A few weeks ago, Julia and I were sitting in the Orlando Airport, waiting for our flight back to St. Louis. I pulled out a piece of scrap paper and started meal-planning for the week. I glanced next to me to find my sister was doing the same thing! I immediately started quizzing her, desperately trying to glean inspiration from her. I'd gone more than a week without cooking, thanks to my trip to San Diego right before Orlando, and was need of a little boost to get me back into the mindset of eating something other than restaurant food.
This recipe ended up not coming from Julia, as anyone who knows her would immediately realize. Potatoes are off limits for the crazy girl, which means gnocchi is a no-go in their house. It's a shame, because I think she would've loved this otherwise! Though I've made gnocchi from scratch before, this was all about easing back into the kitchen and store bought worked just fine! With only a handful of ingredients, this dinner is simple to throw together and the flavors shine on their own, especially the brown butter which has a magical way of transforming any dish its in!

One Year Ago: Goat Cheese, Apple, and Lentil Salad
Two Years Ago: Spinach and Apple Salad with Crispy Almonds
Three Years Ago: Kahlua Brie Appetizer

Gnocchi with Zucchini Ribbons and Parsley Brown Butter
from Eating Well Magazine

Ingredients:
-1 pound fresh or frozen gnocchi
-2 tbsp butter
-2 medium shallots, chopped
-1 pound zucchini, very thinly sliced lengthwise
-1 pint cherry tomatoes
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
-freshly ground pepper, to taste
-1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
-1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions:
1. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Cook gnocchi until they float, about 3-5 minutes or according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
2. Meanwhile, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook for 2 minutes, or just until butter begins to brown. Add the shallots and zucchini and cook, stirring often, for 2-3 minutes or until softened. Add tomatoes, salt, nutmeg, and pepper and continue to cook, stirring often, just until tomatoes begin to break down (1-2 minutes).
3. Stir in parsley and parmesan. Add the gnocchi and toss to coat evenly. Serve immediately.