A suggestion regarding the dessert portion of your question:

Star anise ice cream is fantastic. My favorite one had sesame seeds in it and the contrasting texture was brilliant. Ginger would then be a good complimentary spice to use in the cookie. Maybe not the standard ginger and molasses cookie, though - what about a ginger-spiced shortbread? Something very simple like that to highlight the ginger as it interacts with the great anise flavor of the ice cream.

Mrs. Larkin - love the menu. When's dinner?

I'd go for a sauteed spinach. Toss the washed (and still wet) spinach in a pot on medium and cover. Stir it a few times until it wilts, then saute in a hot pan with some alive oil and finish with lemon juice.

Gnocchi are heavy, I'd do a desert that's light on the cream. Maybe a fruit tart?

Sounds very autumnal! I'd do veal (or chicken) saltimbocca. A shaved raw Brussels sprouts salad w pecans, bacon, cranberries dressed w maple vinnaigrette. Dessert: pumpkin ice cream and clove cookies.

An acidic salad, like a simple balsamic vinegar and EVOO. Greens should be light, maybe escarole, ie bitter greens.

Pears poached in red wine make an excellent dessert after gnocchi, especially when the gnocchi are made with butternut squash instead of potatoes.

Nothing but a simple salad.
The gnocchi is heavy and the buttery crisp sage will be a meal in itself!
We love this meal.

Veal.

pair it with a finely shredded cabbage salad + pecans + apple + blue cheese?

Thanks! Any thoughts on dessert? I was thinking of a homemade ice cream with a simple cookie of some sort (maybe some spice in one or the other?)

A slightly sweet vegetable -- perhaps glazed carrots, or butternut squash -- and a green salad with a nice tart viniagrette.