Sage Brown Butter Skillet Dinner

This is a sponsored post by Challenge butter, but the text and opinions are all mine. Thank you for supporting brands that make Kylee's Kitchen possible!

We all know life is busy. Our obligations haven’t stopped just because more people are staying home. And some people are busier than ever as parents juggle school at home and work under one roof. That’s why it’s good to have a couple one-skillet recipes in your repertoire for weeknight dinners.

As I was writing this recipe, I realized there’s a lot of flexibility in it. You can substitute pretty much every ingredient with what you have on hand—except for the sage brown butter. That’s the “it factor” in this recipe. And all you need for that is fresh sage (not dried) and good quality butter. I only use Challenge butter because it’s made from real cream from cows not treated with growth hormones.

But other than those two ingredients, feel free to substitute away!

Any cruciferous vegetable will work. You could use broccoli or cauliflower instead of Brussels sprouts. Personally, I love the caramelized sear Brussels sprouts get in the pan, but I understand they’re not everyone’s cup of tea. As for the gnocchi, I am the biggest fan of Trader Joe’s cauliflower gnocchi, so that’s what I use. I always keep it stocked in my freezer. And it’s gluten free if that’s something you’re concerned about. But use any gnocchi you like, or don’t add it at all. But if I have the option to add gnocchi in a dish, you better believe I’m adding it. Last is the chicken sausage—it’s something I started buying on a regular basis a few years ago, and I actually prefer the taste to pork sausage. I buy it at Fresh Thyme or Trader Joe’s. It’s relatively inexpensive, and it’s quite a bit healthier than pork sausage. But if you prefer pork, please go that route. Or serve this recipe without meat for a “meatless Monday” option.

Sage Brown Butter Skillet Dinner

Ingredients

• 12 ounces chicken sausage, sliced in 1/2-inch coins
• 1/2 pound Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
• 1 shallot, diced
• 12 ounces gnocchi (can use cauliflower gnocchi)
• 8 Tablespoons (1 stick) Challenge butter
• 1/4 cup sage leaves, chopped
• 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• Salt, to taste
• Black pepper, to taste
• Shaved parmesan cheese for topping, if desired

Directions

1. Add chicken sausage to large skillet and cook over medium-high heat undisturbed until one side is brown, or about 3 minutes. Stir and cook 2 more minutes and move to a large bowl.
2. Add Brussels sprouts and shallot to skillet and cook undisturbed until one side of Brussels sprouts is browned, about 3 minutes. Stir and cook 2 more minutes and add to bowl with sausage.
3. Add gnocchi to skillet and cook undisturbed for about 3 minutes. Stir and cook another 3 minutes. Move to bowl.
4. Wipe skillet clean if necessary.
5. Add the butter to the skillet. Once it has completely melted, add the sage leaves. Stir periodically for about 3 minutes, or until the butter turns a light brown color.
6. Remove the skillet from the head and pour the sage brown butter over the bowl with the chicken sausage, Brussels sprouts, and gnocchi. Mix to coat everything in the sage brown butter and return to the skillet to reheat.
7. Stir in the balsamic vinegar, season with salt and pepper, and sprinkle parmesan cheese on top before serving. 

Recipe adapted from NYT Cooking