Spinach Fettuccine

Ingredients

• 16 oz fettuccine barilla uncooked
• 9 oz spinach frozen chopped
• 1 tablespoon butter light
• 1 clove garlic finely chopped
• 2 oz weight cream cheese fat-free cut into cubes
• 0.8 cup chicken broth reduced-sodium (from 32-oz carton)
• 3 tablespoons flour all-purpose
• 0.8 cup pecorino cheese freshly grated
• 0.8 cup skim milk fat-free
• 1 teaspoon salt 
• 0.5 teaspoon pepper freshly ground
• 1 cup bacon crumbled cooked

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• whisk
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Cook fettuccine in 5-quart Dutch oven as directed on package, omitting salt and oil.
2. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup cooking water. Return fettuccine to pan; cover to keep warm. Meanwhile, cook frozen spinach as directed on box; squeeze dry.
3. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, melt butter over medium-high heat.
4. Add garlic; cook and stir 30 seconds.
5. Add reserved cooking water and cream cheese, stirring with whisk until smooth.
6. In small bowl, stir broth and flour with whisk until smooth.
7. Add flour mixture to skillet, stirring with whisk until blended.
8. Heat to boiling; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens.
9. Remove from heat.
10. Add Romano cheese; stir until smooth.
11. Add half-and-half, salt and pepper. Stir in spinach.
12. Add spinach mixture to fettuccine in Dutch oven; toss to coat. Divide mixture among 8 bowls; sprinkle evenly with bacon.