Goat cheese and spinach over pasta

We made this the other day and it's super yummy (if you like goat cheese), fresh, and easy.

Pasta:

5 oz goat cheese

2 cups spinach (or arugula)

1 cup quartered cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup olive oil

2 tsp minced garlic

1/2 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp salt

8 oz penne pasta

Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. While the pasta is cooking, brown garlic in a little bit of olive oil.

Crumble goat cheese into a large serving bowl. Add spinach, tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, and salt and pepper.

Drain pasta and toss with goat cheese mixture.

Brushetta:

1 French bread baguette

4 large cloves of garlic

1/2 tsp coarse salt

2 Tbsp butter at room temp

1 Tbsp olive oil

2 Tbsp minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

2 Tbsp minced fresh basil leaves

2 balls fresh mozzarella cheese, sliced

4 small tomatoes

2-4 Tbsp parmesan

Cut the baguette in half crosswise. Cut each piece in half lengthwise to form 4 pieces. Sprinkle the garlic with salt and mince (or I'm a slacker and I just put it through the garlic press). Transfer to a small bowl and add the butter, oil, parsley, and basil, and stir until blended. Spread the garlic butter mixture on cut side of bread. Grill the bread, cut sides down, until lightly toasted on a grill or on broil in the oven.

Remove from the grill. Quickly arrange mozzarella on the cut sides of the toast. Return to the grill, cut side up. Cook until bottoms are toasted and cheese warms and softens, about 2 minutes. Remove from grill and top with tomatoes and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese. Serve at once!

Happy Eating!