hearty for the party: creamy pesto gnocchi with green beans and ricotta

earlier this week, big ken wanted to have brother and me over for dinner. naturally, i offered to whip something up. but let me tell you - feeding these boys is no easy task. they are both famously picky and usually won't go near anything that resembles a vegetable or is green. the dinner turned out to be a success with both men going back for seconds. the recipe couldn't be simpler and is a perfect one to keep in your repertoire for those busy nights. if you are thinking about leaving out the ricotta - don't do it.  it really helped to break down the richness of the creamy pesto and added a new layer of flavor. you can also switch up the green beans for any vegetable you like - spinach, peas, zucchini.

ingredients:

source: real simple
1 pound fresh gnocchi
2 cups pound green beans, cut into 1-inch pieces
8-ounce container store-bought pesto
1/4 cup light cream
1/4 cup part-skim ricotta
s&p

directions:
cook the gnocchi according to the package directions. drain and return them to the pot. meanwhile, bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and add 1 tablespoon salt. add the green beans and cook until tender, 3 to 4 minutes; drain. add the pesto and cream to the gnocchi and cook over medium heat, stirring, just until heated through, 2 to 3 minutes. divide among bowls and top with the green beans, ricotta, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. serve with a light caesar salad to finish the meal off.

side note: the battery in my camera died this week and, of course, the charger is no where to be found.  this week, i'll have to post the original images of the recipes, not my own re-creations. i apologize for anyone who has fallen hard for my photography skills. ha.

(photo credit - realsimple.com)