Easy Pea-sy Creamy Pasta
While my hurt foot is restraining me from going forth and conquering new, scrumptious frontiers, I’ve started to go back through my personal archives to find recipes to share. This one is a great choice for a healthier alternative to boxed pasta sides (Sorry Pasta Roni, but our love affair has ended, I’ve met someone who’s better for me, who loves me back, who never leaves dehydrated veggie bits stuck in my teeth… it’s over.)
So, here’s my archive post, enjoy and Happy Cooking!
I wanted to make some Italian chicken, but needed a side dish to match. I hadn’t been to the store yet this week, so I had to come up with something with what was in the cupboards, and was pleasantly surprised with the results.
Easy Pea-sy Creamy Pasta
- 2 c. pasta (I used corkscrew since that’s what was on hand)
- 1/2 c. frozen sweet peas
- 1 1/3 c. skim milk
- 2 oz. fat-free cream cheese
- 2 Tbs Parmesan cheese
- 3 garlic cloves finely chopped
- 1/2 c. shredded cheese (I used a cheddar/Monterrey blend since that’s what I had – cheddar alone or mozzarella would go well too).
- 3 Tbs crushed fat-free herbed croutons, divided
Cook pasta according to package instructions. While pasta cooks, combine milk, parm cheese, cream cheese,garlic, and shredded cheese in a sauce pan and cook on med heat until cheeses melt together. Add peas, trying not to add too much extra water (no big ice pieces). Drain cooked pasta and add that to the sauce/pea mixture. Stir together and let simmer and few minutes as sauce thickens. Add about half of the crushed croutons and stir into dish. Top dish with remaining crouton crumbs before serving.
If you think that the chicken looks good, well, it was! Bernstein’s Light Cheese Fantastico is a so-so salad dressing, but as a chicken marinade it is amazingly flavorful. Baked or on the grill, it’s great, just marinade the chicken at least an hour before hand.
