As with so many things in life, I blame this one on my sister Carrie. She is just two years older than I am, and, growing up, was always the first to introduce me to the good things in life – things like coffee, candles, New Kids On The Block, fancy note folding, McDonald’s french fries, and…….gnocchi. Strange list, I know….but my love of all these things can clearly be traced back to her “big sister” influence on me. (To be clear, her influence on me extends far beyond this short list…also, for the record, I am no longer in love with NKOTB…..or fancy note folding, for that matter…..but I have to admit I am fascinated by the NKOTB reunion tour…!?)
Bacon Blue Cheese Gnocchi – Comfort food
Anyway, some things have stood the test of time…..namely (coffee) and GNOCCHI! You may wonder how, exactly, an older sister incites a love of gnocchi? Easy. She works at an Italian restaurant, and her younger sister (me) thinks it’s fun to visit her at work and order whatever she recommends! In this case, gnocchi with marinara sauce….aka the best thing my 14 year old lips had ever tasted!
It made such an impression on me that, for years, gnocchi was all I wanted at Italian restaurants. And, for years, I didn’t even bother to try it any other way! I actually had plans of making gnocchi with marinara sauce for my family this Valentine’s Day, but when Jorden offered to get takeout I couldn’t pass it up. And when I finally got around to making the gnocchi the other day, we had used the marinara sauce for something else! Time to get creative…..!
Bacon Blue Cheese Gnocchi – A twist on tradition
I started with a package of turkey bacon (hooray for having bacon on hand!) and knew I wanted to make a cheese sauce to go with it. I used a basic white sauce recipe and added blue cheese (although any kind of cheese would work.) It has a mild blue cheese flavor that can be adapted to your tastes. Then, since no meal is complete without at least one vegetable, I scoured our fridge (and freezer) to find just the right one. I saw the bag of sliced leeks in the freezer, had an aha! moment….and the rest is history 🙂
I ate two helpings for dinner that night and finished off the rest for lunch the next day. I couldn’t get enough of it! Was it the bacon? The gnocchi? The blue cheese? I can’t decide! What I can say, though, is it was delicious! I guess I know who I have to thank. 🙂
Bacon Blue Cheese Gnocchi Recipe
Bacon Blue Cheese Gnocchi
An easy weeknight meal with simple prep and a quick cook time.
Ingredients
- 2 18 oz. packages potato gnocchi Trader Joe's
- 1 12 oz. package turkey bacon
- 1 16 oz. bag frozen sliced leeks Trader Joe's
- Blue Cheese Sauce & extra blue cheese for serving optional
Blue Cheese Sauce
- 1 Tbsp. butter
- 1 Tbsp. flour
- Dash of pepper
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup blue cheese* - to taste
Instructions
-
In a small saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, pepper, and milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 minute more. Add cheese to cooked sauce.
Recipe Notes
(*not a blue cheese fan? Substitute 1/2-3/4 cup of your favorite cheese!) (Recipe Source for sauce: Better Homes & Gardens Cook Book)
My friend Allyson at Domestic Superhero has an amazing Bacon Mac and Cheese Gnocchi you need to try!
Diane | An Extraordinary Day says
My dear Italian friends talk about Gnocchi that grandma makes and that they have it at all their special gatherings. I’m hopeful that one day they will treat me with some. In the meantime, I just imagine how wonderful it must be. Maybe the ultimate comfort food?
I love your creativity with the meal. Sounds delicious.
Our Pinteresting Family says
Sounds so delicious. 🙂
Maria says
This sounds SO good!!!! I love gnocchi cooked in any way and with any sauce, and the blue cheese and bacon combination sounds so yummy! Thanks for sharing, I’ll have to give this gnocchi recipe a try! Sounds delicious!
Kathie SassyLittleLady says
Hello!
I just wanted to let you know that I nominated you for the Versatile Blogger Award! It is up today on my blog! Have a great day!
Kathie
http://www.sassylittlelady.com
Carrie @ My Favorite Finds says
Love gnocchi! Yours looks so great with the cheese and bacon. Thanks for sharing at MTM, and no worries-NKOTB reunion tour fascinates me, too!
Jessica @ Barefoot by the Sea says
How did I miss this? Anything blue cheese is a hit around here…your recipe looks amazing! I’ll be back!!
Crystelle Boutique says
Did you say blue cheese? I am soooo there!
This recipe looks amazing!
hugs x
Crystelle
Lizbeth McGow says
Hi Cathy! just stopping by to let you know that you’ve been nominated for a Liebster Award. Details on my blog. Congratulations!
http://justdipitinchocolate.blogspot.com/2013/02/ive-been-nominated.html
Mrs. Tucker says
Trader Joe’s? I’m in! Beautiful photos.
Accidentally Wonderful says
That looks amazing! Hubby and I both lvoe bleu cheese, so I’ll be trying this out for sure =)
mary_smith says
I love Gnocchi! It’s great stuff and you can dressing with just about anything. Bacon? Yes please!
http://maryshealthymeals.blogspot.com/
Rose :: Fine Craft Guild says
Hi Cathy!!!
Thank you for entering your wonderful recipes into our linky party this week! Your recipes look great. Therefore: did you read/see that I opened an EXTRA LINKY PARTY **** JUST FOR YOU/OTHER CHEFS??!!!! How great is that?! I thought that you would love it but I see that you put your recipes again amid all those crafty things. That’s no good. Better if they stand out! The RECIPES party is BELOW the regular party. Eventually, all recipes will be removed from the regular party. So, be sure to link them up at the RECIPES party, okay?!!
Have a wonderful day! ~ Rose
Becca @ Crumbs and Chaos says
This looks fabulous!! Bacon and blue cheese?! What an amazing combo!
Tiffany@Vintagemarigold says
Yum! I want to try this. I have actually never had Gnocchi! I think I need to start trying new things!
Tiffany
Katie B. of HousewifeHowTos.com says
Gnocchi? Good! Bacon? Good! Cheese? GOOOOOOOOOD!!!!! Oh, this recipe looks like a triple winner. I’m going to make it using Gruyere, I think. Yum!
If you haven’t already, I’d love if you’d come join my How To Tuesday link party, too.
http://housewifehowtos.com/link-party-2/how-to-tuesday-link-party-10/
Linda Bouffard says
Nice. I’ve never had this but it does look tasty. Thanks for sharing. Linda
Sarah says
What?! Is this real? It’s like a dream sequence meal…gnocchi…bacon…blue cheese…holy moly. Shopping list made. I’m so glad to have found your lovely blog. You have a new fan (and follower!).
Deborah says
I adore blue cheese and I adore gnocchi -this is a dream meal!!
Ruthie Armstrong says
Gnocchi is one of my very favorites!! I’m so glad you came to share at Super Saturday Show & Tell… come back again next week to party with me again 🙂 xoxo~ Ruthie
Shauna {The Best Blog Recipes} says
I’ve never tried Gnocchi and now I think I definitely have to try it! Loved your cute story about your sister too!
Thanks for sharing @The Weekend re-Treat!
Diana - FreeStyleMama says
YUMMY!!
Sinea Pies says
Oh, yum! Every ingredient is one of my favorites. Great photos, too.
Thanks for sharing.
Sinea from Ducks ‘n a Row