Chicken Gnocchi Soup (a la Olive Garden)

1/3 c. olive oil or butter
2 cloves minced garlic
1 lb. chicken, cubed
1/3 c. flour
1/2 carrot shredded
1 stick celery, chopped
1/2 c. chopped fresh spinach
2 1/2 c. whole milk
1 1/2. cream
3 chicken bullion cubes
cracked pepper
1 pkg. Gnocchi (around 17 oz.)

Melt over medium heat in a soup pot. Add garlic and saute.  Add chicken and cook through.  Add flour and mix well until flour is cooked into the chicken.  Next add milk and cream.  Then add veggies.  Add three bullion cubes.  Add Gnocchi last.  It takes 3-4 minutes to cook through.  Mix well until soup thickens.  Cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

*Notes from the friend I got this recipe from (Sallie H.): This is one of those, friend of a friend recipes.  I've never tasted Olive Garden's version, so I don't know how it compares, but I think this is yummy.  It comes out really thick.  I've messed with it and thinned it out with chicken broth.  Still yummy, but the flavor isn't as strong.  I've subbed whatever milk I have for whole milk.  I've even replaced the cream with regular milk or chicken stock and it's still yummy.  I like to add more carrot and spinach, and more garlic too.  I tried it using frozen spinach this evening and it was fine.  It makes just enough to feed our family for 1 meal, so you may want to double it with your boys : )  If you've never bought gnocchi before, you find it in the pasta aisle of any grocery store.  There's usually not a big selection, one, maybe two brands, so it kind of hides.  If I were doubling the recipe, I probably wouldn't double the gnocchi.  There's a lot of them in the single recipe.  Enjoy!