Whole Wheat Pasta with Wild Mushrooms and Spinach

Step 1: Vegetables ... In a large saute pan (you will be adding the pasta to this, so use a big pan) add the olive oil and butter and bring to medium high heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute just a minute stirring often, you don't want the garlic to burn. Then add in the mushrooms and a pinch of both salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium and saute until the mushrooms are tender. If the pan gets dry add a little chicken stock as the mushrooms cook. At this point you don't want the mushrooms cooking in broth, but you don't want them to burn, so just a little broth at a time, at this point. You will be adding more later.

Step 2: Pasta ... As the mushrooms simmer, cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain and add the pasta in the pot, cover to keep warm, and reserve some of the pasta water.

Step 3: Mushroom Sauce ... Once the mushrooms are tender, add the sherry, parsley, the remaining chicken broth, spinach and the pasta. Toss to combine and cook just another minute. If the pasta seems a bit dry to you, add some of the reserved pasta water. The last few seconds, add in the cheese and check for any additional seasoning. The cheese and broth are both salty, so pepper is usually the only seasoning needed.

Step 4: Serve ... I love to serve this with grilled skirt steak or even chicken. It makes a wonderful side dish, or a lighter main course. ENJOY!