Chicken Toscana Soup

This is a comfort food soup for sure!  I prefer using "mini" gnocchi for this if you can find them, but large ones work great too.  It's summer...but hey I'm already craving the fall!

1 TBS olive oil                                                      

1 med onion

3 stalks celery, diced

3 carrots, diced                                                          

1 clove garlic, minced                                                     

6 TBS butter

6 TBS flour                                                           

1 c half and half

8 c chicken broth                                                  

3 c chopped, cooked chicken                                           

1 c chopped fresh tomato (about 2-3 romas)                    

1 c chopped fresh baby spinach

1 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese     

16 oz gnoochi

1 tsp salt

1 tsp Italian seasoning

½ tsp pepper

2-3 shakes of Turmeric (for color)

                                      

Sauté onion in oil until nicely cooked.  Add garlic, celery, carrots, and butter and cook on med until butter is melted.  Add flour to make a roux and cook 1 min, stirring constantly.  Add half and half and stir till well incorporated.  Slowly add in chicken broth.  Add rest of ingredients (except Parmesan cheese) and simmer. Just before serving, remove from heat and stir in Parmesan cheese.