Viva Italia

-When you're little, what you imagine as an ideal dinner is something along the lines of cookies on top of pizza covered in ice cream.  This is sort of the grown up version of that dish.  Last night I came home completely exhausted from the week looking for something fast and delicious.  I literally looked in the fridge, grabbed all of my favorite foods, and threw them into a pan hoping the result would be better than cookies on pizza.  Maybe I'm just lucky all of my favorite foods on hand had a distinctly Italian theme, but this will definitely become a "making dinner fast" night staple.




Rotini with Spinach, Artichoke Hearts, and Sundried Tomatoes
-2 serving-
1.5 C rotini (or other pasta)
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 C (non pickled) artichoke hearts (I like the frozen kind from Trader Joe's)
4 tbsp sundried tomatoes
4 C spinach
Dash of Red Pepper Flakes
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 Tbsp Goat Cheese

1) Begin boiling water for the pasta
2) When water is simmering, add a few tablespoons of olive oil to a saucepan and saute the garlic
2) Add the artichoke hearts and sundried tomatoes (including whatever olive oil they've been canned in) and saute
3) As you add the pasta to the boiling water, add the spinach, red pepper flakes, and salt and pepper to the artichoke heart/sundried tomato mixture. Cover the pan and allow the spinach to wilt.
4) After draining the pasta, remove the vegetables from the heat and add the pasta as well as the goat cheese.  Mix thoroughly but gently and the cheese will form a sort of sauce as it melts.

On a total side note, my boyfriend bought me these flowers the other day for absolutely no reason at all.  Isn't he the sweetest??