too much angel hair? no problem!

By way of introduction, I am Amanda. I grew up in central North Carolina. I write now from metro Atlanta, in Georgia. I grow and cook in the South. Right now, my garden hosts collard greens, my pantry is home to homemade applesauce, and my fridge is slightly overflowing with logs of butter and dozen eggs.

A recent cooking goal of mine has been to have less leftover waste. So, for dinner last night, I worked out a quick and pretty tasty way to use up the extra whole wheat angel hair pasta from a few days before. (Disclaimer: I am not a cook of precision or measurements.) This recipe was inspired by a nutritionist friend.


Pasta with Beets, Spinach, & Feta
yield: about three servings

1. Remove left over pasta from fridge to warm up (I had four cups of whole wheat angel hair, more or less...). Or prepare fresh if you didn't accidentally cook double the amount you needed on Thursday night. 
2. Chop fresh beets finely (I used one large and one small). Put on small baking tray drizzle with olive oil, 2 tsps. should do it. Salt and pepper. Roast at 450ish F for 25 minutes. Cook more or less for softer or harder beets. 
3. Meantime, heat a stock pot to med-high. Melt a few tablespoons of butter, using more or less butter to create a more or less amazingly tasting dish. Quickly saute about three giant handfuls of fresh spinach. You could chop the spinach, but I was in a hurry and didn't. Things worked out fine for me. Saute only to wilting. Remove from heat, if necessary to wait for beets to finish cooking. 
4. Return stock pot to medium heat. Add pasta to spinach and heat through. Remove beets from oven and add to pot. 
5. Add a little more butter if you like. Yes, I am the sort of cook that bows to the Goddess of Butter. Salt and pepper to taste. 
6. Throw in as much crumbled feta as you like, and serve.