Creamy Mushroom and Spinach Pasta

It's about time that I upload another pasta recipe, because if you didn't know, I love pasta! I've been recently craving something creamy but not overly heavy, so I settled on this bad boy. Winters in the Northeast are always pretty bad: snow falls pretty often and the coarse wind that blows daily stings your cheeks. But, fear not! Cozy up with this pan of mushroom and spinach pasta. It's my version of a great comfort food!

For this recipe, you will need:

Ingredients: (serves 3)

- 1/2 box of pasta of your choice

- handful of button mushrooms

- handful of fresh spinach

- 3 cloves of garlic, minced

- pinch of red chili flakes

- pinch of salt and pepper

- parmesan cheese

- 1/2 cup cream (or milk)

Directions:

Begin by cooking the pasta in salted, boiling water. Cook according to the boxed directions and stir occasionally to make sure that the pasta doesn't stick to the bottom of the pot. Next, slice the mushrooms to the desired thickness and mince three cloves of garlic. Heat pan on medium heat and add in extra virgin olive oil. Place your hand about 2-3 inches above the pan (be careful!) to feel if it's hot enough. Add in the mushrooms and garlic and sauté. Add in a pinch of salt to draw out the moisture in the mushrooms and season with black pepper and red chili flakes. At this point, the mushrooms should have released some of their liquid. Use a ladle of the pasta water to add to the sauce. Add in the cream or milk and mix together. Toss the pasta in the sauce and fold in the spinach. Add some parmesan cheese to the dish and mix again. Serve into small bowls and enjoy!