Spinach Artichoke Pasta...get outta town!!

Who doesn't love spinach artichoke dip? I don't know anyone. If I did, I'd think they were crazy. As soon as I saw the name of this pasta I knew I had to try it and I knew I would love it. It did not fall short of my expectations to say the least. I served this dish with homemade French bread dripping with butter. What can I say, I was carb loading for a run I had planned the next day. At least that is how I justified this glutinous meal. It was late(r) by the time I got our dinner put together and all natural light was gone. So pardon my awful pictures. Do not let them put you off making this dish. In fact head over to Ree's page for a looksee at her gorgeous pics of this dish. http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2012/10/spinach-artichoke-pasta/ Spinach Artichoke Pasta Pioneer Woman

Ingredients 6 Tablespoons Butter 4 cloves Garlic, Finely Minced 2 bags Baby Spinach 2 cans Artichoke Hearts, Drained And Halved 3 Tablespoons Flour 3 cups Whole Milk ¼ teaspoons Cayenne Pepper Salt And Pepper, to taste ½ cups Grated Parmesan Cheese 1-½ cup Mozzarella Or Monterey Jack Cheese, Grated ½ cups Low Sodium Chicken Broth (less Or More) 12 ounces, weight Penne, Cooked Until Al Dente- I used gluten free pasta ½ cups Seasoned Panko Breadcrumbs- see note below Crushed Red Pepper, To Taste Preparation Instructions Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large pot or skillet. Add garlic and throw in the spinach. Stir it around until it’s wilted, about 1 minute. Remove spinach from heat and set aside. Add 2 tablespoons butter to the same pot and raise the heat to high. Throw in the halved artichokes and stir it around until they get a little color, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove the artichokes from the pot and set them aside. Reduce the heat to low. Add 2 tablespoons butter to the pot. When melted, sprinkle in flour and whisk until it’s combined. Pour in milk and whisk to combine. Let it cook for 3 to 4 minutes, or until starting to thicken. Add Parmesan, Mozzarella/Monterey Jack, salt and pepper, and cayenne pepper. Stir to melt, and if it’s overly thick, splash in chicken broth. Add artichokes and pasta, tossing gently to combine. Gently fold in spinach, then pour the pasta into a serving bowl. Sprinkle the top with crushed red pepper flakes and plenty of Panko breadcrumbs for crunch. Note- I had some panko breadcrumbs but they were not seasoned or toasted. So I threw some on a cookie sheet, sprinkled them with Italian seasoning and then baked them at 350 until they were golden brown and extra crunch. This maybe took 10 minutes or so. But if you do this, keep you eye on the breadcrumbs so as not to burn them.