them to the buttered pan. Cover the pan and cook until golden on one side (about 2-4 minutes). Add another tablespoon of butter and add the honey. Then, season with salt and pepper and continue to cook, stirring until gnocchi is golden all around.

5. Remove brussels sprouts and butternut squash from the oven and carefully add it to the gnocchi pan. Be careful not to burn yourself! Gently mix ingredients all together. Divide evenly among plates and top with shredded parmesan cheese. Enjoy!