One-Skillet Meals

These one-skillet meals are both easy and dirty relatively few dishes... always a plus.  They both make about 3 or 4 servings, but they are both good reheated, so you can make them at the beginning of the week and get a few dinners out of them. 

Creamy Butternut Squash & Spinach Gnocchi

adaptation of this recipe

Ingredients

2 – 3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2-inch pieces (hint:  use a y-peeler to easily peel the squash! you can wrap leftover squash in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 5 days)

1 small onion, diced

1 teaspoon crushed garlic

salt and pepper

1 to 2 cups chicken broth

1/3 cup heavy cream

5 cups baby spinach, stems removed

1 (16 oz) package potato gnocchi (you can buy these dry & vacuum-packed in the Italian section of Schnucks or at any of the Italian grocery stores on the Hill)

2 tablespoons fresh sage or basil, rough chopped (optional)

1 cup fresh Parmesan cheese, grated

Instructions

1. Add oil to a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat (I used my cast-iron skillet).  Add squash and onion & cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly soft and golden, 8-10 minutes. Add the garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and a few shakes of black pepper; cook until garlic is fragrant, about 2 more minutes.
2. Preheat the broiler. In the meantime, add 1 cup of the chicken broth and heavy cream to the skillet. When it starts to simmer, stir in the gnocchi, adding more chicken broth if needed so the gnocchi has enough liquid to cook in. Pile the spinach leaves on top and slowly stir them in as they wilt.  Cook until the gnocchi are just tender, about 5 minutes.  Stir in 1/4 cup Parmesan and the herbs.
3. Sprinkle the remaining 3/4 cup Parmesan over top; transfer to the broiler and cook until golden and bubbly, about 3 minutes.

Chicken, Kale, & Chickpea Skillet

adaptation of this recipe

Ingredients

salt & pepper

1.75 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

1 teaspoon Urzi's Bread Dipping Spice (Plug for my favorite grocery store.  It's definitely worth the trip to have this on hand for adding to any Italian dish... Alternatively, just use your favorite Italian Seasoning)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 cup whole wheat pasta, preferably a smaller noodle

1/2 sweet onion, chopped

1 bunch of kale, torn from stems and coarsely chopped

12 ounces of baby portobello mushrooms, quartered

3 garlic cloves, minced

1/3 cup dry white wine

1 (15 ounce) can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed

1 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and all 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Season chicken on both sides with salt and pepper, then place in the skillet and cook on both sides until golden brown and cooked through – about 6-7 minutes per side.
2. While the chicken is cooking, prepare the water to boil for your pasta, and cook according to directions.
3. Once chicken has cooked, reduce heat to medium-low, remove chicken and place on a plate.  To the skillet, add onion with a pinch of salt, followed by kale and mushrooms. Saute for 5-6 minutes, until soft. Add in garlic & seasoning and cook for another minute. Increase heat slightly and add white wine, letting it cook and bubble for 3-4 minutes while the alcohol cooks out. Add in chickpeas and pasta, then stir in Parmesan cheese until everything is combined. Immediately place chicken back on top of the ingredients in the skillet and cover for a few minutes to heat through. Taste and season more if desired.  Serve immediately!

Also, if you didn't get enough Halloween candy yesterday, these chocolate-covered coconut balls are really good & really easy!