Creamy Pumpkin Gnocchi with Spinach and Sausage

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil
12 oz Italian sausage links (casings removed) I used 3 sausage links
10 oz potato gnocchi
1 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup chicken broth
1 cup pumpkin puree
3 cloves garlic minced
4 oz fresh spinach
2 tablespoons fresh sage chopped
2 tablespoons fresh thyme
salt and coarsely ground black pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed, and high-sided skillet over medium heat. Remove sausage from the casings and slice it.
Add the sliced sausage to the skillet and cook on medium heat for about 4 minutes on one side, without turning, to get the sausage slices browned. Flip over to the other side and cook for 2 more minutes. Drain fat and all liquid.
To the same skillet with seared sausage, add uncooked potato gnocchi, heavy cream, and chicken stock. Bring to a boil on medium heat and stir everything well. Cover with the lid, and allow the gnocchi to cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat, while the sauce boils.
To the same pan with gnocchi and sausage, add pumpkin puree, and minced garlic. Stir. Add spinach. Bring the sauce to a boil on medium heat, reduce to low-medium heat, and stir everything well. Cook for about 3 or more minutes, until spinach wilts. Make sure the gnocchi are cooked through, the garlic is cooked to your liking, and the sauce thickens. Cook longer if you would like a thicker sauce. Remove from heat.
Stir in half of the fresh sage and half of the fresh thyme. Season with salt and freshly ground coarse black pepper.

Tip: use your best judgment about the salt. If the sausage is salty enough, you might not need to add any extra salt.
When serving, top with the remaining half of the fresh sage and the remaining half of the fresh thyme.

I await your comments! Enjoy!