Lemon Chicken Pasta with Spinach

Hello friends!

I know it's hot topic Monday ... and I still might post after this one ... but I decided to do another recipe! This one was one I experimented with in Texas and it is so worth a post! For those who know me know that I really love the taste of lemon ... I mean ... there is this one chicken recipe ... That I seriously must post ... but holy crap ... it tasted like springtime ... I don't know how .... but it was good ... that's it ... it's decided ... I'll post it. But in the meantime ... I have this other lemon recipe that is fantastic (which I found here) ... and so I present:

Lemon Chicken Pasta with Spinach 

 1/2 lb angel hair pasta
4 cloves garlic
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
4 chicken breasts (the original website has a recipe for adding yummy spices to chicken ... I didn't have all the ingredients ... and so I will just let you go there ... or make up a seasoning for your chicken!)
2 lemons, zested and juiced
3/4 c. half and half
1 c. Parmesan cheese
1 c. baby spinach (stems removed)
3 tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper to taste

Cook chicken breasts and cut into chunks. Cook pasta as it says on box (set aside if it finishes before the rest of things in your skillet). Add oil, garlic and red pepper to a skillet and cook until the oil sizzles (7 to 10 minutes). Add juice of one lemon, half and half, and a ladle full of pasta water to the skillet. Allow to simmer for a couple of minutes. Drain pasta and add to sauce along with lemon zest. Toss for a minute or two. Finally, add spinach and chicken and stir together. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Enjoy!

Red Pepper and Garlic Pasta

Tonight we had this:

Delish looking I know. This little number is from our friend over at the Eat Yourself Skinny blog ... If you look there and then you look here at my recipe you will notice that I made some minor adjustments ... but overall the flavor is all her ... and boy is my family grateful! I was super worried that E wouldn't like this one ... luckily she isn't as picky as I was (ok ok ... as picky as I still am) ... she LOVED it. I hope you will too!

3/4 box spaghetti noodles
1 red bell pepper
4 cloves of garlic
(a little less than) 1/4 c. olive oil
3 tbsp butter
2 tsp lemon juice
red pepper flakes (to your hearts content)
1 c. parmesan cheese
salt (again ... just however much you feel like)

Mince garlic and cut red pepper into strips. Boil water and put spaghetti in. While pasta is cooking, saute garlic and red pepper in olive oil and butter, until garlic turns golden brown and pepper is tender. Add lemon juice and red pepper flakes to mixture and keep warm. When pasta is al dente drain and immediately add cheese. Follow this closely with adding the garlic/red pepper mixture to pasta. Give a good toss around the pan ... taste and add salt as you like. Voila ... yummy easy pasta!

I put on the table more cheese, salt, and red pepper flakes ... that way everyone gets it as spicy or savory as they like it!

P.S. I started working on a new craft today:

But I'm not going to finish it until Friday because I can't decide where to put it ... which would affect the orientation of it ... therefore look forward to Friday night (or Saturday morning) on seeing the final project and tutorial!

FINALLY - I just had to leave you with a face we all know and love ... lil E here ... cute even when making her angry face!

yes ... she did just get back from ballet ... yes ... I did that wicked awesome bun (patting my own back)