<< Back to all Blogs
Login or Create your own free blog
Layout:
Home > Kitchen Staple Creation

Kitchen Staple Creation

March 28th, 2007 at 01:31 am

We returned from our weekend away to a refrigerator that looks like this:



[At least there's some good beer to drink whilst we feast on Country Crock and cat food.]

I�m having an especially busy week at school and don�t have a lot of time to go shopping. Plus, I need some time to think through my grocery shopping plan of attack since I will be in the vicinity of an Aldi next week.

Sounds like it�s time for another Kitchen Staple Creation!

We all know pasta is a great solution for meals in a hurry. Some nights a bowl of pasta topped with marinara from a jar and a handful of frozen veggies hits the spot. But other times, I�m really in the mood for something more imaginative.

Penne with Spinach and Raisins is definitely one of my favorite �Go To� pasta meals for when sauce from a jar won't do the trick. The bite of the red pepper combined with the sweetness of the golden raisins is almost enough to make you think you�re in Sicily (almost). Golden raisins were not a typical staple in our house, but now I always keep a box on hand specifically for making this dish.



Penne with Spinach and Raisins

Olive Oil or Cooking Spray
4 gloves garlic, crushed
10-12 ounces spinach (I use frozen)
1 14.5 oz can Garbanzo Beans, rinsed and drained
� cup golden raisins
� tsp salt
� - � tsp crushed red pepper (depending on taste)
� cup chicken or vegetable broth
12 ounces cooked whole wheat penne

1. In large saut� pan, saut� garlic in olive oil over medium heat. Cook until golden. Add spinach, beans and spices. Cook ~ 5 minutes, stir in broth. Heat through.
2. Add cooked penne to spinach mixtures. Toss and enjoy!

Posted in Cooking | 5 Comments »

5 Responses to “Kitchen Staple Creation”

  1. robex Says:
    March 28th, 2007 at 01:41 am 1175042518
    1175042518

    That looks (and sounds) absolutely delicious!

    What time would you like us to arrive for dinner?

  2. KEALINA Says:
    March 28th, 2007 at 03:46 am 1175049995
    1175049995

    know what's funny... our fridge almost looks like that... mostly because DH and i haven't seen any tempting loss leaders in the past two weeks so we haven't been shopping...

  3. newlyfrugal Says:
    March 28th, 2007 at 03:32 pm 1175092368
    1175092368

    That is definitely creative! If it didn't have spinach in it I would even be tempted to try it. Smile One of my favorite quick and cheap meals is doctored up mac & cheese. It is good with hamburger and salsa OR cream of chicken soup (undiluted) and chicken OR sour cream and ham. And no matter what I put in, it always comes out tasting great. My 2.5 DS wouldn't eat mac & cheese at school because there was nothing in it. Too funny!

  4. fairy74 Says:
    March 28th, 2007 at 05:51 pm 1175100666
    1175100666

    ha, ha that looks like our fridge too, we've been gone visiting family every weekend for the last month (which is when I usually do the shopping). Very creative solution!

  5. daylily Says:
    March 30th, 2007 at 05:24 pm 1175271857
    1175271857

    This sounds fantastic. I usually keep some golden raisins on hand but recently haven't had any.
    I bought some at the store yesterday and I am all set to try your recipe!

    If I get around to it after the weekend I'm going to either post a recipe for you or PM it to you.

Leave a Reply

(Note: If you were logged in, we could automatically fill in these fields for you.)
*
Will not be published.
   

* Please spell out the number 4.  [ Why? ]

vB Code: You can use these tags: [b] [i] [u] [url] [email]