Why must Cooking Light always make things look so hard?! (See original recipe HERE.) Perhaps I am overestimating the ease of this recipe, but here it is in Maggie-Speak:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pasta:

• Boil ten ounces whole wheat pasta* and drain.
• Tear up and stir in three big handfuls of fresh spinach (half a bag).
• Lid the pot to let the spinach wilt.

Sauce:

• Chop one large onion, one bulb of garlic (use that handy-dandy Pampered Chef garlic press!), and 8 oz. mushrooms (I most love baby bellas…unless they aren’t on sale).
• Saute in olive oil–season with salt and pepper.
• Once veggies are soft, deglaze pan with a couple twirls of dry white wine (1/2 cup?).
• Cook until the booze smell is gone (1-2 minutes).
• Stir in enough cornstarch/flour to absorb liquid (1/2 cup?) and cook for 1-2 minutes to remove raw flour taste.
• Pour in 2 1/2 cups of skim milk and cook until thickened.
• Add 1/2-3/4 bag of Parmesan cheese and the rind of one lemon (more or less to taste).

Combine pasta and sauce. Pour into greased 9 x 13 pan. Cover with panko bread crumbs, and bake for 30ish minutes until top is crisped and bubbling.

Final Evaluation: I’ll have seconds.

* I bought a 14.5 oz box of penne and used all but a cup. If you are a Hy-Vee shopper, grab the store brand Omega 3 box–more fiber and protein than whole wheat and good for your brain!