Mark the day...

*enter Handel’s Messiah* My husband cooked this weekend. For some of you, this may sound normal. You may have one of those husbands (like my brother Raymond, bless his heart) who whips on an apron, sings in the kitchen while tossing salt over his shoulder for good luck and baking everyone’s birthday cakes. Chris is not one of those husbands. Amazing, yes. Wonderful father, yes. Adoring husband, oh yes. Cook, nah. I will say in his defense, he loves to eat and he is more than happy to do the dishes and do them well. So, in my mind, we’re absolutely perfect for each other. Let’s also be frank here, I’m a competitive person, I don’t need someone showing me up in my own kitchen. So, maybe you’re thinking, “Wow, turning over a new leaf?” or “great new years resolutions!!”, let me stop you there. Three words…lost at golf. Oh yes, it’s the new thing. Anytime he plays with his friend Jeff, the loser cooks dinner. Luckily Chris has won the last two times so Jeff and his wife Michelle cooked for us.  Lucky for them, it was his turn. After he lost he immediately told me that he was going to need some help figuring out what to cook. He knew I wasn’t cooking for him (as sweet as I am). I had bought a new Giada DeLaurentiis food processor and there was a “Penne with Spinach Sauce” recipe that I just KNEW he could pull off. Pasta is easy. Pasta with a sauce is yummy. So this week I’m sharing Chris’ recipe. He did a great job and although he swears he’s buying Costco pizza for everyone if he looses again, I wouldn’t mind having him make this. Well done sweet husband!

Ingredients

¾ tsp salt

1 lb whole wheat pasta

3 garlic cloves

2 oz. goat cheese

1 oz. reduced fat cream cheese

½ tsp fresh ground pepper

6 oz. baby spinach leaves

2 TBS freshly grated Parmesan cheese

(if he makes it again, I may have him add a couple TBS’s of Extra Virgin Olive Oil to make the sauce a little creamier!!)

-          Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain reserving 1 cup of the cooking liquid.

-          Meanwhile, mince garlic in food processor. Add goat cheese, cream cheese, salt, pepper and half the spinach leaves. Blend until smooth and creamy. Place the remaining spinach leaves in a large bowl. Add the drained pasta, then scrape the cheese mixture over the pasta and toss and coat. Add enough cooking liquid to moisten. Season with salt and pepper and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.