G and I have a ritual of watching Everyday Italian and Barefoot Contessa every Sunday on Food Network. One of two things usually happens: Ina Garten inspires us to spend the afternoon drinking champagne and fantasizing about her house in the Hamptons, or Giada makes us cook (or want to cook) someting rich and indulgent. This past Sunday Giada was the winner: she sent us scurrying around the neighborhood for ingredients to make Gnocchi with Butter Thyme Sauce. Our stops included: Fratelli for the gnocchi, Mastellone Italian deli for the romano and bread, Park Natural Food for the thyme, and Scotto's for some Chianti. As much as I love grocery mega-plexes like Hannaford, I love being able to stroll around the neighborhood and pick up fresh ingredients and different specialty stores.

Anyway, this is probably the easiest, most delicious, most fattening dish I've eaten in a long time. You will not be disappointed. Save some time and buy the gnocchi already made. All you have to do then is melt some butter, sprinkle fresh time leaves in it and stir it around for a little while. I'm still salivating at the thought...

Hot Lunch Bookshelf: Recipes from a Very Small Island by Linda Greenlaw and Martha Greenlaw.