Meatless Monday - Artichoke Spinach Pasta

Do you love artichoke dip?  I think it’s delicious, honestly, any time you get artichokes, spinach, and cheese together it’s like a little slice of heaven.  Mix that with some pasta and you get a really flavorful meal.  This recipe is really quick and easy to make. I think it took me about 20 minutes. Perfect for a Monday night after work.

You may notice I ask you to mix butter and olive oil. This is something I suggest to keep the flavor buttery but the fat calories low.  You can use this trick in most recipes. Even if your not concerned about watching your weight this is a good practice to keep your diet healthy and delicious.

Artichoke and Spinach Pasta

Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons Butter
• 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 4 cloves Garlic, Finely Minced
• 2 bags Baby Spinach
• 2 cans Artichoke Hearts, Drained And Halved, Reserve the Fluid
• 3 Tablespoons Flour
• 2 cups Whole Milk
• 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
• Salt And Pepper, to taste
• 1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1-1/2 cup Mozzarella Or Monterey Jack Cheese, Grated
• 1/2 cup Veggie Broth
• 12 ounces, weight Penne, Cooked Until Al Dente
• Crushed Red Pepper, To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Melt 1 tablespoon butter  and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large pot or skillet. Add garlic and throw in the spinach. Stir it around until it's wilted, about 1-3 minutes. Remove spinach from pot and set aside.

Add 1 tablespoon butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil to the same pot and raise the heat to high. Throw in the halved artichokes and stir it around until they get a little color, 1 to 5 minutes. Remove the artichokes from the pot and set them aside.

Reduce the heat to low. Add 1 tablespoons butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot. When melted, sprinkle in flour and whisk until it's combined. Pour in milk and reserved artichoke water and whisk to combine. Let it cook for 5 to 10 minutes, or until starting to thicken. Add Parmesan, Mozzarella/Monterey Jack, salt and pepper, and cayenne pepper. Stir to melt, and if it's overly thick, add the veggie broth.

Add artichokes and pasta, tossing gently to combine. Gently fold in spinach, then pour the pasta into a serving bowl. Sprinkle the top with crushed red pepper flakes

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