Penne with White Beans and Spinach with Homemade Breadsticks

I should have saved this recipe for Meatless Monday, but I saw this recipe and had all the ingredients. It looked so good and it was! My husband and I loved it. The kids...not so much (they disliked the lemon flavor). While they pecked at their food my husband and I told horror stories of the food we hated as kids and were forced to eat (me: meatloaf and fish) and we promised them that they didn't have it so bad. Besides, we had breadsticks to eat and they LOVE breadsticks. This is a recipe that Kathee gave me forever ago (do you still make these, Kath?) and we make them at least weekly.

Penne with White Beans and Spinach
Recipe courtesy of Tasty Kitchen

•8 ounces, weight Dry Penne Pasta
•1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
•2 cloves Garlic, Minced
•1 can Cannellini Beans (15 Oz), Drained And Rinsed
•¼ cups Sundried Tomatoes, Chopped
•3 cups Raw Baby Spinach
•1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest
•2 whole Lemons, Juiced
•1 teaspoon Salt
•¼ teaspoons Cayenne Pepper
•¼ cups Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese (or More To Taste)

Cook the pasta according to package directions in boiling salted water. When cooked, drain the pasta and reserve one half cup of cooking liquid. Set both the pasta and the water aside.

In a large skillet or Dutch oven, heat the olive oil. Add the minced garlic and saute for two minutes, until toasted and fragrant (be careful not to burn!). Add the cooked pasta, beans, sundried tomatoes and spinach and cook until spinach wilts. Once spinach wilts, add the lemon zest, juice, salt, cayenne and cheese and toss well. Add some of the cooking water if the mixture seems dry. Once everything is heated through, serve!

Soft Italian Breadsticks
courtesy of Kathee

1 cup water (70-80 degrees)
3 tbsp butter, softened
1-1/2 tsp salt
3 cups bread flour
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp italian seasoning
1 tsp garlic powder
2-1/4 tsp yeast
topping:
1 tbsp butter, melted
1 tbsp parmesan cheese

Place first 8 ingredients in bread machine, select dough cycle. When done, divide dough in half. Cut each half into 12 pieces and roll each piece into a rope. Place on baking sheets. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Immediately brush with butter and sprinkle with cheese.