Golden Chicken and Gnocchi Soup

For the gnocchi:

1. Place a large pot of water on the stove to boil.

2. Place potato flakes in the bowl of a mixer. Pour in boiling water and stir until blended. Let cool for 10 minutes.

3. Stir in egg, salt, and pepper. Stir in the flour, about 1/2 cup at a time. The dough should be fairly stiff.

4. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece into a long rope 1/2″ in diameter. With a knife, cut into 1/4″ pieces.

5. Drop the gnocchi into the boiling water, a few at a time. Stir gently after a minute to be sure they don’t stick to the bottom of the pot. As the gnocchi rise to the top of the pot, remove from the pot and drain. Let cool on a greased cookie sheet. Repeat until all are cooked.

For the soup:

1. In a large heavy-bottomed pot, melt the butter and heat the oil over medium heat. Add mushrooms, celery, and carrots. Cook, stirring often, until vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another minute.

2. Sprinkle flour over the vegetables and stir to coat. Slowly stir in the chicken stock, scraping the bottom of the pan to release any cooked on bits. Finish pouring in the chicken stock and water. Add bouillon cubes. Cook until bubbling and slighty thickened, another 10 to 15 minutes.

3. Stir in the chicken, gnocchi and spinach. Heat until warm, about 5 minutes.

4. Remove from heat and stir in the half-and-half. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve with fresh crusty bread!