A Very "Pinteresting" Meal

One of my little guilty pleasures is to browse on Pinterest.  I have to watch myself, or I can get too carried away!  Suddenly, 30 minutes has become 3 hours!

I'm always trying to find new, yummy, nourishing meals for my family ~ and Pinterest gives me immediate gratification.

My latest find is Tomato~Basil Pasta with Spinach from Lizzy's blog Your Cup of Cake and Cheesy Garlic Pull~Apart Bread from Leigh Anne's blog, Your Home-based Mom.

This meal is  has it all ~ pasta, cheese, veggies, cheese, butter, and did I mention ~ cheese?  If you're on a low fat, low carb diet, this one is NOT for you, but I know my kiddos and the hubs will scarf this one down and declare it a "keeper"!  Without further ado, here are the recipes!

Tomato~Basil Pasta with Spinach

1 T salt
1 lb. pasta  (Lizzy used bow-tie or farfalle pasta)
2 T olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans diced tomatoes
1/2 t dried basil
1/2 t dried oregano
1 t EACH salt/pepper
2 T tomato paste
4 oz. room temperature cream cheese
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
3 c fresh spinach


Cook pasta with 1 T salt according to package directions.

Meanwhile, saute onion & garlic in the olive oil.  Add in tomatoes, spices, tomato paste & cream cheese. Cook until well combined.  Add in cooked pasta, Parmesan cheese & spinach.  Simmer until spinach wilts.  Serve with Cheesy Garlic Pull~Apart Bread and a salad.


Cheesy Garlic Pull~Apart Bread

16 Rhodes frozen dinner rolls
1/2 c. (1 stick) melted butter
1 c Parmesan cheese
1 t parsley
1-1/2 t garlic powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 t Italian seasoning
1/2 t onion powder

Let rolls thaw about 45 minutes and cut in half with kitchen shears.  Place into a large bowl.  Mix spices with butter and pour over dough.  Sprinkle with half of cheese.  Place rolls into a 9-inch baking pan.  (Leigh Anne suggests a spring form pan, but I don't have one.  I'm going to use a Bundt cake pan.) Sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Let rise 1 to 1-1/2 hours or until doubled.  Bake at 350* for 20-25 minutes.  Yummo!

*Update*
When I made these rolls, I found them to be a little too buttery.  Hey, I love butter as much as the next girl, but these were overly saturated with butter.  A little too over the top for my liking.  I will reduce the butter to 1/3 c next time.  Also, instead of using the garlic/onion powder seasonings, I minced 3 garlic cloves and a shallot to saute into the butter.  Also, I coated the buttery dough in 1/2 of the cheese, and then placed them into the pan.  I thought that would give each buttery jewel more Parmesan flavor!  Then I sprinkled with the remaining 1/2 c Parmesan.  It was great!  My son informed me that this was the garlic bread I'd have to make "from now on".  I guess no more Pepperidge Farm frozen cheesy bread for us ~ sigh!