Loaded Baked Potato Gnocchi

Gnocchi is one of those things I never ate as a child but grabbed once at the grocery store to try. It wasn't love at first taste, but it intrigued me enough to make it in my cart a few times. I think I will now have a package in my cupboard specifically for this recipe from Two Peas & Their Pod. I think I loved this much more than my husband, so it's more of a comfort meal for me when he's away or possibly a new side dish for a holiday meal. The addition of the garlic makes this a perfectly delicious comfort meal ... that would be stellar as a mac and cheese as well.

Loaded Baked Potato Gnocchi
1 lb. package potato gnocchi
2 Tbsp. butter
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 Tbsp. flour
1 cup milk
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese, divided (I used mostly Colby with a bit of a stronger cheese)
Salt and black pepper, to taste
2 green onions, chopped
3 strips cooked bacon, chopped

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Spray a 9" x 9" baking dish with nonstick spray. Set aside. Boil a pot of water, and cook gnocchi according to package instructions. Drain, and arrange in a single layer at the bottom of the prepared dish.

In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in garlic, and cook until lightly golden, about 1 minute. Whisk in flour until mixture thickens. Add the milk, and whisk until the sauce thickens, about 3 minutes. Whisk in 1 cup of the cheese. Whisk until smooth. Remove from heat, and stir in the sour cream. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Pour sauce over gnocchi. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, green onions and bacon. (Note: I prepped the recipe to this point, refrigerated it all day while I was at work and baked it when I came home.)

Bake for 25 minutes, or until bubbly and cheese is melted. Remove from oven, and let stand 5 minutes. Serve warm. Makes 4-6 servings.