Saturday, February 2, 2008

Pasta w spinach and mushrooms in white sauce


small acrylic landscape 12x12 2006

Here is my routine. I usually leave the studio between 4 and 5 PM and walk across the breeze way to the kitchen where I pour myself a glass of wine and sit with some reading material in our Kitchen-dining room. Around 5:30 I begin to get restless and think about dinner. This past Tuesday I rummaged through the refrigerator and freezer to see what was available and after much thoughtful deliberation decided on....oh, I don’t know...how about some PASTA!?

INGREDIENTS:
small formed pasta-penne, fusilli, or other formed pasta
mushrooms
bacon 3-5 piece finely chopped
fresh spinach
Olive oil, garlic, onions
red pepper flakes, dill weed
white wine
lemon juice of 1 lemon
chicken broth-about 1/2 cup
grated cheese

Fortified by a glass of wine, I began by putting a pot of water on the stove for the pasta. Next, I cut 4 pieces of bacon into small pieces and cooked them to a crisp before removing them and setting them aside on some paper towels. I deglazed the pan with a bit of white wine, added some olive oil and sauteed the garlic and onions along with a dash of red pepper flakes. While this was cooking I washed and cut up the mushrooms. They were added to the pan, along with dill and basil. After cooking for several minutes I added the juice from one lemon and about 1/2 cup of chicken broth. When the mushrooms were done I added about 2 cups of fresh baby spinach leafs.

When the pasta was al dente, but still not quite done, I added it to the pan with the spinach, mixed well, and let it cook for another 2 minutes. The individual dishes were garnished with the bacon bits and cheese.

7 comments:

timerulesmylife said...

yummmmmmm!!!!!!

Julio Rodrigues said...

I will have to try this recipe before I render my judgement...I may have to have seconds, just to be sure.

William F. Renzulli said...

Valerie, welcome home.

Villager, if you try that recipe you will have more than seconds. BUT, wait until I post the pasta I prepared tonite...there is no telling what that will do to you. Tortilinii with mushroom, spinach, and shrimp in a lemon, white wine and cream sauce.

Nancy Standlee said...

The red pepper flakes look like they spilled off into your beautiful acrylic painting. I just got home from Macaroni Grill but you recipe makes me hungry. I would like to try it sometime.
http://nancystandlee.blogspot.com

Patience-please said...

I have to tell y'all: it was spectacular.
the lucky wife

Dining Alone said...

This sounds simple and delicious! I always have some precooked bacon in my fridge so that makes this even easier! Thanks for the great recipe!

Princess, Tank and Isaac: The Newfs of Hazard said...

If you liked the pasta recipe, next time soak the shrooms in the lemon juice for a few hours (or whatever time you have while preparing everything else), then throwing them in to cook at the end. A little cream or half and half with real parmesan cheese is great too.