Sunday, February 27, 2011

Penne with Spinach Sauce & #4: Message in a Bottle...better late than never!

 Don't you worry, there'll be no excuses coming from me about why I stopped my countdown to Valentine's Day.  Only because I didn't stop it - I just took a little hiatus.  Still been cooking, and watching some of my fave romantic comedies, so I'm gonna finish this thing even if it takes me 'til summer.  My fingers are crossed that it won't!  Better late than never, right?  I don't believe that saying is applicable in every situation, but this is my blog, and I say it fits perfectly here.

Actually, this recipe is one you should be glad I didn't share until after the lover's holiday.  Its mighty tasty, but it'll leave your breath wreaking of garlic for days!  At least ours did.  But after nearly five years of wedded bliss, you don't really let the breath thing get in your way anymore.  Which is exactly why I chose the honorable mention that I did for today.  This pasta really is delicious, and mighty healthy, so enjoy it with whomever will tolerate your breath after.  That's how you know its true love.


Penne with Spinach Sauce
From Giada De Laurentis via foodnetwork.com






Ingredients

1 pound whole wheat or multi grain penne
3 garlic cloves
2 ounces goat cheese
1 ounce reduced fat cream cheese
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
6 ounces fresh baby spinach leaves
2 Tbsp freshly grated Parmesan


Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Add the penne and cook until its tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 12 minutes.

Mince the garlic in a food processor.  Add the goat cheese, cream cheese, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and half of the spinach leaves.  Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy.  Set the cheese and spinach mixture aside.

Meanwhile, place the remaining spinach leaves in a large bowl.

Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.  Spoon the pasta atop the spinach leaves in the bowl.  Scrape the cheese and spinach mixture over the pasta mixture and toss to coat, adding enough reserved cooking liquid to moisten.  Season the pasta, to taste, with salt and pepper.  Sprinkle Parmesan over and serve.


#4: Message in a Bottle



There was no way I could leave a Nicholas Sparks selection off my list, so I'm sharing with you the most recent of my discoveries/favorites. I'm quite the fanatic of all things Nicholas Sparks (see this post on my personal blog to see just how serious I am), which makes it a joke that I just saw Message in a Bottle for the first time a couple of months ago.  I loved it, although I was a wreck by the end (romantic and emotionally draining, just like every other movie based on one of his novels).  But so worth it!  Kind of like the pasta, kids!  If you haven't seen it, you must.  Its on Instant Play if you've got Netflix (how is it possible for technology to be a godsend and life-ruiner at the same time?  I could seriously watch Netflix for days at a time!).

The Honorable Mention for the night is Couple's Retreat.  Its funny because its true.

1 comment:

Rachel Jenkins said...

This looks delicious! I will for sure be making some of it soon! Maybe with a little less garlic though. :)

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