Spinach Ricotta Rigatoni with Balsamic Asapragus

The name sounds intimidating, but it's basically pasta with a sauce! This is a sauce that I made up as I went along, so I know there is room for improvement, so feel free to let me know what you try to make it special just for you.

I started by sauteing garlic and onion along with some Thyme and Italian seasonings (I don't measure, so you'll have to bear with me!)  I then added the rest of the portobello mushrooms I has leftover from the previous posts.  Once everything is pretty well cooked, I added the spinach.  I used fresh spinach (always tastes best) You can get a big plastic box of the stuff from Sam's for like 3 bucks.  Much better deal than the bags at walmart, plus it stays fresher longer in the fridge.

I probably chopped up 3 handfuls of spinach and added it to the pan, it cooked down quite a bit.  Once it starts wilting, add about a teaspoon of nutmeg or so, fresh cracked pepper and some salt to taste.  It should be a good base for the sauce.  Once it's cooked down to where you like it, add the Ricotta cheese.  Again, Sam's has a huge container of the stuff for 4 bucks.  (We plan on making ravioli sometime soon, so I'll keep you posted.)

Fold in the ricotta cheese with the spinach mixture until the cheese has melted.  (By the way, I have some rigatoni pasta cooking in boiling water while all of this is taking place) You might add a little bit of the pasta water to the sauce to make it a little creamier, it tends to thicken while you cook it.

Again, taste it.  If it needs more salt, add it, nutmeg or maybe even some crushed red pepper for some spice.  I even added a little Smart Balance butter.  It's a little healthier than the real stuff. It really added some extra flavor.  If I had some cream cheese, I may have added some to make it a little creamier.  But, it's probably a little healthier this way.

Once your pasta is done, drain it and add the pasta to the sauce and slowly fold it together.  At this point you can do 1 of 2 things.  You can 1) put it in bowls, and enjoy, or 2), you could add some parmesan cheese and put it in a casserole dish and bake it...  I went the route of #1.  But later thought of the latter, the problem is, I could see it getting a little dry if you baked it, so it would need something else to keep it creamy and not dry.

So there you go, an easy dish, probably 30 to 35 minutes total.

For the side dish, simply wash your asparagus, and place it on a cookie sheet.  Spray it with some olive oil pam, and sprinkle some lemon pepper on it.  Bake at 400 in the oven for about 20 to 25 minutes, just keep an eye on it.  Try one, if it's tender and good, take it out.  Then drizzle some balsamic vinegar over it, then place it on a plate.

Enjoy!

PS. watch out for Michelle's blog, something special just might show up later today! michellebreakandbake.blogspot.com