Jen's Creamy Italian Gnocchi Soup

"I am so excited to share my new creation with you.  It's been a while since I came up with an original recipe.  This idea came about when I made a soup a few weeks ago that I wish was tomatoey so to the leftovers I added a cream sauce and spaghetti sauce, which made it perfect.  I racked my brain for  yummy  ingredients, and thought it'd be fun to try gnocchi in it."

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb ground sirlion
1 lb ground Italian sausage
1 T. olive oil
3 T. butter
1 1/2 c. raw carrots, diced
1 c. sweet onions, diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 1/2 T. garlic, minced

2 medium zucchini, diced (peeled or not)
3 c. beef stock
1 c. white wine
2 T. balsamic vinegar
3 - 28 oz. cans tomato sauce
28 oz. can diced tomatoes (not drained)
6 oz. tomato paste
3 c. water
1 T. basil
1 T. oregano
salt and pepper to taste
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2 lbs cheese-filled gnocchi, cooked according to package directions
2 c. half and half
1 c. grated parmesan cheese

DIRECTIONS:

In large frying pan over medium-high heat, cook beef and pork until browned, drain grease.  Meanwhile in large stock pot over medium heat melt butter and add olive oil, carrots, onions, celery and garlic.  Saute until carrots are soft.  To  pot mix in next 11 ingredients and cooked meat.  Simmer soup over medium heat for 30 minutes.  Mix in cooked gnocchi and garnish with shredded Italian blend cheese sprinkled over top.

*NOTE:  This recipe made about 16-20 servings, so to make a standard large pot to serve 6-8 I would half the recipe.