Thursday, August 23, 2007

I Just Invented Something Not Half Bad

I know better than to go to the grocery store when I'm hungry. Just like I know better than to wait until I'm starving to decide what to make myself for lunch or dinner. (Why not breakfast? That's a no brainer. Cereal and coffee. Mindless, and stable. Like old Britney Spears cds.) So today, when I made it home around 11, I was really hungry and had no quick fix available. I did not want a sandwich. I did not want something tomato-based. So I invented a pasta dish that I'd like to share with all of you. I call it:

What's in the Fridge Pasta Salad #1
1/2 cup penne pasta
1 T olive oil
1 red bell pepper, rough diced
1/2 zuccini, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can artichoke hearts, drained
1/2 cup vegetable or chicken stock
salt & pepper to taste
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup fresh parmesan cheese
garnish (optional): ricotta cheese

Cook pasta in salted, boiling water, al dente. Meanwhile, preheat skillet with oil over medium-high heat. Satuee pepper and zuccini, with salt and pepper. Add in garlic. After 7-9 minutes, deglaze pan with chicken stock. Add in artichoke hearts. Add in cheeses. Toss with cooked, drained pasta. Serve, topping with more parmesan and ricotta (optional).

Maybe I just haven't had enough calcium today or something, and that's why it sounded good to top the dish with a teeny bit of ricotta cheese. But it was dang tasty! It hit the spot, whereas sometimes, when I have "throw stuff together" meals, they don't go over as well. With these measurements, it made two servings, and you get your veggies, carbs, and some dairy in for the day. Enjoy!

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